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Alabama BCIA Presents Awards, Appoints
Officers at 40th Annual Meeting
 Auburn, May 4,
2004 --- The
Alabama Beef Cattle Improvement Association handed out its highest
honors at its 40th Annual Meeting and Awards Banquet March
27 in Birmingham.
The organization celebrated its 40-year history by
honoring past presidents, past Producers of the Year and bull
evaluations in addition to presenting annual awards.
(Left: Jimmy Holliman of Marion Junction received the BCIA's Richard E. Deese Award for his outstanding service to Alabama BCIA
and to the beef cattle industry in general.)
Dorian Garrick of
Colorado State University spoke about how best to achieve genetic
change. Other speakers included Billy Maples of Elkmont, Bob Adams of
Union Springs and Harrell Watts of Sardis, who have all been key
figures throughout the history of Alabama BCIA.
This year’s Commercial Producer of the Year is Gordon
Burkhalter of Burkhalter Farms in Clanton. The Burkhalter operation
has been around for 22 years and manages a cowherd of about 150,
including Simmental-Angus cross and a few purebred Angus.
Bob and Rob Adams won the Purebred Producer of the
Year award as owners of Adams Angus Farm in Union Springs. This
65-year-old farm consists of 75 brood cows, timberland and hunting
leases. Bob Adams was a charter member of Alabama BCIA.
The Richard E. Deese Award was presented to Jimmy Holliman of Marion
Junction for his outstanding service to Alabama BCIA and to the beef
cattle industry in general. Holliman, incoming president of the Beef
Improvement Federation, has been involved in the cattle industry all
his life. He owns Circle H Cattle Farm in Marion Junction and has held
numerous leadership positions in the industry.
Alabama BCIA awarded the top three farms in each of three herd-size
categories for average weaning weights. The average weight for all
records processed in 2003 was 560 pounds.
In the small (five to 29) herd category, first place went to Bill and
Betty Richards of B&B Farms in Northport, whose 12 calves averaged 660
pounds. In the medium (30 to 99) category, first place went to Malcomb
Peagues of the Gulf Coast Research and
Extension
Center in Fairhope, whose 75 calves averaged 660 pounds. In the large
(100 or more) category, first place went to Kermit Stephens of KK&W
Farm in Brierfield, whose 111 calves averaged 671 pounds.
This year, 230 cows from 38 farms were recognized as Gold Star Cows.
To qualify as a Gold Star Cow, a commercial cow must have two or more
calves in the BCIA program, must have calved and weaned a calf every
year on the program, must have a calving interval of 370 days or less
and her calves’ adjusted 205-day weight ratio must be 105 with a
minimum adjusted weaning weight of 560 pounds. BCIA processed a total
of 6,108 cow records in 2003.
For each year a cow qualifies to be a Gold Star Cow, it is awarded a
star. Bill Lipscomb of Lipscomb’s 3-L Ranch in
Prattville
owns the longest-running Gold Star Cow, a 13-star whose calves’
205-day weight averages 569 pounds and whose calving interval is about
364 days.
The farm with the most Gold Star Cows is Autauga Farming Company in
Autaugaville, owned by Milton Wendland. The farm had 55 Gold Star Cows
this year.
New officers were also appointed at the meeting.
Officers for 2004 are Max Bozeman of
Elba, president; David Latham of Montgomery, vice president;
Wesley Stroud of
Athens,
treasurer; and Michelle Elmore of Clanton, secretary.
Alabama BCIA was formed in 1964 to promote, educate and facilitate the
use of performance testing, record keeping and marketing opportunities
for BCIA members and to improve the
Alabama
cattle industry. For more information, visit
www.albcia.org.
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