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Beefmasters UNITED in Efforts to Advance the Breed

by Joe Mask | Published March 27, 2014

By: Bill Pendergrass, BBU Executive Vice President

Perhaps the most important word most often used in conjunction with the word “Beefmaster” is UNITED.  The use of the very word UNITED is indeed powerful. Our forefathers revolted against the world’s only superpower at the time, to create this great nation we now live in…had they not UNITED behind the common cause of freedom, we would be subjects of the British crown today. As Beefmaster breeders we must always remember the pathway to success begins by being UNITED as we advance this great breed of cattle.

My vision for the success of Beefmaster Breeders United and BBU members hinges on being united as a team. I realize that different programs have various emphasis and goals. Competition between individuals is only natural; indeed competition makes the cattle, breeding programs and the breed better overall. However, we must remember to UNITE as a breed so that we can better compete with our competition for market share in the commercial sector of the beef industry. At the end of the day, we are all Beefmaster breeders and our shared goal is the success of the breed and your Association.

By the time this article gets to you, the spring bull season will be in full swing.  Beefmaster bull sales from this past fall and into the early spring have been very strong.  The demand for Beefmaster bulls from the commercial sector has been a driving force of this upswing. I would argue that the success of any purebred program and ultimately breed association comes from the ability of that breed to market range bulls. The single biggest revenue generator for any breeder is probably bull sales, with the majority of them going to commercial herds.

While we are the most maternal breed in the industry, we must always remember that our bulls are the best tool to add much needed HETEROSIS to a national cowherd that according the February issue of BEEF magazine, is 51 percent straight British.  As commercial cattlemen add more Angus to their operation they are ultimately increasing market share for the breed(s) that can best improve the productivity for that herd. Beefmaster bulls are the best product on these commercial cows. It is incumbent upon us to produce the kind of Beefmaster bulls these cattlemen are demanding.

We are nearing the end of stock show season in Texas and what a season it has been for the Beefmaster breed! Beefmasters were either the largest or second largest breed shows in both junior and open shows at the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo and the San Antonio Livestock Show and Rodeo. As for the highly competitive San Antonio All Breed Bull Sale and Commercial Replacement Female Sale, Beefmasters once again took home Grand Champion Commercial Heifer awards (for the second year in a row) and we also had the third high selling bull across all breeds.

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