American Cattlemen Podcast

DeBruycker Charolais 42nd Annual Production 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 sits down with Brett DeBruycker, with DeBruycker Charolais. In this episode, Brett and Gale will dive into the DeBruycker Charolais 42nd Annual production Sale, held on April 4th, 2026, at 11AM MST at Wester Livestock Auction, Great Falls Montana. 
DeBruycker Charolais, for over 60 years, has built a trusted Charolais breeding program; rooted in integrity, performance, and respect for the land. They exist to help cattle producers build profitable, reliable herd, through genetics backed by integrity, built for performance, and proven over generations.
Brett explains that the DeBruycker family has been raising Charolais cattle since 1963, when his parents first started using Charolais bulls on black, red, and baldy cows and were impressed by the resulting calves and carcasses. Today, seven siblings are involved in the ranch and farming operation. They not only raise seedstock but also buy and feed calves out of their bulls, positioning themselves in both ranching and cattle feeding at a time when the cattle market is strong.
At DeBruycker Charolais, cattle are run like a commercial herd in wide-open Montana country, grazing grass and traveling long distances across large pastures. The cow herd is not pampered, which, Brett says, helps them make better decisions about the kind of bulls that will truly work for commercial producers. He notes that they regularly support the Charolais calf market by bidding on calves sired by their bulls.
Brett stresses the operation’s long-term emphasis on linebred, structurally correct, long-bodied, small-headed, smooth-shouldered cattle designed to add performance and hybrid vigor. Many customers see 40–100 pounds of additional weaning weight when switching to DeBruycker Charolais bulls, which translates directly into greater profitability. He closes by expressing pride in their cow families and gratitude for the opportunity to serve commercial cattle producers through functional, profitable genetics.
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TCU Ranch Management Program

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. Matthew Garcia, the Director of TCU Ranch Management.
Dr. Garcia begins by outlining his personal and professional journey, from growing up on a cow-calf operation in Central New Mexico to earning advanced degrees in beef and dairy cattle genetics and genomics, as well as an MBA to strengthen his business and management skills. His career has spanned roles with USDA, Louisiana State University, and Utah State University, where he worked heavily in ranch succession planning, ranch consulting, and aligning production systems with available resources. He explains that he joined the TCU Ranch Management program to make a meaningful impact by preparing the next generation of ranch managers.
He then describes how the TCU program has evolved over the last year to stay modern while preserving its foundational focus on understanding the true cost and long-term impacts of managerial decisions. The curriculum now incorporates more guest speakers on topics such as agricultural legal liability, negotiations, energy, contracts and leases, and water development—issues that are increasingly critical, especially in Texas.
On generational transfer, Dr. Garcia highlights the aging demographics of agricultural asset owners and the urgent need for structured mentorship and formal transition plans. Without a clear, legal succession plan, ranches are at risk of being sold and converted to non-agricultural uses, resulting in permanent loss of productive land.
He explains that students complete a capstone management plan that first covers a five-year long-range strategy under normal conditions, then extends another five years with at least two major disasters, such as drought, fire, disease, or market collapse. This forces students to learn how to adapt, reallocate resources, and maintain solvency when conditions are far from ideal.
Finally, Dr. Garcia emphasizes system compatibility and evaluation before implementation. He contrasts high-rainfall, high-stock-density environments like Louisiana with arid, low-precipitation regions like Central New Mexico to show why management cannot be copy-pasted from one ranch to another. Students are trained to first evaluate soils, water, forage, climate, and infrastructure, then design practices that sustain both land and cattle while remaining profitable.
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MJE Livestock Equipment Cattle Con 2026

