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NBA 2008 Brochure.pdf
NBA Poster Spring 2009.pdf
NBA Spring 2010 Ad.pdf
NBA Spring 2011 Ad.pdf
Our ranch is located near Shellmouth in the scenic Assiniboine Valley in North Western Manitoba. It is a family operation that includes Gene and Cynthia Nerbas, along with their sons Shane and Arron. We are proud to raise Black Angus cattle, both registered and commercial. We have been a commercial cow-calf operation since the early 1970's and added the registered herd in 1993. Our purebred herd was established to raise purebred Black Angus bulls for our own commercial herd.
Our base genetics come from Stassens Angus, an exceptional herd in Minnesota. In the past few years we have been utilizing AI genetics in our breeding program to further improve our base herd. We are constantly looking for outcross grass based genetic sources that will compliment our herd. The purebred herd calves in summer (June/July) and the commercial herd calves in the spring (April/May). We are moving our purebred calving dates earlier and have a target of May 1 for AI synchronized calving and natural service to follow in May/June. Therefore, in the future, all bulls will be sold as coming 2 yr olds.
We select our genetics and replacement heifers based on fertility, calving ease and fleshing ability. This also applies to our culling process. Our cow's calve on the range and are not closely monitored, we check them twice a day and have very few problems. Our cows are wintered on the range as well. They are fed only a forage diet, so any poor doing cattle do not have a place on the ranch. We strive for a low maintenance animal that is moderate framed. In our business we are driven by profit, not production. Let the cows work for you!
Please use the menu to the left to navigate through our philosophies on different aspects of our business.
Updated Feb 15, 2011.
To compliment our "Philosophies" page, we have created a blog. To access the blog go to www.nerbasbrosangus.blogspot.com . We will attempt to continually update this blog to keep current on what's "Top of Mind" in our business. If you would like to get an e-mail reminder when a blog entry is made, please e-mail me at agnerbas_iewireless.ca to be added to our distribution list.
For other reference materials that reflect our philosophies, please go to "Archived Articles" on our LINKS page.
MISSION STATEMENT:
To raise functional and efficient Black Angus cattle in a commercial environment that is profitable and sustainable.
We have always been and will continue to be a commercially based beef operation. Rainbow Valley Ranch is the name of our commercial cow/calf operation. We run approx 500 pairs. For a number of years we have maintained a completely closed herd. To compliment the closed herd we utilize bulls developed in our other enterprise, Nerbas Bros. Angus.
Nerbas Bros. Angus
Mission Statement: To provide breeding bulls to genetically influence our commercial herd while also marketing sale bulls and breeding females to like minded producers.
Nerbas Bros. Angus is a purebred Black Angus herd consisting of 100 females. We raise bulls for use in our commercial herd. To this point we have been growing the herd and keeping all replacement quality females. Now that we are at our target number of females we will begin to market breeding females as well. All genetic influence for this purebred herd comes from using select AI sires.
To review AI Sires check out our REFERENCE SIRES page or browse Semen Source at the LINKS page.
Our Direction
What is going on? There seems to be a renewed optimism in the beef community. Feeder and fat prices continue to climb, cull prices are at their highest levels in history & early bull sales results are up significantly over last year. Could this be this "light at the end of the tunnel" that we have been told to hang on for? Let's hope so! This is not the typical cattle price cycle, if that was the case this would have happened years ago. In Canada, a high CDN dollar and high feed prices would usually suppress cattle prices. It seems like the reduction of the cow herd in North America has finally caught up to supply & demand and has resulted in this upward trend. The cow herd will be inevitably be rebuilt because of this, but with cull prices so strong and so many "smaller producers" exiting the business, it seems like the rebuild may be slower than one might think. Regardless, let's take it while we can because the free enterprise commodity business can be a wild ride.
Our business model is to raise cattle that are low input and profit based. The mother cow is the factory of our operation and as such our focus is maternal traits. We want to build females that are good mothers, structurally sound, moderate in milk production, easy calving, low maintenance, extremely fertile, & have longevity. We believe that good bulls come from good females!
We are confident in the type of cattle we raise and their potential to be profitable. Confidence is the key to success. Confident people are not always successful but how many successful people do you know that weren't confident?
If you want to change the genetics within your herd it can be done in a few ways:
1.Genetic Influence - Bulls and replacement heifers you buy.
2.Selection Pressure - Keep the good ones, get rid of the bad ones. Picking in house replacement heifers that fit the system.
3.Management - Putting your cattle to the test in your management environment. Results will happen over time.
Why Angus?
Angus compliment our production and business goals. They are amazing cattle. They can really do it all on their own, if we let them.
