The Beef Enchancment Federation (BIF) has introduced finalists for its Seedstock and Business Producer awards. Each developed in 1972, the Seedstock Producer Award acknowledges excellent seedstock producers throughout the continent whereas the Business Producer Award acknowledges industrial producers for his or her dedication to bettering the meat trade on the industrial degree.
Finalists for this yr’s Seedstock Producer Award are Benchmark Ranch Ltd., Cudlobe Angus and 44 Farms.
Benchmark Ranch Ltd. is positioned 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 surroundings receiving lower than 12 inches of rain per yr. 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 Protected System, and has its personal harvesting facility advertising Benchmark Beef into Lethbridge, Calgary and Banff areas.
Cudlobe Angus, positioned 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 in the course of the Canadian winter in January and February with a view to make the most of the clear surroundings, and one of the best timing for the December sale by which 160 yearling bulls are offered. Cudlobe was very energetic within the present ring as much as the early 2000s, once they seemed to science to raised their herd and create extra environment friendly cattle which excel of their surroundings. This purpose has led to the entire herd having efficiency data, being CUP ultra-sounded, and Angus GS DNA examined. Science is used at each flip, with Cudlobe being a few of the earliest adopters of AI, Allflex warmth sense tags, and striving to assist the Canadian Angus Affiliation of their numerous analysis initiatives 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 have been the best way to do this, and on a chilly November evening in 2003, the primary Angus cows have 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 thought 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 yr by way of personal treaty and 4 annual bull gross sales, together with 5 reside and on-line feminine gross sales a yr.
The winner of the Seedstock Producer Award will likely be introduced in the course of the BIF Symposium Awards Luncheon on July 5.
Business Producer Award finalists are Callahan Brothers LLC and Douglas Lake Cattle Firm.
Callahan Brothers LLC, positioned 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, associate collectively through Callahan Brothers LLC of their industrial cow operation. They run roughly 300 head of economic 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 industrial cattle manufacturing. They market their feeder cattle by way of Kingsville Livestock in Kingsville, Missouri. Their No. 1 purpose is to supply high-quality industrial cattle which might be in demand and stay worthwhile with present trade market situations that work for all sectors of the meat trade and match into the industrial feeding, packing and retail meat enterprise. Long run, they’re wanting to buy further land with a view to broaden and be much less reliant on leasing further acres to function effectively into the longer term. In addition they run a bulk feed and customized software enterprise.
Situated in Douglas Lake, British Columbia, Douglas Lake Cattle Firm was integrated 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 positioned 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 information analytics are a central a part of their administration technique. All ranch divisions are analyzed individually in all features 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 resort and resort lodging. Lengthy weekends in the summertime months will see as much as 800 visitors go to the ranch on the numerous resort places with round 7,000 visits yearly.
The winner of the Business Producer Award will likely be introduced in the course of 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 data, go to BIFSymposium.com.
