Angus Underground

It’s a big episode this week as Mark McCully, CEO of the American Angus Association joins the show. Mark first talks about how livestock judging gave him critical tools and skills that have served him throughout his extensive career and walks us through how he got to be at AAA. He provides clarity on the role of the American Angus Association, along with a few of the many organizations under the Association’s umbrella. Mark talks about the organization’s foundational pillars, including a diverse membership base, providing tools for breeders, and serving the members to make Angus cattle better in many different ways. Mark also answers questions regarding gene editing, sustainability, and a few listener questions about how AAA plans to expand its share in the marketplace.Mentioned in this Episode:Montana RanchThe Montana Bred for Balance Bull and Female Sale — Call David at 406-210-5605 or send an email to [email protected] if you’re searching for semen from balanced trait sires!Rafter 5M Land & CattleBruin RanchFacebook @AngusUndergroundInstagram @AngusUndergroundContact [email protected] or call 406-210-1366 if you are interested in becoming a sponsor for Angus Underground.American Angus Association | Angus.OrgMark McCullyDucks UnlimitedQuotes:“My passion for livestock judging opened a lot of doors and just like for a lot of other people, it exposed my eyes to the bigger industry.” — Mark“We talk about driving breed improvement, obviously, that's what this organization is largely about. Building tools, putting tools in the hands of breeders to make the Angus breed better, enhancing membership, experience, and success.” — Mark“Ultimately, we are a member-centric organization. We’re here to serve the member and make Angus cattle better in many different ways.” — Mark Learn more about our sponsor, Montana Ranch, by visiting MontanaRanchAngus.com.

The crew gets right into a few highlights from the American Angus Board of Directors meeting, including sustained cow fertility research, and what info breeders are wanting to see and why. They then welcome Vince Santini from Shady Brook Angus Farm in Tennessee. Besides being an all-around great guy, Vince is a busy businessman and has some keen insights on running a family operation, getting the optimal phenotype, and what makes Shady Brook so special. As Shady Brook celebrates its 50th anniversary next year, Vince talks about what it is like to run a multi-generational Angus operation, how building your identity within a herd is crucial, and what’s next for Shady Brook.Mentioned in this Episode:Montana RanchThe Montana Bred for Balance Bull and Female Sale — Call David at 406-210-5605 or send an email to [email protected] if you’re searching for semen from balanced trait sires!Rafter 5M Land & CattleBruin RanchFacebook @AngusUndergroundInstagram @AngusUndergroundContact [email protected] or call 406-210-1366 if you are interested in becoming a sponsor for Angus Underground.Breeder LinkGene BrokersShady Brook AngusQuotes:“I think that’s what’s fun about this business. I think it’s so fun that we can disagree about biological types or environments or any number of things or EPDs, but this passion for Angus cattle can transcend generations, personalities, and environments.”“Whenever we get caught up in trying to divide ourselves in the differences, we need to remember the thread that unites us is the Angus cow.”“That’s really the first step I think into building a herd is building your identity within that herd.” Learn more about our sponsor, Montana Ranch, by visiting MontanaRanchAngus.com.

This week, David, Joe, and Korbin start the show off by recapping their annual pilgrimage to North and South Dakota where they met some friends of the show and awesome listeners. David shares a few highlights of the visit, including Foxhoven Angus and Koupal Angus, and some disappointing moments including a pizza burger he wishes he hadn’t had. They talk about pedigree, the importance of finding your own direction, and having discipline with your breeding program. Finally, the guys announce the unveiling of the Angus Pathfinders for the year 2022!Mentioned in this Episode:Montana RanchThe Montana Bred for Balance Bull and Female Sale — Call David at 406-210-5605 or send an email to [email protected] if you’re searching for semen from balanced trait sires!Rafter 5M Land & CattleBruin RanchFacebook @AngusUndergroundInstagram @AngusUndergroundContact [email protected] or call 406-210-1366 if you are interested in becoming a sponsor for Angus Underground.Breeder LinkGene BrokersFoxhoven AngusKoupal AngusGardiner Angus RanchQuotes:“In my old age, I’m getting rather particular about what I eat, but I am a connoisseur of truck stop food. I'd never had a bad truck stop hot dog until this trip.” [9:00]“Bud is constantly concerned with producing the right kind of bull for his commercial bull customers.” [17:19]“Don’t be afraid to be your own program. Don’t be afraid to build your own vision for your customer base and, and go ahead and go after it.” [35:00] Learn more about our sponsor, Montana Ranch, by visiting MontanaRanchAngus.com.

