Beef seedstock, business producer award finalists introduced

The Beef Enchancment Federation (BIF) has introduced finalists for its Seedstock and Industrial Producer awards. Each developed in 1972, the Seedstock Producer Award acknowledges excellent seedstock producers throughout the continent whereas the Industrial Producer Award acknowledges business producers for his or her dedication to bettering the meat business on the business degree. 

Finalists for this 12 months’s Seedstock Producer Award are Benchmark Ranch Ltd., Cudlobe Angus and 44 Farms.

Benchmark Ranch Ltd. is situated in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada. The Munton household has been within the cattle enterprise since 1912 and within the purebred Angus enterprise since 1960. In 2000, Benchmark Angus put down roots by buying the Morton Ranch on the Milk River Ridge simply north of the Montana border in Southern Alberta. At the moment, the ranch encompasses 12,000 acres in an open habitat atmosphere receiving lower than 12 inches of rain per 12 months. Benchmark Angus manages 300 purebred Angus cows with an annual bull sale each November 30, operates a 1,500-head feedlot, a 100-head Develop Secure System, and has its personal harvesting facility advertising Benchmark Beef into Lethbridge, Calgary and Banff areas.

Cudlobe Angus, situated in Stavely, Alberta, Canada, was established in 1967 when Collectively Dyce and David Bolduc bought the primary three Angus cows. They grew the operation from these three cows to greater than 700 purebred Angus cows, 4,000 acres of grain land, and 5,000 pasture acres. The cows are calved throughout the Canadian winter in January and February in an effort to reap the benefits of the clear atmosphere, and the most effective timing for the December sale through which 160 yearling bulls are offered. Cudlobe was very lively within the present ring as much as the early 2000s, once they seemed to science to higher their herd and create extra environment friendly cattle which excel of their atmosphere. This aim has led to the entire herd having efficiency information, being CUP ultra-sounded, and Angus GS DNA examined. Science is used at each flip, with Cudlobe being among the earliest adopters of AI, Allflex warmth sense tags, and striving to assist the Canadian Angus Affiliation of their numerous analysis tasks together with immunity testing, foot scores and efficiency testing.

In Cameron, Texas, Bob McClaren, president of 44 Farms, wished to create a seedstock program that from day one would assist ranchers transfer past commodities and make a residing placing meals on America’s desk. He determined Black Angus cattle had been the way in which to try this, and on a chilly November night time in 2003, the primary Angus cows had been delivered to Cameron. Ending cattle was a brand new enterprise within the fall of 2008 once they completed some cattle at CRI Feeders in Guymon, Oklahoma. This set of steers graded 65% USDA Prime and the conception of a high-quality, all-natural beef product was born. The concept resulted within the launching of the 44 Steaks program within the spring of 2010. Walmart has since requested 44 Farms to assist them uplevel their beef providing. At the moment, 44 Farms is working with over 1,100 ranchers from 26 states throughout america, offering cattle for the Prime Pursuits program to ship beef to roughly 565 Walmart shops all through the Southeast. It’s also advertising 2,000 bulls a 12 months by non-public treaty and 4 annual bull gross sales, together with 5 reside and on-line feminine gross sales a 12 months.

The winner of the Seedstock Producer Award will likely be introduced throughout the BIF Symposium Awards Luncheon on July 5.

Industrial Producer Award finalists are Callahan Brothers LLC and Douglas Lake Cattle Firm.

Callahan Brothers LLC, situated in Centerview, Missouri, is owned and managed by T.J. and Jake Callahan. They’ve been within the cattle enterprise their entire lives with their father elevating Limousin cattle since 1990. Brothers, TJ and Jake Callahan, accomplice collectively through Callahan Brothers LLC of their business cow operation. They run roughly 300 head of business Limousin cross cows that they breed to primarily registered purebred Limousin bulls, that are produced out of their registered Limousin herd. Half of the herd is spring bred with the rest within the fall. They’ve a break up calving season to diversify the advertising of their feeder cattle and scale back market danger for his or her business cattle manufacturing. They market their feeder cattle by Kingsville Livestock in Kingsville, Missouri. Their No. 1 aim is to supply high-quality business cattle which are in demand and stay worthwhile with present business market situations that work for all sectors of the meat business and match into the business feeding, packing and retail meat enterprise. Long run, they’re wanting to buy extra land in an effort to develop and be much less reliant on leasing extra acres to function effectively into the longer term. In addition they run a bulk feed and customized utility enterprise.

Situated in Douglas Lake, British Columbia, Douglas Lake Cattle Firm was included in 1884 and consists of 4 ranch divisions — Douglas Lake Ranch, Alkali Lake Ranch (acquired in 2008), Riske Creek Ranch (in 2016) and Gang Ranch (in 2022). All divisions are situated in south central British Columbia and have a mixed carrying capability of 13,000 mom cows on a land base of 1.8 million acres of deeded and crown grazing mixed. The cow herd consists principally of black Angus cattle with some Hereford affect and Charolais for a terminal cross. All cows are spring calving with replacements chosen in-house and bulls bought. Report holding and knowledge analytics are a central a part of their administration technique. All ranch divisions are analyzed individually in all points of manufacturing from crop manufacturing to cattle. On the Douglas Lake division, they background round 1,300 steers for grass and promote as lengthy yearlings. All different divisions promote their calves within the fall and retain solely mature cows, substitute heifers and bulls over the winter-feeding interval. All feed manufacturing is produced in-house on 9,000 acres of irrigated land rising quite a lot of crops together with grass, alfalfa, barley and silage corn. The Douglas Lake Division additionally operates a tourism enterprise centered round rainbow trout fishing, RV tenting, a lodge and resort lodging. Lengthy weekends in the summertime months will see as much as 800 visitors go to the ranch on the numerous resort areas with round 7,000 visits yearly.

The winner of the Industrial Producer Award will likely be introduced throughout the BIF Symposium Awards Luncheon on July 4.

BIF will host its fifty fifth Annual Beef Enchancment Federation Symposium July 3-6 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. For a whole schedule and registration info, go to BIFSymposium.com.