There are advantages to being Red Angus’ largest cow herd. Our average contemporary group size is several times larger than most purebred cow herds in their entirety. We breed and calve out over 600 heifers annually. Calving that many heifers annually puts tremendous selection pressure on our mature cows. In addition to culling slow breeders or undesirable udders, feet, or disposition, the large influx of new genetics forces our cow herd to stay relevant versus genetic trends.

Over the last decade we have focused on reducing costs by supplemental feed to our cow herd, and making them produce and reproduce in an environment that is the equivalent of many of our large commercial customers’. 5L cows “winter out” 70 miles south of our headquarters; where we take them protein supplement once a week. Ranchers who see the body condition these cows maintain through the winter and our lack of a regimented feeding program instantly “get it".

5L Red Angus has become synonymous with superior cow herd and carcass traits. More recently, we expanded our R&D efforts to include the collection of feed intake and conversion data. Certainly these are traits of economic relevance to the feeders who buy our customers’ calves. Perhaps more importantly is the degree to which reduced feed intake may correlate to the cow herd. Thus, we will collect this data on 5L replacement females as well.

5L’s “Profit+Plus” seedstock offer the best of both Angus worlds: Black Angus outcross genetics with high accuracy, progeny proven sires for post-weaning and carcass traits – combined with the uncompromising cow herd focus that comes through Red Angus’ commitment to total herd reporting and a 20 plus-year emphasis on reproductive traits.    During 5L’s 15-year investment in Profit+Plus, over 3000 Black x Red Angus matings have been made to produce the some of Red Angus’ most influential sires.

Typically, one-fourth to one-third of the bulls offered in 5L’s biannual production sale are black, and offer outcross genetics to popular Black & Red Angus bloodlines.

Cross-Breeding made easy!  5L Opti-Bulls provide a simple solution for ranchers who are looking to increase heterosis in their calf crops, while putting the beneficial breed differences that exist between Red Angus and Charolais to work in their programs. Red Angus contributes superior fertility, cow herd longevity, calving ease and superior carcass quality. Charolais dominate the economically relevant traits of: feed conversion, post-weaning gain, carcass weight and yield grade. In selecting Charolais genetics to make Opti-Bulls, 5L seeks high marbling, high maternal sires that also excel in the post-weaning traits Charolais are known for – and mandate they come in a moderate framed, deep ribbed package with lots of shape.

Starting in the fall of 2016, 5L will offer purebred Charolais!  Quietly, we have been building a purebred white cowherd for the last few years. Improved Gain, Feed Conversion, and Yield Grade are obvious traits that come with good white cattle. However, we’ve mandated that we package those traits in moderate framed, softer made, Wide-Body shape that 5L has become known for. In addition to moderate, our Charolais genetic inputs are amongst the breeds highest marbling and most proven maternal lines.

Ranchers who have used a straight-bred Angus program for multiple generations will maximize heterosis and fix any yield grade 4 issues by using 5L’s moderate, high marbling Charolais.

5L’s SimAngus genetics provides a user-friendly crossbreeding solution for our customers who want to add the power of heterosis to their programs. Our SimAngus strategy combines moderate-framed Red Simmental bulls who excel in gain, calving ease ,and yield grade – and have the WideBody shape our customers have come to expect – with our elite marbling black-red carrier Angus females. Selection tools made available through multi-breed genetic evaluation enable us to sell SimAngus hybrid bulls, whose growth and carcass EPDs can be compared directly to our Red Angus.

Look for 5L SimAngus cattle to have WideBody shape, greater muscling, exceptional yield grade and still be moderate, easy calving, maternal, and docile.