American Cattlemen Podcast

The Big Texas Sale

Welcome back to Genetics & the Gavel, powered by American Cattlemen Media. Just ahead, we have Gale McKinney, he's the Owner of American Cattlemen Media, and he chats with Joe Pettit, the Owner of Stud Wagyu Auction and Kentucky Stud Wagyu. In this episode, Joe and Gale will dive into the Big Texas Sale, held at 6:30 PM CT on May 30th, 2026, at Billy Bob's in Fort Worth, Texas. 
Joe details the Big Texas Sale, which serves as both a premier Wagyu genetics event and part of the Texas Wagyu Association’s annual gathering. The 2026 sale marks the third year in Fort Worth and is held at Billy Bob’s, where a dedicated building can accommodate several hundred attendees. Cattle are sold from their home operations via photos, videos, and comprehensive genomic data, allowing consignors to offer elite genetics without transporting animals to town.
The offering includes approximately 60 females and 15 bulls, with the front end of the catalog featuring some of the highest-indexing, high-genomic heifers in North America. Many of these females are open and near flush age, giving buyers the opportunity to accelerate their genetic programs through embryo production. Several influential AI sires will also be available, including a semen straw from the top indexing genomic bull in North America.
Joe emphasizes the value of Wagyu genetics for both seedstock and commercial producers. He notes that when fullblood Wagyu bulls with strong pedigrees are crossed on conventional commercial cows, calves retain growth and appearance similar to the base herd while dramatically improving carcass quality, marbling, and overall grading. He also highlights the breed’s longevity, structural soundness, fertility, and docile temperament, describing Wagyu cattle as long-lasting and highly functional.
The conversation concludes with an overview of sale logistics and shipping, underscoring that sellers coordinate health paperwork and work with buyers to move cattle efficiently once the auction is complete.
 
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Ceres Tag with Shane White

Welcome back to the American Cattlemen Podcast. Just ahead, we have Dustin Hector, he's the Director of Business Development for American Cattlemen Media, and he sits down with Shane White with Ceres Tag. 
Shane grew up on a cow-calf and seedstock operation in Wester Colorado. Educated at Colorado State University, Shane has been engaged in some facet of the beef supply chain his entire life.
Shane describes Ceres Tag as the world’s first direct-to-satellite animal intelligence system, using solar-powered, smart sensor ear tags equipped with a 3D accelerometer and geolocation capabilities. The tags continuously capture behavioral data such as minutes spent grazing, resting, ruminating, walking, and drinking. This information feeds into algorithms that estimate forage intake with approximately 95% accuracy by combining animal behavior, satellite geolocation, and NRCS grass-type data. The resulting insights allow producers to evaluate individual animal efficiency, such as how much forage it takes a cow to wean a given calf, and to make more precise genetic selection, culling, and management decisions based on real unit economics rather than decades-old assumptions like standard animal unit metrics.
The discussion also highlights the platform’s role in reproductive management. The ear tags automate estrus, calving alerts, and mounting scores, enabling producers to better time synchronization, avoid wasting expensive hormones and semen on poorly timed animals, and track return-to-estrus and predicted next estrus windows through intuitive dashboards. On the grazing side, Shane explains how integrating Ceres Tag data with range management software such as RangeView by INVU allows producers to combine biomass estimates with real-time utilization patterns. This supports more accurate stocking decisions, grazing rotations, and use of leased ground, which is increasingly important given high land prices and drought pressure.
Shane emphasizes that Ceres Tag operates as an open-platform, API-driven system compatible with multiple ranch management and range software solutions. Producers can choose and change software partners while retaining their historical data. He stresses that the goal is not to replace producer knowledge, but to provide unprecedented, peer-reviewed, externally validated data that helps ranchers improve efficiency, profitability, and ultimately the long-term viability and legacy of family ranch operations.
 
