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 Charles Henke, Owner of Henke Angus Farms. In this episode, Charles and Gale will dive into the Henke Angus Farms 9th Annual Spring Bull Sale, held on March 12th, 2026, 5PM CST, at Henke Angus Farms, Salisbury, Missouri. 

Henke Angus Farms is a multi-generational row-crop and premium livestock operation. They believe in cattle that can do it all. Researching expected progeny difference (EPD) results in high docility and maternal stay ability. In short, their philosophy is to breed cattle that are as complete as they can possibly make them.

The Henke breeding philosophy includes producing complete, problem-free cattle rather than chasing extreme single traits. Charles emphasizes fertility, docility, structural soundness, foot quality, and maternal strength. Cows are managed like commercial cows, thriving on grass and mineral with rotational grazing and limited supplementation, and are expected to breed first-service AI and wean big calves with good udders and sound feet. He highlights strong AI conception results and stresses that if cows do not breed, nothing else matters.

Charles then walks through the sale offering of 110 Angus bulls, both yearlings and 18‑month‑olds, organized by sire groups. He describes leading sire lines such as Victory, Winchester, Remington, Grindstone, Bold Ruler, Jameson, Network, Historic, Top Gun, Foundation, Craftsman, Pacific, Symmetry, Rise Above, Black Bandolier, Armstrong, and others. For each group, he explains what commercial and seedstock buyers can expect in terms of calving ease, growth, carcass merit (especially marbling and ribeye), frame size, thickness, depth of body, structural correctness, and docility. He repeatedly returns to foot scoring and the effort to ensure long‑lasting, sound bulls and productive daughters, often referencing specific cow families that have proven themselves over many years.

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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 Riley Bradshaw, Owner of Bradshaw Ranch. In this episode, Riley and Gale will dive into the Bradshaw Ranch Bull Sale held on March 13th, 2026, at the F&T Livestock Market in Palmyra, Missouri.

Riley and his wife, Hannah, operate Bradshaw Ranch, continuing a generational legacy in agriculture that spans both row crops and livestock. Raised in Illinois working with hogs and cattle, Riley later attended Oklahoma State University. After college, he and his father committed to expanding their purebred cattle and seedstock operation, purchasing a group of cows from Hoffmans and steadily building a high-quality cow herd over the past six years. 

Riley explains that the core philosophy at Bradshaw Ranch centers on functional, efficient cows that hold up in real-world commercial conditions. The program aims to raise cattle that grow, perform, and add value at every stage—whether at weaning, in the feedyard, or on the rail—without sacrificing soundness, maternal strength, disposition, or structural correctness. Emphasis is placed on good feet, udders, muscle, balance, and overall longevity rather than chasing extreme EPDs.

The sale offering is broad and diverse, designed to fit many commercial herds and genetic goals. Riley and Gale walk through the lineup, which includes yearling and fall Angus bulls representing several prominent sire groups, including standout individuals noted for length, stoutness, structural soundness, and strong EPD profiles. The program also features pulled and horned Hereford bulls, including age-advantaged bulls ideal for producing F1 black baldy calves, as well as a select but powerful set of Simmental bulls known for performance and high weaning weights.

Bulls sell with a breeding-season guarantee through September 1, are semen tested, and are represented as ready to work. The ranch offers free delivery within a set radius, options for broader delivery on qualifying purchases, and volume discounts for buyers of multiple bulls.

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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 Gaston Hornung, Owner of Hornung Livestock. In this episode, Gaston and Gale will dive into the Hornung Livestock 6th Annual "Conception to Carcass" Production Sale, held on March 11th, 2026, at 1PM MST, in Stratton, Colorado. 

More now than ever, Hornung Livestock believes cattlemen are getting rewarded for their investment in high-quality genetics. As they continue to build their program, feeling like this is the most consistent set of bulls they have offered to date, and they are bred to improve your bottom line and perform for you from conception to carcass!

Gaston explains that he is a third-generation farmer-rancher whose grandparents homesteaded the family place, which now includes a feedlot and expanded cow herd. After earning an animal science degree at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, he returned home with a strong interest in seedstock and carcass-focused genetics, aiming to capture premiums on cattle that perform on the rail while keeping other traits in balance.

Gaston outlines the Hornung Livestock breeding philosophy, emphasizing balanced traits over extremes. He targets practical calving ease rather than ultra-light calves, along with solid growth, structural soundness, fertility, and strong carcass merit, especially for marbling, ribeye area, and carcass weight. Phenotype remains critical: cattle must be functional and attractive, as buyers and sale barn markets still judge what they see. He has built much of his program around two key donor cows and extensive IVF work, creating a very consistent maternal base and groups of full and half siblings that help commercial customers market uniform calf crops.

The sale offering includes a deep set of yearling Angus bulls that form the core of the program, age-advantaged and mature Angus herd sires, and a significant group of SimAngus and purebred Simmental bulls designed to add hybrid vigor and terminal performance. Gaston highlights several sire groups and standout individuals, explaining how he uses his own bulls back in the herd to prove their value before offering similar genetics to customers.

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Welcome 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 Brad Johnson, Owner of Johnson Family Cattle. In this episode, Brad and Gale will dive into the Badgerland Bull Sale held on March 8th, 2026, at 1PM CDT at Marda Angus Farms, in Lodi, Wisconsin.

The 4th Annual Badgerland Bul sale, where top-quality Angus and Red Angus Producers come together for an elite offering at Marda Farms. This year's sale features outstanding genetics from Marda Angus, Johnson family Cattle, Hornung Red Angus, and Miller Farms Shorthorns, showcasing a powerful set of herd sire prospects from their 2025 calf crops. These bulls are built to be sound, functional, and ready to go to work - bred with today's cattlemen in mind and designed to add value to any program.

These producers came together several years ago after realizing their similar philosophies and the complementary nature of their programs, shifting from selling bulls private treaty to the joint Badgerland sale designed to better serve a broader commercial and purebred customer base.

Brad explains that the foundation of their breeding programs is a commercial mindset. Each outfit is directly involved in the commercial cattle business, whether through feeding cattle, freezer beef programs, or running commercial cow herds. This practical experience shapes their focus on cattle that perform in the pasture, feedlot, and ultimately on the plate, emphasizing soundness, longevity, and a high-quality eating experience for consumers.

The offering consists of approximately 40 Angus and Red Angus bulls, along with one Shorthorn bull and two standout fall heifer prospects. On the black Angus side, Brad highlights the BA Seven Oaks Bold Ruler sons for their impressive phenotype, muscle, body capacity, and structural correctness, followed by Gettysburg sons known for calving ease and strong maternal potential, and Great Lakes sons with a proven, high-value pedigree. On the Red Angus side, Brad describes this year’s group as their best to date, including three full brothers by Resonate out of a key donor cow, praised for calving ease, eye appeal, and overall balance. Horning Red Angus contributes bulls backed by a powerful cow herd, focused on growth and consistent maternal strength.

Miller Farms adds a well-made Shorthorn bull, and the two fall heifers—one a Blackcap Maiden daughter and the other a Ruby female—are described as donor-quality, with strong EPDs, elite pedigrees, and the flexibility to excel as both show prospects and breeding females.

Brad also stresses that the bulls are developed with longevity in mind, grown on forage-based diets in large traps to promote sound feet, good semen quality, and long-term functionality.

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Welcome back to the American Cattlemen Podcast. Just ahead, we kick off our series at Cattle Con 2026 with Kaid Panek, and he chats with Tyler and Cody with TyCo Industries.

Tyler explains that their roots are in construction, beginning around 2011 with projects such as building feedlots and dairies. That background in designing and constructing cattle facilities gave them a deep understanding of cattle flow, safety, and what ranchers need in both permanent and portable systems. An important turning point came when they had the opportunity to buy out R.L. Wilson, recognized as the original portable panel maker. Although they were based in Clovis, New Mexico and Wilson was in Cherokee, Oklahoma, a local dealer helped connect them, leading to the acquisition and an expansion of their product line into portable corrals. 

From there, Tyco began developing equipment such as the Ranch Boss and the Load Boss. The Load Boss bolts under a standard set of portable corrals, allowing cattle to be loaded into a semi on one side while simultaneously backing up and loading a stock trailer on the other. The system is modular and designed to integrate with existing corrals, making it flexible and highly efficient in real working conditions.

The Ranch Boss XL builds on that concept, combining a portable corral system, the load-out capability of the Load Boss, and a full-featured chute setup in the front, including palpation gates and a bud box configuration in the rear. This design allows cattle to be worked out the front and loaded out the back, enabling ranchers to pull into an open pasture and handle tasks like sorting, working calves, or weaning in one compact system.

Tyler emphasizes that all of this came through trial, error, and constant refinement. They regularly take equipment to local ranchers, invite feedback, and tweak designs based on real-world use. Flowability of cattle is a central concern; systems must encourage cattle to move naturally, avoiding the frustration and danger of poorly designed setups. Drawing on experience from older, unsafe facilities and more advanced feedyard designs, they aim to build equipment that is safer, more efficient, and mindful of budget constraints. Even though some systems are expensive, they argue that combining multiple pieces into one integrated unit can save labor, setup time, and equipment costs in the long run, positioning Tyco as a one-stop solution for modern cattle operations.

