The Angus Conversation
Episodes
The Next Best Thing vs. the Long Game — Alan Miller on Making Good Genetics, Building a Brand
18 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Alan Miller has a long list of Angus champions associated with his Prairie View Farms prefix, but the roster shouldn’t be mistaken for a simple over...
Patterson, Barnard: Wrestling With the Balance of New Technology, Practical Application and Tradition
03 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The beef industry is a beautiful blend of long-standing traditions and forward-thinking innovation. How much technology to embrace, when to use it and...
The Crystal Ball is Broken: Why We Haven’t Built Back, Capital Concerns and the Demand-Driven Future
17 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
If the last U.S. herd rebuild can be described as a “jackrabbit” rebuild, this current period is completely the opposite, says Oklahoma State Univ...
Board Recap: From the Commercial Pathway and DNA Sample Storage to Member Feedback and Research Updates
13 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
There’s strong demand for Angus genetics, and the American Angus Association Board of Directors met this week in Saint Joseph, Mo., to discuss ways ...
The Influence of AI — Genetic Trends, Industry Changes and Progress From the Bull Studs
03 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Finding Angus outliers is both easier than it used to be and more competitive than ever. Aaron Arnett, Dick Beck and Doug Frank share decades of exper...
Heritage Meets the Future: Lind and Vieselmeyer on the New Look of the National Western Stock Show
21 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Blending history with a completely reimagined footprint, the National Western Stock Show (NWSS) is steadily transforming into an updated space for com...
From One Dream Job to the Next — Worthington on Serving Customers, Building Demand
16 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When Josh Worthington was driving up and down the highway, working with Angus breeders across the state, he couldn’t imagine a better job than execu...
Safe to Fail vs. Jumping in with Both Feet — Barb Downey Shares Approach to Business, Breeding and Life
03 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The balance between applying the gas pedal and the brake — that’s what Barb Downey has spent her career as an Angus breeder perfecting. She and he...
Those Who Gave Them a Chance — McCaleb, Williams on Starting Out in the Angus Business
18 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What starts as a dream takes both capital and creativity, paired with a strong dose of hard work, to make it a reality. Sometimes the extra “umph”...
‘The Party’s Over’ — How Randy Daniel Got His Start and Built His Angus Legacy
04 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
From his early years growing up as “Dr. Dan’s son” to paving his own way in the cattle business, Randy Daniel, Colbert, Ga., has always had a ke...
The Angus Advantage: Discussing the Market, Research and What's Important to Breeders
03 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this bonus episode, new American Angus Association president Jim Brinkley joins fellow Board members Darrell Stevenson and Ron Hinrichsen to recap ...
Transforming the Beef Industry: Gary Smith on Asking the Right Questions and Solving Problems
21 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
HOSTS: Mark McCully and John StikaGUEST: Gary SmithGary Smith had no plans to become a meat scientist.In this episode, Smith shares how he found his p...
James Coffey: ‘Customer First’ Mentality Wins in Business and Breeding
07 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
HOSTS: Miranda Reiman and Mark McCully GUESTS: James CoffeyJames Coffey’s granddad discouraged him from returning to the farm. But he did it any...
Always Improving: How Optimism, Connections, Faith and Family Shape Varilek Angus Ranch
23 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
HOSTS: Miranda Reiman and Mark McCully GUESTS: Mick and Ross VarilekVarilek Angus Ranch was Angus when Angus wasn’t the norm. After a rough deho...
Board Recap: Strong Market, Member Feedback and Strategic Planning
12 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The American Angus Association Board of Directors met in Saint Joseph, Mo., Sept. 8-11 and covered a variety of topics including: Long-range Associa...
The Gamble that Worked: David and Carol Medeiros Share the Rancho Casino Story
09 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
HOSTS: Miranda Reiman and Mark McCully GUESTS: David and Carol Medeiros Starting out as first-generation Angus breeders wasn’t easy, but David an...
The Life of a Champion: Paul Hill on Raising Angus Cattle, Angus Youth and Angus Enthusiasm
26 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
HOSTS: Miranda Reiman and Mark McCully GUEST: Paul Hill Paul Hill says he’s been lucky in life, but his path would indicate more than luck. Th...
Junior Takeover — Finding Your Community with the Angus Family
04 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
There is a special sense of camaraderie found at the National Junior Angus Show each year that’s hard to describe. This episode’s guests cover fin...
