A Gateway to Excellence

By Jennifer Bedwell

Long ago, Oklahoma State University developed a reputation of being one of the most highly renowned land grant institutions in the U.S. The reason for the reputation is because of the hands-on learning experiences the school provides for its students. One of which, is the department of animal and food sciences very own Purebred Beef Center.

“Much of the credit for the establishment of the Purebred Beef Center goes primarily to Dr. A.E. Darlow,” said Mark Johnson associate professor of animal and food sciences and supervisor of the OSU Purebred Beef Cattle Center. “He and Dr. W.L. Blizzard made the decision that we at Oklahoma A&M were going to have great judging teams and great purebred livestock.”

Will Harsh feeds Angus and Hereford cows on pasture near Lake Carl Blackwell

Consisting of nearly 300 brood cows representing five breeds, the Purebred Beef Center spans across approximately 2000 acres of native and improved grass just west of Lake Carl Blackwell. While the headquarters for the Purebred Beef Center rest three miles from the OSU campus and includes a show barn, office, sale pavilion and bull testing facilities.

The educational aspect of producing, promoting and merchandising the genetically superior livestock is a vital part of the OSU program that continues to gain national recognition, Johnson said.

“The PBC is unique in the fact that it is primarily self sufficient,” Johnson said. “Through our annual sales, we are able to market cattle on a national level. The cattle we have sold have generated a large amount of success at both state and national levels which then brings customers back to our unit, wanting to purchase our livestock.”

The Purebred Beef Center hosts students participating in the annual livestock judging camp to provide the opportunity to evaluate quality cattle.

With the integration of Brangus, Limousin and Simmental genetics along with Angus and Hereford, the Purebred Beef Center owes much of it’s genetic diversity to it’s supportive alumni, Johnson said.

One of the most influential females, DF Empress 6079, was purchased through a donation of $3 million from B&L Cattle in the 1990s. This cow was one of the first to gain national recognition for the Purebred Beef Center and produced several offspring, which have won multiple major Angus shows. To this day, some of the most productive, highest income-producing females trace back to her genetics, Johnson said.

The Purebred Beef Center has proved beneficial in many capacities to nearly 900 animal science students at OSU. Each year the Career Development Program employs between eight to 12 students at the center. The program allows those students to work part time and in some cases live on site at the headquarters, Johnson said. Typically the responsibilities of students vary from feeding, preparing sale and show cattle for upcoming events and at times simply performing general maintenance around the center.

The Purebred Beef Center has been home to many successful wins, said Will Harsh, Purebred Beef Center employee. Last year, at the National Western Stock Show, held in Denver, Colorado, the Purebred Beef Center took home the Champion Pen of Three Heifers in the Angus yard show as well as Early Winter Bull Calf Division Champion.

The Purebred Beef Center exhibited the Champion Angus Pen of Three Heifers at the 2018 National Western Stock Show. This was the first time OSU captured this accomplishment.

“I’ve been working for the Purebred Beef Center for around a year and a half,” Harsh said. “I consider myself to be pretty lucky. I’ve been raised around the production side and show side of the cattle industry my whole life. I was fortunate enough to be hired on while I was finishing up my senior year at OSU and it led to the permanent position that I have now.”

As one of the last universities to maintain all livestock units including, purebred sheep, dairy cattle, equine, swine and beef, it is the schools teachings through the purebred herds that attract students to OSU, Harsh said.

The Purebred Beef Center has proved to be extremely beneficial to OSU’s livestock judging teams, said Cheyenne Jones, an animal science senior and member of the 2017 National Champion Livestock Judging Team.

“While we were preparing for both Denver and Louisville, it was nice to have the beef center right down the road for us to practice at,” Jones said. “It is such a privilege to attend a school where we not only have one center focused on raising elite livestock but we are also fortunate enough to have all facets of the livestock industry represented here at OSU.”

A legacy of excellence surrounds the department and is further amplified through the utilization of the Purebred Beef Center. Through the testament of time, the Purebred Beef Center has stood as a strong hold and staple in the experiences of many OSU animal science alumni and students, Jones said.

“The great purebred livestock facilities offered through the department are just a few of the things that attract students to our campus.” Johnson said. “Those centers, along with judging teams, help to contribute to students having great undergraduate experiences so that when they complete their degree they are better prepared for careers. Ultimately, those students who go out and become productive and successful members of society have a loyalty to our program and they turn around and support our program.”