If a breed association “takes its eye off the ball” of making commercial cattlemen more profitable, it’s set to fail, says Donnie Schiefelbein, Kimball, Minn., Angus breeder. He joined breeder Lee Leachman for this episode that covers the changes in the Angus business over the decades, the data that has made a difference, and ways that coordination can produce solutions. The pair talks about the shift to grid marketing, and how to prioritize your cow herd while aiming for carcass quality. 

HOSTS: Mark McCully and Miranda Reiman  

GUESTS: 

Don Schiefelbein, along with his seven brothers and three nephews, own and operate Schiefelbein Farms, Kimball, Minn., where the family manages more than 1,000 registered females, farms 4,600 acres and feeds out 7,500 head of cattle. 

The operation was started in 1955 by his father, Frank, and before Don returned to the family farm he served as executive director of the American Gelbvieh Association. He previously worked for the North American Limousin Association after graduating from Texas A&M University. 

Don has served the industry in numerous roles including American Angus Association president, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) president and Minnesota Cattlemen’s Association president.

Lee Leachman is the CEO of Leachman Cattle of Colorado. He graduated from Harvard University with a degree in economics in 1988 and completed graduate-level work in animal breeding at Colorado State University. 

Leachman Cattle markets more than 2,000 Angus, Red Angus, Stabilizer and Charolais bulls produced from a pool of 12,000 females in more than 45 cooperator herds. Selection objectives are largely based on the company’s proprietary indexes. The company’s flagship sale is hosted in March each year in Fort Collins, Colo. 

Lee has been active in the industry through groups including the NCBA, various breed associations, and the Beef Improvement Federation, where he is a past president. Lee frequently speaks to cattlemen both in the United States and internationally. 

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