Junior Takeover — Global Experiences Shape Angus Youth
04 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
International experience has a way of changing people, and several young Angus producers recently got the chance to learn that firsthand. While at the...
Junior Takeover — Angus Entrepreneurs Build Relationships, Businesses and Skills
04 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Starting a small business is no small feat, but doing so while also juggling schoolwork and cattle work? That's a challenge that these podcast gu...
Board Recap: Research, Strategic Planning and Data Recognition
06 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
With research and data top of mind for both the membership and the American Angus Association Board of Directors, the group’s June meeting was focus...
From the Ground Up — Musgrave Angus Built Their Operation Focusing on Function First
27 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
HOSTS: Miranda Reiman and Mark McCully GUESTS: Tyler and Andy Musgrave Musgrave Angus wants to be known for balanced, moderate cattle that thrive i...
Angus Across the Country — Reports from the Field, a Snapshot of Demand and Ways to Plan Ahead
14 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
HOST: Miranda Reiman GUESTS: Kurt Kangas and Reese Tuckwiller Angus optimism is running high across the country, as strong feeder calf prices fuel ...
Growing Angus Youth, Beef Demand — Fosters Focus on Each Interaction
30 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
HOSTS: Miranda Reiman and Mark McCully GUESTS: Scott and Andrew Foster At Seldom Rest Farms the business model is different than many: Angus youth a...
Building It Up and Handing it Down — The Tokach Family Talks How They Got Here and What’s Next
15 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
HOSTS: Miranda Reiman and Mark McCully GUESTS: Richard and Kathy Tokach Traditions can be a nice foundation for or a barrier to progress, and the ...
Capturing Angus History: A Conversation with Keith Evans
01 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Sometimes you hear history second-hand, and sometimes you get to talk to people who lived it. In this episode, Keith Evans shares a little of both. As...
Genetic Innovation Requires Leadership and Data — The Phenotype Paradox in the Beef Industry
18 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Genetic innovation in animal agriculture is moving at a faster-than-ever pace, and this episode digs into the history of performance testing while exp...
It’s an Industry Issue: Red Meat Yield’s Challenges and Solutions with Stika and Foraker
05 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Red meat yield has always mattered to the beef industry, but there have only been mediocre tools available to quantify it. This episode covers the sur...
Survival Through Growth, Page-turning Events and Ideas that Worked: The Poky Feeders Journey
18 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The cattle feeding business has not been a smooth ride throughout the years, but Joe Morgan and now his son, Grant, have found ways to ride the waves ...
Board Recap: Improving Tools, Long-range Planning, and a Ribeye Area Adjustment
14 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
As the breed continues to make progress, the American Angus Association Board of Directors meets quarterly to provide direction on projects that will ...
‘One Bid Away’ — Bulls That Almost Weren’t Famous and Other Tales from the Bull Studs
04 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When Lorna Marshall, Cody Sankey or Don Trimmer hit the road for the bull studs they represent, they’re out to acquire the next great genetic packag...
‘Let’s Do This:’ The Cattlemen’s Congress Story
21 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
As COVID-19-related cancellations mounted in 2020, it was clear exhibitors wanted a place to show and cattlemen needed a place to sell. In the state o...
Community of Hope: Herbst, Carson on How the Angus Family Brings Blessings to Disaster
17 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Wildfires, floods, hurricanes, tornados – when natural disasters hit cattle country, it hurts. Lives and livelihoods are changed, sometimes in mere ...
It Wasn’t Always Easy: Boyd, Schroeder on Growing Their Businesses and Angus
11 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Starting out in the Angus industry wasn’t easy in the 1980s and 1990s, but as the old adage goes: where there is a will, there is a way. Doug Schroe...
Data and Decisions, Speer and Taylor on Using Information to Make Quicker Improvement and More Profit
26 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Industry consultant Nevil Speer helps illustrate the story of the transformation of the nation’s cowherd during the last decade or so, and Oklahoma ...
Hard Work Makes Luck: McCurry and Quam on Taking a Chance and Returning Home
12 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It’s not always glamorous but if there’s a will to return home to the ranch, there’s a way. In this episode, the American Angus Association’s ...
When Opportunity Meets Ambition: The Sankey's 6N Ranch Story
30 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
A judging team romance led to a lifetime of breeding cattle together. That’s Chris and Sharee Sankey’s story in a nutshell. The pair came with cat...
