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Boerne, Texas  – Beefmaster Breeders United (BBU) welcomed Kylie McIntosh, Boerne, Texas, as the membership coordinator on December 6.

In this role, McIntosh will serve as a liaison between the organization and its members, as well as manage the current membership database and help execute successful strategies to recruit and orient new members.

“I am eager to assist the members of the Beefmaster breed and help the association grow exponentially,” McIntosh says. “The Beefmaster breed has an exciting future, and I am proud I get to be part of the team moving us forward.”

Originally from Boerne, Texas, McIntosh grew up raising and showing swine and Brahman cattle through the Texas Pork Producers and American Brahman Breeders Association. She currently owns and operates LK Brahmans with her younger sister.

Prior to joining BBU, McIntosh studied Agriculture Services and Development at Tarleton State University. She completed an internship with The Brahman Foundation, where she served as their bookkeeper and scholarship coordinator.

“Kylie has a solid cattle background, and I am confident that she will serve our members well,” says BBU Executive Vice President Collin Osbourn. “Her knowledge of the cattle industry and foundation management will be valuable to our membership. We are excited to have Kylie as part of the Beefmaster family.”

McIntosh can be contacted at (210) 732-3132 or by email at kmcintosh@beefmasters.org.

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

Springfield, MO – November 13, 2021

• 8 BULLS $27,900 AVG $3,488
• 6 3Nl ‘S $21,200 AVG $3,533
• 4 PAIRS $12,000 AVG $3,000
• 11 BRED COWS $25,300 AVG $2,300
• 23 BRED HEIFERS $56,400 AVG $2,452
• 26 OPEN HEIFERS $75,500 AVG $2,904
• 78 TOTAL LOTS $218,300 AVG $2,799

TOP BULLS

• LOT 76- SIRE, WPR’S POLLED LEGACY, CONSIGNED BY WALLEN PRAIRIE RANCH, LOCKWOOD, MO; SOLD TO SCOTT BURNES, MT VERNON, MO FOR $7,500.
• LOT 31- SIRE, WPR’S DESTINATION, CONSIGNED BY CEDAR SPRINGS, CONWAY, MO; SOLD TO PAUL FENSKE, MONNETT, MO FOR $4,000.
• LOT 23- SIRE, WPR’S SUPERMAN, CONSIGNED BY THE UDDER FARM, SP ARKS, OK; SOLD TO MICHAEL FLESHMAN. VERNON, MO FOR $3,500.

TOP FEMALES

• LOT 63- OPEN, SIRE, WPR’S RYDIN LUCKY, CONSIGNED BY T J RAINWATER, STRAFFORD, MO; SOLD TO MASON CATTLE CO., BROWNSTOWN, IL FOR $11,000.
• LOT 29- OPEN, SIRE, WPR’S RYDIN LUCKY, CONSIGNED BY CEDAR SPRINGS, CONWAY, MO; SOLD TO SOLD TO MASON CATTLE CO., BROWNSTOWN, IL FOR
  $4,750.
• LOT 32- OPEN, SIRE, FMC FLINT, CONSIGNED BY CARAH HOOD, GENTRY, AR; SOLD TO BRIAN KNEPP, SEYMOUR, MO FOR $4,500.
• LOT 78- 3Nl, CALF SIRE, WPR’S TOP TIER, CONSIGNED BY WILLETT RANCH, TIMBO, AR; SOLD TO DEWAYNE ROGERS, APPLE SPRINGS, TX FOR $4,000.
• LOT 27- OPEN, SIRE, EMS MOSES, CONSIGNED BY CEDAR SPRINGS, CONWAY, MO; SOLD TO RICK KNOX, SMITHTON, MO FOR $4,000.

OTHER – 39 BUYERS FROM 11 STATES

VOLUME BUYERS- JARRETT CORLEY, BARNSVILLE, GA; MASON CATTLE CO, BROWNSTOWN, IL; CEDAR SPRINGS, CONWAY, MO; ANGRY CROW RANCH, BOLIVAR, MO; DEWAYNE ROGERS, APPLE SPRINGS, TX;

AUCTIONEER- CHARLY CUMMINGS, YATES CENTER, KS
SALE MANAGER- 3G CATTLE SALES & CONSULTATION, FRANKLIN, GA

The Beefmaster Breeders United (BBU) Hall of Fame has been established to honor the exceptional, visionary men and women who have made outstanding contributions to the Beefmaster breed. Fred and Judy Long, owners of the L2 Ranch in Beeville, Texas were inducted into the 2021 BBU Hall of Fame.