This week, David, Joe, and Korbin discuss the Angus Underground Facebook Community Forum, and how it is here to provide answers to your burning questions and quench your thirst for new information, all within a welcoming and friendly community. Then, for the first segment, the guys welcome Logan Sampson from Ruby Valley, Nevada to talk about his company, Gene Brokers. Logan talks about how his impulse buying and desire for an open marketplace led to GeneBrokers. He shares the process of going from testing mode to a live site, if GeneBrokers is really like a shopping mall for semen, how the payment process works, along with the nuts and bolts of paying and shipping. Logan talks about the three entities where the semen is stored — the vendor, seller, and shipper, and how customers can use this for their best advantage. In the second segment, Robert Whitacre from Winchester, VA and Lex Carter from Pingree, ID join the show to discuss all things Breeder Link. They talk about how to use the filters to navigate towards what you want, the options for creating a storefront, and exactly what you can (and can’t) sell. They walk us through a checklist of what you need to list something and give us a glimpse behind the quality control of listing sires into the program.Mentioned in this Episode:Montana RanchThe Montana Bred for Balance Bull and Female Sale — Call David at 406-210-5605 or send an email to [email protected] if you’re searching for semen from balanced trait sires!Rafter 5M Land & CattleBruin RanchFacebook @AngusUndergroundInstagram @AngusUndergroundContact [email protected] or call 406-210-1366 if you are interested in becoming a sponsor for Angus Underground.Angus Underground Ep. 9: “Angus on Dairy with Eddie Veenendaal”American Angus Association® (AAA)GeneBrokersBreederLinkQuotes:“I’m not going to tell you how to breed your cows, and no one should either. That’s not our business. Our business is to support you in what you want to do.” — Logan [13:54]“When it comes to genetics, we’ve made plenty of mistakes, but one thing about ours is that the environment sorts those mistakes out. They don’t last very long.” — Lex“We want people to think of us as a maternal source. We really try to find bulls that come from strong cow families.” — Lex [45:40] Learn more about our sponsor, Montana Ranch, by visiting MontanaRanchAngus.com.

This week, David, Joe, and Korbin welcome Kurt Kangas, Regional Manager of the American Angus Association®. Kurt has really redefined what a Regional Manager does, and he is a great resource with a fresh perspective. He first talks about what is in his calving kit, how weather plays a part in calving, and how to keep out cross-contamination and keep everything fresh and sterile. You will also learn about some pretty cool devices and tools that keep everyone safe and healthy, and Kurt walks us through some of the parallels and differences between working in California and Montana. Kurt walks through a calendar year, talks about his love of Pearl Jam, why he’s excited about Montana State University’s new teaching herd, and gets really transparent about the difference in the Angus business compared to the past.Mentioned in this Episode:Montana RanchThe Montana Bred for Balance Bull and Female Sale — Call David at 406-210-5605 or send an email to [email protected] if you’re searching for semen from balanced trait sires!Rafter 5M Land & CattleBruin RanchFacebook @AngusUndergroundInstagram @AngusUndergroundContact [email protected] or call 406-210-1366 if you are interested in becoming a sponsor for Angus Underground.Angus Underground Ep. 9: “Angus on Dairy with Eddie Veenendaal”American Angus Association® (AAA)JBSCertified Angus Beef® (CAB)National Beef®Orphan No MoreCalf Cradle Digital Scale that went Facebook Viral ScourGuardMontana State UniversityQuotes:“The most important piece of this is once you get the calf out, make sure that calf gets colostrum. If that calf is not up within an hour nursing the cow, you need to get some colostrum down that calf because that will have long term ramifications on the calf’s health.” — David“I think the most important piece to the scours problem is prevention.” — David “It's fun to think about different ways people can do things, and how to impact what's going to be best for your sale.” — Kurt “The role of regional manager primarily is to assist the breeders in the region in any questions that they have.” — Kurt Learn more about our sponsor, Montana Ranch, by visiting MontanaRanchAngus.com.

