The Angus Conversation

Ranching at the headwaters of the Everglades comes with its own challenges — hurricanes, parasites, urban encroachment — but for Gene Lollis, that’s just part of the puzzle. Raising cattle that thrive in the subtropical environment is one part of his purpose as manager of Buck Island Ranch. The commercial herd he manages is part of a larger mission to understand the effects of agriculture on the land. For decades, Gene worked alongside scientists to study everything from water quality to carb...

Get involved. That’s both sage advice from Montana Angus breeders Dave and Yvonne Hinman and also a main theme in their own story. For 61 years they’ve shared a life that included Angus every step of the way. The Hinmans share early wisdom they learned from mentors and a behind-the-scenes tale of calculated risks they took at just the right time. They talk about how their philosophy of “the cows come first” works in practice, and how they remain disciplined when looking ahead. This honest con...

Montana’s Hi-Line country is known for its expansive landscape and sparse populations. Nestled along the Canadian border, it’s great cow country when the weather behaves. But when it doesn’t? The cattle have to be tough, and the people tougher. Klint and Lori Swanson grew up in the area and have made Chinook, Mont., their home since they married and started Shipwheel Cattle Company. They balance functional cattle — good feet and longevity — with performance. In this episode the Swansons talk ...

The effectiveness of any tool depends on whether you’re using it for the right purpose. That’s the story of selection indexes. In this episode, geneticists John Crowley of AbacusBio and Matt Spangler of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln take a hard look at economic indexes, how they’re created and how they’re best used. They tackle criticism and common misconceptions, while exploring how these tools help seedstock and commercial producers make more profitable breeding decisions. HOSTS:...

As the books close from one fiscal year to the next, it’s a good time to both reflect on progress and set goals for more of it. This week the American Angus Association Board of Directors met to: Detail a strong fiscal year, with positive bottom lines for the organization and its entities. Celebrate program wins, from 1 million AngusVerifiedSM AngusLink® enrollments and a huge uptick in Data Driven Herd recognitions to numerous Ag Media Summit awards. Discuss business, such as...