Angus Underground

Latest Episodes:

Bonus Episode - AI Sire Selection Dec 24, 2021

Show notes

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.

Kentucky - Tornado Relief Efforts Dec 22, 2021

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

Kansas - Tragedy in the Heartland Dec 22, 2021

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

Angus on Dairy with Eddie Veenendaal Dec 17, 2021

Show notes

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 Bulls@MontanaRanchAngus.com if you’re searching for semen from balanced trait sires! Rafter 5M Land & Cattle Bruin Ranch Facebook @AngusUnderground Instagram @AngusUnderground Contact AngusUnderground@Yahoo.com 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.

Roundtable Discussion: Testing Bulls, Bull Management, and Donor Selection Dec 03, 2021

Show notes

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 Bulls@MontanaRanchAngus.com 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 AngusUnderground@Yahoo.com 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.

Angus Underground's Trip to Colombia with Weston Merrill Nov 19, 2021

Show notes

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 Bulls@MontanaRanchAngus.com 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.

The Story of Jorgensen Farms with Cody Jorgensen Nov 05, 2021

Show notes

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.

Breeding Philosophies with Jordan Rhodes of Rhodes Red Angus Oct 22, 2021

Show notes

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 Angus

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:

“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.

Marketing and Merchandising Your Angus Cattle Oct 08, 2021

Show notes

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.Live

The Montana Bred for Balance Online Embryo Auction LIVE! & Open House — Oct. 12th, 2021

The Montana Bred for Balance Bull and Female Sale — Nov. 13th, 2021

Sinclair Cattle Company

Neiman Cattle Company

Shady Brook Angus Farm

Bruin Ranch

Facebook @AngusUnderground

Instagram @AngusUnderground

American Angus Association

Quotes:

“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.

To EPD or Not EPD — That is the Question Sep 24, 2021

Show notes

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.

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