For the Longs it is clearly a great honor to be inducted into the BBU Hall of Fame at the 2021 BBU Convention.

Fred joined BBU in 1976. His goal was to breed a Beefmaster herd that was phenotypically correct and carried solid performance traits based on “The Six Essentials”. In the development of his program, he added an additional essential trait to represent the importance of predictability of the animal’s phenotype and performance traits which he calls the Seventh Essential. This balanced in breeding is a focus on every evaluative trait. He identifies their breeding program as L² 7 Essentials Total Balance Performance Breeding. The herd was developed on the strength of the maternal cow and that bulls and females would have to carry at least 15 generations of breed dominant productive dams both top and bottom in the pedigree for reproductive repeatability. Today, their genetics carry these many generations.

All Long cattle, both bulls and females, have been weight performance evaluated and carcass data collected for every calf crop since 1990.

Fred and Judy have dedicated 47 years to the challenge of improving the Beefmaster breed and the genetics within their own herd. The commitment to superior quality and uniformity is the cornerstone of their breeding program.

“First and superior to all traits is visual appraisal this is the X-Factor. It is an extremely important trait in our cattle, they must be structurally sound and ideal in visual quality. If they do not excel in this quality trait, nothing else is important. We then focus on a balance in EPDs and performance, improvement in carcass traits and a uniformity in solid red color of our cattle,” said Long.

The Long’s identify these look alike balanced qualities as “Signature L^2” and it’s proven over the years to appeal to both purebred and commercial buyers, domestically and internationally, seeking to improve their breeding programs with consistent and predictable genetics.

The Longs currently run 150-200 brood cows and 150 recipients in their program on 2,600 acres and can trace much of their top genetic lines back over 55-60 years.

Breeders will recognize the names of respected animals produced by L² synonymous with the Signature L² program that appear in herds throughout the breed – bulls like Red Sugar, Synergy, Infinity, Captain Sugar, Captain Jack, Captain Lucey, Sugar Jack, Bushwacker, Prodigy, High Velocity, Sugarman, Turbo 21, L² Malone, Max, Crimson, Enco, Knockout, L² Warrior, Synco, and others, and special females such as Sugar Ann, the 293/3 Cow Family, Farrah Lady, Infinite Lady, Simply Sugar, Peggy Sue, Vanna 2000, Fairy Tale, Jezebelle, Crimsom Lady, Portrait of a Lady, Jacklin, Carmenett Porsha and many more.

To achieve the superior genetics seen in animals such as these, the Longs have remained committed to line breeding and the strength of their maternal herd.

“We like for people to recognize our cattle, and I’ve always believed the only way you can achieve a superior animal with superior qualities is through line breeding. It has achieved our goals in our program.”

They also attribute much of the success in improving their genetics is through extensive embryo transfer work over the years.

“I’ve always thought that Beefmasters were an excellent beef breed and that’s why I joined BBU many years ago,” Fred stated. Long says that the Beefmaster breed has made tremendous amounts of improvement over the past years, and they had the opportunity to participate in such improvement.

L² has hosted many production sales over the years, but their preferred marketing of their cattle, semen and embryos today is by private treaty. A ranch visit is beneficial and allows the visitors to see cattle that are pasture raised on their mother’s milk and developed in pasture after weaning. Visitors can see like kind performance and predictability with their genetic lines.

Fred and Judy have promoted the Beefmaster breed domestically and with their travels in Mexico and South America. They have hosted many foreign guests with field days and have displayed their cattle at the Houston Livestock Show International Week for several years. Their genetics are utilized by breeders in the United State, Mexico, Central America, South America, and Southeastern Asian countries.

In recognition of their commitment to improving and supporting the breed, the Longs in 2015 were honored with the Live Oak Beefmaster Breeders Association (LOBBA) Legend Award. President Bob Siddons said, “the members of LOBBA and I are proud to recognize them as True Legends of the Beefmaster Breed, together they have produced a herd with L² bloodlines that are sought after not only in Texas, but throughout the United States and many foreign countries. The L² Brand is known and respected throughout the Beefmaster breed.”

