Breed associations have long played a foundational role in the beef industry—but their purpose, value, and responsibilities are rapidly evolving. Few people understand that transformation better than Brett Spader, President of the American-International Charolais Association.
In this episode of The Future of Beef Show, Brett joins hosts Jim Johnson, Dr Jessica Sperber and Ian Wheal to discuss how data, governance, and producer-focused service are reshaping the future of breed organizations. Drawing on a diverse career across the Kansas Livestock Association, DV Auction, Angus Media, and his own digital startup, Brett shares a unique perspective on how technology and transparency can help associations stay relevant and drive real value for cattle producers.
From the rise of online bidding to the importance of records, collaboration, and connected data, Brett explains why modern breed associations must be both innovative and accountable—and how they can continue to empower breeders in an increasingly data-driven industry.
What You’ll Learn:

• Why breed associations still matter—and how their role is changing
• How technology, performance data, and governance shape producer trust
• The impact of complementary breeds and genetic diversity on the beef supply chain
• How online bidding and digital tools transformed seedstock marketing
• Why transparency and data connectivity are essential for the industry’s future

Links:
Future of Beef Show: www.futureofbeef.com
Connect with the American-International Charolais Association: www.charolaisusa.com

Read more from Drovers: www.drovers.com
Learn more about Breedr: www.breedr.co
Learn more about Corteva Agriscience: www.rangeandpasture.com

Genetic progress is only as valuable as the profitability it creates, and few people understand that connection better than Marty Ropp, founder and executive officer of Allied Genetic Resources.

In this episode of The Future of Beef Show, Marty joins hosts Ian Wheal, Jess King, and Jim Johnson to discuss how data, genomics, and collaboration are reshaping the business of beef genetics. From lessons learned in the pork and dairy industries to the future of service-driven breeding programs, Marty shares what it takes to help producers capture more value across the entire supply chain.

What You’ll Learn:

• How Allied Genetic Resources built a network to support genetic improvement across the beef industry

• Why connecting genomic data to real-world profitability is the next frontier

• What the beef sector can learn from pork and dairy’s approach to efficiency and consistency

• The importance of collaboration and feedback between breeders, feeders, and packers

• How service, education, and transparency drive long-term genetic success

Links:

Future of Beef Show: www.futureofbeef.com

Connect with Marty Ropp: www.alliedgeneticresources.com

Read more from Drovers: www.drovers.com

Learn more about Breedr: www.breedr.co

Learn more about Corteva Agriscience: www.rangeandpasture.com

13. Beef on Dairy with Lorna Marshall

Beef-on-dairy is transforming how we think about efficiency, genetics, and profitability in cattle production—and few people have influenced that evolution more than Lorna Marshall, Vice President of Beef Genetics at Select Sires.

In this episode of The Future of Beef Show, Lorna shares how she’s bridging the worlds of dairy precision and beef performance to drive genetic progress across the industry. From genomic testing to smarter sire selection, she lays out how technology and collaboration can help producers raise more consistent, high-value cattle—whether they’re working with commercial herds or crossbreeding programs.

What You’ll Learn:

How genomic testing is reshaping replacement heifer selection

Why beef-on-dairy is redefining efficiency for both sectors

Key genetic trends driving profitability in modern herds

How data and technology are changing breeding decisions

Lessons from Select Sires’ approach to innovation and industry collaboration

Links:

Future of Beef Show: www.futureofbeef.com

Follow us on Facebook

, Instagram

, TikTok

Connect with Lorna Marshall: www.selectsires.com

Read more from Drovers: www.drovers.com

Learn more about Breedr: www.breedr.co

Learn more about Corteva Agriscience: www.rangeandpasture.com

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Ranching isn’t just about raising cattle—it’s about telling the story of where beef comes from and why it matters. Few do that better than Tucker Brown of R.A. Brown Ranch in Texas.

In this episode of The Future of Beef Show, Tucker shares how he’s using humor, transparency, and digital storytelling to connect consumers with the people behind their food. As a sixth-generation rancher, he’s bringing fresh energy to ranching advocacy while still grounded in the values that built his family’s operation.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why advocacy matters for the next generation of ranchers
• How Tucker uses storytelling to connect with consumers and urban audiences
• The role of humor and authenticity in building trust
• Ways producers can amplify their own voices to support the beef industry
• Why transparency and openness are powerful tools for ranching’s future

Links:

Future of Beef Show: www.futureofbeef.com

Connect with Tucker Brown: instagram.com/tuckerbrownrab/

Learn more about R.A. Brown Ranch: www.rabrownranch.com/

Breedr: www.breedr.co

Farm Journal: www.farmjournal.com

Corteva Agriscience: www.rangeandpasture.com

Ranching isn’t just about raising cattle—it’s about telling the story of where beef comes from and why it matters. Few do that better than Tucker Brown of R.A. Brown Ranch in Texas.

