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Stephen F. Austin State University Beefmaster Field Day

by Joe Mask | Published May 9, 2013

On June 8, 2013 Stephen F. Austin State University (SFA) and Beefmaster Breeders United (BBU) is hosting a Beefmaster field day and all BBU members are invited to attend. The one day program will be held in Nacogdoches, Texas at the Walter C. Todd Agriculture Research Center Beef Farm, 442 CR 123, Nacogdoches, Texas and the Agriculture building on the SFA campus, 1972 Wilson Drive, Nacogdoches, Texas. Please contact Dr. Erin Brown with SFA at browneg@sfasu.edu or 936-468-3705 to RSVP for the event.

Field day registration will begin promptly at 8:30 a.m. Central Standard Time (CST) at the Walter C. Todd Agriculture Research Center and the sessions will conclude around 3:00 p.m. CST at SFA campus agriculture building. The morning sessions include classes focusing on pasture management presented by Dr. Vanessa Corriher with Texas AgriLife Extension, nozzle selection for boom sprayers to control drift presented by Shane Colston with Winfield Solutions, basic genetics presented by Dr. Jason Banta with Texas AgriLife Extension and collecting DNA samples and overview of the BBU genomic project presented by Collin Osbourn with BBU.

SFA Beefmaster Field Day Flyer 2013

The afternoon sessions include classes focusing on ultrasound and using ultrasound information presented by Collin Osbourn with BBU and how to use social media to promote your ranch presented by Dr. Erin Brown with SFA.

For those interested, Emmons Ultrasound will be available to ultrasound any cattle that you might want to bring to have scanned. Please contact Dr. Erin Brown to let SFA know if you plan to bring cattle to the field day. This field day will also be offering Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) pesticide CEUs credits, one general and one drift management for a total of two TDA CEUs.

For more information about the SFA Beefmaster Field Day, please contact the Dr. Erin Brown at 936-468-3705. Stay connected to BBU through Facebook, view our videos on YouTube, follow us on Twitter and receive our news updates through joining our mailing list.

 

Beefmaster Feature to Re-Air on RFD-TV’s The American Rancher

by Joe Mask | Published May 8, 2013

SAN ANTONIO – On April 8, 2013 Beefmaster Breeders United (BBU) and RFD-TV’s The American Rancher premiered an episode featuring the Beefmaster cattle breed and it received positive feedback by Beefmaster breeders, RFD-TV viewers and the general public. Due to the huge success of the episode’s premiere on April 8, 2013 the two groups have decided to re-air the episode once again on Mon., May 27, 2013 at 8 p.m. Central Standard Time (CST). The Beefmaster feature will also be broadcasted on the Tues., May 28 episode of The American Rancher at 10 a.m. CST and on Sun., June 2 at 11 a.m. CST. BBU invites the public, cattle industry professionals, all BBU members, Junior Beefmaster Breeders Association (JBBA) members and potential Beefmaster breeders to learn more about the Beefmaster breed and how the breed is positively influencing the beef cattle industry. The episode is also available for viewing 24 hours a day online at the BBU website www.Beefmasters.org, BBU’s Facebook page and BBU’s YouTube channel.

“We had a great response from our breeders who expressed that the episode did a wonderful job portraying the breed and educating the public about high performing Beefmasters,” said Jason Bates, BBU field service representative. “We are excited that the episode will be re-aired and even more potential breeders will be introduced to this outstanding breed.”

The Beefmaster episode on The American Rancher explores the history of the breed and takes an in-depth look at the Six Essentials – weight, conformation, milk production, fertility, hardiness and disposition; that the Beefmaster breed was founded on over 60 years ago by Tom Lasater. The episode features purebred and commercial cattleman, as well as Hall of Fame pitcher and former BBU President Nolan Ryan, as they discuss why they are utilizing Beefmasters in their cattle operations. The show also examines the importance of the Beefmaster breed to the cattle industry as a whole and how Beefmaster cattle bring unique opportunities to cattlemen and women all over the world. Tune into the re-airing of this outstanding episode to learn from true blue cattlemen and how their ranches embrace the Beefmaster breed.