The Longs appreciate that the satellite sales provide an excellent avenue for the smaller breeder to promote their individual programs as well. The Longs have been avid supporters of other satellites and have been active volunteers within BBU as members. Both have served on the BBU Board of Directors, with Fred serving four terms as Treasurer and Judy serving two terms as Secretary. They both have been active on all BBU committees, working behind the scenes to improve the entire breed and have been instrumental in helping members achieve success within their individual programs. In 1988 they received the BBU Breeder of the Year Award, in 2006 the BBU Environmental Stewardship Award, in 1997 BBU Performance Award, and in 2015 the Live Oak Legend Award. Despite these incredible honors the Longs aren’t ready to slow down yet.

“We are never going to stop being aggressive about making our herd and the breed better. We are very honored that our peer group would recognize us. We really don’t consider ourselves Legends but we do consider our cattle legends. We are still working toward producing better bulls and females. We are always striving for improvement. Judy and I like the challenge and satisfaction of producing better Beefmasters,” Long stated.

“We like it when people buy our cattle and take them home and we get positive feedback. It gives you a sense of satisfaction that you have achieved a better Beefmaster.”

The Longs declared, “to be selected to go into the BBU Hall of Fame is a tremendous honor.”

After 47 years of breeding Beefmasters, it acknowledges the Long family for breeding quality genetics and the continued improvement for the Beefmaster breed. The L² brand and genetics are satisfaction of such improvement. Fred and Judy are sincerely honored and grateful to be the recipients of this award.

Top 10 Breeders by Registration
• MIKE & RHONDA COLLIER – BRENHAM, TX
• CASEY BEEFMASTERS – ALBANY, TX
• THE DALE LASATER RANCH – MATHESON, CO
• CRAIG & KAREN JOHNSON – EL DORADO SPRINGS, MO
• SCHNEIDER BEEFMASTERS – PREMONT, TX
• NEXTGEN CATTLE COMPANY – PAXICO, KS
• FRENZEL & MEACHAM LLC – TEMPLE, TX
• PAUL G SR AND RHONDA WALLEN – LOCKWOOD, MO
• CEDAR SPRINGS BEEFMASTER – CONWAY, MO
• LORENZO LASATER – SAN ANGELO, TX

Top 10 Breeders by Transfer
• CASEY BEEFMASTERS – ALBANY, TX
• FRENZEL BEEFMASTERS – TEMPLE, TX
• MIKE & RHONDA COLLIER – BRENHAM, TX
• THE DALE LASATER RANCH – MATHESON, CO
• HUGH (TIM) CHAPMAN – ROCKPORT, TX
• FRENZEL & MEACHAM LLC – TEMPLE, TX
• PAUL G SR AND RHONDA WALLEN – LOCKWOOD, MO
• CRAIG & KAREN JOHNSON – EL DORADO SPRINGS, MO
• STEVE & CINDY EMMONS – FAIRFIELD, TX
• LORAN M AND/OR NORMA J BOUNDS – AXTELL, TX

Top 10 Breeders by Internet Registrations
• CASEY BEEFMASTERS – ALBANY, TX
• MIKE & RHONDA COLLIER – BRENHAM, TX
• THE DALE LASATER RANCH – MATHESON, CO
• NEXTGEN CATTLE COMPANY – PAXICO, KS
• FRENZEL & MEACHAM LLC – TEMPLE, TX
• PAUL G SR AND RHONDA WALLEN – LOCKWOOD, MO
• HUGH (TIM) CHAPMAN – ROCKPORT, TX
• FARM AND RANCH BEEFMASTERS – SAN ISIDRO, TX
• SAN PEDRO LAND & CATTLE CO – CARRIZO SPRINGS, TX
• FRENZEL BEEFMASTERS – TEMPLE, TX

Top 10 AI Sires
• C1053095 EMS BET ON BUBBA
• C1052714 MCALESTER
• C940465 CF SUGAR BRITCHES
• C994584 SCHNEIDER 0481
• C1045544 CF RIPTIDE
• C1052229 CJ’S LOVE MAKER
• C1079021 WB SOLUTION
• C1029120 CF BROCK 450/3
• C1056626 SIREPRO
• C1098860 CJ’S REVOLUTION