Welcome back to the American Cattlemen Podcast and our series at Cattle Con 2026. Just ahead, we have Dustin Hector, he's the Director of Business Development for American Cattlemen Media, and he sits down with Ethan Cantrell with MJE Livestock Equipment. 
MJE Livestock Equipment is designed and tested in demanding feedlot environments to withstand heavy, everyday use, which gives customers confidence in its durability and performance.
Ethan emphasizes three core priorities when designing or upgrading a facility: design, efficiency, and safety. Good design starts with thorough planning, so a facility is built right the first time, avoiding costly rework years later. Efficiency is achieved by working with the natural flow and movement patterns of cattle rather than fighting them, reducing stress for both animals and handlers. Safety encompasses both animal welfare and the protection of everyone working the facility, which is especially important because many operations are multi-generational family businesses where children and grandchildren are often involved.
One of the biggest challenges MJE faces is reconciling producers’ initial ideas with what will be most effective and safe in practice. Many ranchers have envisioned their “dream facility” for years, but their concept may not maximize flow or long-term function. To bridge this gap, MJE relies on a knowledgeable design team and modern tools such as AutoCAD and satellite imaging. These allow them to lay proposed systems over aerial views of the ranch so producers can visualize how cattle will move and how the facility will sit on their property. Seeing detailed drawings often helps producers recognize improvements and feel confident in the final plan.
Ethan describes the deep satisfaction of guiding projects from the first conversation through delivery and setup, especially when the finished facility represents a lifelong dream for a family operation. He notes that customer satisfaction and word of mouth are central to MJE’s growth, with many new clients arriving after seeing a neighbor’s facility or hearing positive reviews.
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Pleasant View Farms 1st Annual Bull & Female 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 sits down with Jake Lipton, Owner of Pleasant View Farms. In this episode, Jake and Gale will dive into the Pleasant View Farms 1st Annual Bull & Female Sale, held on March 26th, 2026, at 1PM EST, at the Farm in Somers, Connecticut. 
Pleasant View Farms has been family owned and operated in Somers, Connecticut since it was founded in 1918. Their mission is producing top quality Red Angus cattle. Their goal is to raise and breed animals to benefit any operation. They strive for animals that are balanced by breeding for performance, disposition, and phenotype.
Jake explains that the farm began as a dairy enterprise started by his great-grandfather, who emigrated from Poland. Over the decades, the dairy herd expanded to nearly 300 Holsteins and was an early adopter of embryo transfer technology. However, economic pressures in the late 1980s led the family to participate in the National Dairy Buyout Program, ending their dairy days in 1987. Jake’s father maintained the land through crops and feed sales until Jake and his brother reignited the livestock side.
Jake describes how the operation evolved into a diversified crop and feed business serving farms throughout the Northeast, and more recently into PVF Red Angus, launched around 2020. Initially, they focused on beef production for a strong local direct-to-consumer freezer beef market. Over time, they became deeply committed to building a maternal-focused Red Angus cow herd suited to their environment but capable of thriving elsewhere. Jake recounts extensive travels across major cattle states to study leading Red Angus programs and emphasizes that both the cattle and the people in the breed drew them in.
The core of the episode previews Pleasant View Farms’ first annual bull and female sale, scheduled for March 26, 2026, at the farm in Somers, Connecticut. The offering includes 28 lots of yearling Red Angus bulls, 11 yearling registered females, six embryo packages, and 25 Red Angus replacement heifers, with both bred and open groups. Jake highlights key sire groups, especially progeny of Burwald PVF Outright, an influential bull whose dam, Abba Grace 1110J, has become the matriarch of their program. He walks through several standout bull lots, stressing balanced calving ease, growth, carcass merit, and structural soundness.
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Smith Angus Ranch 37th Annual Bull 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 Cameron Smith, Owner of Smith Angus Ranch. In this episode, Cameron and Gale will dive into the Smith Angus Ranch 37th Annual Bull Sale, held on March 27th, 2026, at 1PM CST, at the ranch in Bassett, Nebraska. 
At smith Angus Ranch, they work to provide genetic opportunities for customers that lead to optimum progeny performance and ideal herd development. At the end of the day producers need optimum genetic performance and maximized profitability, and at Smith Angus Ranch, they look to provide the sires that will achieve that for producers.
Cameron explains that their breeding philosophy is shaped by the realities of the Sandhills environment. While they have ample grass, other feed resources are limited and must often be hauled in from long distances. As a result, their cows must be able to go out on native range, which is not always high quality, and still maintain condition, rebreed, and bring in a heavy calf. He emphasizes that what they ask of their registered herd is very similar to what neighboring commercial cattlemen demand from their own cows, which helps ensure that the genetics they offer translate directly to commercial success.
The program features discussion of the Smith Angus Ranch 37th annual bull sale, to be held March 27, 2026, at the ranch. The offering includes 62 spring yearling Angus bulls and 26 fall-born, 18‑month‑old age-advantage bulls. Cameron notes that their largest group is the spring yearlings, but the age-advantage bulls from their long-standing fall herd have become especially popular with customers who want slightly older bulls they can turn out and use harder without excessive pampering.
Cameron stresses the balance between phenotype and numbers. While the operation pays close attention to EPDs and offers strong figures throughout the catalog, cattle that do not look and function the part are not kept, regardless of how attractive their numbers may be. Over the decades, cow families that failed to handle the rigors of the Sandhills environment have been culled, leaving a consistent, proven cow base.
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Renner Charolais Inaugural Bull 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 Cole Renner, Owner of Renner Charolais. In this episode, Cole and Gale will dive into the Renner Charolais Inaugural Bull Sale, held on March 30th, 2026, at the Norton Livestock Market, in Norton, Kansas. 
Cole explains that after college he returned home to partner with his father, who had long run a commercial cattle operation. Inspired by an uncle’s purebred Charolais ranch near Oakley, Kansas, Cole moved to Monument, Kansas, to learn the purebred business at Hubert Charolais Ranch, founded in 1958. There he gained hands-on experience in weighing calves, developing bulls and females, and making genetic selections. After several years, he and his wife Bailey moved back to Norton in 2024 and consolidated the family efforts under Renner Charolais Ranch with his parents, Craig and Sherry. The operation now focuses on building a functional, data-driven Charolais program.
Cole describes his philosophy, shaped in part by his time on the Kansas State Livestock Judging Team, as centered on structurally sound, hardworking cattle that convert grass efficiently and generate pounds that pay. In their relatively low-rainfall environment, cattle must travel, graze aggressively, and still grow. He emphasizes sound feet, structural correctness, and carcass merit—especially ribeye and marbling—for both retained ownership and calf-marketing scenarios. Cole points to the weight advantage of Charolais-cross calves at weaning as a key economic driver for commercial producers.
The sale offering includes 37 spring yearling bulls, seven fall 18‑month‑old age-advantaged bulls, and 18 carefully selected females. Cole walks through major sire groups, including LT Triumph, Citation, WCR Icon, HCR Nautilus, LT Atlas, Patriot, and Affinity lines, highlighting standout bulls for phenotype, growth, carcass traits, and terminal indexes. Several bulls sell with two-thirds semen interest and full possession, reflecting their herd-sire potential. On the female side, he features donor-quality and foundation-type cows and pairs, many tied to leading sires like LT Global, positioned as ideal building blocks for both established breeders and newcomers wanting to start a Charolais-based program.
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Griswold Cattle Grass to Grid Bull Sale 2026

