Wagyu Progeny Testing Program
I had a great time talking to Jessica and Jason Winall about Twin Oaks Farms, Powhatan, VA. We also dove into the new Wagyu Progeny Testing Program.
The Wagyu Progeny Testing Program, launched by the American Wagyu Association, aims to validate high-value emerging sires and improve the accuracy of existing high-value Wagyu EBVs. The program will test progeny from the maximum number of emerging industry sires, aiming to join around 2,000 females yearly to 40 different sires. The Wagyu Progeny Testing Program will also develop new Wagyu-specific traits for reproduction, structure, carcass, and eating quality. The AWA-PTP will leverage existing Wagyu BREEDPLAN genetic analysis and will involve around 2,000 females yearly to 40 different sires. The program will also capture data on approximately 3,500 steer progeny for feed efficiency and structure, as well as new carcass and eating quality traits. The AWA-PTP will produce high-accuracy EBVs for Project Sires and Contributor Cow Herds, benefiting the rest of the Wagyu population through the use of genomic analysis and genetic linkage.
Thank you, everyone, for listening to this episode of the American Cattlemen Podcast. Please share our information with your neighbors and friends. Take Care!
In 2009, a few months before we got married, Jessica received a text from Jason while at work, saying, "I just bought a farm." Not being surprised by this news, with his love of land, she didn't really know what to say other than "WHAT!" With the help of Jessica’s grandfather, who was interested in farm land as well, the original piece of land for Twin Oaks was purchased. It was a 144-acre farm that the Walker Family once operated. The house, barns, sheds, and pig pens were all still on site, even though they had seen their better days. It had also been timbered at one point since the original farming days, and the cutover had started growing back. The previous owner had restored some of the fields back to grass and had used them for hay production.
The first few years for us also focused on hay production on the 20 +/- acres of established grass the farm had ... or really learning how to harvest hay, to be honest. Jason had spent his whole life around horses growing up, so he knew what needed to be done, even though he had never actually cut hay before. We scoured the area for the necessary pieces and parts to complete the job, even if they were old and worn out. He always says, "There is nothing a hammer can do." He also knew that one day he wanted to have cows, just like his grandfather used to raise when he was little.
Not knowing exactly what would be best, he decided that we should have a registered Angus herd. Some called us crazy, and others laughed, but Jason figured that if he was going to start from scratch, he might as well do the best he could. We began by putting posts in the ground, running the fences, and updating the structures, all in preparation for the day when the animals could come. In October 2012, Twin Oaks Angus Farm began when we decided to make the trip to Blacksburg, V, to attend the annual Hokie Harvest that is put on every year by Virginia Tech, one of our state's leading agricultural colleges.
Not knowing what we were really getting ourselves into, we loaded up the truck and trailer and headed west to see what we could learn. This is where we got our Shadoe, along with the spring heifer calf she had that year. She remains one of our leading foundation females to this day, which is why she has a special legacy spot on our cattle page. After going to a few more local sales that year, we ended the year with five cows, or "moo-moo's" as Mady liked to call them back then.
Shortly after having our first calf born, and with no bull in the pasture, we decided to artificially breed to achieve the best genetics possible for each female, hoping to produce future generations of cattle that are stronger than the previous one. Yet another thing that we knew absolutely nothing about, but were ready to learn what we could. Jason started researching bulls to figure out who would be the best fit. We also began working with one of our local semen reps, and we even attended a two-day-long AI training course one summer so we could do this task ourselves at the farm.
Over the next few years, we continued to learn and grow as much as we could in this new world. We began getting involved with our local Extension office(s) to attend various seminars, joining our local Cattlemen's Association, and even working with our local Soil & Water District to install the automatic cattle watering system and cross fencing you see at the farm today. At this time, we also gained a small group of registered balancers and some commercial Angus girls just to add to the pastures. During this time, all gained more pastures, more animals, and more knowledge.
In August 2016, Twin Oaks Wagyu Farm officially began under the umbrella of our existing farm. After processing our first half-blood (F1) steer earlier that year that we had bred and raised, Jason died and went to steak heaven, as I often say. We started researching this new breed to learn more about it. This time, we headed west again and made a 16-hour trip to Waukesha, WI, for the Primetime International Sale.
Here we gained our "Makena," but unless she was going to make the trip home in the back of our Explorer, she was going to have to stay for a bit longer. With that, we decided to leave her in WI for a month so she could be shown at the 2016 World Beef Expo, where she placed 3rd overall in the breed. Jessica and Mady made the trip back out, this time with a truck and trailer, to see her show and finally bring her home to Virginia. She became our first donor cow in the spring of 2017, further expanding our knowledge of the frozen genetics. We have been excited to be able to add many more females to this list since then.
In the fall of 2021, our small farm earned a title that most Wagyu breeders would be honored to carry; we were titled the 2021 Grand Champion of the Wagyu Triple Crown Steak Challenge. For those that don’t know anything about this, the Wagyu Triple Crown is a national steak contest for Wagyu breeders around the country to showcase their beef/genetics. The steak entries are extensively judged on five different categories and then ranked and scored individually before the combined score places them all. Out of the 52 entries that year, our one entry with TNO Kita 34F earned us the top spot, while also putting in the top five in three out of the five categories and within the top ten for all of them. We ranked 1st in the Sensory Taste Panel, 2nd in the Fatty Acid Profile, 5th in the Japanese Carcass Camera, 7th in the Warner-Bratzler Shear Force Test, and 8th in the Visual Appearance. This task is challenging to achieve on its own breeding-wise, but we managed to do it with a steer that was naturally conceived at our farm. Basically, meaning we owned the sire and dam at the time as living, breathing animals, where Mother Nature just took its course out in our fields, so the genetics were all here at Twin Oaks!
Wow is the only word that comes to mind to describe this great accomplishment. If you would like to learn more about the Triple Crown contest itself, or read the three-page article highlighting our farm, please click the link below to the digital magazine where it was all published.
Currently, the farm spans 225 acres and is home to approximately 100 animals (including calves) that graze in all the fields. We continue to focus on AI in our breeding efforts, while also expanding our knowledge of frozen genetics through embryo creation and implantation. With this, we are often involved in the entire process, from setting up donors and recipients to breeding, while the vet comes out for the flushing and implanting. A world that I never thought we would be involved with if you asked me early on in this adventure.
Not only are we working with developing genetics here locally or within the USA, but we are also acquiring genetics from Australia, New Zealand, and Scotland, just to name a few, along with exporting our genetics overseas as well! We are truly blessed to have grown into what we are so far and are excited to see what our future holds.
Wagyu Progeny Testing Program
For previous episodes of the American Cattlemen Podcast, please visit: www.americancattlemen.com.
American Cattlemen Podcast is Sponsored By:
