from November 2024 - American Beef Producer Magazine

NEBRASKA ANGUS TOUR

-by Tim McCray. Tim@ABPmag.com

Photos & Artwork by Derek Sample. Derek@ABPmag.com

additional photos by Adrienne wells

We scaled back on a few tours this fall—Derek and I had other commitments to juggle. But there was no way we were skipping Nebraska. At that point, our wives were practically pushing us out the door, eager to get some peace and quiet. Speaking of headaches, Derek had so many issues with his brand-new F150 that Ford ended up buying it back from him. Awesome truck, but it spent more time in the shop than it did on the road. So, Derek jumped ship and got himself a Tesla to see what all the hype was about. We agreed to meet up in Crete. I had a smooth drive, but poor Derek hit a gauntlet of detours in the Colorado mountains, turning his journey into a marathon that ended with him arriving at the hotel at 7 a.m.—just as I was waking up and gearing up for the first day of the tour. For me, that day kicked off with the annual golf scramble, only a short hop from the hotel... or so I thought. I was greeted by an empty parking lot. Oops—I missed the memo on the location change. After a quick dash to Tecumseh, I managed pars on the first two holes and caught up with my golfing buddies by the third. Meanwhile, Derek, in desperate need of sleep, was catching some Z's. But not for long—wakey wakey, time to roll!

Stella, NE

Over 150 years ago, the Bredemeier family established their homestead near Stella. Mike Bredemeier and his sons Logan & Conner make up the 5th generation here at the ranch where they continue their family’s proud agriculture tradition. Following college, Mike spent some time working in Minnesota & Wisconsin for Hormel Foods before returning to his family’s farm 30 years ago. At that time, the family primarily ran a commercial herd with some Angus while Mike had some registered Limousin. One year, Mike recalled, he thought he had an exceptional fat steer with a large ribeye, only to discover it lacked marbling. Meanwhile, his father’s Angus cattle graded exceptionally well. “I decided right then and there to switch to Angus,” Mike says. In 2002, Mike took the plunge and purchased registered Angus cattle, laying the foundation for the Bredemeier Angus herd. Today, the operation includes nearly 350 females. In addition to the cattle operation, the family farms around 4,000 acres of row crops and leases land for grazing across three counties in southeast Nebraska.

Initially, Mike sold bulls at the Nebraska Bull Test in Broken Bow for about a decade. Later, he moved to a closer auction house before finally bringing the sale to the farm in 2023. The emphasis has always been on producing docile cattle that have vigor, loads of performance after birth, and are pounds heavy at weaning time. All while maintaining carcass and maternal merits for retained ownership, whether in your herd, or the feedlot. All animals are HD50k tested, and heifers are all broke to lead. They have a spring and fall calving schedule, which gives them some older bulls among the yearlings they had been offering in their production sale.

Mike has used AI since 1995 and expanded into embryo transfer in 2015. This year’s sale lineup includes 13 to 20-month-old bulls with offspring from industry sires such as DB Iconic and Myers Fair and Square plus calves from Bredemeier’s own Exploration bull. “I really like the calves that have come out of him,” Mike shares. Mike, Conner, and hired man Colton James round out the full-time crew, and son Logan, who works at the F&M bank in Falls City, helps out on weekends and evenings. “Colton didn’t know a thing about cattle when I hired him six years ago.” Mike tells me, “But now he’s started a herd of his own as a result of working here.” If you want to check out what the Bredemeier’s offer, they plan to show some pens of 3 at the upcoming Nebraska Classic and, of course, at their sale on the first Wednesday in March.

MGM Angus. Johnson, NE

Morgan Meyer has been in the Angus business since 1998 when he purchased a heifer as a 4-H project. He traveled throughout the country and built his herd primarily from Sitz Everelda Entense 1137 and the Blackbird cow family. Today, Morgan brought a spring-bred heifer out of LMF Vision 416 and a cow/ calf pair with a calf out of Silviera’s Style from his place in Johnson. Morgan handpicks his sale offerings and wouldn’t offer anything he wouldn’t purchase. He’s focused more on quality, not quantity, as he continues to grow. His production sale offering yearling bulls, open heifers, and fall-bred heifers is held at their ranch in Johnson on the first Saturday of April.