Welcome back! Hosts David, Joe, and Korbin are excited for a new year and thank you for your continued listenership. They first revisit their holiday celebrations and New Year’s resolutions, then cover some beef and pet peeves trends in social media posts. Then, they welcome Ian Vivers from Eagle Hawk Angus in New South Wales, Australia. Ian talks about how Eagle Hawk is a family operation, and why it’s so great to have family supporting you on this journey. Ian opens up about overcoming the devastating wildfire two years ago, and how Eagle Hawk built back up, thanks to help from their community. He shares why he has been to the U.S. 14 times and his process behind sourcing from the U.S., which should provide inspiration to travel and at the very least, cross state lines.The hosts talk with Ian about the great job Eagle Hawk does on social media and branding, and the strategies his wife and daughter use to capture all of Eagle Hawk’s important messages, even if it does include Ian’s pillow talk.Mentioned in this Episode:Montana RanchThe Montana Bred for Balance Bull and Female Sale — Call David at 406-210-5605 or send an email to [email protected] if you’re searching for semen from balanced trait sires!Rafter 5M Land & CattleBruin RanchFacebook @AngusUndergroundInstagram @AngusUndergroundContact [email protected] or call 406-210-1366 if you are interested in becoming a sponsor for Angus Underground.Angus Underground Ep. 9: “Angus on Dairy with Eddie Veenendaal”American Angus Association® (AAA)JBSCertified Angus Beef® (CAB)National Beef®Bill DavisEagle Hawk AngusInstagram @EagleHawkAngusQuotes:“When the subject matter is really important, we will make sure that we have the importance portrayed in our posts and social media.” — Ian“As an industry in agriculture, we get attacked for so many things, which mostly, if not completely wrong, mislead people down a wrong path. We actually have to support each other.” — Ian“I applaud anyone putting anything up that basically builds a network of people in agriculture who are passionate about what they do.” — Ian“The beauty of social media is simply to form friendships across the world.” — Ian“There is nothing like having family with you on the journey.” — Ian“We’re a team. It’s an exciting future when you have the younger ones following through and enthusiastically enjoying what we’re doing.” — Ian“For us to compete, we need to be aware of what our impact is.” — Ian Learn more about our sponsor, Montana Ranch, by visiting MontanaRanchAngus.com.

Welcome to today’s special episode of Angus Underground with your hosts, David, Joe, and Korbin! In this conversation, they discuss their personal and professional New Year’s resolutions, thoughts on the industry, and their conversations with Board of Directors members and Angus staff. Additionally, they also tie up the loop around their beef on dairy discussion from Episode 9, share what transpired at the December 15th open-to-the-public meeting in Billings, and discuss sustainability when it comes to CAB.In the second half of the show, your hosts are joined by a fantastic guest and their first repeat guest – Jordan Rhodes! Jordan is the co-owner of Rhodes Red Angus, located in Faulkton, South Dakota. He is a young, passionate breeder that is truly paving the way for the next generation of cattle ranchers.Jordan lends some incredibly insightful knowledge on how he matches his bull customers with the right bull. He shares how he maintains relationships with customers, his advice on redirecting your customers to what they actually need vs. what they think they need, how he has grown his ranch from the ground up, how he chooses the ingredients that he’s going to bring into his program for his next breeding generation, and information about his upcoming bull sale.Thank you for tuning into Angus Underground in 2021! We will see you soon in 2022!Mentioned in this Episode:Montana RanchThe Montana Bred for Balance Bull and Female Sale — Call David at 406-210-5605 or send an email to [email protected] if you’re searching for semen from balanced trait sires!Rafter 5M Land & CattleBruin RanchFacebook @AngusUndergroundInstagram @AngusUndergroundContact [email protected] or call #406-210-1366 if you are interested in becoming a sponsor for Angus UndergroundAngus Underground Ep. 9: “Angus on Dairy with Eddie Veenendaal”American Angus Association® (AAA)JBSCertified Angus Beef® (CAB)National Beef®Rhodes Red Angus — Call Jordan Rhodes’ at #605-328-9301Angus Underground Ep. 5: “Breeding Philosophies with Jordan Rhodes of Rhodes Red Angus”Rhodes Red Angus: 7th Annual Bull Sale on DVAuction – January 17th, 1 pm CSTQuotes:“If we ever disagree with something … have an idea … [or] have a concept — be it a good or bad opinion — we … as the American Angus Association … have a duty and an obligation to reach out to … Board of Directors members.”“Angus on dairy — whether we like it or not — has been, and will continue to be, a part of the certified Angus beef supply. … There’s nothing there that we can change short of a complete overhaul of the specifications of CAB that will keep it out.”“To make progress, I think the only way you can be sustainable is to start asking a whole bunch of questions.” — Jordan Rhodes“To me, this business is about — first and foremost — reproduction. Second[ly], production. If you culture those two traits, you could build a really beautiful cow herd in about five years.” — Jordan Rhodes“I learned pretty fast that if you’re going to survive in this business from ground-zero, you’ve got to pretty much do everything you can.” — Jordan Rhodes“Don’t let your pride get in the way of success.” — Jordan Rhodes Learn more about our sponsor, Montana Ranch, by visiting MontanaRanchAngus.com.