“Keep Doing What You’re Doing” – A Message from the Feeding Industry to Angus Breeders
15 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Focusing on the future and creating the tools that help produce high-quality bulls for the beef industry – that's the message from the cattle f...
Rules of Management: Joe and Lake Elliott on Foundational Traits and Fitting Cattle to Resources
02 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Angus breeders only stay in business if their customers do, too. Joe and Lake Elliott, of Robert Elliott & Sons Angus near Adams, Tenn., make sele...
The Data It Takes to Build a More Resilient Cow
17 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Big data and strategic collaborations are the way of future when it comes to solving genetic challenges in the beef business. This episode covers work...
Board Recap: Digging in on Fertility Research, Expanding CAB Production, Enhancing Member Services
13 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
How is the Association sitting financially at the end of the fiscal year? Do age of dam adjustments distort the genetic evaluation? How does Angus Med...
From the Homestead to a Household Name — Gardiner Talks History and Progress, Marbling and Fertility
03 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Gardiner Angus Ranch started with a Kansas homestead, a willingness to work and a quest to stay curious, says fourth-generation rancher Mark Gardiner....
The Hard Times That Made Us Better — Gary Dameron Looks Back, Ahead
20 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Struggles often lead to success, and that’s been true many times in the American Angus Association’s history. Illinois Angus breeder Gary Dameron,...
Junior Takeover — Murnin, Perrier on Fostering Connections, Advocating for the Industry
05 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Most consumers aren’t out to get the ag industry, they just don’t understand us. That’s the message that Claire Murnin and Lyle Perrier shared d...
Junior Takeover — Humpert, Lemenager Share Life Advice and Getting Involved in the NJAA
05 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Life is what you make it, and a National Junior Angus Association (NJAA) experience is much the same, say Brenlen Humpert and Paige Lemmenager. The tw...
Junior Takeover — Davis and Duckworth on Breeding Cattle for the Ranch and the Ring
05 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Breeding cattle that work for customers is priority No. 1, but finding those that also excel in the showring is a close second, say Tennessee Angus ju...
Responding to the Market, Membership: Angus Board Talks Research, Red Meat Yield, Pull-Through Premiums and Foundation Heifer Package
07 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This behind-the-scenes look at the American Angus Association Board of Directors June meeting gives a recap of the discussions from Oklahoma City this...
Famous Bulls, an Angus Library and U.S. Presidents With Angus Connections — Tom Burke’s Top 10
21 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What do you get when you combine a lifetime as a student of the Angus breed with more than a half of a century of collecting Angus memorabilia? The on...
The Truth Must Be Discovered: McCulloh on Data, Validation and Authenticity
07 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
When Brian McCulloh found himself in Viroqua, Wis., in 1984 to manage and grow the Angus herd at Woodhill Farms, he knew he’d be learning as he we...
The Pratts: One Marriage, Two Kids, Three Moves and the Cow Herd that Pays Their Way
23 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Life isn’t always a direct line from A to B, and Jason and Paige Pratt found blessings abound in their journey. They detail the path that took them ...
A Show Project Gone Right: Byrds on California Ranching, Cattle That Feed and Grade, and Hosting a Sale in the Shadow of 9/11
09 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Dan and Ty Byrd, Byrd Cattle Co., Red Bluff, Calif., say that the best grazing land in the United States comes with its own set of challenges. From th...
Create Your Type of Angus — Gabriel and Uhrig on Breeding Strategies, New Perspectives and Having a Voice
26 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
HOSTS: Mark McCully and Miranda Reiman Friendships that form over Angus cattle are the type that stand the test of time. Hear from long-time friends a...
A 365-Day Long Sale Day — Ellingsons on Creating Cows and Customer Service to Serve Commercial Cattlemen
12 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Ellingson family knows consistency, in both cattle and customer interactions, plays a role in their success. Chad and Julie Ellingson, St. Anthony...
In the Driver’s Seat: Schiefelbein, Leachman on Data, Game Changers and Angus Momentum
27 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
If a breed association “takes its eye off the ball” of making commercial cattlemen more profitable, it’s set to fail, says Donnie Schiefelbein, ...
Cattle Feeders Share Their Wishlist, Predictions — Kee Jim and Mike Thoren Discuss Future
13 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The days of feed cards and calculators have given way to computer-balanced rations, mixed pens of cattle have become more uniform and carcass-based pr...