Advantages:
Angus are functional, efficient, maternal, low maintenance, easy calving, moderate framed, forage adaptable, easy fleshing & have great longevity.
Disadvantages:
We always hear that they are too small or not enough growth or "performance". To us this is not a disadvantage. Is it to you?
Growth Potential or "Performance"?
Is it important? Have you ever heard anyone say......Bigger calves in fall will make you more money? All the time. It is a common paradigm in the cattle business. Bigger calves do allow you to brag to your neighbor that you raised big calves.
Consider this example:
Your land base or grazing forage resource will yield X amount of lbs of forage. You graze your pairs from May 1 till Nov 15. With stockpiled and extended grazing it is possible. Calves are weaned at 205 days. You have 1600 lb cows. They wean 700 lb calves. For easy figuring lets say you have 100 cows.
Using 2.5% DM intake and adjusting for cow size, the same land base will support 1.33 times the amount of smaller pairs. Therefore, the herd with the smaller cows will be 133 pairs.
Assumptions:
Forage conversion efficiency is the same. Calving and weaning dates are the same. The weaning weight percentage is the same at 44%. $ / lb will be higher for lighter weight cattle. Milk production is similar based on % of BW.
The point we are trying to make is that it is possible to raise the same amount of lbs / acre of available forage. At the same time it is possible to make more net profit with lighter calves because they are almost always worth more / lb.
Now, of course you can have both herds the same size, with 133 cows in each. You will generate more revenue from the herd with the bigger cows and the bigger weaning weights. But you had better get more pasture because they will eat more. The most important factor that is often over looked is COP "Cost of Production". Growth is not "free". What is the bottom line? It's what keeps us in business.
However, we don't want to have runt or non productive cattle but as long as our cows wean an honest % of their body weight......NO PROBLEM. Bigger calves does not always = more NET PROFIT. This is not complicated, it is simple math.
If the above is true, a limited amount of beef can be produced off 1 acre of forage production. Assuming that grass production remains constant. Therefore, producing more grass or forage is more important than performance or growth potential of our calves. We strive to increase our production through improved grazing management resulting in more lbs of beef production / acre. Ultimately the goal is increased profitability.
Performance Testing
What does performance mean to you?
Once in a while we get a customer that asks us about performance testing and if we do it. We tell them that we do performance test but not what they might think. The result is a trip with Gene out to the cow herd, replacement heifers, developing yearling etc. We show them the EPD's that are tangible that result in low input / profit based cattle.
A cow is performing on our ranch if she gets pregnant, maintains her condition during gestation, calves on her own, is a good mother, raises a good calf, has adequate milk, maintains her body condition while milking, requires no grain ever and finally rebreeds. She must do this well into her teens.
A bull is performing if he passes his breeding soundness evaluation, develops to maturity on a forage ration with minimal supplementation, breeds a minimum of 30 cows after 2 years of age, can get around without problems, maintains his fertility, has a good temperament and has the ability to breed till he is 5-10 years old.
EPD's & Ultrasound
We do use EPD's and carcass data to select our AI sires. We do not use them for performance record keeping within our herd. We strive to maintain balanced traits based on the Angus breed. We do not chase numbers or select for individual traits that may be extreme in nature. EPD's and carcass evaluations are fine to use within a contemporary group for in house evaluations. But to compare within breed differences within different management practices and geographical areas is not fair. Environment and feeding differences will play a huge part in the data variation. Is this fair or applicable when using numbers when making genetic influence decisions? However, if you have an area of concern in your herd, such as calving ease, and you want to address it with a calving ease sire that has a high accuracy. EPD's can be useful for such purposes.
How did ranchers select their genetic influence before EPD's were common? They managed.....they picked based on physical evaluation, herd reputation and "proven sires". Years ago, you knew what to expect within the breed types. Angus, for example, were cattle that were small framed and had great maternal characteristics. They did lack in growth potential compared to other breeds. In the past 30 years, the Angus breed has changed as growth traits and milk production (single traits & extremes) have been targeted and bred into the breed. As a result, all the good traits that make Angus highly efficient maternal cattle have been compromised. Some people may think that the Angus breed has evolved and improved. But in our mind, we are worse off than before. If you want more growth out of an Angus why would you not cross breed it with a continental breed. At least this way, the Angus breed would remain consistent and predictable.
Bull Development
Why is it that prospective bull buyers go to a sale and bid hard on the fattest or biggest bulls? Then they use him for the summer and have a bull that looks like a shell of his former self. Then put him on grain to try to salvage the bull. The bull is never the same and ends up getting sold as 3 year old. This is more common than you may think.