In this surprise edition of Angus Underground, David, Joe, and Korbin partake in a roundtable discussion about AI Sire Selection. Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays from Angus Underground! Learn more about our sponsor, Montana Ranch, by visiting MontanaRanchAngus.com.

Learn more about our sponsor, Montana Ranch, by visiting MontanaRanchAngus.com.

Learn more about our sponsor, Montana Ranch, by visiting MontanaRanchAngus.com.

In this edition of Angus Underground, David, Joe, and Korbin are joined by a friend of the show, Eddie Veenendaal from Veenendaal Angus in Hanford, California. Together, they discuss branded beef programs (specifically certified angus beef), and take a deep-dive into the role of Angus on Dairy and Beef on Dairy. With the recent open-to-the-public meeting in Billings regarding Angus on dairy and the release from Red Angus Association of America, there is plenty to discuss regarding beef on dairy. They discuss the concerns that beef on dairy cattle do not fit the Certified Angus Beef mission statement, its overall business model, how it will impact demand for registered Angus cattle, what the influx of Angus on Dairy cattle means for commercial customers, what AAA and CAB have to gain from Angus on Dairy, and more. Eddie also shares his personal expertise and experiences with Angus on Dairy and his insights into what this all means for the industry at large. Don’t miss out on this extremely insightful (and extra-festive) episode of Angus Underground! Mentioned in this Episode: Creek Insurance — To protect and preserve your livestock investments! The Montana Bred for Balance Bull and Female Sale — Call David at 406-210-5605 or send an email to [email protected] if you’re searching for semen from balanced trait sires! Rafter 5M Land & Cattle Bruin Ranch Facebook @AngusUnderground Instagram @AngusUnderground Contact [email protected] or call #406-210-1366 if you are interested in becoming a sponsor for Angus Underground Veenendaal Angus American Angus Association (AAA) JBS Certified Angus Beef (CAB) National Beef Quotes: “Certified Angus Beef has been revolutionary to the angus breed. It’s provided us [an] optimal platform by which we’ve made angus the #1 beef breed in the world.” “It is projected that we’ll have 1.215 billion pounds CAB product marketed in more than 50 countries worldwide. And the overall industry average for choice and prime in 2020 is 85%. … As we’ve made this nation’s cattle herd more and more Angus, we’ve been able to really raise the bar on the number of cattle that grade choice or prime.” “We do need to think about what the future holds for Beef on Dairy and specifically Angus on Dairy [as well as] the ramifications … for Angus and commercial cattle producers in the west specifically.” “[Angus on Dairy] does create tremendous opportunity for those that don’t share [CAB’s] vision; that believe that the story behind the cattle and behind how they were raised has merit in the marketplace.” “CAB has done a wonderful job of creating this desirability in Angus cattle. Whether we’re selling bulls to commercial producers or selling steaks to our neighbors, CAB has laid the groundwork, told the story for us, and has given us a lot of tools to work with.” Learn more about our sponsor, Montana Ranch, by visiting MontanaRanchAngus.com.

Description: In this episode, your hosts, Joe, David, and Korbin, join together for a roundtable-style discussion on a variety of topics ranging from bull testing to embryo donor selection and beyond. Kicking off the show, each host gives an update on what they are up to on their ranches. David speaks about how his recent production sale went, Korbin touches on getting ready for breeding season and some of the current challenges he is facing with his bulls, and David speaks about Montana Ranch. They discuss mental health for farmers and ranchers; lessons in sales (from the bad to the good, and everything in between); share advice on how to push through the tough times; provide insight into why “flunking” a semen test is not the be-all-end-all; the ins and outs of bull testing and bull management; what they look for when selecting a female to go into their embryo program; when to flush vs. when not to flush; and much more. Mentioned in this Episode: The Montana Bred for Balance Bull and Female Sale — Call David at 406-210-5605 or send an email to [email protected] if you’re searching for semen from balanced trait sires! Rafter 5M Land & Cattle Shady Brook Angus Farm Bruin Ranch Facebook @AngusUnderground Instagram @AngusUnderground Angus Underground Ep. 5: “Marketing and Merchandising Your Angus Cattle” Angus Underground Ep. 6: “Breeding Philosophies with Jordan Rhodes of Rhodes Red Angus” SaleRing.live Ginger Hill Angus Hoffman A.I. Breeders Contact [email protected] or call #406-210-1366 if you are interested in becoming a sponsor for Angus Underground Quotes: “Marketing … really requires a team. Yes, we raise the cattle, we develop the cattle, and we represent the cattle, but we can’t possibly answer every phone call… [or] answer every email.” “When I think about what I really enjoy in this business, it’s the evaluation and the quest for the ideal that fits your program.” “We’re in the people business. And by all means, if one person finds somebody that they’re compatible with; [that] they want to bounce ideas off of [in this industry] … that fires me up.” “I look at it this way: when you’re going into a sale, you do the best you can. … [Because] so much is out of your hands when it comes sale-time.” “Test your bulls and test them often.” “If you’re trying to create longevity … maintain maternal …[and] create a cowherd that is performance-based and is also proven, then you know you’ve got to have some stringent details whenever you’re going to select a donor.” “What I think is a ‘proven cow’ is one that is proven to settle, she’s proven to take a calf to term, she’s proven to lay down, having, licking them off, getting nursed, [getting] rebred and weening. That means she has proven to do her job. Without that, you’re just measuring in-product traits.” Learn more about our sponsor, Montana Ranch, by visiting MontanaRanchAngus.com.