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Red River Performance Beefmaster

Welcome back to Genetics & the Gavel, powered by American Cattlemen Media. Just ahead, we have Aaron McKinney, he's the field editor for American Cattlemen Media, and he chats with Robert Scott, with Red River Performance Beefmaster. 
The Red River Performance Beefmaster group emphasizes milk production, disposition, performance, fertility, structural correctness, and longevity, aiming to supply females that add long-term value to commercial and seedstock operations.
Scott outlines key sires represented in the sale, including LL Kid Rock 804, Elbar Resource, Isa Beefmasters Diamond H2 23, JHB 145, and cattle carrying Clark Jones genetics, along with daughters of J2 Light It Up and a high-carcase Genesis bull featured in Lot 7. He notes the role of influential bulls such as 3112 and En Fuego in accelerating progress, combining calving ease, carcass merit, and the polled trait. Buyers also have the option to AI heifers after the sale to select sires, further enhancing genetic value.A major focus of the conversation is the program’s rigorous screening process. Scott explains that only the top end of the heifer crop—roughly 80 head—are selected, producing a high concentration of quality. The idea is that when buyers sort through ten heifers in this sale, most will fit their needs, rather than only a small fraction. Specific highlights include Lot 7 for its balance of length and muscle, Lot 8 for structural correctness and phenotype, and homozygous polled Lots 2 and 4, which give breeders flexibility to use either polled or horned bulls while still producing polled calves.
The discussion closes by underscoring customer service, genetic diversity, volume-buying opportunities, and the long-term performance and warranty mindset behind the Red River offering, positioning the sale as a “can’t lose” opportunity for cattle producers.
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Cattle Empire LLC

Welcome back to the American Cattlemen Podcast. Just ahead, we have Dustin Hector, he's the Director of Business Development for American Cattlemen Media, and he sits down with Trista Brown Priest, Chief Executive Officer for Cattle Empire. Cattle Empire, LLC is a family owned and operate custom cattle feeding operation in Satana, Kansas. Cattle Empire has been a leader in the industry for nearly 50 years and is in the third generation of Brown Family Management. 
Trista describes growing up in Satanta and initially intending never to return after attending Kansas State University, where she earned degrees in management, marketing, and an MBA in agricultural economics and finance. Graduating during the 2008 financial crisis brought her back to the family’s enterprises, first managing a dairy repair business and ultimately committing to Cattle Empire.
She recounts the company’s origins in 1978, when her grandfather Paul Brown began feeding cattle as a hedge to farming. A pivotal moment occurred during a failed Alabama backgrounding partnership, where thousands of supposed cattle did not exist. Her father, Roy Brown, then an agricultural bankruptcy attorney, navigated the legal aftermath while Paul secured financing to make customers whole. That decision, widely noted in the cattle community, fueled rapid expansion from roughly 12,000–15,000 head to a peak capacity of about 250,000 head, making Cattle Empire the fifth-largest cattle feeder in the United States.
Following the deaths of Trista’s grandparents, the family executed a major restructuring. To buy out Roy’s siblings, three-quarters of the business were sold in 2018, and the operation was right-sized to roughly 50,000–51,000 head, now owned by Roy and Laura Brown and daughters Trista and Becca. Today, Cattle Empire primarily feeds customer-owned heifers, manufactures its own feed, and runs a notable resale program that backgrounds and resells cattle to clients, supported by an educational blog series.
Trista highlights several technological and management innovations, including a water reclamation system that recycles overflow tank water and reduces annual usage by about 20 percent, a new mill that improves steam-flaking efficiency, and the Alenco Pinpoint camera system for data-driven sorting into optimal marketing groups, adding carcass weight and value for customers. She ties these operational decisions to broader themes of succession planning, work–life balance, and the emotional work of separating personal identity from the family business, while still leading a team-oriented, family-focused feedyard culture.
 
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Welter Bros Inaugural Production Sale