RCA Cattle

Nebraska City, NE

Roger Clausen and his wife Becky own and operate RCA Cattle Company. They concentrate on developing outstanding females through their embryo program. Their herd progress sped up by purchasing proven females from established producers. Their donor cow program relies much on the Lady family back to RB Lady Standard. They are mating with some of the most progressive bulls produced today with their females through IVF breeding. They market their embryos across the US and open and bred heifers with the same genetics.

Schrock Angus Farm Brock, NE

Titus Schrock spent his life around cattle, predominantly for another Angus breeder in Missouri, before realizing his dream of owning land and cattle in 2017. His display consisted of ET calves, donors with calves, and one of his herd sires, Mohnen Historic, along with some bred heifers. Some leading bloodlines in his herd check the boxes of SAV, Vintage, Mohnen, and Herbster, to name a few. Titus sells some bulls in Herbster’s bull sale and has some yearlings out at Midland for the first time this year.

T-10 Angus – Talmage, NE

Clark Teten of Talmage started a registered herd just a few years ago. Primarily commercial, out of his 120 head, around 20% are registered. He’s been making progress on developing good females through AI and just did some first embryos with Mike Bredemeier this year. He brought a few Renovation sired calves with him today. Clark had an exciting story about saving a few calves with energy drinks that I felt should be shared. During a cold spell, he had a new calf that was struggling to get going, and he gave it a 5-hour energy drink. He considers that a must-have for saving calves at this point. Also, he’s got a potential customer from the tour who has scheduled a visit.

NEOGEN & Engler Agribusiness Program, U of N Lincoln, NE

When arriving at Neogen, the group split into two, with half heading to the University to tour the Engler Agribusiness program and the other half remaining behind to tour Neogen. Derek and I weren't too keen on leaving our dogs behind to hop on a bus for an hour. So, we opted to tour Neogen and contemplate the next move. This Neogen lab handles testing samtens of thousands every week. Anything from furry four-legged companions (like the ones stuck in the cars) to livestock gets tested here. The genetic process can be finished in a day or at least within a week if they have to wait for more information. Everything starts in the mail room. When samples arrive, they are identified with a bar code system and sorted and distributed. DNA is extracted through a chemical process and then adheres to magnetic beads. From that point, events are logged and sent to different testing stations, each within its separate room and a set of specialists, where data is read, sorted, and organized before results are sent back to the customer. The sheer volume and the high tech robotics are astounding. This is technology at its finest, and yet I can't get my phone to make a call from some rural spots in this state.

We decided to drive over to the UNL campus and take

Interview with students from the impressive Engler Agribusiness Entrepreneurship Program

a chance to find a parking spot. We had no trouble with it since it was late in the afternoon on a Friday. Named after its founder, Paul Engler, the Engler program is heavily tied to agriculture. Mr. Engler's roots gave him a vision to invest in rural Nebraska's next generation of leaders. The program's goal is to promote entrepreneurship, and tour-goers were no doubt inspired by the selection of four students who shared their backgrounds, as well as their drives and passion found through the Engler program. We plan to visit with them again.

Lienetics Ranch Princeton, NE

The Lienemanns are experienced hosts, having welcomed numerous Certified Angus Beef (CAB) Chef tours to Lienetic’s Ranch near Princeton, where chefs from around the world gather to learn about beef production. In 2016, they hosted the Cattlemen’s Ball to promote beef and raise funds for cancer research. Their ranch remains a popular venue for the Nebraska Department of Agriculture, Farm Bureau, and various university groups. Their barn, proudly displaying the CAB brand and featured on our cover last month, served as this year's Friday evening dinner stop and Husker football watch party. The Lienemanns began their cattle journey in 1992 with six registered females, growing their herd to over 300 females by 2018. After Trevor’s unexpected passing that year, Taylon returned home from R.A. Brown Ranch in Texas, and the family made the difficult decision to downsize their operation, culminating in a complete herd dispersion in 2020. Taylon purchased back some cows and infused genetics from other reputable operations. Their current herd blends past and future Angus genetics, focusing on