In this episode, your hosts, Joe, David, and Korbin are taking you Underground once again! After sharing a brief update on each of their ranches, they welcome on their special guest of the evening, Weston Merill! Born and raised a ranch kid in central Montana, Weston is the Marketing Officer for the Montana Department of Agriculture. He is serving a very integral role in helping Montanans expand agriculture exports to all parts of the world. David and Weston both recently had the special opportunity to be a part of a trade delegation that was led by the Montana Department of Agriculture to the South American country of Colombia — which is the topic of today’s episode! They discuss the unique opportunities that are internationally available in the cattle industry, recount the stories of what they saw and learned in Colombia, and highlight the differences in how Colombian cattle ranchers run their operations. Weston also shares key insights on the market in Colombia, how they were able to build relationships with some of the producers there, and more. Mentioned in this Episode: The Montana Bred for Balance Bull and Female Sale — Call David at 406-210-5605 or send an email to [email protected] if you’re searching for semen from balanced trait sires! Rafter 5M Land & Cattle Connors State College Bull Test Sale — Dec. 2nd, 2021 Shady Brook Angus Farm Bruin Ranch Facebook @AngusUnderground Instagram @AngusUnderground American Angus Association Montana Department of Agriculture US Livestock Genetics Export (USLGE) US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Creek Insurance — To protect and preserve your livestock investments! AGROEXPO - Corferias Quotes: “As a Marketing Officer, I have to help connect Montana ranchers, farmers, [and] value-added Montana ag businesses to markets — whether they’re domestic or international.” — Weston Merill “A lot of my strengths lie in that international market space [as a Marketing Officer for the Montana Department of Agriculture] — specifically Spanish-speaking countries because I’m fluent in Spanish.” — Weston Merill “I think there’s an opportunity, specifically in our case, for Montana … to fit into what [Colombia is] looking for.” — Weston Merill “In reality, some countries would kill for what we have [with regard to ag], so we should really look in the mirror [sometimes].” — Weston Merill “You look at this Colombian [Angus] Association and there’s no doubt in my mind that they look at the American Angus Association and they see that that’s the mecha; that’s what [they] want to be.” — Weston Merill “I think there’s some stuff we really have an obligation to follow through [with] and make sure that our product is doing a great job for these countries because … they’re forward-thinking enough [and] excited enough that they’re going to find what it is that they’re after — and we better hope that it’s US genetics.” — Weston Merill Learn more about our sponsor, Montana Ranch, by visiting MontanaRanchAngus.com.