“The show had an outstanding response. The BBU office received several calls from all over the country inquiring about the Beefmaster breed the day after the show premiered on April 8 and our website also experienced increased traffic,” said BBU Executive Vice President Dr. Tommy Perkins, Ph.D., PAS. “We hope to receive even more breeders and inquiries after the May 27 episode.”

The Beefmaster feature sponsors include Bounds Swinging B Ranch, Collier Farms, Emmons Ranch, Lyssy Beefmasters, McManus Beefmasters, the Lasater Ranch and Cherry Glen Beefmasters. These ranch sponsors are also featured on the episode and can be contacted for Beefmaster genetics.

The American Rancher, hosted by Pam Minick, is entering its eighth year of broadcasting on RFD-TV. The series began in the fall of 2004 and brings audiences in touch with the people and places that make ranching an American lifestyle. The American Rancher is a half-hour television series that reaches a vast audience and premieres each Monday night at 8 p.m. CST and re-airs Tuesdays 10 a.m. CST and again on Sundays 11 a.m. CST. Contact your local cable or satellite provider for RFD-TV channel information.

For more information about Beefmaster Breeders United please contact the BBU office at 210-732-3132 or visit www.beefmasters.org. Stay connected to BBU through Facebook, view our videos on YouTube, follow us on Twitter and receive our news updates through joining our mailing list.

 

Guest Blog: Nolan Ryan’s All-Natural Beef – Tough talk about tenderness

by Joe Mask | Published April 26, 2013

For Nolan Ryan’s All-Natural Beef, “tender” is less a buzzword and more a guarantee.

By Sam Gazdziak, Editor In Chief - Independent Processor & Editor - National Provisioner

There are many words that could be used to describe Nolan Ryan: tough, intimidating, feared, dominating. In a career that stretched from 1966 to 1993, Ryan was one of the best pitchers to ever play the game of baseball. Thanks to a fastball that routinely topped 100 miles per hour, he still stands as the all-time strikeout leader with 5,714 K’s and threw more no-hitters – seven – than any other pitcher.

With that kind of resume, would you call Nolan Ryan tender? Try telling that to Robin Ventura, the Chicago White Sox third baseman who once infamously charged Ryan on the mound and ended up in a headlock as Ryan rained punches on his head.

When it comes to Nolan Ryan’s All-Natural Beef, however, tenderness isn’t just a word that’s thrown around. Every steak that bears his name is guaranteed tender, and those steaks have to go through a rigorous set of standards to even make it to the consumer.

“Only about 50 to 60 percent of the cattle that are evaluated under our guidelines meet our qualifications and actually go into our program,” Ryan says. “I think everybody hopes for a consistent eating experience, and that is our goal, and our customers expect that consistency when they purchase our product.”

Over an approval process of several years, he notes, Nolan Ryan Beef became the first USDA-certified all-tender program. While the company does not do the beef slaughter or processing, it oversees the aging process for each steak out of its warehouse. Every cut of beef is aged for a minimum of 14 days before it is sent to a customer’s warehouse or restaurant.

Currently, Nolan Ryan Beef is distributed throughout Texas and Louisiana. It’s a popular brand at retail stores in major Texas markets like Dallas-Ft. Worth, Austin and Houston, and the foodservice side of the business has grown thanks to some new national chain accounts. In addition to the all-natural beef, the company, headquartered in Huntsville, Texas,  has expanded into grass-fed beef products as well as further-processed items like beef franks, patties and sausages.

Beefmasters

Ryan’s exploits as a baseball player and later as an executive (he’s currently the CEO of the Texas Rangers) are well known, but he has been involved in cattle production for almost as long as he has in baseball.

“It’s something I always wanted to do and had an attraction to,” he explains. “Baseball afforded me that opportunity, so I’ve been ranching in Texas now right at 40 years. It’s been a big part of my life.”

Ryan, no stranger to building a successful team, isn’t the only cattle veteran in the company. Charlie Bradbury, CEO of Nolan Ryan’s All-Natural Beef, has an animal science degree from Texas A&M University and has worked for several breed associations. He was working with the Beefmaster Breeders United when he first met Ryan, who is a Beefmaster breeder and sat on the Association’s Board.

