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TUCUMCARI - For 50 years, cattle producers in the Southern High Plains and Southwest have benefited from the New Mexico Beef Cattle Performance Association's performance testing center for bulls, located at the New Mexico State University's Agricultural Science Center at Tucumcari.
As one of the country's longest running programs, the testing center will celebrate its 50th anniversary during the annual Tucumcari Bull Sale on March 18. Activities will begin March 17 with the annual Buyers Bull Session and Dinner at the Tucumcari Convention Center, 1500 W. Route 66 Blvd.
Since its creation in 1961, bulls from more than 25 different breeds have participated in the 16-week program that gathers objective performance data for improving the probability of beef cattle. Producers from throughout the United States have used the sale to improve the genetics and quality of their herds.
"Up until the 1960s, selection of bulls was for type and action, not necessarily things tied to economic performance of the animal," said Bobby Rankin, retired NMSU Extension beef cattle specialist and Animal and Range Sciences department head. "More depended on how the animal suited somebody's eyeball judgment than upon performance and traits that would improve the profitability of the herd."
Rankin's first big project when he joined NMSU in 1961 was to help the NMBCPA start a bull testing station at the Tucumcari science center, formerly known as NMSU Northeastern Substation.
In the 1960s,
"The Beef Improvement Federation was formed to make the centers' recordkeeping more uniform and for the promotion of the information so cattlemen could make decisions about improving their herds from data based information," Rankin said. "We had annual meetings and discussed ways to help the industry improve their herds."
Current director of operations for the test, Manny Encinias, NMSU Extension beef cattle specialist, said, "Conceptually, these breeders and Extension specialists were the pioneers who shaped today's beef industry. Standard data collection and management practices on seedstock and commercial cattle operations today were logically crafted by these individuals."
Today the concept of preconditioning calves, which involves implementing a defined health and nutrition program at weaning, coupled with a transition period before calves are shipped, is a standardized practice to improve post-weaning health, performance and value.
In the last decade, the validity of centralized performance testing facilities, like the Tucumcari Bull Test, has been questioned. However, the emergence of commercialized DNA-marker technology and escalated feed costs have revived interest in performance testing to further identify superior genetics that will excel in traits to improve the bottom line for commercial cattle producers.
"We're much more than a 'feed 'em and weigh 'em' facility today," Encinias said. "Our group of genetic suppliers strives to evaluate the genetic merit of these young bulls using advance technologies, like DNA and ultrasound."
To operate a program continuously for 50 years is a significant milestone that has weathered numerous industry transitions, and bull buyers' preferences.
The original test period consisted of 140 days, but was transitioned to 112 days according to Larry Foster, retired NMSU Extension beef cattle specialist, who managed the test prior to Parker.
While the present day test continues to evaluate the bull's genetic potential for growth and efficiency, Encinias and cooperating producers place a significant amount of attention to producing and selling quality, performance-tested bulls.
"Two common observations prospective buyers bring to our attention when visiting the facility today is the large amount of hay we feed the bulls and that the bulls are not roly-poly fat," Encinias said. "Providing these young, growing bulls all the hay they can consume, promotes the development of a healthy rumen environment, which we believe is vital in minimizing body condition loss of these yearling bulls when they are turned out to service cows."
The bull-buying customer has always been an important part of the Tucumcari Bull Test and the business conducted by the New Mexico Beef Cattle Performance Association.
"The action of the association today ties into the original precepts that the group established 50 years ago," Encinias said.
In 2009, the association launched the New Mexico Gold Calf Marketing Program to assist commercial cattle producers in marketing value-added calves sired by member bulls and also developed a high altitude grazing performance test at the Valles Caldera National Preserve in northern New Mexico.
Rankin said the program is important as a function of the Cooperative Extension Service's beef improvement program, because it allows the beef cattle specialist closer contact with the participating breeders and their neighbors which gives the Extension specialist an opportunity to share other programs that may be of service to their operations.
"It's a way for distributing knowledge and working cooperatively, and that's what the Extension Service is all about, being cooperative with the producers to try to improve their product and profitability," Rankin said.
"Eye on Research" is provided by New Mexico State University. This week's feature was written by Jane Moorman of University Communications.
