American Cattlemen Podcast

Smith Valley Angus will welcome Angus breeders and cattlemen to Salem, Missouri, on Friday, October 9, for its 9th Annual Production Sale at the SVA Sale Facility. Brian and Kim Smith have assembled an offering representing the depth of the Smith Valley program, with females from established cow families, donor prospects, ET females, bred cattle and bulls scheduled to sell. 
The Smiths continue to develop their program around proven Angus genetics while building an offering designed to provide opportunities across several segments of the seedstock business. This year's catalog includes cattle from some of the families that have played an important role at Smith Valley, along with younger genetics representing the direction of the program.
A centerpiece of the event will again be Smith Valley's support of Sacred Selections, an organization that assists Christian families with adoption expenses. Smith Valley will donate 100 percent of the proceeds from Lot 8, SV Mary Blackbird 6006, to help with adoption expenses through the organization.
Brian and Kim are also joined in the operation by full-time herd manager Dustin Daehn, who brings additional practical cattle experience to the Smith Valley program. During their conversation with Gale McKinney on Genetics & the Gavel, Brian and Kim preview the 2026 offering, discuss the females and bulls they are particularly excited about, explain the importance of the Sacred Selections donation, and provide buyers with the information they need ahead of sale day.
The Smith Valley Angus 9th Annual Production Sale begins at 1:00 PM on Friday, October 9, 2026, at the SVA Sale Facility in Salem, Missouri. Lunch begins at 11:00 AM, with Wes Tiemann serving as auctioneer. Videos and additional sale information are available through Smith Valley Angus.
 
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The Wagyu business is bringing some of its best genetics back to Nashville this fall.
On Friday, October 9, 2026, The Wagyu Super returns for its third year, bringing Wagyu breeders and producers together for a full day of education, networking, and an evening sale at Ole Red in downtown Nashville, Tennessee. 
Sale manager Joe Pettit has watched the event grow during its first three years, but the basic idea remains pretty simple: bring together an exceptional set of Wagyu genetics, put them in front of serious cattle producers, and make the event something people want to attend.
This year's sale begins at 6:30 PM Central on the third floor of Ole Red, with online bidding also available through Wagyu Auction House. The cattle will remain at their home locations and will be presented by video during the sale.
A Full Day Built Around WagyuThis year, the event starts well before the first lot enters the virtual sale ring.
American Wagyu University begins at 11:00 AM at the DoubleTree by Hilton Nashville Downtown and gives producers an opportunity to spend much of the day talking about the business behind the cattle.
The program includes discussions on beef technical support, Wagyu genetics and breed data, marketing and production, along with a producer roundtable featuring representatives from Black Jack Ranch, Bar V Wagyu and La Roca Range.
That educational component makes the trip to Nashville about more than simply buying cattle.
For producers already involved in Wagyu, it is an opportunity to compare ideas and genetics with other breeders. For those newer to the breed, it provides a chance to learn and make connections before sitting down for the evening sale.
A Deep Genetic OfferingOnce the attention turns to the sale, there is plenty to talk about.
Pettit describes the 2026 catalog as one of the strongest offerings The Wagyu Super has assembled, with young females, proven donors, bulls, Fullblood and polled genetics, and semen and embryo opportunities represented throughout the catalog.
Today's Wagyu buyer has considerably more information available when evaluating those genetics.
The catalog incorporates economic indexes along with growth, maternal, fertility, and carcass information. Traits such as carcass weight, eye muscle area, marble score, marbling fineness and net feed intake give breeders additional tools for evaluating how an animal might fit their individual breeding program.
But numbers are only part of the story.
Throughout the offering are cattle representing established maternal lines, proven carcass genetics, and some of the breed's more influential sires. The result is a catalog that gives buyers several different ways to approach genetic improvement rather than concentrating on a single trait or type of animal.
Headline Genetics—and Depth Behind ThemThere are certainly animals in this year's offering designed to attract attention.
The sale opens with Bar V Ms. Magnificent X6008, an unflushed virgin heifer that ranks among the leading females in the breed by BFI and combines carcass traits with maternal and fertility potential. She is also a full sister to Bar V Mr. Classic 565N.
Another unusual opportunity is Wyndford Itoguni 308H. Pettit's catalog describes the six-year-old sire as one of the most significant sires offered through the event, with the buyer gaining the ability to collect and use or market semen from the bull.
But an important part of a sale this size is what comes after the headline lots.
The catalog includes cattle and genetic packages representing different pedigrees, price points, and breeding objectives. That gives producers an opportunity to study the entire offering and identify genetics that make sense for their own programs rather than simply chasing the highest-profile animal in the sale.
Why Nashville?Buyers don't have to be in Nashville to participate.
Online bidding makes it possible to buy from home, and because the cattle themselves are being presented by video, the sale has been designed from the beginning to accommodate remote participation.
But that isn't quite the same as being there.
Bringing Wagyu University, breeders, consignors, buyers and the sale together in Nashville creates something that is increasingly valuable in the cattle business: an opportunity to spend a day with other people who are serious about the same industry.
Then at 6:30 PM, the education and conversation give way to the gavel.
The setting doesn't hurt either.
Ole Red puts The Wagyu Super right in the middle of Nashville, giving producers a chance to combine cattle business with an evening on Broadway.
For Pettit and The Wagyu Super, that's part of what the event has become.
Good cattle bring people to a sale.
Good cattle, good people, and a little Nashville make it an event.
 