“I was chairman of their Long Range Planning Committee,” Bradbury explains. “They asked us to look at what was going on in the marketplace that was impacting their ability to sell bulls to commercial cattlemen.”

The Committee at that point saw the impact of brands like Certified Angus Beef, which had made Angus beef a premium item. They looked into a branded beef program of their own to help bring attention to the breed. Beefmaster cattle are a cross between Hereford, Shorthorn and Brahman cattle and were bred to produce well in the harsh Texas climate.

“They were looking for what might help bring attention to our program versus somebody else’s program,” Ryan says.

To help with the marketing and branding standpoint, the Committee asked Ryan if he would lend his name to the project. After doing the due diligence and gathering some investors, Beefmaster Cattlemen LP was formed, which owns the rights to the Nolan Ryan Beef name.

Bradbury says that the decision to pursue tenderness was a priority to fight a misconception that cattle raised in Texas and the southern United States has tenderness problems.

“We had done a lot of research on the palatability and tenderness of these cattle, and we knew that really wasn’t true in general, but there are cattle within the population that are tough,” he says. “We felt if we were going to make any headway using cattle produced in these environments with those breeds that worked really well to adapt to the environmental conditions, we were going to have to address that perception head on.

“That’s why we took that approach and wanted to eliminate tenderness as one of the issues that buyers gave as a reason not to buy our product,” he adds.

There isn’t one silver bullet that can guarantee tender cuts of beef, but Nolan Ryan Beef takes a HACCP-like approach to preventing a bad eating experience by doing a lot of little actions, from the feed lot to the aging process.

The cattle are not allowed hormone implants or antibiotic injections within 100 days of harvest in order to eliminate a stress that could lead to tougher beef. The company also requires high-voltage electrical stimulation on every carcass. Bradbury notes that electrical stimulation accelerates the aging process and burns up the lactic acid left in the cells.

“It will impact tenderness as much as 10 to 15 percent if it’s done correctly,” he points out.

In order to make sure it is done correctly, the company requires packers to certify that the carcasses have been stimulated with the correct combination of voltage, frequency and amperage. In some cases, he says, the company found that plants would turn down the voltage and amperage for electric stimulation in order to avoid slowing the speed of the production chain.

Nolan Ryan Beef also uses infrared technology to scan each ribeye at the grading stand and use the results to predict the tenderness of the carcass. The technology is very accurate in determining if a carcass is going to be tender.

“It’s a useful tool for us,” Bradbury says. “It’s a way we can evaluate every carcass that otherwise meets our requirements and predict whether it will be tender or not. If it is predicted as tender, then it’s accepted and specified into our certification program.”

The final step is the 14-day wet aging process, which is also part of Nolan Ryan Beef’s USDA certification program.

“It’s not any secret weapon,” Bradbury says. “It’s all based on a lot of Checkoff research that’s been done in the last 15 or 20 years. You just have to do all these things. If you do, you come up with a pretty tender, consistent product.”

While the principals in the company are experienced cattlemen, it has been a learning process to learn about the science of producing a quality beef product. They consulted experts like Dr. Gary Smith of Texas A&M and Colorado State University, Dr. Keith Belk of Colorado State and Dr. Russell Cross of Texas A&M.

“It was an ongoing process that took a couple of years to put everything into place and have a feel for it,” Ryan notes. “It’s been a learning process for me.”

Expanding the brand


Nolan Ryan’s All-Natural Beef is available throughout Texas and western Louisiana, with designs to grow into a national brand.

Since rolling out the all-natural, antibiotic-free steaks, Nolan Ryan Beef has grown its product range to include sausages, patties and hot dogs. That growth has largely been customer-driven. Retailers had so much success with the Nolan Ryan brand in the fresh beef department that they looked to add it to other areas of the store as well.

“We found what we thought were really good recipes for fully cooked, smoked beef sausage, and we found a vendor that we thought could do a good job of meeting our expectations,” Bradbury explains.

That line of smoked sausage products proved to be very popular in Texas and inspired the company to move into frozen, fully cooked burger patties. Once again, they gained a loyal following and allowed Nolan Ryan Beef to carve out a spot in the frozen foods aisle.

