Page 2 - Milk Creek Reds - Annual Red Angus Bull Sale – March 20, 2021

W W
Welcomeelcomeelcome

Welcome to our 2021 sale offering. As I write this we are enjoying a warm up in eastern Montana after a two week winter
blast of artic air. The one thing that is certain about where we live, the weather is apt to change at any time. This past sum-
mer we experienced some extreme drought along with a grasshopper infestation that consumed much of what grew. With
that environment our bulls and commercial steers weaned about 50 pounds under the past few years. We were thankful that
the cows bred up well under these conditions. Much of our stockpiled grass that we use for winter grazing was stripped by
the hoppers leaving less nutrients for grazing so we were placed in a situation of having to supplement with some hay by the
end of November.
This year’s offering will include many sires that we have used in the past as well as some new sires that will have some
different genetics. The two sires that are new to offering both come from Canada. Red Minburn Copenhagen 3Y is a sire
we were able to use AI after getting semen from U2 Ranch from Alberta. We also have a Grandson of Copenhagen, Red U2
Money Talks, that we purchased from U2 in their 2019 sale. These two sires along with the sires we have used in the past
all produce a similar type and kind of offspring that we feel will work in our environment and how we operate our ranch.
Our goal with these genetics is to produce cattle that have a frame size and the fl eshing ability to thrive in our ever changing
environmental conditions while optimizing growth, carcass and milk. One thing that remains standard is functionality of the
genetics comes fi rst. Good feet, problem free udders, and quiet dispositions are at the top of that standard.

We continue to have the bulls developed at Eric and Andrea Bowman’s in Rhame, North Dakota. It has been a pleasure to
work with this family for over 25 years when we started feeding with Eric’s dad, Bruce. Now we get to watch Dillon (Eric
and Andrea’s son) becoming more involved with their operation. Eric feeds the bulls a TMR ration so that they should gain
around 2.5 pounds per day. The bulls have two large lots along with a small pasture to get adequate exercise so they can
develop for their future job of breeding cows and heifers.

We continue to try to utilize the technology available to provide the most accurate information available to our customers.
This past year we participated in a program provided by the Red Angus Association called Red Cow Rally. Through this
program we collected DNA on all of our cows which then was used to enhance their EPDS as well as verify their parentage.
Red Angus also developed a new index as well as revamped their existing indexes. These will be listed in the catalog along
with how each animal ranks within the breed for each index. The new Index ProS is a combination index that measures traits
important from conception to the rail. This differs from the Herd builder index that now looks at traits important to the cow/
calf producer through weaning and the Gridmaster Index that looks at traits important to post weaning as well as carcass.

We hope that the information provided within the pages of this catalog will be useful to you in evaluating our offering. If you
have any questions about this information or need additional information please do not hesitate to contact us.

We always look forward to the opportunity to meeting people involved in this life style that we call ranching as well as re-
newing friendships from the past.
As servants of the Lord, we are striving
May God Bless You. to be stewards of the land and cattle
Bruce, Tena, Jaclyn Ketchum and Jeff, Cele and Blaze Menees that He created and allowed us to
manage so that we may glorify Him.

Bruce, Tena & Jaclyn Ketchum • Jeff, Cele and Blaze Menees

Catalog and video online at www.milkcreekreds.com