Board Recap: National Cattle Evaluation Improvements, Parent Protocols, the Role of Angus in Herd Rebuilding and More
09 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
A state of constant improvement — if there was a phrase to sum up the work the American Angus Association Board did this week and the updates they h...
Tiedeman on Cow Type, Making Change and Having Influence
30 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Listening to your commercial customers is one of the best ways to ensure success at meeting their demand, says Jake Tiedeman, Baldridge-Tiedeman Ang...
More Than Raising a Good One: Sawyer, Stevenson, Toledo Talk Customer Interaction and the Perfect Cow
16 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Adam Sawyer, Doug Stevenson and John Toledo have more in common than the title of 2024 National Western Stock Show Angus Pen and Carload Show judge. D...
Fish Farms, Male Fertility and Angus Cattle — Genetic Innovations of the Present and Future
19 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Could the epigenetics of a male sperm cell tell us anything about cow herd fertility? What advancements in the aquiculture industry could be applied t...
Get More Bidders: Harsh, Long Say Sale Day Prep Starts Now
05 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
If there’s a day when you want everything to go right, it’s sale day. So, how far in advance should preparations start? Three months out? Six mont...
‘We’ll Figure It Out’ — Bruner, Hall Jump Headfirst Into Direct-to-Consumer Beef Marketing
21 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Sometimes the only way to start a new venture is to jump right in. That’s how Angus producers Lindsey Hall and Ashley Brunner say they approached th...
Remaining Relevant: Stucky, Yon on Access to Data, Coordination and Competition
08 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
There’s risk, and the faith that pushes you to take it. There’s challenge, and critical thinking and intentional action that allows you to overcom...
McDonnells on Efficiency, Innovation, Abundant Opportunities and Disagreeing Gracefully
24 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Leo and Sam McDonnell, Angus breeders from Columbus, Mont., aren’t afraid of hard work, speaking up or taking risks. In this episode the couple cove...
Separate Herds, Joint Marketing: Holt, Brown Talk Records, Goals and Service
11 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
As David Holt and Kent Brown grew separate Angus businesses just down the road from each other, they found a natural partnership. They could do more t...
World Angus Evaluation Combines Growth, Carcass, Maternal Measures — What That Means to Breeders
26 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What do you get when you combine Angus data from three countries on 11 different traits? More accurate and reliable tools, says Kelli Retallick-Riley,...
Bringing Bulls to the City and Buyers to the Farm: Trowbridge on Angus in the Northeast
12 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
You’re not going to find expansive Angus ranches on wide open plains in New York, but if you head just 90 miles north of The Big Apple, you will fin...
Board Recap: Angus Focus on the Commercial Cattleman, Research Updates, Budgets and the FDA
31 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
If the commercial cattleman isn’t successful, the breed isn’t successful, and the American Angus Association Board of Director’s investment of t...
The Transformation: Embryo Transfer and Late Nights Turn Knoll Herd into a First-Generation Success Story
29 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Looking back, Steve and Laura Knoll, Hereford, Texas, now remember their first cow herd was a “learning experience.” There are stories to tell, bu...
‘By God’s Grace’: The Sitz Family Overcomes Tragedy by Working Together, Chasing Balance
15 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Resilience and adaptability required in the face of adversity — that describes Jim Sitz’s entry into the Angus business fairly well. When their da...
From Heart Scores and Methane to Fertility and Big Data — Beck, Epperly Share Take-Homes from BIF
14 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What’s discussed at the Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) Research Symposium and Convention today provides a glimpse at beef production advancements...
Board Recap: A New Research EPD, Grass-Fed CAB and Gene Editing
09 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The Functional Longevity (FL) expected progeny difference will be released in a research form this summer, Certified Angus Beef now has a grass-fed li...
Running Down the Road: Jacobs, Frye Talk Seedstock Marketing Then and Now
23 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The cattle have to be good, but the customer service is what seals the deal. That’s according to Roger Jacobs, who has helped breeders sell their An...
Starting From Scratch: The Fink Beef Genetics Story
09 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Starting From Scratch: The Fink Beef Genetics Story From a few cows in the back yard (yes, seriously) to consistently ranking among the top 25 larges...
Bovine Congestive Heart Failure: An Angus Issue, an Industry Issue or No Issue At All?
25 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
When there’s a challenge in the cattle business, sometimes it’s easier to point fingers than to find solutions. Bovine congestive heart failure (B...