The next product release was a departure of sorts for the company. Nolan Ryan Beef participated in a number of tasting events, seasoning the steaks with a special blend from a local seasoning company. Customers started asking about the seasoning, so it introduced steak, fajita and barbeque seasonings as well.

The introduction of beef franks was a natural extension, considering Ryan’s baseball career. Bradbury points out that the Texas Rangers are among the leaders in sales of hot dogs among all major-league teams, and Ryan is involved in the team’s ownership.

“They sold 1.6 million hot dogs in their stadium, and we felt those ought to be Nolan Ryan Beef hot dogs,” Bradbury says. “We got busy and came up with a really good all-beef frank recipe and a way to get them made we thought was excellent. We presented them to the right people, and there was a very rapid acceptance.”

Nolan Ryan Beef is now the official hot dog and official beef of the Texas Rangers, starting with this season. The hot dogs are also available in other foodservice and retail venues as well.

Similarly, Nolan Ryan Beef was approached by customers looking for a grass-fed beef program, which led the company to look into that sector.

“It’s of course a very different production process and supply chain — everything’s very different about it,” Bradbury says, “but we’ve been very successful with our initial roll-out of that product.”

The biggest challenge with grass-fed beef — for any supplier — is the fragmented supply. Whereas Nolan Ryan Beef’s all-natural cattle are finished in Texas, the grass-fed cattle come from all across the United States. The type of cattle, and even the type of farmer, is an important factor in determining the overall quality of the grass-fed animal.

“The same cattle that produce a real high-quality grain-fed beef product are not the ones that produce a very high-quality grass-fed product,” Bradbury explains. “You have to find cattle that will mature on grass and finish on grass. They’re generally going to be a smaller-framed animal.”

“You’ve got to find someone who is a really good grass farmer and understands how starches work in grasses versus proteins,” he adds. “On top of that, we’re trying to produce quality fresh grass-fed beef 52 weeks out of the year, never frozen. That’s another challenge, finding producers who are capable of storing forage and then feeding it in the winter months.”

More than just a name

While there are many products in a grocery store that bear the name of a celebrity, few take as active a role in the company as Ryan does. He produces cattle used in the beef program at his ranch, and his time spent in front of the camera has made him a natural spokesman.

“The cattle business is a passion of mine,” he explains. “I take a lot of pride in the products that we produce and the quality of the product. I want to be involved in the discussions and the decisions that are made.”

Along with the number of products offered, Nolan Ryan Beef has also grown its distribution range. Last year, the company began supplying steaks for Johnny Carino’s Italian restaurant chain, which has 65 locations in seven states. Along with locations throughout Texas, it introduced consumers in Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana and Missouri to Nolan Ryan’s All-Natural Beef. The chain added a 12-ounce Tuscan Ribeye steak and a 12-ounce Oak-Grilled New York Strip to the menu as a result.

There are plenty of opportunities to utilize the Nolan Ryan name and grow the brand even further. For instance, Ryan also played for the New York Mets and the California Angels, two potentially lucrative markets.

“We get e-mails from people in Southern California wondering where they can buy Nolan Ryan Beef,” Bradbury says.

Fortunately, not only is Ryan’s name well-known among the public, but it is also highly regarded.

“When we do focus groups with consumers, the one word that people tend to associate with Nolan Ryan is ‘trust,’” Bradbury says. “That’s a pretty powerful tool for a brand spokesman to have. We think people all over the United States are interested in buying quality natural beef, and they’d like to buy it from somebody that they trust.”

While there isn’t a set timeframe, both Ryan and Bradbury would like to see the brand go national, and the strong foundation is already in place to make it happen.

“We’re a small company, so we take baby steps,” Bradbury says, “but if you take enough of those steps, you’re going to get somewhere.”

Click here to view original article as published in the Independent Processor on Apr. 3, 2013.

Beefmaster Breeders and Youth Support West, Texas Relief Efforts

by Joe Mask | Published April 24, 2013

SAN ANTONIO – Everything is bigger in Texas and this was exemplified this past week when a small Texas town was faced with a big explosion and several “big” hearts responded to help. One week ago today the community of West, Texas was faced with a devastating fertilizer explosion where several people perished and lost their homes. This big explosion motivated some of the “smallest” Beefmaster breeders to do something to help the victims of West.