In this episode of The Future of Beef Show, Tucker shares how he’s using humor, transparency, and digital storytelling to connect consumers with the people behind their food. As a sixth-generation rancher, he’s bringing fresh energy to ranching advocacy while still grounded in the values that built his family’s operation.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why advocacy matters for the next generation of ranchers
• How Tucker uses storytelling to connect with consumers and urban audiences
• The role of humor and authenticity in building trust
• Ways producers can amplify their own voices to support the beef industry
• Why transparency and openness are powerful tools for ranching’s future

Links:

Future of Beef Show: www.futureofbeef.com

Connect with Tucker Brown: instagram.com/tuckerbrownrab/

Learn more about R.A. Brown Ranch: www.rabrownranch.com/

Breedr: www.breedr.co

Farm Journal: www.farmjournal.com

Corteva Agriscience: www.rangeandpasture.com

Markets don’t have to be a mystery. Dave Weaber breaks down the numbers—and how producers can use them to stay ahead of the game.

In this episode of The Future of Beef Show, we sit down with beef industry analyst Dave Weaber, who brings decades of experience helping producers, packers, and retailers understand the economics that drive our business.

Dave breaks down the market forces shaping cattle prices, consumer demand, and packer margins—and explains what those numbers really mean for cow-calf producers, feeders, and everyone along the chain.

From the value of grid marketing to the impact of consumer trends on your bottom line, Dave makes complex economics plainspoken and practical. His insights challenge us to think beyond the ranch gate, connect our herds to the bigger beef business, and capture more value from the cattle we produce.

If you’ve ever wondered how to make sense of cattle markets—and how to use that knowledge to make better decisions for your operation—this is a conversation you don’t want to miss.

Links:

Future of Beef Show: www.futureofbeef.com

Connect with Dave Weaber: www.linkedin.com/in/dave-weaber-a87bb34/

Terrain Ag: www.terrainag.com

Farm Credit Services of America: www.fcsamerica.com

Breedr: www.breedr.co

Farm Journal: www.farmjournal.com

Corteva Agriscience: www.rangeandpasture.com

Welcome to the 10th episode of The Future of Beef Show: Feedyard Health with Dr. Dan Thomson.

From the feedlot pen to the packer line, every decision made around cattle health ripples through performance, profitability, and public trust. In this foundational episode, Dr. Dan Thomson—a PhD nutritionist, DVM, and managing partner at PAC—joins Jim Johnson, Dr. Jessica Sperber, and Ian Wheal to map the entire lifecycle of animal health and welfare in modern beef systems.

With decades of feedlot consultation experience and influence on industry standards from McDonald’s to Cactus Feeders, Dr. Dan shares what it really takes to build a connected, resilient health system: early data capture, strong veterinary relationships, consistent animal handling, and a shift from reactive treatments to proactive management. From vaccine timing and calf colostrum to labor shortages and AI-driven health tags, this episode connects dots across cow-calf, backgrounding, and feedyard stages in ways few others can.

What You’ll Learn:

How feedyards can reduce death loss with early detection and low-tech fixes

Why trust and acclimation are essential to spotting disease before it’s too late

The truth about antibiotic stewardship—and how to manage use without sacrificing care

How technology (from wearable tags to AI) enhances, not replaces, human expertise

What “whole lifecycle” animal health really means—and how it pays off

Links:

🌐 Visit the show page at www.futureofbeef.com

🐄 Learn more about PAC at www.pacdvms.com

📱 Explore the award-winning Breedr App at www.breedr.co

💻 Connect with Drovers: www.drovers.com

For more stories about advancing animal health, diagnostics, and sustainability across the beef supply chain, visit www.futureofbeef.com.

Welcome to the 9th episode of The Future of Beef Show: Academic Innovation with Dr. Jessica Sperber.