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 sits down with John and Jeannie Griswold, Owners of Griswold Cattle Company. In this episode, they will dive into the Griswold Cattle Grass to Grid Bull Sale, held on March 27th, 2026, at 12:30PM CDT, located at the Griswold Sale Facility in Stillwater, Oklahoma. 
At Griswold Cattle Company, they have always liked their females to have that extra look, chubby, stout, with that extra something that they call eye catching correctness and balance. They feel the bulls that follow in these pages will give you that extra look and power that set’s your program apart.
John grew up in a multigenerational cattle family with Angus and Shorthorn influences, eventually building the current operation in Oklahoma through clipping, trading steers, and transitioning into breeding cattle. Jeannie was raised in a Utah seedstock operation, and the two met through cattle connections in Denver, later marrying and continuing the family tradition together.
They emphasize that Griswold Cattle Company is far more than a show-cattle outfit. The operation runs around 2,000 mama cows, including registered and commercial females, marketing calves through sale barns, pens, and feeding programs. Their philosophy blends performance, phenotype, and maternal strength. They insist cattle must look good, function in the pasture, perform on the grid, and produce long-lived, consistent daughters. They caution against chasing numbers alone, stressing balance between carcass merit, structure, udder quality, longevity, and eye appeal.
The offering includes over 200 bulls across Simmental, SimAngus, Angus, and Maine-Anjou/Main Angus, plus approximately 100 commercial spring pairs and heavy bred females. The Simmental and Sim-influenced cattle are praised for moderate frame, bone, capacity, and especially longevity and durability, suited to harsh environments and commercial programs nationwide. Their Angus bulls are built around powerful maternal cow families, calving ease, vigor, and functional, big-bodied females that can anchor a program for a decade or more.
For previous episodes of the American Cattlemen Podcast, please visit:  www.americancattlemen.com.
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Dethlefs Treffer C1 Annual Registered Angus Production Sale