growth, power, and impressive maternal & carcass EPDs. Taylon, his wife Brooke, and Torri manage daily operations while their new daughter, Paislee, enjoys plenty of attention. Each sibling—Maci, Taylon, Sydni, and Skylar—contributes unique skills to uphold their father’s legacy. Community service and agricultural support are central to their mission. Taylon has served on the Nebraska Cattlemen’s board and has been a guest speaker on topics such Angus genetics and forages. This past March, they held their first production sale at the ranch. Their next sale, featuring calves sired by Doc Ryan, Sitz Spectrum, and others is scheduled for March 29, 2025, at the ranch.

Hollman Angus Farms

Martell, NE

The Hollman family first came to this part of Nebraska in the 1860s. Hollman Angus Farm was established by Henry & Marjorie Hollman in 1960, with the first animals registered in 1961. They had six children, of which were Rod and Dick. The two eldest boys (Rod & Randall) were given an orphan heifer, Pride Effie 120, and Rod still has cows that trace back to her. The lineage of the cow herd is almost as impressive as the family's commitment to 4-H as Henry was the leader of the Lone Star 4-H club in the '60s, followed by Rod. Rod served in the Marines from 1967 - 1971 and married Linda in the middle of all that. He worked for Goodyear in Lincoln, where he retired after 30 years. They were able to purchase the farm in 1976 and have added on more acreage. Of the three children born to Rod & Linda, Greg & Cheri operate their herds, and grandson Codie operates under Hollman Angus

Farms. The separated herds offer various traits and bloodlines to any herd. Rod brought some weaned heifers & bulls, bred heifers, and a yearling bull to showcase his genetics. Hollman Angus Farms sells via private treaty and also the Nebraska Classic.

Saturday:

Lylester Ranch

Martell, NE

Lylester Ranch is third-generation family-owned, with a first-generation Angus herd. Dan & Patricia Vergith purchased the former dairy operation from Dan's uncle in 2007. They began the search for a beef breed to invest in and soon settled on Angus. Foundation females that trace back to many leading Angus ranches and breeding programs were selected. They then worked on curating and breeding a herd to produce their well-known elite female sales. Up until a few years ago, bulls were sold and marketed through another breeder. In 2022, they held their first bull sale in Beatrice and have since com bined both sales into one production sale at the ranch near Martell. Ranch Manager Brandon Snider, Assistant Manager Summer Nicholson, and Herdsman Carlos Olague handle the day-to-day operations and are all on hand for today's tour. Owners Dan & Patricia are active in decisions but split their time with another business in Las Vegas. Summer explains they also employ a handful of high school and college kids who work extremely hard after school and on weekends. The coming sale will have offerings sired by Spurs Up, Kenny Rodgers, Veracious, Jameson, Bold Ruler, Clarity, Winchester, and more. Donors out of the incomparable lines of Lizzy, Rita, Lucy, Blackcap, and Chloe, such as Rita 9492, Chloe 5769, First Lady 4389, Rita 1543, and many more. The annual production sale offering 14-month and older bulls and their elite female potential donors, pairs, replacement heifers, and breds will be held at the ranch on March 28, 2025.

