J&A CHAROLAIS KEEPS PACE TO GAIN SUCCESS

Actively Participating in Charolais Events

By Linda Eck

It’s full speed ahead for the crew at J&A Charolais, where the Bunker family comes together around the daily ins and outs of breeding, promoting and caring for their purebred Charolais herd near Sparta, Wisc. Everyone is on task as Jeff and Angela Bunker, along with daughters, Shade, 19 and Breeze, 16, work diligently at procuring the goal of developing an offering of Charolais cattle that will work for both commercial and purebred breeders.

Although Angela grew up in the Charolais breed, it was in 1995, the year she and Jeff were married, that J&A Charolais was instituted. The couple met during their college years at the University of Wisconsin in Platteville. Jeff, who grew up on a beef and sheep farm in southern Wisconsin, earned his degree in animal science, while Angela completed her studies in agribusiness.

“I had a few cows, we got married and then we got a few more cows,” said Angela. “Now we run about 40 purebred Charolais, focusing on quality, not quantity.”

With two teenage daughters, the Bunkers are busier than ever, as both girls actively participate in local, regional, state and national shows and events. The girls also stay busy as members of the local Leon Live Wires 4-H Club, and Shade is active in FFA.

Bringing the American International Junior Charolais Association’s (AIJCA) “Char Spangled Banner” Junior National to Minnesota this year, brought even more activity to the farm as Angela represented Wisconsin as cochair of the planning committee along with Sydney Zehnder of Minnesota. Other states co-sponsoring the event were Iowa and Illinois.

Show Ring Successes Help Pro -

mote Customer Base

J&A Charolais has used the show ring to promote their livestock from the farm’s inception. Although Jeff had not shown cattle until he met Angela, he was quick to join in to present their cattle at shows throughout Wisconsin, state fairs and the American Royal. When the girls came along, they too became involved, and both have shown at the AIJCA Junior National show since they were 8.

During a typical show season, the

Bunkers additionally take their show stock to several preview shows during April and May, their local county fair and the Wisconsin State Fair, which “is a big end of summer highlight for us,” says Angela.

Show ring successes and getting their cattle in front of people has been helpful in building a strong customer base for the Bunkers, who always go to the American Royal and participate in the Royal Breeder’s Bull Classic.

“It’s a great thing for the breed,” said Angela. “Bulls are nominated with an entry fee and each participating farm or ranch then gets to vote on the top five. A jackpot is awarded and the winner receives a cash prize.” Sponsored by the Missouri Charolais Breeders Association, she credits the event for “getting more people involved in the breed.”

While the Bunkers have purchased some cattle along the way, their biggest victories come with winning honors in the Bred and Owned Division. Among those winnings, include exhibiting the Reserve Champion Bred and

Owned Cow/Calf Pair, with a young cow that was also named Third Overall at the 2021 Junior National in Perry, Ga. They also exhibited the Fourth Overall Bred and Owned Female at both the 2017 and 2022 Junior Nationals and again made the top parade in 2023 with Breeze leading JAB Loretta Lynn 253 into the Fifth Overall slot. More than Just a Cattle Show

Even better yet, Jeff and Angela praise the opportunities their girls have had through the AIJCA. Sometimes struggling with mom’s rule – “If you do not give a speech, you do not show,” Shade and Breeze have had good experiences with the AIJCA junior programs and getting to know kids from across the country.

“They’re very fortunate to be involved,” said Angela. After serving on the AIJCA board as secretary during the past year, Shade, a sophomore at Iowa State University, was elected vice president during the

2023 event in St. Paul.

Both girls have placed in the top five of their respective showmanship age groups, with Shade claiming Champion Senior Showman honors at the recent contest. In 2021, both were named Reserve Champion – Breeze in the intermediate division and Shade in the senior division. Breeze, a senior at Sparta High School, will age into the senior division in 2024 and they will be competing against each other as they move into the final stage of their AIJCA memberships.

Breeding Program Focuses on Bull Sales

The Bunkers’ cow/calf operation runs strictly on artificial insemination and an embryo transplant program to take advantage of their top genetics. Some embryos are raised on the farm, but they also utilize cooperator herds.

“Our main focus is those Charolais bulls to sell to commercial and purebred producers,” said Angela, noting that both bulls and females are sold privately off the farm and in a few consignment sales, usually through the Black Hills Stock Show and the Iowa Beef Expo. “We have a pretty good following at both of these and do them annually. We’ve had the good fortune

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