Top 10 Donor Dams
• C1020534 cf DEJA VU’S CHEAP DATE
• C972594 SHE’S A LEGACY
• C1024977 JT MADAM SECRETARY
• C1022905 CF YELLOW ROSE
• C1109715 VALLEY HOME RED ROSE
• C1053206 DESTINY 4622
• C1058657 WPR’S CARLINA
• C828198 OASIS
• C953749 SPECIAL APPEAL
• C1082258 MISS CJ 47/16

Internet only – 10/6-7/2021

Sale Manager – Robbins Cattle Consulting & Marketing, Bruce Robbins

The 60^th Annual Beefmaster Breeders United (BBU) Convention was hosted in Fort Worth, Texas at the Omni Fort Worth Hotel from October 28 – 30, 2021. This year’s convention was very special because three legendary cattle producers were inducted into the BBU Hall of Fame. The BBU Hall of Fame has been established to honor the exceptional, visionary men and women who have made outstanding contributions to the Beefmaster breed.

The 2021 Hall of Fame inductees are Fred and Judy Long, owners of the L2 Ranch in Beeville, Texas, and Mike Collier, owner of Collier Farms Beefmasters in Brenham, Texas.

Fred and his wife Judy, owners of L2 Ranch in Beeville, Texas, have dedicated the last 40-plus years to the challenge of improving the Beefmaster breed and the genetics within their own herd. That commitment to superior quality and uniformity is the cornerstone of their breeding program, which they designate as “L2 Essential 7 Total Balanced Performance Breeding.” They strive to consistently produce a Beefmaster product that excels in all the measured traits as well as visual appraisal and exceptional genetics.

Over three decades ago, Mike Collier, owner of Collier Farms Beefmasters in Brenham, Texas committed to raising high-quality Beefmaster cattle with proven, productive genetics for both the seedstock and commercial cattle industry. Throughout the ensuing years, they’ve continued to make genetic improvements in their herd by utilizing all the resources available to breeders and being willing to adapt plans as needed to maintain the longevity of their program. Thanks to these efforts, Collier has witnessed their herd flourish from a few head of replacement females to one of the largest, most well respected, and premier Beefmaster herds in the business – always maintaining a focus on providing customers with an optimal balance of efficient, versatile, and maternally superior performance genetics.

For more information about the Beefmaster Breeders United Hall of Fame 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.

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Beefmaster Breeders United (www.beefmasters.org), located in Boerne, Texas, is a not-for-profit breed registration organization that provides programs and services for its members. Beefmaster, Beefmaster Advancer and E6 cattle are selected on the “Six Essentials” of disposition, fertility, weight, conformation, milk production and hardiness.

The 60^th Annual Beefmaster Breeders United (BBU) Convention was hosted in Fort Worth, Texas at the Omni Fort Worth Hotel from October 28 – 30, 2021. During the convention several member awards were presented to outstanding Beefmaster breeders who have excelled over the past year and decades before.

The BBU New Member of the Year award is awarded to a BBU member who has been involved in the breed for less than eight years, and to a member who has shown, dedication, progressivism, and growth within their program and the breed. This member must also be a part of at least one BBU satellite or marketing group. The 2021 new member of the year was awarded to Cannon Cattle of Brooksville, Fla. Cannon Cattle is family owned and operated by Colson Cannon and fiancé Kirsten Walker, as well as other family members Adam, Denise and Craig Cannon. Cannon Cattle has been a BBU member since 2017. Their ranches are in Southern Georgia and Central Florida. Their program is based on functional, performance-based cattle with superior customer service. They have a focus on performance driven cattle that can excel in the Southeastern environment.

The BBU Member of the Year award recognizes a member that makes significant efforts to promote Beefmaster cattle and Beefmaster Breeders United. Dr. Jim Colvin of Seguin, Texas was announced as the 2021 member of the year. Colvin has been a member of BBU since 1993 and has served on numerous BBU committees since joining the association. Colvin has also served on the BBU Board of Directors and the South Texas Beefmaster Breeders Association (STBBA) Board of Directors and served as STBBA President for numerous years. Colvin Beefmasters has also been awarded the STBBA Conservation Award. Overall, Colvin has been involved in various aspects of Beefmaster Breeders United, from sales to whole herd reporting and from field days to satellite involvement.