Members of the Junior Beefmaster Breeders Association (JBBA), whose parent group is the Beefmaster Breeders United (BBU), banded together on Sat., April 20, 2013 in Crockett, Texas at the East Texas / Louisiana Beefmaster Marketing Group (BMG) sale and JBBA show to collect donations for the West Volunteer Fire Department. JBBA members and sisters, Sarah and Micah Brock of Trinity, Texas, came up with the idea to collect money at the sale and then contacted friends Braylee Mackie of Lott, Texas and Camrin Byers of Henrietta, Texas who are also JBBA members to help with the effort.

“What if it was us that this happened to, we would want them to help us too,” said Sarah Brock, a twelve-year-old with a big singing voice and even bigger heart.

According to Anthony Mihalski, East Texas / Louisiana BMG sale manager and auctioneer, it was a special day for everyone in attendance and a very moving gesture by this great group of JBBA members. Before the sale began Sarah, Braylee and Camrin addressed the audience and gave a speech about their efforts to donate funds to help the West fire department. It was then followed by Sarah Brock singing a touching version of the United States national anthem.

At the completion of the national anthem the JBBA members passed around two cowboy hats through the sale crowd and the hats were filled with over $1,300. This is an outstanding amount and outstanding effort by three kids that just wanted to help a small community similar to their hometowns. The money was counted and prepared for donation with the help of parents Brenda Brock and Tricia Mackie.

JBBA members count money collected for the West Volunteer Fire Department relief fund. From left to right: Braylee Mackie, Camrin Byers and Sarah Brock.

“It was all the kid’s idea, the collection and the speech. The kids had a great idea and Sarah really inspired people to donate with her beautiful and patriotic national anthem. It was a special day,” said Mihalski.

J.D. and Dixie Laird of Four Forks Beefmasters in Groesbeck, Texas also participated in the outpour of support for the West relief fund. Four Forks donated to the West Volunteer Fire Department the money from the sale of a Beefmaster female sold during the BMG sale. According to Mihalski, the Beefmaster female that was donated for the relief fund sold for $1,700.

As of today, the JBBA members have contacted the West fire department to let them know the funds have been collected and the package enclosed with money order and a thank you letter has been sent to their relief fund.

For more information about Beefmaster Breeders United and Junior Beefmaster Breeders Association please contact the BBU office at 210-732-3132 or visit www.beefmasters.org. Stay connected to BBU through Facebook, view our videos on YouTube, follow us on Twitter and receive our news updates through joining our mailing list.

Beef 706 Educational Series Scheduled and Seeking Participants

by Joe Mask | Published April 11, 2013

SAN ANTONIO – Beefmaster Breeders United (BBU), with support from the Texas Beef Council and Texas AgriLife Extension Service, is hosting four days of educational courses for Beefmaster breeders as part of the Beef 706 program. This Beef Checkoff funded program is designed to help producers maximize profits and have a better understanding of the production process after their cattle enter the feedyard. As part of the exercise, Beef 706 participants will choose specific cattle to monitor through the feedyard and harvesting phases.

The first part of the educational series will take place on April 29, 2013 in Gonzales, Texas at Graham Feedyard. This introductory meeting is open to the public and will focus on feeder cattle evaluation, as well as provide participants with a behind the scenes look at the workings of a feedyard.

The second part of the program will take place on July 25, 2013 in College Station, Texas at the Texas A&M University campus. This intermediate meeting will focus on gain and feed efficiency, while also taking a deeper look into the importance of animal health. Even though these first two meetings do not require pre-registration, as there is no limit to the number of people who can attend, BBU does encourage participants to inform BBU staff members of their planned attendance.

“This will be an unforgettable, hands-on beef cattle short course. We, as Beefmaster breeders, are fortunate to have this opportunity and I encourage BBU members to take advantage of this year’s Beef 706 program,” said BBU Executive Vice President Tommy Perkins, Ph.D. “And thank you to the Texas Beef Council and Texas AgriLife Extension Service for making this program available to Beefmaster breeders.”