Welcome to Genetics & the Gavel, powered by American Cattlemen Media. Just ahead, we have Gale McKinney and he sits down with Dutch and Marian Dethlefs, Craig and Lauri Dethlefs, Ben and Emily Jonhson, and Bruce Treffer, to discuss the Dethlefs/Treffer/C1 58th Annual Registered Angus Production Sale, held on March 26th, 2026, at 1PM CST, at the Burwell Livestock Market, Burwell, Nebraska. 
Dutch recounts how the Dethlefs Angus Ranch began with his father, Carl Dethlefs, in the late 1940s, when Carl bought his first registered bull and heifer and secured a lifetime Angus Association membership in 1950. Dutch describes how the operation steadily grew, remaining a family-run ranch that relies on relatives rather than outside help. Craig adds that the current ranch was purchased from close family friends who had no children, deepening the sense of heritage and continuity.
The next generation’s involvement is highlighted through Emily and Ben Johnson, who combined their herds after marrying and began marketing bulls through this sale in 2023. Bruce explains the Treffer connection through his mother, a Dethlefs, and recalls starting their registered Angus herd in 1957 with a single $100 heifer.
A major theme is the family's shared philosophy of raising cattle that mirror their commercial customers’ conditions. They stress moderate inputs, sound feet and legs, fertility, calving ease where needed, practical milk levels, and cattle that are not pampered but expected to breed back and work in real-world environments. Longtime repeat commercial buyers are cited as proof that the genetics perform.
The sale offering includes 65 yearling bulls, 15 fall and coming two-year-old bulls, and 15 open heifers. The bulls were developed at C1 Cattle in a spacious lot, posting strong gains on a moderate ration, with notable sire groups such as craftsmen and blue collars, along with maternally focused, calving-ease options. The open heifers, drawn directly from replacement pens, are being offered on this production sale for the first time.
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Halter Virtual Fencing

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 Theo Beaumont with Halter. In this episode, Theo and Dustin will dive into Halter and how their virtual fencing systems help producers. 
Theo, originally from New Zealand with a sheep and beef background and a degree in agricultural science, describes his path from intending to go into banking to joining Halter early in its journey and eventually relocating to Colorado to focus on the Western U.S. cattle industry.
The discussion begins with reflections on a recent national cattle convention, where both were impressed by the concentration of innovative technology and the passion of producers committed to raising cattle as efficiently as possible. That sets the stage for a deeper look at how Halter fits into this evolving landscape.
Theo explains that Halter provides solar-powered, GPS-enabled collars placed on each cow, integrated with a mobile app and a ranch tower. This system allows producers to see live locations of every animal and to virtually fence, contain, and move cattle across their ranch without relying solely on traditional physical fencing. He encourages ranchers to imagine their land as a blank canvas with an unlimited fencing budget, enabling flexible rotational grazing, keeping cattle out of sensitive areas like creeks, and reducing issues with damaged cross-fencing.
The app offers detailed visibility and data, including real-time locations, grazing history, and time and acreage allocations, effectively replacing scattered notebook records. It can also alert ranchers to collar-off events, which is particularly valuable in regions with predation concerns. Theo emphasizes that this technology can both free ranchers to leave the ranch when needed and help them use their on-ranch time more productively, focusing on cattle and grass rather than constant fence work.
Addressing hesitations, especially around technology and tradition, Theo stresses that Halter is a tool, not a one-size-fits-all solution, and that careful, operation-specific conversations determine fit. He notes that older generations often drive adoption, thinking about the future of their family operations.
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Vermilion Ranch Spring Performance Bull 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 sits down with Bob Cook, the Vermilion Ranch Record and Sales Manager. In this episode, Bob and Gale will dive into the Vermilion Ranch 2026 Spring Performance Sale, with the Heifer portion of the sale held on Thursday, March 26, noon Mountain Time, at the South Pryor Development Center, in Billings, Montana; followed up with the Bull Sale on Friday, March 27, at 11AM Mountain Time, at the Public Auction Yards, Billings, Montana. 
At Vermilion Ranch, over the years, it has become very apparent that breeding cattle that have look, performance, maternal power, and carcass merit is not easy! They run their cows in big tough countries always selecting genetics that will make a momma cow!
The first‑calf pairs are commercial two‑year‑olds with calves sired by Vermilion Irish Whiskey, a high‑selling bull from the previous year. The embryo sale uses their best donor cows and leading outside sires, and the fall‑calving registered heifers mirror the performance and pedigrees of the rest of the program.
The second day focuses on approximately 500 yearling Angus bulls, all genomically tested, fertility checked, and soundness guaranteed. Bob highlights key sires such as Circle L Unified, a calving‑ease bull with strong figures and over 100 sons in the sale, as well as Riverside and Jameson, whose progeny have commanded strong prices across the country. Bulls sell in large, logically organized sire groups, though high‑quality individuals appear throughout the catalog. Bob also details terms such as a first breeding season guarantee with credit or replacement options, free or economical delivery to a broad region, volume discounts, and an incentive for buyers who pick up bulls at the yards. The sale is described as an efficient, fast‑paced, well‑organized event that reflects Vermilion Ranch’s long‑standing commitment to serving commercial cattlemen.
 
Vermilion Ranch Spring Performance Bull Sale
 
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