For previous episodes of Genetics & the Gavel, please visit:  www.americancattlemen.com.
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HeartBrand Cattle will offer registered Akaushi genetics from its long-established Texas program during the Family Matters Online Sales Event Vol. V, Monday, October 5, at 6:00 PM Central.
The sale features 39 lots selling as 42 head, including A.I.-bred females, pasture-exposed bred females, cow-calf pairs, and open heifers. The offering represents multiple generations of selection within the HeartBrand program and gives buyers an opportunity to select females at several different stages of production. 
HeartBrand's story extends beyond producing seedstock. The Beeman family's program connects HeartBrand Cattle with HeartBrand Beef, giving the operation a direct connection between the genetics it produces and the beef those genetics ultimately create.
Jordan Beeman, President of HeartBrand Beef, represents the fifth generation of the Texas ranching family.
That connection is reflected in a simple statement prominently featured in the sale catalog: “Cattle Backed by a BEEF Company.”
HeartBrand reports that its beef operation graded more than 17,000 individual carcass sides in 2024. That information gives the operation another tool for evaluating cattle and making breeding decisions as it continues developing its Akaushi genetics.
The Family Matters offering begins with A.I.-bred females and continues through pasture-exposed bred females, cow-calf pairs, and open heifers. Throughout the offering are females representing generations of HeartBrand breeding and established Akaushi genetics.
The cattle are parent-verified by DNA, individually EID tagged, and branded with the HeartBrand logo. Females represented as bred have been third-party pregnancy verified.
On this episode of Genetics & the Gavel, Jordan Beeman joins Gale McKinney to discuss HeartBrand genetics and preview the Family Matters offering. Beeman walks listeners through the different groups of females selling, highlights cattle buyers should study, and explains how HeartBrand's connection to the beef business influences its breeding program.
The HeartBrand Cattle Family Matters Registered Akaushi Female Sale begins at 6:00 PM Central on Monday, October 5, 2026. The cattle are located at the HeartBrand ranch in Harwood, Texas, and are available for viewing by appointment before the sale.
Online bidding will be available through LiveAg.
 