Genetics are only part of the value you get when you buy a breeding bull. The ability of a bull to breed cows is very dependant how he was developed from a calf to a mature bull. Bulls have to be fertile, have breeding capacity and breeding longevity. If they can't do any one of these three things, then the value you get from your bull purchase is substantially less.
Most people in the business of selling bulls focus on maximum development as yearling. These bulls are put in a feedlot environment. It is true that this will speed up their maturity but it has negative long term effects. Fat in the scrotum can impact fertility. Over conditioning can lead to feet problems and organ damage. This will impact the longevity of the bull and its ability to cover pasture and service cows.
Is your bull an athlete?
We sold some bulls sight unseen a few years ago. The buyer was a little disappointed that the bulls were not carrying more body condition (fat). His son told him not to worry, that these bulls were athletes and had to be in the proper shape to work.....to breed cows. This is a very accurate statement. How can you expect an over fat bull to walk pastures and breed cows. How many Olympic or professional athletes do you think were obese as a teenager? Probably none. Bulls need to be fit and in the proper shape to breed your cattle.
Common Genetics
Bull 1: Was raised on a ranch where he was pushed hard, gained 4 lbs / day and was sold as a yearling at 1300 lbs.
Bull 2: Exact same genetic make up as Bull 1. This bull was growth developed, averaged 2 lbs / day of gain and was sold as a 2 year old at 1600 lbs.
The progeny that these bulls sire will be identical. The difference will be how fertile they are, how many cows that each bull can breed / year and how many years they continue to breed. We think that Bull 2 will be outperform Bull 1 in all 3 aspects.
Another example:
Common Environment
Bull 1: Was raised on a ranch where he was slow developed, averaged 2 lbs / day of gain and was sold as 2 year old at 1600 lbs.
Bull 2: Was raised exactly the same as Bull 1. Genetically these bulls are completely different and do not share any bloodlines.
The progeny of these bulls will be totally different. However, their ability to be fertile, breeding capacity and longevity should be very similar. This demonstrates that genetics are very important to selecting bulls but bull development is equally important to the value of the price you pay for your breeding bull.
Please review some recent articles pertaining to bull development in our LINKS page.
Milk Production
There is an argument to be made whether milk is a maternal or a growth trait? For us, we consider it a growth trait. We want our cows to be adequate milk producers. Don't confuse this with high milk production. A cow that milks heavy will likely wean a heavier calf than an average milking cow. But again.....at what cost? Her dietary requirements will be higher than the average milking cow. This means a higher cost of production.....she will eat more. It is a common belief that beef production (lbs) through milk production is the least efficient way. If she manages to maintain high milk production on the same feed source and quantity as the average milking cow, something will be sacrificed. In this case, likely her body condition and in turn her ability to rebreed.
Animal Size
The average mature weight of our cows is approx 1300 lbs. Our current frame score is a 5 on average. Our bulls weigh approx 1200 at 18 months and approx 1600 at 2 years of age. The average weight of our mature bulls (>4 years) is approx 2100 lbs.
Birth Weights & Heifer Bulls
People ask us which bulls in the pen are heifer bulls? Our reply is that there could be some bulls in here that are more suitable for heifers, but all of our bulls could be used on heifers.
We do not collect birth weights on any of our bulls. Our cows calve on the open range, calving ease is of high importance. Calf weights for the evaluation of calving ease is not applicable to us. We believe that birth weight has more to do with cow body condition and gestation length. Besides, does calf weight accurately forecast calving ease? Possibly.....if you have a calf that is 120 lbs you may not want to use him on heifers. But, we do not have calves that big. If we do, it probably results in a either a dead cow or a dead calf. We don't babysit. Our average birth weight on pasture is approx 75 lbs.
Crossbreeding
Our genetics may have a fit for like minded producers. They also may benefit a rancher that wants to combine the traits of Angus cattle with another breed in a crossbreed system. The other breed may offer traits that fit that individual farm management. For example: If you sell your calves off the cow and need your individual calf weights to be at a certain level for marketing purposes, you may benefit from a British X Continental. This cross may also work if you market your calves based on certain carcass traits such as balanced marbling / muscle.
Grass Fed Cattle
We believe our cattle have a fit in grass fed system. Our females are raised and live their lives on the ranch on forage only with no grain supplementation, while maintaining good flesh. We currently do not finish any of our own cattle on grass but it is something we may consider in the future if the market opportunity develops.
Forage Tested Bulls
We ran this program in 2009 & 2010. We have discontinued this program in 2010 because of management / viewing convenience and customer demand. However, it is in our long term plan to have all of our sale bulls on a forage only program by 2016. We are hoping that in that time we will have a stronger customer base (forage only) and believe that our genetics will be that much stronger.