The BBU Performance Breeder of the Year award was created to recognize members who are whole herd reporting (WHR) breeders, collect performance and ultrasound data, as well as have superb management practices within their breeding program. Larry Lairmore of Heber Springs, Ark., was announced as the 2021 performance breeder of the year. Larry Lairmore has been a member of BBU for almost 30 years and has been in WHR almost since the inception of the process. Lairmore collects performance data on his cattle every year, focusing on collecting all calf weights, calving ease and teat size on producing females. In addition, he carcass ultrasound scans every animal born on the farm. Lairmore is focused on collecting DNA on all males and many of the females to track his bloodlines. Lairmore is avid about collecting and use this data to sell all his animals, but specifically his bulls.

The BBU Environmental Conservation Award was created to recognize Beefmaster breeders who are stewards of the land and provides an opportunity for the Beefmaster breed to showcase the stewardship, conservation and business practices that work together on farms and ranches. The 2021 environmental award was presented to Swinging B Ranch owned by Mackie and Norma Jean Bounds of Axtell, Texas. Swinging B Ranch is made up of 1,200 acres that are owned and an additional 800 acres of leased property. Mackie and Norma Jean care for the land they have been blessed with for production of cattle, wildlife, and fun for family and friends. Every water source has been strategically located to deter erosion throughout the ranch. All ranch management decisions are made strategically to balance wildlife, water, and the Beefmaster cattle.

The BBU Breeder of the Year award was created to recognize the efforts and contributions made by members to promote BBU and Beefmaster cattle, while also evaluating the type, size, and management practices of the member’s breeding program. The 2021 breeder of the year was awarded to Bill and Dusty Carr of Laredo, Texas. Carr has been actively involved with BBU and several satellites since joining the association in the mid-1970s. Performance data and visual appraisal of cattle remain an essential component of Carr’s successful operation. Following this philosophy has benefited Carr over the years as he’s promoted progeny out of his foundation bulls, Classic Cotton and Cornerstone. The Carrs have previously won numerous awards including BBU Breeder of the Year Award in 1993, the 1996 JBBA Helping Hand Award, 1999 Environmental Award, the 2008 Performance Breeder of the Year and the 2010 Live Oak Legend Award.

Beefmaster Breeders Cattlewoman (BBC) of the year was awarded to Brenda Woelfel of Giddings, Texas. Woelfel has been an active and integral part of the cattlewomen group for many years and a BBU member since 2004. She works tirelessly to provide convention decorations each year and to raise money to support the JBBA scholarship fund. Not only is she dedicated to BBC, but she has served in various leadership roles and on numerous BBU committees.

This year’s convention was very special because three legendary cattle producers were inducted into the BBU Hall of Fame. The BBU Hall of Fame has been established to honor the exceptional, visionary men and women who have made outstanding contributions to the Beefmaster breed. The 2021 Hall of Fame inductees are Fred and Judy Long, owners of the L2 Ranch in Beeville, Texas, and Mike Collier, owner of Collier Farms Beefmasters in Brenham, Texas.

On behalf of the BBU staff, officers, board members and the convention committee, thank you to all our generous sponsors, trade show partners and auction participants. Join BBU at their 61st Annual Convention to be held in Oklahoma City, Okla., on October 20 – 22, 2022 at the Omni Oklahoma City Hotel.

For more information about Beefmaster Breeders United and its convention 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.

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Beefmaster Breeders United (www.beefmasters.org), located in Boerne, Texas, is a not-for-profit breed registration organization that provides programs and services for its members. Beefmaster, Beefmaster Advancer and E6 cattle are selected on the “Six Essentials” of disposition, fertility, weight, conformation, milk production and hardiness.

The 60^th Annual Beefmaster Breeders United (BBU) Convention was hosted in Fort Worth, Texas at the Omni Fort Worth Hotel from October 28 – 30, 2021. The unofficial kick-off to the convention was the 2021 BBU Sporting Clays Classic hosted at Defender Outdoors Shooting Center. The official kick-off of the 2021 convention was highlighted with award winning speeches from the Junior Beefmaster Breeders Association (JBBA) members Lane Hendricks, Kayl Tassin and Westeon Brooks, followed by featured speaker Danielle Beck who serves as the Senior Executive Director of Government Affairs at the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association.