For previous episodes of Genetics & the Gavel, please visit:  www.americancattlemen.com.
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Curt Rincker of Rincker Simmental and Corey Wilkins of Allied Genetic Resources join host Aaron McKinney for a preview of the 21st Annual Illini Elite Sale.
Curt and Corey discuss Rincker Simmental’s operation, cattle-breeding philosophy and the overall depth of this year’s offering. The sale features competitive, show-ready heifer calves, a deep set of AI-bred females, elite donor IR Miss Vienna G965, and cutting-edge pregnancies and embryos backed by proven Simmental and SimAngus cow families. 
Whether you are building a competitive show string or looking to strengthen the genetics in your breeding program, the Illini Elite Sale offers an outstanding opportunity to invest in high-quality females with a productive future.
The sale begins at 1:00 p.m. CT on Sunday, September 20, at the Rincker Sale Facility in Shelbyville, Illinois. Buyers can also watch and bid online through CCI.live.
Genetics & the Gavel is powered by American Cattlemen Media.
 
For previous episodes of Genetics & the Gavel, please visit:  www.americancattlemen.com.
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In this episode of Cattlemen and Veterinarians: A Partnership in Bovine Health, hosts Kaid Panek and Dr. Shynia Peterman, DVM, sit down with Matt Poindexter of Midnight Cattle Tags to explore practical ways cattle producers and veterinarians can make processing cattle safer, faster, and more efficient. 
Matt’s background in the cattle industry has taken him from his family’s Missouri farm to an extraordinary experience helping develop beef cattle operations in Russia. After returning home, Matt became involved in backgrounding cattle and custom cattle tags before eventually helping launch Midnight Cattle Tags. What started as late-night tag printing and a desire to solve everyday problems has developed into innovative tools designed by people who actually work cattle.
A major focus of the conversation is Midnight Cattle Tags’ battery-powered ear tagger and tattooer. Matt explains how a hand injury originally inspired him to develop an easier way to apply cattle tags. Instead of repeatedly squeezing a traditional applicator, the battery-powered system allows operators to place tags with the pull of a trigger, reducing strain during long processing days.
The group also discusses cattle handling, workplace safety, efficiency, and the importance of developing a processing crew where everyone understands their role. Matt’s philosophy is simple: less is more. A smaller, experienced crew can often process cattle more calmly and efficiently while reducing unnecessary confusion around the chute.
Listeners also get a preview of products under development, including battery-powered syringes, ear notchers, chute-mounted coolers, and livestock management technology designed to improve medication tracking, inventory, billing, and communication with veterinarians.
Ultimately, this episode demonstrates how practical innovation can improve cattle processing for both animals and handlers. From reducing repetitive strain to improving workflow and animal handling, Matt, Kaid, and Dr. Shynia Peterman offer producers useful ideas for making the next processing day safer and smoother.
 
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In this episode of Genetics & the Gavel, powered by American Cattlemen Media, host Aaron McKinney visits with Ben Weis, ranch manager at Linz Heritage Angus in Byars, Oklahoma. Ben previews the Linz Heritage Angus 10th Annual Production Sale, scheduled for September 18, 2026, at noon Central Time. 
This year's offering marks an important milestone as Linz Heritage Angus adds an annual fall bull sale to complement its female sale. The offering features 40 age-advantaged, 18-month-old Angus bulls and 45 elite females selected for their genetic strength, proven pedigrees, structural quality and real-world performance. Raised primarily on grass with minimal concentrates, these bulls are developed to remain sound, go to work and hold up in demanding commercial environments. The females offer powerful genetics, impressive EPD profiles and valuable outcross opportunities for cattle producers looking to strengthen their cow herds. Ben also discusses the Linz Heritage Angus breeding philosophy, the depth of this year's offering, featured lots, sale-day information, shipping options and online bidding through LiveAg.
Based at Blue Branch Ranch in Byars, Oklahoma, Linz Heritage Angus is a family-owned seedstock operation backed by generations of experience in the cattle, beef and restaurant industries. Its mission is straightforward: produce Angus cattle that help create cows that stay, steers that pay and consistently better beef. Join Linz Heritage Angus on September 18 for its 10th Annual Production Sale and this special bull and female offering.
 