What do we look for when choosing our bulls?
1.Calving Ease
2.Forage Adaptable
3.Moderate Frame (4-5 frame score)
4.Fleshing Ability / Thickness
5.Mobility (free moving)
6.Structurally Sound
7.Temperament
8.Longevity and Service Capacity
AI Reference Sires
Pedigree's of these AI bulls can be found online by clicking the appropriate link under each bull's pedigree information.
AI Breeding Update / Fall 2010
For a complete update of the 2010 AI breeding check out the following BLOG update:
nerbasbrosangus.blogspot.com/2010_08_01_archive.htm l
1. Turihaua Crumble
www.turihaua.co.nz
Imported from Turihaua Angus Stud in New Zealand. Turihaua is the oldest established Stud in New Zealand featuring functional, grass based cattle.
Turihaua Rambo (Great Grand Sire)
Frame score: 5 Mature weight: 2300 lbs
View Pedigree
2. Pinebank Waigroup 41/97
This outstanding bull is from the Pinebank Angus Stud in New Zealand. The Pinebank herd is a completely closed herd and utilizes and an intense line breeding program. He is a great outcross for our herd. The Pinebank program is completely forage based. This bull is tremendously thick and deep with amazing fleshing ability. He has produced highly fertile females with excellent udders. We are very pleased with the calves on the ground to date.
PINEBANK WAIG 5/93
PINEBANK WAIG 31/95
PINEBANK WAIG 58/93
TUPURUPURU 838/86
PINEBANK 639/88
PINEBANK 663/85
Pinebank Waigroup 41/97
(Sprit View Ranch)
1.Dunlouise Excalibur
www.dunlouiseangus.com
Imported from Dunlouise Angus in Scotland. Get back to basics with linebred Aberdeen Black Angus genetics that are 100% pure Scottish decent.
Ejeta of Templehouse (Dam)
Frame score: 5 Mature weight: 2200 lbs
2. Dunlouise Jipsey Earl
Jipsey Earl has an intensively line bred pedigree tracing twice in three generations to Betro of Classlochie and three times to the great breeding bull Rambler of Newcroft. He has an extended pedigree that traces five times to the herd sire producing Betrothed family. The dam and grandam of this calving ease sire are wide-muzzled, deepbodied powerful females that are models of grass conversion.
Genex
Frame score: 5
3.Dunlouise Cortachy Boy
Cortachy Boy has the highest probability to be one of the best Scottish bulls for combining carcass, performance and maternal greatness. He is one of the thickest muscled Angus bulls in existence and the highest marbling bull ever produced in the Dunlouise native Scottish herd.
1. DDA Emblazon 27C
OCC Emblazon (Sire)
www.diamondangus.com
2. DDA Profit Center
Another Diamond D sire out of OCC Emblazon. Profit Center was one of the most popular and high selling bulls in the 2006 Diamond D Angus Bull Sale. He is one of the most unique Angus bulls in Canada. He frame scores under 3.5 but has the weight of some bulls that are 3 frame scores taller. He has extreme width of base and capacity with excellent fleshing ability. A true forage performer.
www.murrayfarmsinc.com
Frame score: 3.5
3. Sinclair Rito Legacy 3R9
Below is a pic of 3R9's sire RR Rito 707.
He was born in 1967.
Selected to moderate frame and add muscle. Frame score of 4.5. Mature weight 2205 lbs.
ABS comments:
* A modern son of the immortal RR Rito 707.
* Old school breed character, structural soundness, muscularity and masculinity.
* Strikes a balance between functionality and performance.
Here is a link to a video of 3R9 : www.sinclaircattle.com/video.php
4. OCC Tremendous 619T
Below is a picture of a full brother,
OCC Kanga.
Selected on pedigree and ability to selectivly moderate frame. Current weight 1920 lbs, frame score 3.5. Murray Farms Inc. comments:
* He is siring the easy fleshing, deep bodied, moderate framed, low input, forage efficient kind. His sons look the part and his daughters are phenomenal.
* Tremendous is a full brother in blood to OCC Kanga, the powerhouse sire of OCC Prototype.
* His Anchor dam, 960H, is one of the top cows at OCC and his granddam is the productive full sister to OCC Great Plains.
1. NBA Masterton 15T
Our top pick of Pinebank 41/97 sons born in 2007. He is a very similar in phenotype to his sire. We are very impressed with his development and are excited to get some calves on the ground. He bred a select group of purebred cows by natural service in the fall of 2009. His offspring will be for sale in the spring of 2012.