During the convention, BBU held their general membership meeting and BBU members elected new Board directors and officers. Chris Kauffman of Searcy, Ark., was elected treasurer and Kendall McKenzie of Angie, La., was elected secretary. The following individuals were elected to the BBU Board of Directors with a three-year term: Ruben Gutierrez of Monte Alto, Texas, Dave Loftin of Nixa, Mo., Lauren Lyssy of San Antonio, Texas and Ronnie Teague of Ramer, Tenn. Clay Howell of Axtell, Texas was elected to fill an unexpired term to expire in 2022.

During convention, Beefmaster producers attended educational seminars that were sponsored by the Beefmaster Educational Endowment Foundation (B.E.E.F.). Dr. Jason Cleere of Texas A&M University updated attendees on the Texas A&M University Beefmaster Herd. Dr. Andy Herring also used the Texas A&M Beefmaster herd to cover how beef producers can utilize EPDs to improve genetics. To wrap up the first day of convention seminars, Dr. Kari White with Neogen GeneSeek, reviewed the new Beefmaster Residual Feed Intake EPD and Feed Efficiency Index. The convention also featured Dr. Joe Paschal, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Livestock Specialist, discussing selection for carcass merit and the importance of carcass data. A presentation on Beefmasters and feed efficiency was presented by Bryce Schumann, who serves as the Vytelle Seedstock Sales Director. Lastly on Friday, a panel discussion about successful seedstock marketing was showcased, which allowed attendees to seek answers from Derek Thompson of Nextgen Cattle Company and Trey Scherer with Collier Farms Beefmasters, on various seedstock marketing matters. On Saturday morning the convention hosted Kevin Good of CattleFax, who presented a cattle industry outlook seminar and answered questions. He was then followed by a BBU staff question and answer session, where the membership could provide feedback on programs and ask various association related questions.

The evening activities provided members the opportunity to meet other members, visit with trade show exhibitors and enjoy historic downtown Fort Worth, Texas. On Friday night the convention committee raised funds for the Beefmaster Breeders Cattlewomen, JBBA and convention expenses through selling exclusive items during the auction. The dinner was concluded with a dance featuring the Coby Carter Band and the World Series game on live stream.

On Saturday, the annual awards luncheon honored the Beefmaster breed membership award winners. New member of the year was awarded to Cannon Cattle of Brooksville, Fla., and Dr. Jim Colvin of Seguin, Texas was announced as the member of the year. Larry Lairmore of Heber Springs, Ark., was announced as performance breeder of the year and the environmental award was presented to Swinging B Ranch owned by Mackie and Norma Jean Bounds of Axtell, Texas. Breeder of the year was awarded to Bill and Dusty Carr of Laredo, Texas. Beefmaster Cattlewoman of the year was awarded to Brenda Woelfel of Giddings, Texas. Finally, Fred and Judy Long of Beeville, Texas and Mike Collier of Brenham, Texas were both inducted into the BBU Hall of Fame. The BBU Hall of Fame has been established to honor the exceptional, visionary men and women who have made outstanding contributions to the Beefmaster breed.

On behalf of the BBU staff, officers, board members and the convention committee, thank you to all our generous sponsors, trade show partners and auction participants. Join BBU at their 61st Annual Convention to be held in Oklahoma City, Okla., on October 20 – 22, 2022 at the Omni Oklahoma City Hotel.

For more information about Beefmaster Breeders United and its convention 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.

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Beefmaster Breeders United (www.beefmasters.org), located in Boerne, Texas, is a not-for-profit breed registration organization that provides programs and services for its members. Beefmaster, Beefmaster Advancer and E6 cattle are selected on the “Six Essentials” of disposition, fertility, weight, conformation, milk production and hardiness.

In 2010, BBU launched an initiative to introduce Beefmasters in Thailand in response to Thai beef breeders seeking to improve the national beef efficiency and meat quality. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) funded the “Emerging Markets Grant” to help with the educational and promotional work, while a group of BBU breeders donated top quality semen for this program. It was distributed across Thailand through a Bangkok genetics firm, Yenwa Ltd.

