Monopoly continues legacy of father

by Katlyn Britt-Ranking, posted Nov. 16, 2011

Monopoly is more than a childhood game, it is the name of the newest sensation in the club calf industry. Monopoly is a 5-year old, three-way cross (Chianina X Angus X Maine Anjou) bull that is redefining the club calf business much like his father, Heatwave, did.

Monopoly was born on March 1, 2006, to Lautner Farms in Jefferson, Iowa. He was born a mere 95 pounds and weighs near a ton now. He is a carrier of Tibial Hemimelia and Pulmonary Hypoplasia with Anasarca free. TH is a disease that causes multiple defects in calves and is lethal. It causes large hernias, twisted legs with or without tibia bones, undescended tesitcles and skull defects. PHA causes poorly developed lungs and lots of fluid retention. PHA often causes cows to abort the fetus. Monopoly is heterozygous black, meaning he can produce red cattle.

Both Monopoly and Heatwave are owned by Phil Lautner of Lautner farms. Heatwave is the original bull to take the nation by a storm. Heatwave's performance was highly desirable, so Lautner began to clone him. Heatwave was cloned so often that Lautner could not pull any more DNA.

"When Heatwave died, he had no cartilage left in his ears, they had taken it all," Les Edwards, owner of Edwards Show Team in Harrisburg, said.

Heatwave produced many 'great ones' as people in the industry like to call his offspring, but Monopoly is slowly taking his father's thrown. According to www.cattle.com, Monopoly's offspring typically sell for at least $1,000 more than animals not sired by Monopoly.

Monopoly, at one point, had generated 30 champions at the state and national level, but still has a way to go before catching his sire. Heatwave had 100 Champions before the 2011 show year started, according to www.lautnerfarms.com. Monopoly's reign is much quieter than his fathers, and not everyone is on the bandwagon.

"Monopoly will never live up to Heatwave because his cattle will never be stout enough," said Clint Thompson, manager of Trae Simmions Ranch and Cattle in Lenapah, Ok.

Thompson believes Monopoly has so many champions because of mass production. Breeders breed their entire herd to Monopoly and end up with one or two good offspring. Monopoly semen can be purchased online anywhere from $40 at Genetic Horizons to $75 at Bull Barn Genetics.

"It is rumored that there are only a few hundred straws of original Heatwave," Edwards said.

Straws of semen are how producers collect the semen to artificially inseminate their cows. With only a few straws of Heatwave left, the prices and the amount of cloning of Monopoly are beginning to rise. Monopoly is the top choice to some people who want to win the next purple banner, but not all believe Lautner Farms are the way to go.

"Don't get me wrong, Monopoly produces great heifers, but Believe in Me will be the next Heatwave," Thompson said.

The debate for the next great club calf bull is never ending, but Monopoly is not going unnoticed.

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