(Dam)
2. NBA Papa 20N 1S
3. NBA Papa Equator 50S
These two exciting young herd sires worked natural service on our purebred herd in fall of 2008. Their offspring will be for sale in spring 2011. They are out of two of our most productive cows 1P and 7L. Pictured here recently as 2 yr olds prior to breeding.
Check out updated natural service herd sire pics at the following BLOG update:
nerbasbrosangus.blogspot.com/2010_05_01_archive.html
~ 3rd Annual Open House ~
Click on the PDF file for more information.
Our Philosophy
Often, ranchers select their bulls based on "performance and production". It most cases they will bid most aggressively on the bull with the highest yearling weight. What will our bulls weigh at a year of age? Not as much as most bull suppliers. Our bulls are grown and developed, not fattened. Performance is important to us but not at the expense of years of service in your herd, calving ease and servicing capacity. What else can you expect with our bulls? Our focus is fertility, thickness, moderate frame and low maintenance. We strive to produce a breeding animal for the commercial cattleman that is profitable in today's cattle market. Stop in and we will show you the whole herd, then you'll know what to expect!
Our bulls are fertility tested. They are thick & moderate framed. References are available upon request. We strive to be competitively priced in the market place. Volume discounts are in effect and delivery is included. Mature bulls are also available.
We stand behind what we sell, satisfaction guaranteed. Because of our breeding program, most bulls for sale are suitable for heifers.
OPEN HOUSE March 23 - 2011.pdf
Bulls For Sale - 2012 - Jan 26 update.pdf
Long Yearlings / 1 ½ year olds
Mature
Yearlings
We no longer sell yearling bulls due to bull development, marketing and customer demand reasons.
2 Year Olds
Our bulls are fed a growing ration of high quality forage and whole oats. These bulls are not fat but in good condition to grow into the bull that will work for many years. These bulls are in their working clothes. They are not clipped or primped. We want these bulls to come off pasture looking like the same bulls that you bought from us.
We sell off the ranch by private treaty and currently have great selection. We encourage customers to drop by the ranch for a visit and to view our offering. Come early for the best selection and to get the right bull for your operation. If you can't make it in person, we can send pictures (via e-mail) of individual bulls to be viewed electronically.
Affordable Bulls
Having a one day sale is a huge undertaking and can have huge overhead costs. They include advertising, marketing, photography, clipping/fitting, sales venue, sales management, auctioneer, catering, entertainment etc. Because we sell off the farm and don't have all the costs associated with hosting a sale, we can pass the savings along to you, the customer. Below is the $ amounts we sold our bulls for in 2010. Thank you to all our buyers in 2010.
Bull Sales 2010
Bull Selection (%)
Purebred
Our breeding herd consists of 100 females. We normally sell 20 purebred bulls annually. Any calendar year we may have 90% calf crop after conception, calving and death loss. Let's say we end up with 45 females and 45 males to select from. If we sell 20 bulls then we are selecting the top 45% of the male calves to market as breeding bulls.
Commercial
Our breeding herd consists of 500 females. We normally sell 50 commercial bulls annually. Any calendar year we may have 90% calf crop after conception, calving and death loss. Let's say we end up with 225 females and 225 males to select from. If we sell 50 bulls then we are selecting the top 22% of the male calves to market as breeding bulls.
Buyers Guarantee
All sale bulls will have passed a "Breeding Soundness Evaluation". Most of the bulls will be sold as "Virgin Bulls". We guarantee they are sound breeders. It is up to the buyer to monitor the bull in the first few days of exposure to cows. If there is a problem with libido or any other breeding function, please call us as soon as possible to arrange for a replacement. We cannot guarantee against injuries sustained while breeding.
We also will guarantee the feet of all sale bulls for one breeding season. This includes structural defects and does not include foot rot.
Discount Policy
Coming soon! We are working on a comprehensive discount structure that will address volume, referrals, repeat buyers and testimonials.
Female Sales
At various times of the year we have open and bred breeding females for sale (purebred & commercial). We also have select groups of mature commercial cows for sale.
What do we look for in a mother cow?
1.Mothering Ability
2.Fertility
3.Low Maintenance
4.Forage Adaptable
5.Functional Udder
6.Fleshing Ability / Thickness
7.Mobility (free moving)
8.Structurally Sound
Customer Letter 2012 Open Heifers.pdf
Cow Herd Gallery
Click on the pictures below to scroll through.
Gene and Cynthia Nerbas
Ph: 1(204) 564-2540
Fax: 1(204) 564-2540
E-mail: cnerbas_iewireless.ca
Shane Nerbas
Ph: (204) 564-2098
Arron and Amber Nerbas
Ph: (204) 564-2124
Fax: (204) 564-2417