The program is completed with a two-day course hosted on Sept. 17-18, 2013 in College Station, Texas at the Texas A&M University meat science laboratory. This final part of the educational course will allow Beef 706 participants to see the finished product of the fed cattle they chose at the first meeting in Gonzales. During this hands-on meeting, participants will learn about carcass fabrication and how to evaluate the value of a beef carcass. Cattle industry experts will discuss the advantages and disadvantage of marketing cattle on a grid versus live basis. This third meeting does require registration due to limited available space.

“At the September meeting of the Beef 706 program there is only space for 45 participants and the open slots are filling up quickly. Information this valuable is rarely this affordable, so sign up quickly. The program is free and participants are responsible for only travel and lodging,” said BBU Executive Vice President Tommy Perkins, Ph.D.

For more information about the Beef 706 Program and to sign up for the September meeting, please contact the BBU office at 210-732-3132 or visit www.beefmasters.org. Stay connected to BBU through Facebook, view our videos on YouTube, follow us on Twitter and receive our news updates through joining our mailing list.

 

Leaving Nothing to Chance

by Joe Mask | Published April 9, 2013

Written by Terry Ropp, Ozarks Farm and Neighbor Contributor

Greg Lemke of Gentry, Ark., always had a passion for cattle. However a hog hunting accident in 2007 followed by a layoff as a result of downsizing in Latco in Lincoln, Ark., fine-tuned the passion into a livelihood necessity. Greg found himself wheelchair-bound, out of work and unable to use his engineering design degree but not his intelligence and determination.

Greg has 130 acres on which he runs 50 Beefmaster mommas. Greg is very partial to the Beefmaster breed. Greg said, “I always liked the breed and already had a small cow herd when I was young. Then I talked with a guy who raised Beefmasters. Many years ago we traded my labor for painting his truck for a heifer. Then I bought another and started my Beefmaster herd with two. I have never looked back at that decision.”

According to Greg, Beefmasters are the top momma cows in fertility and milk production with a higher weaning weight. The cows also have good fertility, longevity and can also be successfully bred at 14 to 16 months. Because calf weight can vary from 60 to 80 pounds and because Greg wants to take advantage of the latest refinements in the breed, he pays very careful attention to EPDs (expected progeny differences) and carcass scan data. He scans his cattle and matches them to bulls for his AI breeding program. In addition, he has a particularly good momma cow that he flushes twice a year before breeding her back. He then uses some of those eggs in his cows and freezes the rest for his personal use and for sale.

Greg said, “The Beefmaster Breeders United Executive Vice President Dr. Tommy Perkins, has done amazing work with EPDs and scan data.” Beefmasters are a three-way cross between Hereford, Shorthorn and Brahman. As a result of a strict culling process, and a sever Texas drought, three quarters of the original Lasater herd was sold off. The result was that the remaining animals had a higher fat content in the rump area, which has given them higher fertility and drought tolerance. Later Dr. Perkins began to pay careful attention to the technical data. Now many Beefmasters have higher marbling with enhanced taste and tenderness.

Greg said, “When you’re in the business of selling meat animals, EPDs are far more important than pedigree. You want the highest quality and weight animal with the least amount of expense and intervention. That means careful breeding.” The final critical component in Greg’s breeding program is his cleanup bull. It is the brother to the Grand Champion Bull at the 2012 Beefmaster Breeders United National Futurity. Greg leaves nothing to chance.

While Greg feeds his cattle sweet grain a couple of times a month to keep them docile and comfortable with the corrals, his cattle are mostly grass fed with free-choice minerals that contain high magnesium in the spring to offset Fescue poisoning and high potassium one month before breeding. Because of his heavy dependence upon grazing, Greg pays as much attention to his land as he does his cattle. He hays about 40 acres of mixed grass. The drought over the last two years caused a loss of 80 percent of his forage with the dominant survival species being Bermuda. One of the reasons Greg was able to survive the drought was being able to send most of his herd to Oklahoma on water rich creek-fed land that belonged to the man who originally introduced him to Beefmasters. Nonetheless Greg planned extensive replanting this fall. He explained that the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) recommended fall replanting because more moisture and lower temperatures for a longer period of time promote better and stronger germination.