Welcome back to Genetics & the Gavel, powered by American Cattlemen Media. Just ahead, we have Aaron McKinney, he's the Field Editor for American Cattlemen Media, and he sits own with Jake and Nick Welter, Owners of Welter Bros Angus. In this episode, Jake and Nick will dive into the Welter Bros Inaugural Production Sale, held on May 15th, 2026, at 6PM CST, in Onslow, Iowa. 
At Welter Bros Angus they've built their herd to deliver maternal strength, longevity, performance, and the kind of phenotype that stands out in the pasture. They believe maternal merit and pounds drive profitability, and take a practical, commercial-minded approach to their seedstock operation. Their motto is "If it doesn't work for our customers, it doesn't work for us".
Jake and Nick describe how the dairy background of previous generations shaped their philosophy toward maternal function, fertility, structure, and longevity. As teenagers, they began AI’ing commercial cows, gradually building a purebred Angus herd and moving to a closed bull battery based entirely on their own genetics. Today, their program emphasizes proven cow families, embryo work from elite donors, and cattle that balance phenotype with carcass and performance traits that work for commercial customers.
Much of the discussion highlights specific sale offerings for the May 15, 2026, evening sale at the farm near Onslow, Iowa. The brothers walk through key bulls, beginning with Nobility sons that are maternal siblings to PA Ultra, followed by War Buck progeny out of a high‑carcass donor and several bulls backed by influential cows like PA Rita 079, the C 773 line, and the 955 Pathfinder matriarch. They stress strong EPD packages, carcass merit, ribeye and IMF ratios, and structural quality, frequently referencing multi‑generation performance records.
The interview also covers Musgrave Colossal and related sons, Woodhill Evergreen and blueprint-related cattle, power bulls like Magnum 28 from the Morning Jill 539 cow family, and a group of mature bulls consigned by Foots Brothers, including maternal and full siblings to Cracker Jack. Jake and Nick then outline five elite open heifers, led by a Nobility daughter that is a full sister to lead bulls in the sale, along with Pinnacle, Commerce, and Isabelle-line females designed to generate future herd builders.
The episode concludes with practical sale details, including the May 15 sale date, free trucking within 250 miles, bulls ready to ship immediately and held until June 15, and the availability of online bidding through DV Auction, supported by the CK6 crew and other industry professionals.
 
For previous episodes of the American Cattlemen Podcast, please visit:  www.americancattlemen.com.
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Ectoparasites with Dr. Will McCauley

Welcome back to the American Cattlemen Podcast. Just ahead, we have Dustin Hector, he's the Director of Business Development for American Cattlemen Media, and he sits down with Dr. Will McCauley, Director of Industry and Government Relations Manager for Medgene. In this episode, Dr. McCauley and Dustin will dive into everything ectoparasites including, some examples of ectoparasites, how they harm cattle, and some preventative measures producers can take to minimize their damage. 
A three-time graduate of Texas A&M University, Dr. McCauley earned his DVM and MBA in 2012 and 2010, respectively. His career spans clinical practice, regulatory leadership, and corporate relations, including his previous role as Director of Corporate Relations at the Texas A&M Foundation. He is heavily involved in professional advocacy, serving on the Texas Veterinary Medical Association Board of Directors and maintaining active roles with the AVMA and the Brazos Valley VMA.
Dr. McCauley explains that ectoparasites cause harm in two primary ways: as vectors transmitting infectious diseases and as a direct drag on performance. He highlights ticks as a major economic concern, noting that they cause billions of dollars in losses globally, largely due to the diseases they spread rather than their feeding alone. A timely example is Theileria, a blood-borne protozoan transmitted by the invasive Asian longhorned tick, which is spreading across parts of the United States and producing clinical signs similar to anaplasmosis, including anemia, lethargy, respiratory difficulty, and jaundice.
Ectoparasites also reduce productivity even when they are not transmitting disease. Horn flies illustrate this second category of harm. These flies are widespread and feed aggressively, biting cattle dozens of times per day. High fly pressure leads to behavioral changes—such as bunching in corners, seeking shade or brush, or standing in ponds—that reduce grazing time, slow weight gain, and decrease milk production, resulting in substantial economic losses for producers.
Dr. McCauley reviews traditional control methods such as medicated ear tags, pour-ons, and fly bags, noting that their effectiveness has declined over time due to parasite resistance and longer parasite seasons associated with milder winters. He then describes Medgene’s prescription platform vaccines, which take a generational approach by reducing parasite populations over time, largely by decreasing reproductive output rather than causing an immediate knockdown. Because these are prescription products, he emphasizes the importance of a strong veterinarian–client–patient relationship and a multi-tool strategy that combines vaccines with other management practices to sustainably manage ectoparasite pressure and protect herd productivity.
For previous episodes of the American Cattlemen Podcast, please visit:  www.americancattlemen.com.
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Hawkeye Breeders Cattlemen & Veterinarians

