Composite Registries - 1st Anniversary

[cbcr]

The Composite Registries have made numerous strides since opening our services in June and July of 2013 to both beef and dairy producers in North America (USA and Canada). With both registries we offer the opportunity to all cattle producers that have a need for registering their animals to identify, track, document and maintain the ancestry of past generations and future offspring. We offer an affordable and efficient system to register cattle of any breed or combination of breeds. We also register cattle that do not qualify for registration in a registry due to percentage of blood, the breed crosses, the breed herdbook is closed or there is no registry.

With the Composite Dairy Cattle Registry, we offer registration opportunities to many of the non-traditional dairy breeds in North America (USA and Canada). Among these breeds are the Fleckvieh, Montbeliarde, Norwegian Red, Red Dane, Swedish Red and White, and any other dairy cross that breeders and producers wish to register to preserve and document the ancestry of their animals.

Dr. Les Hansen, dairy geneticist at the University of Minnesota, applauds and supports our efforts. His comment to us is, "My observation is you are making remarkable progress in a short period of time in getting people to think more open-mindedly about allowing the accurate identification on cattle from the non-traditional dairy breeds in the U.S. as well as their crossbred offspring."

The Composite Dairy Cattle Registry, representing the Fleckvieh was successful in acquiring the FL breed code in December 2013. The Fleckvieh breed dates back to the early 19th century. The Fleckvieh is one of Europe's oldest breeds and with over 1.3 million animals listed in the European Fleckvieh herd book, makes it the world's second largest dairy breed.

The Fleckvieh and the Montbeliarde are considered strength breeds and are being used by dairy producers to cross on their Holsteins. The Holstein has been so intently bred for milk production that they lack the strength and stamina to hold up. By crossing with these strength breeds, we are seeing these crosses equal or even exceed their Holstein herd mates in production. Also the calves from these crosses are in greater demand for feeder cattle because of increased value for beef looking animals. With these non-traditional dairy breeds they offer hybrid vigor, better fertility, lower somatic cell counts, better animal health (lower vet bills) and have higher components that are more ideally suited for many of today's cheeses and dairy products that consumers demand.

The Composite Beef Cattle Registry was approved for providing export documentation. We were able to provide this export documentation for over 200 head of Hereford animals that were sired by Registered Hereford bulls but were out of commercial cows that the pedigree information was known. These cattle were exported to the Russian Federation, where the farmers receiving them had to have this documentation in order to receive a subsidy payment from the Russian Government that covered some of the cost of the animals.

The Composite Beef Cattle Registry offers several registry sections for registering animals, and we recently added a registry section for Club Calf Cattle. Quality animals properly identified are worth more.

Both registries offer first year members the opportunity to register animals of any age for our lowest rate of $10 per head at any time during the first year of membership.

The Composite Registries is open to all beef and dairy breeders and producers in North America. We steadily continue to grow and we have members from both the USA and Canada that have seen the value in registering their animals with us. We have registered animals from crosses and cow families that have been bred enough generations to achieve purebred status (87% or greater). For more information go to http://www.compositebeef.com or http://www.dairycattleregistry.com or call 816-738-4179.

Composite Dairy Cattle Registry - Mission: "To provide programs and services that enhances the economic and genetic potential of Composite Dairy Cattle. We pledge to strive for the success of our members and the dairy industry by creating marketing opportunities that add economic value."

 

[LauraleesFarm]

I'm not sure I'm on board with this, on many counts.....
A registry is designed to enhance its own economic gain.
A rancher can handle keeping up with the genetics behind their crossbred and unregistered cattle just fine.
If it aint broke dont fix it. How does this program get me more money for my calves at sale time? That is the bottom line.

 

[Taurus]

I'm not sure I'm on board with this, on many counts.....
A registry is designed to enhance its own economic gain.
A rancher can handle keeping up with the genetics behind their crossbred and unregistered cattle just fine.
If it aint broke dont fix it. How does this program get me more money for my calves at sale time? That is the bottom line.

Just like the black herefords. F1 black baldy cattle works just fine. I guess that black hereford is having a fallout of popularity.

 

[UG]

Taurus, are you implying that the Black Hereford breed not as popular as it was a few years ago? If so, that would really suprise me, since the spring Black Hereford sale reports that I have seen have been strong to my best recollection; and it seems that many of the bulls were going to commercial breeders, not just to other Black Hereford breeders that were simply trying to prop up prices.