For previous episodes of Genetics & the Gavel, please visit:  www.americancattlemen.com.
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When Chris Earl and John Wessel came up with the idea for Genetic Allies, they recognized something pretty simple: there is value in bringing good Angus breeders together.
Not just to sell cattle, but to share genetics, knowledge, and fellowship with others who have the same passion for the Angus business. 
The producers involved are accomplished cattlemen with their own programs, their own breeding philosophies, and their own ideas about where they want to take their cattle. Genetic Allies gives them an opportunity to bring some of their best genetics together, learn from one another, and enjoy the relationships that are such an important part of the cattle business.
That was really the conversation I wanted to have when I visited with Chris Earl of CK6 Consulting ahead of this year's Genetic Allies Female Sale, September 12 at Edgar Bros Angus near Rockham, South Dakota.
Good Breeders Make Each Other BetterThere is something to be said for surrounding yourself with people who are good at what they do.
Each of the producers involved with Genetic Allies has built a program of their own. They have developed cow families, made breeding decisions, learned from the ones that worked, and probably learned even more from a few that didn't.
Bringing those producers together creates an opportunity to share some of that experience.
And when you get cattlemen like that together, the conversation naturally turns to cattle.
What worked?
What didn't?
What cow families are you excited about?
What are you trying to build next?
Those conversations matter.
We have more genetic information available to us today than cattlemen could have imagined a generation ago. EPDs, genomic testing and other tools have given breeders tremendous ability to evaluate cattle and make breeding decisions.
But there is still value in experience.
There is value in looking at cattle with somebody who has spent a lifetime breeding them. There is value in talking about why a mating worked, why another one didn't and what somebody is trying to accomplish with the next generation.
That knowledge gets shared when good cattlemen spend time together.
Bringing Different Genetics TogetherThe other thing I like about the Genetic Allies concept is that nobody has to give up the identity of their own program to participate.
Quite the opposite.
Each breeder brings something different to the table.
Different cow families. Different genetics. Different experiences. And sometimes a different way of looking at cattle.
For buyers, that creates an opportunity to evaluate genetics from several outstanding Angus programs in one place and decide what might complement the cattle they already own.
For the breeders themselves, it creates an opportunity to see what others are doing and perhaps discover genetics that can move their own programs forward.
That's where the word Allies makes a lot of sense.
These producers can have their own programs and their own goals while recognizing that there is value in working together.
More Than a SaleI've always thought some of the best conversations at a cattle sale happen before or after the cattle actually go through the ring.
They happen walking through the pens.
They happen leaning against a fence.
They happen over a meal when somebody starts talking about a cow family, a bull they used or a mating they are excited about.
That's fellowship, and I don't think we should underestimate its importance to this business.
The cattle business has always been built around relationships. Some last for a sale season. Others last for generations.
Genetic Allies creates another place for those relationships to develop.
Certainly, there is business being done. There are cattle to sell and genetics to evaluate.
But there is also an opportunity to spend an evening with people who share the same interest in good Angus cattle.
I think that's an important part of what Chris and John envisioned.
Genetics, Knowledge and FellowshipThe 2026 Genetic Allies Female Sale will be held September 12 at 5:00 PM Central Time at Edgar Bros Angus near Rockham, South Dakota, with online bidding available through DVAuction.
There will be an outstanding set of Angus females and genetic opportunities to evaluate.
But my conversation with Chris reminded me that Genetic Allies is about something more than assembling cattle for a sale.
It's about bringing outstanding Angus producers together.
Sharing genetics.
Sharing knowledge.
And enjoying the fellowship that comes from spending time with others who have the same passion for good cattle.
That's a pretty good idea.
And it's probably why Genetic Allies works.
 