Welcome back to Cattlemen & Veterinarians: A Partnership in Bovine Health, powered by American Cattlemen Media. Just ahead, we have our hosts Kaid Panek and Dr. Shynia Peterman and they chat with David Jensen and Cesar Melgar with Hawkeye Breeders. 
Jensen explains that Hawkeye Breeders is a custom bull collection facility that does not own or market bulls but provides semen collection services for artificial insemination, embryo transfer, and IVF for a global customer base. He traces the history of artificial insemination from cooled semen shipped in milk fat on milk trucks to modern frozen semen, sexed semen, genomic tools, and advanced reproductive technologies.
Jensen outlines the semen collection process using trained teaser steers and artificial vaginas, emphasizing the importance of evaluating motility, morphology, and concentration. He stresses that breeding soundness exams are critical “cheap insurance” to ensure bulls are structurally sound, reproductively normal, and capable of settling cows, especially given today’s high cattle prices and demand for herd growth.
Melgar details laboratory evaluation, including microscopic assessment and computer-assisted semen analysis (CASA), along with verification of concentration using a nuclear counter. He explains dose differences between beef and dairy semen and the importance of progressive motility. Jensen then describes the industry’s adoption of sexed semen, the role of flow cytometry, and collaboration with major providers. Because of extensive quality control, bacterial testing, DNA verification, and packaging steps, turnaround time for sexed semen is typically about two weeks, compared to roughly a day for conventional semen.
The discussion shifts to health, disease testing, and nutrition. For domestic use, tuberculosis and brucellosis testing are standard; for export, bulls and semen undergo extensive testing for leukosis, BVD, IBR, Campylobacter, trichomoniasis, and more. Vaccination strategy becomes more complex when export is anticipated, since some markets restrict vaccinated animals. Melgar emphasizes deworming plans, vitamin supplementation, and comprehensive mineral programs, highlighting key trace elements such as zinc, selenium, copper, and manganese, and treating bulls like athletes ahead of breeding or collection. Listener questions cover age at first collection, bull longevity in the breeding battery, mineral timing before turnout, and protocols for retesting bulls that initially fail a breeding soundness exam. Dr. Shynia Peterman closes by reinforcing proactive health, testing, nutrition, and early planning as essential to a successful breeding season.
 
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Lytle Red Angus Last Chance

Welcome back to Genetics & the Gavel, powered by American Cattlemen Media. Just ahead, we have Aaron McKinney, he's the field editor for American Cattlemen Media, and he sits down with Zeb Lytle, Owner of Lytle Red Angus. In this episode, Zeb and Aaron will dive into the Lytle Red Angus Best Last Chance Sale, online only, April 27th through May 1st, 2026. 
At Lytle red Angus Farm, efficiency and performance remain top priorities. Their herd is managed on a disciplined breeding schedule - 30 days for yearlings and 45 days for cows - and continues to excel even in challenging conditions. Despite dry summers, the cattle required very little supplemental hay, grazing well into early February. Repeat customers frequently highlight the durability and low-maintenance qualities of the bulls, a testament to the farm's dependable program.
Zeb begins by sharing the multi-generation story of his family in western South Dakota. His grandfather came to the area in the 1930s, initially leasing the place from Senator Francis Case and making a living cutting cedar trees and selling posts before eventually becoming a dentist in Rapid City. In the mid-1970s, his grandfather was able to purchase the ranch that Zeb’s father, Rusty, later operated. Today, Zeb, his dad, and his brother Clancy run the operation, with Zeb focused on the cattle, Rusty building a dairy-quality alfalfa market, and Clancy handling much of the physical labor.
The ranch emphasizes running yearlings with mature cows so young females “learn how to be cows,” forage effectively, and adapt to the environment. Yearlings typically come off grass at 1000–1100 pounds and mature around 1250 pounds, with an emphasis on cows weaning roughly 45% or more of their body weight. This fast growth to mature size allows more energy to go into milk production and calf performance over the cow’s lifetime.
Their Red Angus bulls are primarily home-raised, natural-service sires, selected for moderate frame, soundness, docility, calving ease, and calf vigor rather than extreme birth weights. Customer experiences from varied environments, including rugged mountain country, reinforce the program’s focus on durability, low maintenance, and long-term bull usability. The sale offering reflects this philosophy, presenting a set of functional, work-oriented yearling bulls designed to make commercial producers’ lives easier while improving herd efficiency and longevity.
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Wedge Tent Ranch 22nd Annual Bull Sale