Hollman Angus Hallam, NE

I first met Dick Hollman on the 3rd tee box of the golf course we played yesterday. One of the things he said to me was that he used to think twenty cows was a good number for retirement, but now it’s twelve. I thought he was joking, but it turns out he wasn’t. It was evident during opening speeches that Dick Hollman has had a tremendous impact on cattle as well as operators in the area. Several others displaying here today directly result from his cattle and his input. Dick brought a whole family: a two-year-old bull that he has been using as well as selling and keeping a semen interest in. “He was voted the number one bull at The Classic last year: Dick tells me. He continued, “I brought three; you could keep one and sell two, so I kept him, and the other two were the high sellers at that sale. Flush brothers of this one. His mother and two of his sisters. The mother was out of a Jindra Acclaim/ Baldridge Blackbird AO30 cow. The two sisters were a Connealy Gary sire, and the other was out of Herbster’s Bubs Southern Charm”. Dick is satisfied with what he’s achieved with his cattle and the quality that he’s been able to get to. But his biggest reward isn’t selling bulls or creating the quality he’d been looking for. The most significant rewards have been helping young kids break and show calves and helping others who want to be breeders to do it right and succeed.

CattleRack Angus

Carleton, NE

James Lange from CattleRack Angus is early in developing his herd. Following college, he worked for Dick Hollman for a year and a half, and he “encouraged” James to start a registered herd. James spent summers with his grandfather, who first piqued his interest in registered Angus. But since then, it had transitioned over to commercial with his father. The Angus were his grandfather’s legacy, and James desired to recreate what he had, but only better. Upon returning home to help his father, James made a purchase of 25 head that was later determined to come from Dick Hollman, and he has his commercial herd as well. James brought his 862 cow, a twelve-year-old donor, and five daughters. MVP sired two, one by Exclusive and another from Hoover No Doubt. James is looking forward to eventually having his own female sale. He can be reached via his instagram "cattlerack_angus" & phone 402-768-1831

Stastny Angus

Hallam, NE

Andrew Stastny moved his family to the country about six years ago. They wanted to raise their kids in rural Nebraska and expose them to the benefits of hard work and good values. Dick was cutting some hay on

his land and “encouraged” Andrew that he should get some cattle. After some more “encouragement,” Andrew bought five head from Hollman’s and just sold his first $5,000 bull last year, something Dick was really proud of, as he remarked that it took him a while before he got to a $2,000 bull. Andrew brought two fall yearling bulls from Hollman donors, which Bennet Exponential and Herbster Thurston sired. This is their first exposure to an Angus tour, and they’re already looking forward to next year.

Heat Siecker

Martell, NE

Cattle heat detection has come a long way from relying on visual inspections and good timing. Today, technology has simplified the process with the HEATSiecker system, created by ranchers Brent and Sharlyn Sieck. They developed this innovative system out of a need to balance family time and cattle management. Initially struggling with a rub-off type sticker until one day, a year or so later, he came across a pressure detection system for a hog barn. It was built into a floor mat and would alert the owner that someone was in his barn. That seemed to be the missing component to what he was looking for, and he began inquiring about the pressure pads made in nearby Lincon. From that point, they still needed to figure out how to adhere it to the cow, make it weather-resistant, and transmit that to something they could use anytime, anywhere. To get from an idea to a prototype took about three years. "The biggest hurdle," Brent says, "was getting people to help us develop this." Not being tech-savvy, he knew what he wanted to accomplish but wasn't sure how to get there. Then it was a few years of testing different fabrics & adhesives in all types of weather. He's sourced everything from within the US: the antenna system in Lincoln, fabric from Georgia, electronics from Minnesota, glue from Ohio, and everything assembled in Nebraska. Even the app was developed in nearby Lincoln.

Red Baron 111 @ S Diamond Angus

user's antenna. Brent has a friend who transported some cows to another location about 4 hours away. So, he was surprised when he got a notification that the cow was in heat. He didn't know it, but the guy he had taken them to was also using the same system, and he could call him up and have him check on her.

For around $30 per cow, it's cost-effective as well. The antenna will cost you $1399, patches are $297.50 for a box of 10, and the glue is under $10. Then the last thing is a data plan where you can choose either four months for $360 or 1 year for $560. Brent or Sharlyn is happy to hear from you and would love to answer any questions you might have about their system. www.HeatSiecker.com

S Diamond Angus Henderson, NE

We were welcomed by Kim Siebert's father, Roger. He told us he ran the feedlot that we passed getting there, and that the registered Angus were all Kim's. He also said I was okay to park there as he was working on a tractor under the same tree.