Vinit and Pawanee of Yenwa Ltd helped educate the Thai beef industry about Beefmasters’ benefits and brought Thai cattlemen to America to view and learn more about the breed.  Dept of Livestock Development (DLD) officials also attended animal health sessions in Texas to confirm suitability of the beef breed for Thai environments.  Since the first donated semen tanks were shipped, Yenwa Ltd and other genetic brokers, including the DLD, have purchased, shipped, and distributed several thousand straws of CSS semen for national AI beef assistance programs.

TS Farm’s founder, Sittipong Kritchpakorn, was the first person who managed to crossbreed Beefmaster genetics with Thai native cattle. The first male calf was born at TS Farms on 9 December 2010. That set the stage for Beefmasters to flourish and Beefmasters soon became a premium commercial breed across Thailand and Malaysia. Packers were willing to pay premium prices for provable Beefmaster pregnancies. During the past 10 years, Sittipong, alongside with his “12 Breeders” colleagues and other large beef farms, have led in the development of purebred Beefmasters in Thailand.  Now, there is a Thai Beefmaster registry and marketing groups, while some of the local breeders also maintain registry within BBU. Sittipong and his colleagues have exported Beefmaster genetics and live cattle from across BBU in the USA through direct private treaty purchases, several BBU auctions, and recent internet sales. This includes over 30 Beefmasters in 2020 and over 200 live Beefmasters in the past five years.

BBU and our “Go International Team” have enjoyed having Vinit and Pawanee of Yenwa Ltd bring several groups of Thai visitors, including Sittipong and the “12 Breeders” to tour ranches and export diverse genetics.  Yenwa continues to attend cattle shows across Thailand and provide videos and information concerning Beefmaster genetics

Sittipong maintains a TS Farms website to educate Thais on the Six Essentials and use of EPDs in evaluating individual animal performance.  He is a dedicated BBU International Member and monitors several Beefmaster Facebook pages.  BBU considers our good friend, Sittipong, the Father of Thai Beefmasters and appreciate Vinit and Pawanee of Yenwa as the Great Uncle and Aunt.

In July 2020, BBU Board of Directors established a new award for International Breeder of the Year and the first recipient named Sittipong for his efforts for Beefmasters in Thailand and in celebration of the 10^th anniversary of the BBU Thai Initiative.

Beefmasters Benefit Beef Breeders

Beefmaster is an American beef breed that improves beef quality and production efficiency when crossed with any other cattle breed for commercial beef production.

Beefmaster History

Beefmasters originated in Southern Texas in the late 1800s into the early 1900s. The Lasater family originally developed a large herd of Hereford cattle carefully selected to withstand the heat and insects of the Texas Gulf Coast region, but they were still not perfectly suited to that difficult environment. So Lasater began to experiment with incorporating Bos indicus or Zebu genetics, in the form of Gyr and Guzerat bulls from India and Nelore from Brazil. While the practice of crossbreeding was virtually unheard of at the time, they immediately saw a tremendous jump in productive traits, such as weight gain and reproductive rates.  This is genetic advantage known as heterosis or hybrid vigor.

By the early 1930’s, the ranch also incorporated Milking Shorthorn genetics, to augment milk production and carcass quality. They could immediately see that the three-way hybrid was far superior to the two-way crosses. The final composite ended up at roughly 50% Bos indicus and 50% Bos taurus (25% Hereford and 25% Shorthorn).

As Lasater developed the breed, he also formed a unique selection philosophy known today as The Lasater Philosophy. The concept is to only select cattle for economically relevant traits, which he distilled to these Six Essential traits. It is the only breed in history to be selected only using pressure for productive traits, as opposed to aesthetics.

In 1937, the herd was closed to outside genetics with continued internal development to cull low-performers and upgrade all traits together equally. By 1954 the foundation herd was recognized by USDA under the name of Beefmaster.

Worldwide Growth

The breed has rapidly grown around the world and has become known as the prime maternal cow for serious commercial cattlemen that appreciate their production excellence, particularly in harsh desert or tropical environments. The breed has excelled across most regions of the United States and is the leading breed of choice for commercial cattlemen in Mexico, South Africa, Thailand, Panama, Columbia, and several other Latin American regions. With global demand for higher-quality beef growing geometrically, Beefmasters provide the perfect breed to cross on native cattle to improve production efficiency and carcass quality, while not sacrificing adaptability.