Welcome back to Genetics & the Gavel, Powered by American Cattlemen Media. Just ahead, we have Aaron McKinney, he's the Field Editor for American Cattlemen Media, and he chats with Bart Carmichael, owner of Wedge Tent Ranch. In this episode, Bart and Aaron will dive into the Wedge Tent Ranch 22nd Annual Bull Sale, held on April 22nd, 2026, at 1PM MT, in Faith, South Dakota. 
Wedge Tent Ranch originated with Bart's grandparents Ver and Aldene Carmichael purchasing the ranch in 1945, where they raised 6 kids. They ran cattle here up until Bart started leasing it right out of high school in 1993. In 1995, he met his wife Shannon, and they were blessed with 4 wonderful children and were able to buy the ranch in 1996.
Wedge Tent Ranch holds the philosophy of focusing on the female—the cow—and making her work in a low-input, year‑round grazing system. He emphasizes fertility, easy keeping, and the ability to graze 11–12 months of the year. Their breeding program features tight, disciplined seasons: yearling heifers are bred for only 30–35 days, and cows for 45 days, using mass AI followed by a short bull exposure. This approach has driven open rates as low as 2% and significantly improved herd fertility and efficiency. Bart notes that by concentrating on the right kind of cow, they have also gained carcass quality and tenderness, with grass‑finished yearlings grading about 97% choice or better.
The Wedge Tent Ranch breeding program features tight, disciplined seasons: yearling heifers are bred for only 30–35 days, and cows for 45 days, using mass AI followed by a short bull exposure. This approach has driven open rates as low as 2% and significantly improved herd fertility and efficiency. Bart notes that by concentrating on the right kind of cow, they have also gained carcass quality and tenderness, with grass‑finished yearlings grading about 97% choice or better.
Genetics and cow families are discussed in detail. Bart highlights home‑raised sires like Beaver Creek and his son Holistic, known for producing excellent, long‑lived females with strong feet, good disposition, and masculinity in their sons. He stresses docility as essential for modern family operations and describes how hard they cull for bad temperament. Longevity is another key goal; many featured sale bulls come from 11‑ to 14‑year‑old cows still in production, which Bart sees as proof of fertility, production, and structural soundness.
 
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Welcome to Cattlemen & Veterinarians. Today, Dr. Peterman and Gale will dive into the Veterinary Client Patient Relationship.

Welcome back to Cattlemen & Veterinarians: A Partnership in Bovine Health. Just ahead, we have Gale McKinney, the Owner of American Cattlemen Media, and Dr. Shynia Petermen, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, and they chat with Blaze Mullhagen and Dan Schweitzer about the Veterinary Client Patient Relationship.
Blaze describes his background as a fifth- or sixth-generation cattleman involved in farming, ranching, and building cattle handling equipment. His operation centers on a black cow-calf herd, using cattle both for production and to test handling systems. Dan shares that he is a fourth-generation farmer and cattleman, raising crops such as wheat, milo, corn, and alfalfa alongside a cow-calf operation, working with multiple generations of his family.
Dr. Shynia will then dive deeper into the Veterinary Client Patient Relationship and how it is legally required in most states before a veterinarian can ethically and legally prescribe medications for any species, large or small. Key elements include the veterinarian assuming responsibility for animal health and treatment, the client agreeing to follow instructions, the veterinarian having sufficient knowledge of the animals through recent exams or farm visits and being available for follow-up care and record keeping.
From the producers’ perspective, the VCPR is “everything” because it underpins having a solid, efficient herd health plan. They emphasize planning ahead with their veterinarian, staying informed about new products, and tailoring protocols to their specific herd history, disease challenges, and management style. They highlight the economic importance of precision and efficiency, given the high value of cattle and the cost of pharmaceuticals.
Dr. Shynia notes that herd health programs differ between operations due to varying disease pressures and goals. She stresses the value of producers being prepared when the vet arrives: cattle caught and sorted, equipment functional, products on hand, and all team members aware of the plan. While a written herd health protocol is not a legal requirement for VCPR, it is presented as a powerful tool for elevating herd performance and ensuring consistent, efficient care. The episode concludes by reinforcing that a strong VCPR enhances animal welfare, operational efficiency, and the producer–veterinarian partnership.
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