The S Diamond website says they "have been chasing cows and raising crops since 1979". A severe drought in Oklahoma the year before led to many dispersal sales, and of the nine cow families that make up their present herd, five of them go back to an Ankony cow from one of them. Kim & Lindy Siebert and their children and grandchildren own S Diamond Angus. They ran as a strictly black herd until 1989 when using a bull called SCR Lone Star 411 brought forth a red calf. It's about 50% of each today, with 120 spring and 20 fall cows.

The first bull sale was held in 1991, and Kim wanted to connect with commercial cattlemen. Growing up on a feedlot gave him access to closeout sheets, and results from the packers gave him a unique perspective on those connections. Fertility was the first priority, as AI was the only way they could afford better genetics. Performance was sec-

ond on the list, followed by carcass traits. Carcass and feedlot testing of steer calves began in 1985 and continues to this day. Ultrasound data for bulls and heifers started in 1999 and 2001, respectively. Fertility is still of extreme importance as 75-85% is still AI-sired.

Calving begins around January 25th. 75% of the calves are born within 30 days of their first due date. The average WW and YW EPDs for the females who calved this spring rank in the top 20-25% of both herds and milk is in the top half. This year's calf crop is sired by Ellingson 3 Rivers, Connealy Big Valley, HF Alcatraz, DL Automatic, LVVF Tanker, LAR Man in Black, and S-Diamond's Optimus. The next S-Diamond production sale is planned at the ranch in Henderson on Saturday, March 1, 2025.

Anderson Bros.

Ong, NE

Floyd, Robert, and Floyd’s son Tim operate Anderson Bros. Established in the 1970s by Floyd and Robert, they started with forty crossbred aged cows. They continued to add to their Angus herd through AI and purchases from Vaughn Domeier Angus, Rocking Ford Angus, and Linz Heritage Angus. Today, they’re running 200 head of registered Angus cows and heifers. They aim to raise top-end bulls for sale, retain heifers in their herd, and grow premium feeder calves for feedlots and packers. They market annually through the Nebraska Bull test in Broken Bow on the 4th Thursday in March.

B-Gee Angus

Linwood, NE

Brian Goth started B Gee Angus in 1985 with the purchase of 13 Angus females, and the simple desire to make a living. Five years later he began utilizing AI and

using sires like New Trend, EXT, Rito 2100 & Emulation. Today Brian is helped by his son Clif with the cows as well as corn, soybeans, and alfalfa. They run 120 head of registered cows and focus on higher gains, docility, and high carcass traits. All bulls and heifers sold via private treaty.

US Meat Animal Research Center

Clay Center

Derek and I skipped out on this one, as it was required that everyone ride the bus, one of the casualties of traveling with dogs. The USMARC was established in 1964 to mirror large industry animal operations and their challenges. With 34,500 acres and 20,000 animals, USMARC is the largest meat animal facility in the world. USMARC develops scientific information and new technologies to improve production efficiency and sustainability while ensuring safe, high-quality products for consumers.

Double D Angus

Linwood, NE

Owned by David & Diane Macholan and their children Cassie & Tasha, Double D Angus started with David's father, Leonard. He taught his sons to put pride in everything they did, finish what they started, and not give up when things got hard. When David bought his first registered cow in 2002, he was running a commercial cattle business. Buying from dedicated breeders, such as Hollman, Schaff, O'Neill, and Bredemeier Angus, created a strong cow family and improved overall genetics. Today, they have around 220 females that they add to their genetic potential by utilizing AI and ET. "We collect embryos from our most productive cows and even semen from our most promising bulls from our sales." This year, they have a promising calf crop consisting of SAV Magnum, Kraye's Big Country, DL Dually, Connealy Craftsman, S Architect, BAR Dynamic, and many more established sires for their February 18th bull sale.