One of Greg’s choices during replanting was the use of a strain of Fescue called Jessop Max Q. It is entophyte free thus eliminating most of the Fescue toxicity problem. Greg said, “The intent is to bring up the conception and production rates because regular Fescue is hard on cattle.” In addition Greg mixed clover seed with his fertilizer this year to add nitrogen which for better grass growth and because cattle love clover.

Greg said, “I love what I do. I catch myself in the middle of the night thinking about which cows to cull and new ways to optimize my operation and income. Cattle is my passion.”Greg’s accident has led to two additional changes. Because he needs the extensive, but willing, help of neighbors and friends, he has recently purchased a new cattle chute for better safety, efficiency and ease. He has also started an online business featuring a wide variety of Beefmaster semen. The business helps fill in a void in the accessibility of those Beefmaster materials.

Original article as it appeared in Ozarks Farm and Neighbor

Beefmasters: Taking the Commercial Market by Storm

by Joe Mask | Published April 8, 2013

BBU invites the public, all BBU members, Junior Beefmaster Breeders Association (JBBA) members and potential Beefmaster breeders to learn more about the Beefmaster breed and how the breed is taking the commercial market by storm with several new BBU  programs. The episode is available below and on our social media platforms Facebook and YouTube. Please feel free to share the video with potential Beefmaster breeders and if you have any questions regarding the Beefmaster breed give us a call at 210-732-3132. Read more

BBU Tales from the Road 1.4

by Joe Mask | Published April 3, 2013

Click the play button above to the view the video BBU Tales from the Road 1.4 via YouTube.

BBU Field Service Representative Jason Bates keeps you updated with what is happening in the Beefmaster world and how BBU is working to improve the Beefmaster breed, while also improving the entire cattle experience for all cattle industry partners.

Beefmaster Breed to be featured on RFD-TV’s The American Rancher

by Joe Mask | Published March 21, 2013

SAN ANTONIO – During the past few months Beefmaster Breeders United (BBU) has traveled the country capturing footage for the upcoming Beefmaster episode on RFD-TV’s The American Rancher. After months of dedication there are less than two weeks until the episode premieres on April 8, 2013 at 9 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) on your favorite rural television network, RFD-TV. BBU invites the public, all BBU members, Junior Beefmaster Breeders Association (JBBA) members and potential Beefmaster breeders to learn more about the Beefmaster breed and how the breed is positively influencing the beef cattle industry. The episode will also be available on the BBU website and social media platforms Facebook and YouTube.

“We are excited to be apart of this creative process and see hard work developed into an outstanding program that will share the Beefmaster story to a greater audience,” said Jason Bates, BBU field service representative. “Working with several breeders on this project has been a great opportunity for the BBU staff and Superior Productions.”

The Beefmaster episode on The American Rancher will explore the history of the breed and take an in-depth look at the Six Essentials – weight, conformation, milk production, fertility, hardiness and disposition; that the Beefmaster breed was founded on over 60 years ago by Tom Lasater. The episode will feature purebred and commercial cattleman as they discuss why they are utilizing Beefmasters on their cattle operations. The show will also examine the importance of the Beefmaster breed to the cattle industry as a whole and how Beefmaster cattle bring unique opportunities to cattlemen and women all over the world. Tune into the episode to learn from true blue cattlemen and how their ranches embrace the Beefmaster.

“The passion that the cattle producers shared while capturing the video was astounding. It was exciting to see purebred and commercial breeders still embracing the Six Essentials, while also sharing why docility, fertility and efficiency are important to their operation,” said BBU Executive Vice President Dr. Tommy Perkins, Ph.D., PAS. “It will be an impressive episode that I am excited for the public and BBU members to see.”

The show is sponsored by Bounds Swinging B Ranch, Collier Farms, Emmons Ranch, Lyssy Beefmasters, McManus Beefmasters, the Lasater Ranch and Cherry Glen Beefmasters. Not only did BBU work with multiple breeders on this video project, BBU had the honor to work with past BBU President Nolan Ryan, as well as work with Superior Productions to write, capture and edit the episode.