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Because a complete herd dispersal is about more than selling cattle.
For anyone who has spent a lifetime building a cattle operation, there is history tied up in those cows. You remember where the cow families started. You remember the matings that worked—and probably a few that didn't. You remember the cattle that helped move the program forward. 
And somewhere along the way, most of us probably begin assuming that somebody in the next generation will pick it up and keep going.
Sometimes they do.
Sometimes they don't.
That can be difficult to accept, particularly in agriculture, where we tend to measure success partly by whether the next generation comes home and continues what we started.
I'm not sure that is always a fair measurement.
Our children and grandchildren have their own abilities, interests, and opportunities. The fact that their path may be different from ours doesn't diminish what was built before them. Nor does it mean the previous generation did something wrong.
That was what I appreciated about my conversation with Albert.
There wasn't bitterness about reaching this point. Certainly, there is emotion involved. How could there not be? But there was also a recognition that circumstances change, families change, and eventually every operation has to decide what comes next.
Sometimes good stewardship means continuing what previous generations built.
Sometimes good stewardship means recognizing when it is time to make a change.
For ADR Cattle Company, that change comes on September 16.
The cattle themselves will move on to new operations, and I suspect many of those cow families will continue having an influence for years to come. In that respect, the work Albert and his family put into the ADR program doesn't disappear when the last animal goes through the sale ring.
It simply takes a different form.
I think there is a lesson in that for all of us involved in family agriculture.
We should absolutely work to bring the next generation into agriculture when that is what they want. We should give them opportunities, responsibility and eventually the freedom to make the operation their own.
But succession isn't successful simply because the same family name stays on the gate.
Sometimes the next generation chooses another direction. Sometimes circumstances make the decision for us. And sometimes the right decision is knowing when it is time to close one chapter and begin another.
That can be hard.
It doesn't mean it's bad.
The ADR Cattle Company Complete Angus Herd Dispersal will be held Wednesday, September 16, 2026, in Dunlap, Iowa, with more than 450 head selling. Online bidding will be available through CattleUSA.com.
To hear my complete conversation with Albert Epperly, listen to this episode of Genetics & the Gavel, powered by American Cattlemen Media.
Take Care!
— Gale McKinney
 
For previous episodes of Genetics & the Gavel, please visit:  www.americancattlemen.com.
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The Black Hills will provide the backdrop for the 2026 South Dakota Angus Tour, set for September 15–17. Over three days, attendees will have the opportunity to visit Angus operations, see high-quality cattle and spend time with the breeders and families behind these programs. 
This year’s tour will give cattlemen an up-close look at Angus operations throughout the Black Hills region. Each stop offers an opportunity to see how different producers approach breeding, management and the development of Angus cattle suited to their individual operations.
For seedstock and commercial producers alike, tours such as this provide a chance to see cattle in their working environments and learn from the people raising them. Attendees can compare breeding philosophies and management practices while considering ideas that may be useful in their own operations.
The tour also provides an opportunity to connect with fellow cattlemen. In addition to visiting ranches and viewing cattle, attendees will have time to visit with breeders and other producers throughout the three-day event.
Rapid City will serve as the headquarters for the tour, with the Best Western Ramkota Hotel designated as the host hotel.
2026 South Dakota Angus Tour DetailsDates: September 15–17, 2026Headquarters: Best Western Ramkota Hotel, Rapid City, South DakotaRegistration: South Dakota Angus AssociationContact: Justin UhrigEmail: jhuhrig@gmail.comPhone: 308-760-5615
For cattlemen interested in seeing South Dakota Angus genetics firsthand, exchanging ideas with other producers and experiencing the Black Hills, the 2026 South Dakota Angus Tour offers three days centered around cattle, operations and the people behind them. To hear more about this year’s tour, listen to the Genetics & the Gavel conversation with Justin Uhrig, powered by American Cattlemen Media.
 
