MARK GARDINER GARDINER ANGUS RANCH Ashland, Kansas U.S.A. 1898 2000 GARDINER ANGUS RANCH GARDINER ANGUS RANCH The Ranch 48,000 acres • Avg.  annual  rainfall  18”   •Native range 42,000 acres •Wheat 5,000 acres •Alfalfa 1,000 acres Cattle - Gardiner Angus Ranch •1600 commercial cows •600 registered cows Cattle - Cooperator herds •4 contract recipient herds (1500 calves /yr) •12 GAR Allied Producers (1000 calves/yr) Business Philosophy – produce  the  “right”   product . . . . to help our customers reach THEIR goals. GGAARRDDIINNEERR AANNGGUUSS RRAANNCCHH Means Ranch Co. and the Means Brothers Ranch • ranches consist of 130,000+ acres and over 2500 cows • survived harsh environment for over 125 years • Means' have purchased over 1000 bulls from GAR in the past 20 years The “right ” package •Reproductive efficiency •Early growth •End-product merit •Maternal ability Jon Bodie Craig & Alf Means GGAARRDDIINNEERR AANNGGUUSS RRAANNCCHH Gardiner AI Center Total AI + ET breeding program 100% = MAXIMUM GENETIC AI and ET IMPROVEMENT (since 1964) GGAARRDDIINNEERR AANNGGUUSS RRAANNCCHH Breeding & Selection Philosophy TOTAL AI breeding program • Average birth weight = +.1 HINDSIGHT When the first AAA • Average weaning weight = +3 sire summary came out • Average yearling weight = +9 what were the EPDs ?? • Average maternal breeding value = 99.5 GGAARRDDIINNEERR AANNGGUUSS RRAANNCCHH Breeding & Selection Philosophy TOTAL AI breeding program t h g i e W Year GGAARRDDIINNEERR AANNGGUUSS RRAANNCCHH Sire Selection TOTAL AI + ET breeding program 1964 began artificial insemination (AI) 1964 - 1980 NO PROGRESS !!!!!! 1980 American Angus Assoc. Sire Summary sire selection based on genetic merit for economically- important traits EPD s GGAARRDDIINNEERR AANNGGUUSS RRAANNCCHH