Lauralees, you seem to be imply that the composite registry is designed to make money and that is a bad thing. Isn't that the American way? Isn't that the reason you and I are in the cattle business? If the composite registry can provide a service that is of value to others why shouldn't the registry make money. Just because the registry doesn't offer you any value doesn't mean it is not of value to others. If the service they provide doesn't provide enough value to others, the registry will eventually shut their doors, just like any other for-profit business and breed association.

 

[Taurus]

Yes the black Hereford are not popular any more or at least up in northern states. Few people near us tried them and they are switching their black Hereford bulls to another breed or go back to the true Herefords or Angus.

 

[M.Magis]

Taurus, are you implying that the Black Hereford breed not as popular as it was a few years ago? If so, that would really suprise me, since the spring Black Hereford sale reports that I have seen have been strong to my best recollection; and it seems that many of the bulls were going to commercial breeders, not just to other Black Hereford breeders that were simply trying to prop up prices.

Lauralees, you seem to be imply that the composite registry is designed to make money and that is a bad thing. Isn't that the American way? Isn't that the reason you and I are in the cattle business? If the composite registry can provide a service that is of value to others why shouldn't the registry make money. Just because the registry doesn't offer you any value doesn't mean it is not of value to others. If the service they provide doesn't provide enough value to others, the registry will eventually shut their doors, just like any other for-profit business and breed association.

Very well said, though I'm not sure it'll help some understand. If they're successful, it's because there's a market for their services. I wonder if perhaps using the word "Registry" in the name confuses people as to what the service actually is, or at least the purpose of the service. There must be some confusion, otherwise black Herefords wouldn't have been brought up. It doesn't seem to me the CRs aren't out to create new "breeds" of cattle. They simply provide a way of documenting the ancestry of non-registered cattle. I don't see it being useful for most commercial cattlemen, but that doesn't mean they don't provide a service that adds value for some people.

 

[Nesikep]

Can you name a sale involving bovines that hasn't been strong this year??

I guess the registry could provide access to EPD's on crossbred bulls, and trace their heritage in a more official manner... From what I gathered, it may be of more value to export markets

 

[UG]

Nesikep,

You have a good point. Production sales have been strong all across North America. My only point is that if Black Herefords are truly declining in popularity, wouldn't their sale averages be flat, if not down from previous years? Also, as I indicated in my previous post, it seems that many of the Black Hereford bulls in this spring's sales were going to commercial producers which leads me to believe that at least in some areas (unlike the area where Taurus lives) there still is good demand for the breed.

 

[cbcr]

Both of our registries Composite Beef Cattle Registry and Composite Dairy Cattle Registry are both for the purpose of registering beef and dairy animals. Why would the word "registry" be confusing, that is what we are.

Just like any other registry, once an animal is registered with us, they are no longer non-registered. They are issued a registration number and the ancestry is listed on the papers along with the breed composition and percentages.

What makes us different and sets us apart from other registries? First off, we have no self-serving agenda. We do not have many of the conflicts that other breed registries encounter among the membership and within the Association offices. We are here to serve the breeders and owners.

While at this time we do not have a board of directors, we do have people supporting our efforts that we can communicate with in an advisory capacity.

How does registering with us provide value? Well, the Exporter contacted us, he had access to cattle that were purebred Herefords, but the cows were not registered nor were they eligible for registration with the American Hereford Association (herd books are closed). He had buyers in the Russian Federation interested in these cattle but they had to have identification papers (pedigrees) to be eligible for export from the US to the Russian Federation. It took a couple of months, but our Composite Beef Cattle Registry received approval for providing the required export documentation for these cattle, over 200 head. The breeders involved were able to receive a premium for their animals (rather than selling them as just commercial replacements at a local auction market or privately to another rancher(s). The exporter was able to make money on these animals as well and make a sale. Trying to locate and buy animals that were registered with the American Hereford Association were not affordable. Oh, and yes, we by providing this service to the exporter made money as well. This was a win-win situation for everyone.

With the Composite Dairy Cattle Registry, we represent many of what would be considered non-traditional dairy breeds for registration in North America (USA and Canada). It was after a couple of phone calls and a few email to our beef registry asking if we could register diary animals that we started asking why was another registry needed? We soon found out why. Look back up at the words in red, that is why.

The Milking Fleckvieh breed dates back to the early 19th century. The Fleckvieh is one of Europe's oldest breeds and with over 1.3 million animals listed in the European Fleckvieh herd book, makes it the world's second largest dairy breed.