Commercial cattlemen have noted substantial economic gains from using Beefmasters to provide an average increase of 30 kg or more at weaning when compared with other breeds. They excel post-weaning as well, with faster weight gains, excellent feed conversion and carcass yields around 64%.

Recent Expansion Across Europe

During the past 5 years, BBU used the model for the Thai Initiative to expand breeders across various countries in Europe.  Beefmasters have become the first American breed to enter this restricted market.  Beefmaster breeders are growing herds in Italy, Ireland, UK, Poland, Germany, Austria, Portugal, and Spain.  Projects are now being planned for Switzerland, Bulgaria, Russia, Turkey, and North Africa.

In a time when sustainability is becoming increasingly critical, Beefmasters have repeatedly demonstrated that they are highly efficient converters of both forage and feeds into lean, tender, high-quality Beef. A recent study at the U.S. Department of Agriculture Meat Animal Research Center (MARC) demonstrated Beefmasters dominance when compared to 18 of the most widely used beef breeds in the United States. At the same time, University of Bologna Animal Science Research crowned Beefmasters as the highest heterosis of any bovine breed in the world.

Beefmaster Breeders United (BBU) is headquartered in Boerne, Texas. Beefmaster ranks fifth in the U.S. in terms of membership and is the largest of the American breeds. The association has over 3,000 members registering around 19,000 calves annually.

Beefmasters also enjoy a rapidly growing international footprint, with established associations in eight countries worldwide. These innovative cattlemen have seen the tremendous strengths Beefmasters bring to their own genetic improvement programs. For more information about what Beefmasters can do for your operation, please visit us at www.beefmasters.org/international.

For local discussion in Thailand, contact yenwa@yenwa.com; tsfarms39@gmail.com

Isa Beefmasters, LLC’s 60th Beefmaster bull sale was held October 2nd in San Angelo, Texas. It was an excellent sale; with 38 buyers from 7 states and Mexico taking home 131 Beefmaster bulls at an average of $4581. Isa’s President, Lorenzo Lasater, stated the sale was strong, with excellent demand for good Beefmaster genetics despite the horrible drought in the western states. Auctioneer Joe Goggins of Billings, MT sold the 131 bulls in the blistering time of 2 hours, 12 minutes.

The sale was dedicated to the company’s founder, Laurie Lasater, on his 80th birthday. He has built an enduring legacy of outstanding genetics, marketing ability and integrity.

The high-selling bull, L Bar 9541, sold to Bertrand, Fuller and Lasater for $19,000. This awesome young herd sire prospect is the son of L Bar 6105 and L Bar 6411 and was one of the overall top performers in the offering.

The second high-selling bull, San Pedro 9823, sold to FL-TX partnership for $14,000. This excellent bull was a top performer amongst the 2-year-old bulls was sired by L Bar Habanero.

It is worth noting that both high sellers are grandsons of the great L Bar En Fuego, who sold in this sale in 2011. He has sired many high sellers since, and now his sons are doing it. A truly remarkable genetic line.

Volume buyers included: A. Duda and Sons, FL -16, Diamond and a Half Ranch, NM – 13, Lykes Brothers, FL – 12, the Wedgeworth Clan, TX – 11 and Alamo Ranch, NM – 10.

Current Isa president, Lorenzo Lasater, represents the 4th generation of the family dedicated to breeding performance Beefmaster genetics. The breed was founded by Lorenzo’s grandfather, Tom Lasater, in 1937. This year marks the 84th anniversary of the breed.

According to Lorenzo, “This set of bulls represents over 80 years of consistent, balanced selection for economically viable cattle. These bulls will produce excellent feeder calves and replacement heifers in any environment, but especially the tougher ones. With more pounds at weaning, lower input costs, more longevity and the best mother-cow on the planet, Beefmasters can’t be beat.”

The Lasater family would like to extend their heartfelt thanks to everyone in attendance, especially the many repeat customers, including several second-generation buyers. We are already working hard to bring you our 61st set of Beefmaster bulls on October 1st, 2022.