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One of the things I enjoy most about this business is the people you get to know along the way. 
I've known Jeremy Leister for quite a while, and I always enjoy the opportunity to catch up and talk cattle with him. Jeremy manages Pollard Farms in Waukomis, Oklahoma, and when you start talking about the Pollard program, it doesn't take long before the conversation gets back to one thing - the cow families. 
That seems especially appropriate as Pollard Farms prepares for its annual female production sale on September 19. 
Most Angus producers are familiar with the Pollard Farms name. Dr. Barry and Roxanne Pollard have spent more than three decades building a program recognized across the Angus breed for producing cattle that combine strong numbers, phenotype, and, most importantly, usefulness. 
But it started pretty simply. 
Barry grew up in Hennessey, Oklahoma, where his father taught vocational agriculture, and his mother was a schoolteacher. He went on to become a board-certified neurosurgeon, returning home to Oklahoma and opening his medical practice in Enid in 1982. 
Ten years later, he purchased several bred heifers and yearlings and started an Angus herd. 
A lot has changed since 1992, but I think one of the strengths of Pollard Farms is that the basic objective has remained pretty straightforward: to produce better cattle that can help their customers be more profitable. 
Jeremy and I talked about the depth of this year's female offering, and there is certainly plenty to talk about. But something Pollard Farms hears repeatedly from its bull customers says more about the program than any sale listing ever could. 
They buy Pollard bulls because they believe in the cow families standing behind them. 
I think that's pretty powerful. 
We spend a lot of time in the seedstock business talking about the bull and rightfully so. A bull can influence a lot of calves in a hurry. But behind every good bull is a cow, and behind the most consistent breeding programs are generations of females that have proven their ability to work. 
That's what makes a female sale like this interesting. 
You're not simply looking at individual females. You're getting an opportunity to buy into cow families that have been developed and tested over generations.
Pollard Farms has worked hard to build those families without losing sight of the commercial cattleman. They want females that stand out numerically and phenotypically, but they also want females capable of producing the kind of bulls their commercial customers come back to buy. 
That balance matters. 
There are plenty of ways to make cattle impressive on paper. There are plenty of ways to make one look good standing in a picture pen, The challenge is putting everything together in cattle that go home, reproduce, raise a calf, and ultimately make somebody money. 
That's still the business we're in. 
This year's Pollard offering reflects that philosophy, with females representing several ages and stages of production. There are young fall pairs and heavy-bred females, fall yearling open heifers, spring open heifer show and donor prospects, donor dams, spring-bred cows with calves, and spring-bred heifer. 
That gives cattlemen an opportunity to study the Pollard program from several different angles and find females that fit their own breeding objectives. 
Knowing Jeremy, I also know how much work goes into getting to sale day. 
A program like Pollard Farms doesn't happen because of one person. Barry and Roxanne have built something special, but Jeremy is quick to recognize the crew behind it. Raising cattle, developing them, collecting the data, preparing for a sale, and taking care of customers takes a team and it takes a lot of days when nobody outside the operation is watching. 
That's part of what I enjoy about these Producer Profiles. we get to talk about the cattle, but we also get to talk about the people behind them. 
And Pollard Farms has always understood that side of the cattle business. 
Sale weekend isn't simply about selling cattle. It's also a chance to get customers and friends together, talk cattle, enjoy some fellowship, and renew relationships that, in many cases, have been built over the years.
That's the cattle business I know, and I hope we never lose that part of it. 
The Pollard Farms Annual Female Production Sale will be held on Saturday, September 19, 2026, at noon at the ranch in Waukomis, Oklahoma. Online bidding will also be available through LiveAuctions.TV.
If you're in the market for Angus females this fall, take a look at the offering. There will certainly be some impressive individuals in the sale. 
But I'd spend just as much time studying the cow families behind them.
After all, that's what Pollard Farms' bull customers keep telling them matters. 
It was great catching up with Jeremy again. I appreciate his friendship, I appreciate what the Pollard family and their crew contribute to our industry, and I always enjoy talking cattle with him. 
Take care!
Gale McKinney 
American Cattlemen
 
For previous episodes of Genetics & the Gavel, please visit:  www.americancattlemen.com.
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