The American Rancher, hosted by Pam Minick, is entering its eighth year of broadcasting on RFD-TV. The series began in the fall of 2004 and brings audiences in touch with the people and places that make ranching an American lifestyle. The American Rancher is a half-hour television series that reaches a vast audience and premieres each Monday night at 9 p.m. EST and re-airs Tuesdays 11 a.m. EST and again on Sundays 12 p.m. EST.

For more information about Beefmaster Breeders United please contact the BBU office at 210-732-3132 or visit www.beefmasters.org. Stay connected to BBU through Facebook, view our videos on YouTube, follow us on Twitter and receive our news updates through joining our mailing list.

 

Beefmaster Breeder Named Louisiana Cattleman of the Year

by Joe Mask | Published March 20, 2013

Leadership and success are not new to Tommy Smith, a cow/calf operator and Beefmaster breeder from Lake Arthur, LA. Smith also will not be the first one to brag to you about his successful adventures in the Beefmaster business; however it is easy to say that after visiting with Mr. Smith he has been a vital part of the breed for over 36 years. His success in the Beefmaster business and representing all cattlemen at industry events led him to an outstanding accomplishment for 2013; Tommy Smith was awarded Louisiana Cattleman of the Year by the Louisiana Cattlemen’s Association.

Smith currently serves as the Louisiana Cattlemen’s Association Vice President for district five, where he represents five Louisiana parishes at state cattle industry events. However, Smith is better known for his many years of serving the public school system and being a positive influence of kids involved in local agriculture. Smith has worn many hats with that of a teacher, coach, assistant principal, principal, superintendent, grandson of a dairyman and a Beefmaster cattle breeder.

With growing up around a dairy farm Smith always had an interest in cattle and bought into the cattle business at age 12. Smith spent a few years out of the cattle business to focus on sports but quickly came back to the business. He attended a cattle sale one Saturday 36 years ago and bought into the cattle business again, never looking back. Even though he was not always a Beefmaster breeder he got to the bred as fast as he could by the way of a good friend.

“A friend of mine new I was looking for a good bull and came across this Beefmaster bull that was deep and thick, just what I needed. We had a lot of good calves out of him and got us started in the Beefmaster breed,” said Tommy Smith.

Once Tommy got introduced to the Beefmaster breed he became more interested in the genetics of the bred, so he bought two cows to use for flushing and to improve the genetics of his herd. He started watching the EPDs of his cattle and got a hold of a Beefmaster Breeders United (BBU) book to learn more about genetics. He then began seeing the advantage to registering his cattle and becoming a BBU member. About 20 years ago Smith became a BBU member basically so he could register cattle for kids to show through 4-H and FFA; however he began to realize that there are more advantages to being a BBU member.

“Through getting involved in BBU and learning more about genetics through BBU programs I saw the advantage of being a member of this organization, even though I initially did it to help out the kids.”

Tommy expressed that as Beefmaster breeders it is important that records are kept current on all cattle. Breeders must make sure to transfer bulls when selling to a commercial cattleman so that BBU records are current and help improve the genetic records kept on file. Building his Beefmaster genetics and getting involved in BBU has been nothing but an asset to Smith, the cattle industry and his family. Smith raised more than cattle and taught more than school kids during his career. He and his wife Karla raised two boys that helped run the family farm when there were not busy with rodeo and football.

“I am blessed with a wonderful family and have met some of the most wonderful people in the Beefmaster breed. It is just great that we have breeders that invite you to their place and are very helpful.”

Tommy also expressed that he is blessed to be an advocate for an industry he believes in, while also representing Southwest Louisiana and voting on issues that affect the entire cattle industry. Smith believes that he has a responsibility to vote for what is best for every cattleman and women, not what is best for certain breeders and operators.

“I am honored to win this award, but the best award I have won is my wonderful family and representing Louisiana cattlemen and women.”

For more information on the Beefmaster Breeders Association call the BBU office at 210-732-3132 or visit www.beefmasters.org. Stay connected to BBU through Facebook, view our videos on YouTube, follow us on Twitter and receive our news updates through joining our mailing list.
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