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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 Mason Fleenor, Owner of GG Genetics. In this episode, Mason and Aaron will dive into the GG Genetics & Mars Angus Performance with Superior Taste Bull & Female Sale , held on March 5th, 2026, at Ida Grove, Iowa. 

Mason Fleenor, the owner of GG Genetics, traces the operation’s origins back to the purchase of red heifers in Montana in 1986 and describes how the business has evolved into a performance-driven Angus program. He highlights his family’s involvement and stresses the importance of bringing younger generations into the cattle business. A recurring theme is stewardship: teaching youth to manage cattle, land, and resources while maintaining profitability in a demanding industry.

The core of the conversation focuses on genetic selection for efficiency and carcass traits. Mason explains his emphasis on high marbling, low dry matter intake, and overall growth, describing how the program uses tools like Grow Safe units and partnerships in Mexico to measure intake and validate performance of cleanup bulls. He goes into detail on the sire group, especially an ABS bull, Dave Sue Ever Clear, praised for low intake, moderate frame, and consistency. Mason notes his satisfaction with the uniformity, EPD profiles, and real-world functionality of the bulls in this year’s offering.

The sale itself will feature 52 yearling Angus bulls, one two-year-old bull, 13 bred heifers, and 10 open heifers, including females sourced from the Broken Chain Ranch in Montana. Mason discusses calving ease, birth weight, maternal quality, and how weather and management influence cattle performance. He also describes logistics such as shipping, the importance of experienced auctioneers, and the availability of online bidding through Superior Livestock Auction. The conversation closes by inviting listeners to learn more about the program and consider the offering as a resource for improving efficiency, carcass quality, and long-term herd direction. 

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Welcome back to another episode of 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. M. Wayne Ayers, Senior Technical Consultant Veterinarian for Elanco Animal Health. In this episode, Dr. Ayers and Dustin will dive into optimizing cattle health and the return of investment on dewormers for your cattle. 

Dr. Ayers emphasizes that nutrition is the foundation of every successful cattle operation. He explains that adequate protein, energy, and mineral intake are essential not only for reproduction and colostrum quality, but also for immune function. He introduces the concept of fetal programming or epigenetics, noting that poor nutrition during late gestation—such as when cows graze dry, low-quality forage—can have irreversible negative effects on calf performance and future reproductive capacity. He suggests that today’s strong prices create an ideal opportunity for producers to test new technologies and refine their health and nutrition protocols.

The conversation then turns to building resiliency in cattle health. Dr. Ayers stresses the importance of a sound mineral program and achieving proper body condition scores at calving to support high-quality colostrum, which he calls the most important factor in a calf’s life. He discusses vaccinating cows to prevent abortions and scours, and ensuring colostrum is rich in antibodies. For calves, he recommends planning ahead for branding, turnout, and eventual weaning by considering parasite and fly control, including strategic deworming and the use of fly tags to protect both cows and calves and preserve weaning weights.

Weaning is described as the most stressful period in a calf’s life due to separation, nutritional changes, commingling, and shipping. Dr. Ayers advocates for vaccination strategies that include boosters at weaning, coccidiosis control, and the use of feed additives like rumen modifiers to improve feed efficiency and daily gain.

Elanco Animal Health Optimizing Cattle Health

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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 Denny Cason, Owner of Cason's Pride & Joy Simmentals. In this episode, Denny and Gale will dive into the Cason's Pride & Joy Simmentals 11th Annual Performance Bull sale, held on March 7th, 2026, at 1PM CST, at the farm located in Albia, Iowa.

The Cason Family has been in the seedstock business for a long time; they have stood the test of time and have a strong vision for the future. Performance has always been a priority, and this offering is no different. Alongside their steady focus on performance, they monitor strong genetic profiles while maintaining ideal phenotypes.

Denny explains that their program is built to mirror the conditions and management of commercial producers. Located in southeast Iowa in fescue country, their cows graze from early May on fescue pastures, supported by a strong mineral program and well-maintained forages. He emphasizes running cattle under practical, real-world conditions while doing the “detail work” on genetics and performance so that commercial buyers can profit from the bulls they purchase.