This week on Angus Underground, your hosts are discussing one of their absolute favorite topics: breeding philosophy! Today your hosts have the distinct pleasure of welcoming Cody Jorgensen to the podcast! Cody is the Chief Livestock Operations Officer for Jorgensen Land & Cattle in Ideal, South Dakota. Jorgensen is the nation’s largest beef producer and seed stock operator. For over 100 years, four generations of the Jorgensen family have sought to improve their land, their cattle, their crop genetics, and the lives of their family, as well as the families near them. Over this time, they’ve grown from a family homestead to an operation known nationwide for its superior Angus herd, excellent certified seed, being a leader in soil health, and prime pheasant hunting. But don’t let their 12,000 acres fool you; they’re proud to remain a family operation rooted in a tradition of excellence and innovation. In their conversation together, Cody shares the history of Jorgensen Farms, what makes them so unique (i.e. why they pay close attention to soil health), his duties as the Chief Livestock Operations Officer, how they work together as a family, how they’ve developed the structure of their program, how their breeding program works, and the indexes they’ve created that are unique to them. Cody also takes listeners into a deep dive into their breeding genetics, the pedigree of specific bulls in their program, insights into the best bull they ever raised, and some of the major steps that they’ve taken in up-leveling their program. If you’re curious about the overall scope and vision of a large and complex breeding program, don’t miss out on today’s conversation! Mentioned in this Episode: Jorgensen Farms The Montana Bred for Balance Bull and Female Sale — Nov. 13th, 2021 Rafter 5M Land & Cattle Connors State College Bull Test Sale — Dec. 2nd, 2021 Ginger Hill Angus Bull and Female Sale — Nov. 20th, 2021 Shady Brook Angus Farm Bruin Ranch Facebook @AngusUnderground Instagram @AngusUnderground American Angus Association Quotes: “When you linebreed — especially if you try to linebreed off one cow in particular — you don’t know how much, or how intensely, you can do that until it’s done, and then [you] either have throw-aways or it worked.” — Cody Jorgensen “I would say we’re doing both [inbreeding and linebreeding]. We’ve been doing both with different tactics in mind.” — Cody Jorgensen “The sweet spot that I personally like [for our cattle] is somewhere between 5% inbred and 15% inbred. I think once we get over 15%, in a lot of cases, we’re going to start seeing some inbred regression.” — Cody Jorgensen “The numbers coming out of our evaluation are much more balanced. So you don’t have these extreme low-birth EPDs and these high-yearling EPDs.” — Cody Jorgensen “We have to do, as a family, what we think is right with our cattle. And developing our genetic evaluation so that we could pivot and study other things that we can’t get at AAA was a major step for us.” — Cody Jorgensen Learn more about our sponsor, Montana Ranch, by visiting MontanaRanchAngus.com.

This week on Angus Underground, your hosts are discussing one of their absolute favorite topics: breeding philosophy!Having seen different breeding programs across the nation up close and personal, David, Joe, and Korbin are bringing their well-rounded expertise to the table to share their insights on various breeding philosophies.Joining them to discuss their own breeding program and philosophy in detail today is Jordan Rhodes of Rhodes Red Angus, located in Faulkton, South Dakota.When David first met Jordan a year ago, his story and experience struck a chord with him. As a young, passionate breeder, Jordan is truly paving the way for the next generation of cattle ranchers. Despite his success in these recent years, Jordan has never forgotten his roots. His commitment to helping others along their own journeys is both admirable and inspiring — something this industry needs more of!In this episode, Jordan shares about his purebred cattle breeding program, how he first got into the industry, how he became interested in AI and the mission of making beef cattle better, how he studies the beef business, the major lessons he has learned throughout his career in terms of breeding cattle, his thoughts on the commercial cattle industry, and key insights into the work, environment, and genetics that went into their top-selling bull this year.Mentioned in this Episode:Rhodes Red AngusThe Montana Bred for Balance Bull and Female Sale — Nov. 13th, 2021Rafter 5M Land & CattleConnors State College Bull Test Sale — Dec. 2nd, 2021Ginger Hill Angus Bull and Female Sale — Nov. 20th, 2021Shady Brook Angus FarmBruin RanchFacebook @AngusUndergroundInstagram @AngusUndergroundAmerican Angus AssociationQuotes:“This business doesn’t have to be so complicated. … I think right now, in this day and age, we have an opportunity to raise the absolute best Angus cattle the world has ever seen. … Technology has given us [that] opportunity.” — Jordan Rhodes“The way I study this beef business is a conglomeration of everything. … There’s so much data that’s turned in.” — Jordan Rhodes“I realized really quickly that if you can get a cow pregnant, and you can understand just how much she maintains her skeleton, you can change things.” — Jordan Rhodes“I think that everybody who has a genetic influence in this industry should have to calf their own cows as initiation. If you have never calved 300 cows, you haven’t walked a mile in [a breeder’s] shoes.” — Jordan Rhodes“The other thing about Red Angus that I love is that there is virtually no labor in these cattle. They are awesome.” — Jordan Rhodes“Our obligation to our commercial bull customers should be that we don’t create more problems for them and that we should give them a product that’s predictable and consistent.” “Just avoid the noise. … Just go to work.” — Jordan Rhodes Learn more about our sponsor, Montana Ranch, by visiting MontanaRanchAngus.com.

