Missouri “Show-Me-Select” Replacement Heifer Program

Program Objectives
•	Improve existing developing programs through a Total Quality Management approach
•	Increase marketing opportunities for and add value to Missouri-raised heifers
•	Provide a reliable source of quality replacements (genetics and management)

2003 Requirements for “Show-Me-Select” Program & Sales

Minimum requirements for the Missouri “Show-Me-Select” Replacement Heifer Program: The rules for heifers eligible to begin the program are flexible in order to encourage as many producers as possible to participate. Some sales will place limits on the number of heifers that can be consigned to a single sale, whereas others place no limits on numbers per consignor. There are no restrictions as to breed or breed cross.

Ownership: Heifers consigned to bred heifers sale must be owned a minimum of 60 days prior to breeding. Purchased heifers enrolled in the program must be accompanied with an affidavit indicating the name and address of the original breeder and approximate birth dates of the heifers.  Heifers must be owned by residents of Missouri in order to sell in a sanctioned Show-Me-Select Replacement Heifer sale.

Enrollment deadline: Any person wishing to participate in the program must be officially enrolled no later than February 1, 2003 for Fall 2003 sales and September 1, 2003 for Spring 2004 sales. Producers must enroll by notifying one of the Regional Contacts listed on this sheet. Only farms enrolled by this deadline will be considered eligible to sell heifers in Show-Me-Select Replacement Heifer sales.  Producers that enroll in the program are not, however, obligated to sell heifers. 

Minimum vaccination requirements: A comprehensive herd health vaccination program starting at weaning age or before should be administered under the advice and guid-ance of your veterinarian in the context of a valid veterinary-client-patient relationship.

1.	Calfhood vaccination against Brucellosis (Bangs) must be given in accordance with state and federal regula-tions by an accredited veterinarian. 

Weaning
2.	Heifers must be vaccinated for IBR, BVD, PI 3 , BRSV and 7-way clostridia. Heifers must be 5 months of age or older at time of vaccination. Various products may be used provided label directions concerning initial and booster vaccinations are followed.

Prebreeding
3.	To maximize protection against reproductive loss, vac-cinations against Leptospirosis (5-way) and Vibriosis must be given between 60 and 30 days prior to begin-ning of breeding. Products used must follow label directions concerning initial and booster vaccinations. A booster vaccination against IBR and BVD is required between 60 and 30 days prior to beginning of breeding. Modified live viral vaccines for IBR and BVD are recommended. If killed viral vaccine products are used, two boosters are strongly recommended.

Pregnancy check
4.	A booster vaccination against Leptospirosis (5-way) is required at pregnancy check.

Brucellosis test: A negative Brucellosis test is encouraged on all bred heifers because Arkansas, Kansas and Texas now require testing for shipment into those states.

Parasite control: All heifers must be treated for internal and external parasites within 30 days of sale. Products for internal parasite control must have a label claim for immature stages of the parasite life cycle.

Surgery: Horns and scurs must be removed and heifers must be completely healed by sale day.

Implants & MGA: It is recommended that heifers not be implanted. If heifers are implanted, it is required that only FDA approved products for replacement heifers be used and administered according to label guidelines. Long-term use of MGA is prohibited. Use of MGA for periods of up to 14 days to synchronize estrus is permitted.

Inspection of heifers: Heifers will be screened prior to sale by a certified (trained in the use of USDA feeder cattle and cow grades) screening committee for frame, muscle, structural soundness, disposition, and general sale acceptability. All heifers must meet a minimum projected frame score of Medium using the USDA system for grades of cows (Medium = mature weight of 900 to 1,100 pounds with 0.2 inch of backfat at the 12th rib). Heifers must meet a muscle score of 20 using the USDA feeder cattle scoring system. The screening committee reserves the right to refuse any heifer that does not meet the minimum criteria for frame, muscle, body condition, or any heifer deemed to have an undesirable disposition on sale day.

Reproductive Traits: Prebreeding reproductive evaluation is required for all heifers. It is strongly encouraged that prebreeding exams be performed 6 weeks prior to breeding and include a determination of the heifer’s weight, pelvic area and reproductive tract score.  Heifers with a pelvic area less than 150 cm2  at prebreeding may be remeasured at pregnancy exam and must have a minimum pelvic area of 180 cm2 .  The consignor guarantees bred heifers to be safe in calf at the time of sale. If a heifer is proven by veterinary exam within 30 days after sale not to have been pregnant, the consignor will replace the heifer or make a financial settlement with the buyer.  Spring calving heifers must be bred to calve prior to May 1 and Fall calving heifers must be bred to calve prior to December 1.  Heifers in individual sale lots are guaranteed to calve within 45 days of each other.  An initial pregnancy exam should be performed prior to 110 days of gestation in order to determine fetal age and group heifers accordingly at the time of sale.  A second pregnancy exam and re-evaluation is required within 30 days prior to sale.

Weight and body condition: Bred heifers must weigh a minimum of 800 pounds and receive a minimum condition score of 5 on sale day.  Heifers assigned a body condition score   8 on a 9 point scale will not be eligible for sale. All bred heifers will be sold on a per head basis. No weights will be displayed at time of sale.

Blemishes: Heifers with active cases of Pinkeye or scars resulting from Pinkeye are not eligible for sale. In addition, heifers with rat-tails, bob-tails, frozen ears or other physical blemishes or deformities will not be eligible for sale.

Sire requirements:  Bred heifers must have been serviced by bulls of known ID and breed.  All service sires must have complete EPD information. Major emphasis will be placed on birth weight and calving ease EPDs, but it will be advantageous to select bulls with balanced EPDs to ensure buyer satisfaction. There will be no restrictions in terms of the breed of bull that can be used on these heifers enrolled

 in the program for sale as long as EPDs for BW and calving ease meet the requirements in Table 1.  Approval of bulls must take place before the breeding season begins. 

Certification: Only heifers that meet the aforementioned  requirements will  receive the official Missouri “Show-Me-Select” eartag. Heifers consigned to a “Show-Me-Select” sale must be accompanied with an official health certificate. Final determination of a heifer’s eligibility for sale will be made by a certified team of inspectors.

Table 1.  Service sire EPD requirements for birth weight and calving ease*

	Maximum birth
weight EPD	Minimum calving
ease EPD	
Service sire breed			
Angus	+2.0		
Brangus	+0.8		
Braunvieh	-2.2		
Charolais	-1.8		
Gelbvieh		109	
Limousin 	-1.1		
Polled & Horned Hereford              	+2.1	
Red Angus		+5.0	
Salers	-0.2		
Shorthorn 	+0.5		
Simmental		+7.4	
*Heifers that sell in the Show-Me-Select sales must be bred to bulls that meet the requirements in Table 1.