Denny reflects on starting in the Simmental business in the mid-1970s and watching the breed evolve. He is particularly pleased with the last couple of decades, noting improvements in calving ease, flexibility in frame size, and the power of modern DNA tools and EPDs. He believes the breed is well positioned to add value to nearly any commercial herd.

The offering for this year’s sale includes 62 herd bull prospects, featuring advantage-age and fall bulls as well as yearlings. Denny highlights sire groups such as Eagle, Proclamation, and Bold Ruler combinations, describing the bulls as functional, sound, and uniform, with strong growth and maternal traits. He points out a subset of “true heifer bulls” that meet his strict criteria for calving ease and birth weights.

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Welcome 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 Corbin Cowles, Owner of Pleasant Hill Farms. In this episode, Corbin and Gale will dive into the Pleasant Hill Farms 31st Annual Spring Production Sale, held on February 28th, 2026, at 12:30PM CST, at the Pleasant Hill Farms Sale Facility, in Rockfield, Kentucky. 

Pleasant Hill Farms is a family-run operation. The farm is a purebred Angus and Simmental operation located in South Central Kentucky. The operation's roots trace back to Gil's great-grandparents who purchased the original farm in 1920. Their goal is to breed cattle that blend genetics, phenotype, and performance superiority into a product that is sought after by purebred and commercial beef producers alike.

Corbin explains that his parents began marketing genetics through public auctions before he was born, and the operation has since grown to about 230 production-age females, roughly two-thirds Angus and one-third Simmental. He emphasizes a long-standing philosophy of blending eye-appealing phenotype with strong, data-backed genetics, targeting cattle that work for both purebred and commercial beef producers. A core belief at Pleasant Hill is that feminine cows make masculine bulls, and the program is designed to produce stout, durable, performance-oriented herd sires supported by a strong maternal base.

He describes foundational Angus genetics from influential programs such as Leachman, Gardiner, Sitz, Schaff Angus Valley, Ellingson, and Musgrave, combined through AI and embryo transfer. Selection focuses on growth, maternal traits, carcass merit, and balanced genomic indices. On the Simmental side, the offering is dominated by progeny of LCDR Anthem and LCDR Patriot, bulls that have brought consistency, growth, carcass quality, and improved genomic profiles while maintaining sound structure and maternal quality.

The upcoming sale features approximately 80 registered, performance-tested Angus and Simmental bulls, 20 registered cow–calf pairs drawn from the heart of the Georgina and Jewel-based cow families, and 12 high-quality open commercial yearling heifers sourced from a long-time customer using Pleasant Hill bulls. Corbin also includes a single Charolais bull from his own small terminal-focused project.

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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 Eric and Clay Lyman, Co-Owners of Lyman Livestock. In this episode, they will dive into the Lyman Livestock 14th Annual Bull Sale, held on February 28th, 2026, at 1PM MT, in Salina, Utah.

Lyman Livestock is a fifth-generation ranching operations based out of Central Utah, Run by three brothers, Eric, Kevin, and Mike-and their children. The kids are taught ranching activities at a young age. Their wives are integral to the operation, assisting with meals, feeding, clerical work, and bull sale information.

Eric and Clay describe how the family transitioned from general farming and commercial cattle into registered seedstock roughly 25 years ago, with growth accelerating over the past decade. They emphasize a collaborative family culture where disagreements happen but remain minor, and the brothers and their children function as a close‑knit team. 

Their cattle are run in multiple, demanding environments, including high‑arid desert near Canyonlands National Park, spring ground near Yuba Lake, and high‑elevation summer pastures between Montpelier, Idaho, and Cokeville, Wyoming. Cows must calve unassisted, travel long distances for water and forage, and perform across varied terrain and elevation. This zero‑tolerance approach ensures only functional, durable cattle remain in the herd.

Bull selection starts with structural soundness: feet and legs capable of handling rocks, high elevations, and long working lives. Only after structure do they consider EPDs, focusing on calving ease, stability, and weaning performance. Given the prevalence of high‑altitude grazing in the West, they have been committed to PAP testing for around 25 years and have built a cow herd proven to handle high‑altitude disease.

They further enhance genetic predictability through intensive DNA testing. Working with Allied Genetic Resources and DataGenie, all sale bulls receive 100K genomic tests, increasing EPD accuracy. They use simplified badges such as G+, ACE, and ATM to help buyers quickly identify all‑around sires, heifer‑safe calving ease bulls, and terminal growth and carcass sires. The sale will feature 134 PAP‑tested Simmental and SimAngus bulls, including standout sons of the widely regarded GW Medicine Man, reflecting strong consistency, length, rib, and eye appeal throughout the offering.

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