This week on Angus Underground, your hosts are going underground to discuss marketing and merchandising your Angus! They are joined by professional marketer and longtime friend, Dave Mullins, the founder and owner of SaleRing.Live. Dave is an expert in the livestock industry, having worked alongside the country’s finest livestock breeders, marketers, and stockmen his entire career. With more than two decades of experience in the auction business, it is no understatement to say that Dave knows a thing or two when it comes to marketing and merchandising Angus!Get ready to take notes in this episode as your hosts, and special guest Dave Mullins, tell you everything that you need to know when it comes to preparing for sales, how to create a successful marketing plan, how to develop a marketing timeline, build and maintain a healthy relationship with your customers, leverage social media to promote your brand, and how to develop a customer list. Dave also breaks down the three types of sales (private treaty sales, consignment sales, and production sales), and shares what you need to know when it comes to making a good first impression, effectively planning for your herd, keeping your customers happy, knowing your market, finding your niche, showing your cattle in the best light, advertising effectively, putting together a sales catalog, putting together a mailing list, sale management, and much, much more! This episode is jam-packed with invaluable information, so don’t miss out!Mentioned in this Episode:SaleRing.LiveThe Montana Bred for Balance Online Embryo Auction LIVE! & Open House — Oct. 12th, 2021The Montana Bred for Balance Bull and Female Sale — Nov. 13th, 2021Sinclair Cattle CompanyNeiman Cattle CompanyShady Brook Angus FarmBruin RanchFacebook @AngusUndergroundInstagram @AngusUndergroundAmerican Angus AssociationQuotes:“I think the #1 piece of advice I can give is: Plan. Plan like there’s no tomorrow. Plan for every contingency.”“There should be no timeline for when you should start promoting. If you’ve got content to share … there’s no better time than the present.”“Once you know your customer base, then you’ll be able to make those prudent decisions.”“Find your niche and quit trying to be everything to everyone. You need to find that ‘something’ that you’re really good at.”“When you’re starting out, you have to create your own opportunities because it’s not every day that someone wants to give them to you.” Learn more about our sponsor, Montana Ranch, by visiting MontanaRanchAngus.com.

This week on Angus Underground, your hosts, David, Joe, and Korbin are discussing the hot topic: to EPD or not EPD. Expected Progeny Differences (EPDs) tend to be one of the most controversial subjects amongst Angus breeders. It is often expressed that there are only two sides to the debate: pro or anti EPDs but David, Joe, and Korbin argue that there’s a third party: the middle ground; that EPDs can be used as a secondary selection tool or a comparison tool between herds. In this episode, Joe, David, and Korbin discuss how the middle ground of EPDs, the pros and cons, and when (and when not) EPDs are worth examining. They speak about how EPDs are calculated (and how they can change as more data comes in), how EPDs are misused, how they use EPDs, the traits they have confidence in vs. those that they do not, the EPDs they are skeptical of, misconceptions, the two different philosophies on genomics and how they have caused a further divide within the industry (similar to EPDs), alternative proposals to EPDs, and ultimately, answering the question: to EPD or not EPD? Mentioned in this Episode: Shady Brook Angus Farm Beef Leaders Institute The Montana Bred for Balance Bull and Female Sale — Nov. 13th, 2021 Facebook @AngusUnderground Instagram @AngusUnderground Quotes: “My hope is with this segment that we navigate through [the nuances of EPDs] and try to share with folks that there is a middle ground. There is a middle ground of folks trying to breed the right kind of cow for their customer and then also try to provide some sort of genetic advancement through Expected Progeny Differences as well.” “The truth … is generally somewhere in the middle.” “There are premises that are built into these algorithms that I think are flawed [with EPDs]. And one of the premises is that the next generation is always better than the first. And I have a problem with that because I think that there are some bulls from history that we can go back and still use as tools … within our Angus breed.” “If you have the highest-dollar maternal female in the breed and you are IBFing her to a yearling bull that’s the highest-dollar maternal bull in the breed, I think you’ve got to check yourself on that one, frankly. That just seems … totally antagonistic to the intent behind what I see in a maternal index as.” “I’m certainly not anti-EPD but I would urge each of you to think about what direction you want your program to go, what best would get you there … and seek out someone locally that’s successful, that you trust, and that operates in a similar environment to you and gain as much knowledge as you can there.” Learn more about our sponsor, Montana Ranch, by visiting MontanaRanchAngus.com.