In a special turn of the mic, this episode spotlights one of our own—Dr. Jessica Sperber, PhD in feedlot nutrition and co-host of The Future of Beef Show. From Alberta cattle roots to packing plant data and feedlot research at the University of Nebraska, Jessica shares a refreshingly honest journey through academia, mentorship, and what it really means to stay rooted in production while pushing the boundaries of science.

The conversation spans her career path—from optometry dreams to meat science labs, commercial nutrition consulting, and now leading Nebraska’s extension feedlot research. We dive into the evolving role of university extension, how producers can actually use research, and why mentorship is more than a buzzword—it’s the thread that runs through every good career in ag.

What You’ll Learn:

• How feedlot-focused research bridges academic rigor and on-farm relevance

• Why mentorship can shape careers as powerfully as technical training

• The difference between being a student of ag and being a steward of producers

• How extension services are evolving to reach more operations, more personally

• Why embracing AI and tech in the classroom is preparing the next ag innovators
  

Links:

🌐 Visit the show page at www.futureofbeef.com 

🔬 Learn more about University of Nebraska Beef Program: www.beef.unl.edu

📱 Explore the award-winning Breedr App at www.breedr.co

💻 Connect with Drovers: www.drovers.com

For more stories from the people shaping the future of ag—on the ranch, in the lab, or at the front of the classroom—visit www.futureofbeef.com. Because the next generation of ag doesn’t just inherit the future—they build it.

Welcome to the 8th episode of The Future of Beef Show: Connected Calf Health with Dr. Taylor Engle.
What if the best way to raise healthier, better-performing calves didn’t start with treatments, but with trust—trust in your environment, your protocols, and your team? In this forward-looking conversation, we’re joined by Dr. Taylor Engle of Four Star Veterinary Services to explore how producers can improve calf health outcomes by rethinking everything from birth to bunk.
Dr. Engle draws on her unique background across swine, poultry, and beef production systems to break down calf health into manageable, practical steps. From pre-birth cow care to the critical first 60 days of a calf’s life, she reveals why environment and communication are just as important as vaccines—and why treating symptoms without context often does more harm than good.
Whether you’re managing beef-on-dairy calves across multiple phases or fine-tuning your cow-calf operation, this episode is full of real-world advice and refreshing honesty. It’s a masterclass in proactive, connected care.
What You’ll Learn:
Why calf health starts before birth and how maternal conditioning impacts outcomes
How environment and management shape lifetime performance more than genetics alone
Practical strategies for beef-on-dairy systems and high-touch calf care
When and how to use antibiotics and vaccines—judiciously
The power of cross-sector communication in building trust and market value
Links:
🌐 Visit the show page at www.futureofbeef.com
🔬 Learn more about Dr. Taylor Engle’s Four Star Veterinary Services at www.4starvets.com
📱 Explore the award-winning Breedr App at www.breedr.co
💻 Connect with Drovers: www.drovers.com
To explore more success stories, get early access to tools, and claim your free Breedr trial, head over to www.futureofbeef.com. Better calf health starts with better connection—and it starts here.

Welcome to the 7th episode of The Future of Beef Show: Ag Tech Innovation with Ian Wheal.

In this deeply personal and practical episode, we flip the mic to interview our own Ian Wheal—co-founder of Breedr and the tech visionary behind much of what makes this show tick. From his family’s sheep and beef operation in Australia to consulting on global ag supply chains, Ian shares a candid, plainspoken look at what’s broken in agriculture—and how technology, done right, can fix it.

We dive into the origin story of Breedr, born during what Ian calls “Peak Vegan,” and why digitizing the ranch isn’t just about traceability—it’s about proving worth, reclaiming margin, and building a smarter beef supply chain. With a background that spans engineering, food retail, and software, Ian connects the dots between individual animal performance, better data collection, and profit-boosting decisions.

From chute-side insights to AI on the ranch, this episode is packed with lessons on leading change without losing tradition. If you’ve ever wondered how tech can serve—not swamp—your operation, this one’s for you.

What You’ll Learn:

Why individual animal data is key to profit and progress

How Breedr was designed for ranchers first, not software engineers

Common mistakes ag tech companies make—and how to avoid them

How to use data to strengthen packer and feedlot partnerships

Where AI and genomics are taking us next in beef production

Links:

🌐 Visit the show page at www.futureofbeef.com

📱 Explore the award-winning Breedr App at www.breedr.co

💻 Connect with Drovers: www.drovers.com

To get tools that make your data work harder and your cattle work smarter, visit www.futureofbeef.com. Because the future isn’t something you wait for—it’s something you build.