Kelly Schaff’s Ideal Angus Cow and the Tools That Create Her
11 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In the cattle business, it’s easy to follow the fads or to veer slowly off course, but for Kelly Schaff, discipline has been his trademark. He gets ...
Corah, Nichols: Will Breed Associations, Land Grants Become Obsolete and Other Life Lessons
28 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
When you’ve made a career out of being a lifelong learner, you’ve got a lot of wisdom to share. These guests gave us practical nuggets, visionary ...
The Packer or the Producer — Who Has the Power to Improve Beef Quality?
14 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
There was a time when the beef industry thought product quality was as good as it was going to get. Those who worked in research and development were ...
Bennett, Henderson: Bad Water, Bad Grass and Creating Cattle that Work
28 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
From high sulfur water and two-section pastures to fescue toxicity and hot, humid climates — Angus cattlemen operate in environments as varied as th...
From Judge Selection to the First Gene Edit on the Table: The Angus Board Recap
24 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What do Angus breeders need from their Association? How can the breed ensure the success of its commercial customers? Those questions were applied to ...
Chasing Rabbits Wasn’t Fun and Other Wisdom from Randy Blach
14 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Forty years ago the beef market was “a train wreck,” says Randy Blach, CEO of CattleFax. Beef demand dropped by $250 a head, and hundreds of thous...
The Stock Show: Krebs, Scott on Using the Ring to Build a Ranch, Relationships
31 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Eldon Krebs has been exhibiting at the National Western Stock Show for more than six decades. He’s got thoughts on competition, fads and progress, w...
Gene Editing and Angus: A New Way to Solve Old Problems?
17 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Gene editing. What might sound like exciting possibilities to some cattlemen can seem like science fiction to others. Is gene editing the same as a ...
Solving the Consumer Puzzle: CAB, Sysco and an Angus Producer Talk About Win-Wins
13 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Consumers want to eat beef, and producers are doing the right things — the opportunity lies in communicating that with data through the supply chain...
Is Having Great Cattle Enough? How Service, Family Relationships Sell Bulls
29 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
More than one seedstock producer has had these thoughts: raising great cattle is more fun than figuring out the puzzle it is to market them. Breeders...
Keeping Cattlemen Independent: Goggins, Perrier on Securing the Future
15 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We have to keep independent farmers and ranchers in business. We need ag youth to come back our rural communities. How high do cattle prices have to g...
In Demand — Why Angus Breeders Are So Optimistic
08 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this bonus episode, cover four days’ worth of the 2022 Angus Convention in about a half an hour. New president Chuck Grove joins fellow Board mem...
Eggers, Meyer: Making Progress, Carefully
01 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Genetic progress happens faster today than it did decades ago. Is there an ideal pace?Two Angus producers discuss how they use embryo transfer (ET), a...
Denowh, Lowe: Keeping the Maternal Breed Maternal
18 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It’s the original maternal breed, but are all Angus cows maternal? “The cows are kind of the employee. They have to show up. It’s our job to ta...
Willis, Noble: Commercial Cattlemen Want It All
04 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
From a young age commercial cattlemen Jordan Willis, Cokeville, Wyo., and Ryan Noble, Yuma, Colo., both had a laser focus career goal: they wanted t...
A Good Bull vs. a Great Bull and Other Insight from Jarold Callahan
20 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
With more than four decades of experience in the cattle business, Jarold Callahan has a pretty good idea of what he expects of seedstock breeder, hims...
From Data Submission to Depreciation: September ’22 Board Highlights
16 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
When the Board of Directors comes into the American Angus Association office, it’s a week full of productive meetings and extra energy all around. T...
The Heritage of Change: Rishel and Patterson Talk the Then and Now
06 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Change can be exciting and fun, or it can be hard and messy. It can take work and brain power, but it can move you toward better cattle and more profi...
From the Dining Room to the Board Room: Dal Porto and Connealy Discuss Decisions
23 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
HOSTS: Mark McCully and Miranda Reiman GUESTS: Jerry Connealy, Connealy Angus Ranch; and David Dal Porto, Dal Porto Livestock Decisions, especially...
Join the Angus Conversation
19 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Be part of the latest discussions in the Angus breed. Hear different perspectives from fellow breeders, researchers marketers and more. Join co-hosts ...
Coming Soon: The Angus Conversation
17 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Join us for “The Angus Conversation,” a new podcast by the Angus Journal team. Listen every other week as we bring you new episodes with dynamic t...