Welcome to the second episode of Angus Underground! In this episode, your hosts, David, Joe, and Korbin are visiting with one of the most dynamic personalities in the business, Dr. Brooke Miller!Dr. Miller, along with his family, owns and operates Ginger Hill Angus; a multi-generational registered Angus seed stock operation. Brooke is also the current President of the United States Cattlemen’s Association and a physician in his hometown of Washington, Virginia.With his unique perspective as a physician and a cattle rancher, Brooke offers his insights on the commercial cattle industry and shares his advice on how to stay fit and healthy as a rancher so that you can bring your best self to the farm.He also shares about his background in the Angus industry, his experiences going through medical school and becoming a physician, what makes the Ginger Hill Angus breeding program unique, how he operates his program, his insights on the commercial cattle industry, who his customers are, and how he has maintained his breeding discipline and philosophy over the years rather than chasing the “latest and greatest.” Additionally, Brooke also discusses his role as the President at USCA, the current issues that USCA is addressing that will impact all cattle ranchers, and the potential changes to the industry if the 5415 bill passes.Mentioned in this Episode:Ginger Hill AngusFacebook @GingerHillAngusInstagram @GingerHillAngusUnited States Cattlemen’s AssociationThe Obesity Code — Unlocking the Secrets of Weight Loss, by Dr. Jason FungShawn Baker MDRevero.Health (formally MeatRX.com)The Big Fat Surprise (Why Butter, Meat and Cheese Belong in a Healthy Diet), by Nina Teicholz14th Annual Beef Solutions Bull Sale (Sept. 24th, 2020) — For more information, contact Joe Fischer at 530-392-0154Facebook @AngusUndergroundInstagram @AngusUndergroundShady Brook Angus FarmThe Montana Bred for Balance Bull and Female Sale — Nov. 13th, 2021Quotes:“Some of the best people … smartest people, and the hardest working people I know are cattle ranchers and it’s a shame that, by and large, they aren’t really paid for what they do.” — Dr. Brooke Miller“Working cattle around here is a family affair. It usually gets done on weekends and [we] try to get all of the children to come home. … All of the daughters and sons-in-law … are all comfortable and doing quite well in working cattle.” — Dr. Brooke Miller“We’ve got to promote the people in mainstream media that are promoting our product and promoting actual science. People like Shawn Baker and … Nina Teicholz, who wrote The Big Fat Surprise. We need to promote those people and hold them up as the foremost authorities on nutrition; not the same-old, same-old that has gotten us to where we’re at as a society.” — Dr. Brooke Miller“The thing that shaped our program the most that [my dad] told me when I was a little boy [was] … ‘The sole purpose of the purebred livestock industry is to produce seed stock with commercial cow-calf industry.’ … So that’s pretty much what we live by. We try to raise our cattle under the same conditions [that] good commercial cow-calf guys do.” — Dr. Brooke Miller Learn more about our sponsor, Montana Ranch, by visiting MontanaRanchAngus.com.

Welcome to the first episode of Angus Underground! This is the podcast featuring insights, opinions, and answers to the questions you’re asking on Angus breeding. Join your hosts, David Brown, Joe Fischer, and Korbin Mehaffey, as they take you “underground” and prepare to be educated, entertained, and empowered!In this first episode of Angus Underground, David, Joe, and Korbin discuss the thread that ties all of their passions together with Angus breeding. They share their backgrounds in the business that uniquely position them to lend their knowledge, their philosophies on breeding, and their insights on what it takes to develop a successful breeding program.They also discuss what motivates them to breed the cattle that they do, how to breed cattle that don’t cause your customers problems, their biggest drivers that keep them motivated in the business, some of the impactful lessons they have learned through their tenure in the Angus industry, what it means to get back to the heart of breeding, and so much more. This first episode is jam-packed with invaluable insights for smaller breeders, so be sure to tune in! Mentioned in this Episode:14th Annual Beef Solutions Bull Sale (Sept. 24th, 2020) — For more information, contact Joe Fischer at 530-392-0154Gary Vaynerchuk (Gary Vee)Bruin RanchMontana RanchThe Lasater Philosophy of Cattle Raising, by Laurence LasaterShady Brook Angus FarmFacebook.com/AngusUndergroundInstagram.com/angusunderground Quotes:“Right at the brink of failure is when the biggest breakthroughs happen.”“I feel an obligation to my customers. I want to make sure that I’m giving the right kind of cattle more than anything.”“You need to know where you’ve been to know where you’re going.”“Never underestimate when and where you can have an impact on someone’s life.”“It’s hard to divorce my ‘why’ from my breeding philosophies. It’s a passion that’s rooted in a deep commitment that’s almost spiritual with our customers. And it’s that way because they’re my family and my friends.”“I think there’s something you can learn from everyone’s program — whether you agree with them philosophically or not. There are nuggets that you can pick from every program — and that’s what I love about this business. It truly is a people business.” Learn more about our sponsor, Montana Ranch, by visiting MontanaRanchAngus.com.