The Fleckvieh and the Montbeliarde are considered strength breeds and are being used by dairy producers to cross on their Holsteins. The Holstein has been so intently bred for milk production that they lack the strength and stamina to hold up. By crossing with these strength breeds, we are seeing these crosses equal or even exceed their Holstein herd mates in production. Also the calves from these crosses are in greater demand for feeder cattle because of increased value for beef looking animals. With these non-traditional dairy breeds they offer hybrid vigor, better fertility, lower somatic cell counts, better animal health (lower vet bills) and have higher components that are more ideally suited for many of today's cheeses and dairy products that consumers demand.

Now for the reason we started the Composite Dairy Cattle Registry. Another registry would register these animals, but was not their primary concern, but they would do so. A Fleckvieh animal that was registered with this organization was offered the opportunity and ask to exhibit their animals in a show with this registry. Well the Fleckvieh animals did quite well in the show and upset many breeders. A rule was made that an animals had to be a minimum of 87% dairy breeding and from an approved dairy breed. Guess what two breeds were excluded from the approved list, the Fleckvieh and Montbeliarde. Here was a registry that was more than happy to take money from these people but shunned them and really didn't provide any services to them. Not only that but the registration papers they provided really only showed the sire and the dam and they assigned the animals with a new registration number. These animals had no genetic evaluations, and no one was even trying to help them. WE DID!!!

We have several members in the US and Canada, and many owners have been breeding these breeds long enough that we have registered animals that thru breeding up have reached purebred status of 87% or greater. We have even registered several Fullblood animals that were from imported embryos.

We recently registered the first 3 fullblood Montbeliarde bulls that are in the US. They are ET's from embryos imported from France.

We have breeders and bulls studs that are seeking fullblood and even purebred bulls.

We have one member that I initiated contact with him. At first he was apprehensive and skeptical, and those were understandable. But after he visited with some of our other members and saw the support for us, and also was able to see that we were here for him, he jumped on board. One thing he had commented on is that with our registries, we care about our members and we are here to help them. To us that is very important. He certainly sees the value in everyone joining and working together as a unified group. With that kind of support we can make a difference.

Everyone should be proud of their breed of cattle, no matter if it is dairy or beef. While their does exist a small amount of prejudice among beef breeds, it is nothing compared to the dairy industry that we have seen. Basically their attitude is if it isn't a Holstein it isn't a dairy cow. But the funny thing is, NOT ONE single dairy breed that is considered traditional here in the US is native, every breed was imported.

We have many services that we are working on to help our dairy producers, whether they are members of our registry or not, whether they register animals with us or not.

We are working to bring awareness to these breeds, thru press releases, ads, direct contact, radio interviews and I can say we are making progress. We have been working not only with the USDA but we have also had to work directly with the DRPC's. We have been able to make considerable progress in being able for these breeds to begin having genetic evaluations. The breeds we represent are here to stay, and we will continue to grow.

With the Composite Beef Cattle Registry, one thing that we have done is set a standard for 2-breed composites to be 5/8 x 3/8 crosses. If you look at many of the successful breeds, an many of you on this board like them, is the Brangus, they are a 5/8 x 3/8 cross. This has worked quite well for several other breeds too.

We can do genetic evaluation for traits that are relevant and important, CED, BW, WW, YW, PWG, Scrotal, Milk, and carcass traits among them. The database we use is truely multi-breed and represents over 40 breeds and 3 million animal.

It has always been said that while registration papers don't make an animal any better, they can increase their value. Which would you rather have, a hand written piece of paper with information on it, or a registration paper from a registry?

In looking at bulls, we see many (especially the Club Calf bulls) that are sired by so and so and out of the renowned donor cow XYZ. Who was XYZ? Do you want to use unknown genetics in your herd?

Bottom-line. We are here for those that wish to utilize our services.

 

[greybeard]

Very well said, though I'm not sure it'll help some understand. If they're successful, it's because there's a market for their services. I wonder if perhaps using the word "Registry" in the name confuses people as to what the service actually is, or at least the purpose of the service. There must be some confusion, otherwise black Herefords wouldn't have been brought up. It doesn't seem to me the CRs aren't out to create new "breeds" of cattle. They simply provide a way of documenting the ancestry of non-registered cattle. I don't see it being useful for most commercial cattlemen, but that doesn't mean they don't provide a service that adds value for some people.

Maybe not, but even if factual, that will inevitably be one of the ways this registry will be used, soon enough.
You are correct when you said "It doesn't seem to me the CRs aren't out to create new "breeds"" so we may both be on the same page.