Texas A&M University And Beefmaster Breed Join Forces
By Jeralyn Novak | Published August 13, 2019
BOERNE, Texas – Texas A&M University (TAMU) in College Station, Texas is making a change in direction for their beef cattle herd. They have made the decision to upgrade with two new breeds, Beefmaster and Red Angus. Beefmaster Breeders United has been working with TAMU leadership since the fall of 2018 on this project. This partnership demonstrates that Beefmaster cattle are being recognized for outstanding maternal traits, growth, efficiency and adaptability not just in Texas, but globally.
“There are multiple reasons why we decided to initiate a herd with Beefmasters,” said TAMU Animal Science Department Head Dr. Cliff Lamb. “Globally, about 70% of the world’s beef cattle are in tropical or sub-tropical regions. It is certainly a reason to have a breed that is associated with the ability to adapt to those climates.”
Dr. Lamb is determined to make the Texas A&M Beef Center a highlight for the Animal Science Department. Lamb and his team would like to create the best possible cow herd for teaching, research and demonstrations, as well as be a place for visitors and international guests.
“We made a decision early on that we were going to establish a reputable Beefmaster herd, along with a Bos taurus based breed, so we could use this as front door to our department,” Dr. Lamb stated.
This is a tremendous opportunity for the Beefmaster breed to become a part of a leading agricultural university’s quest to build a premier Beefmaster herd. Beefmaster breeders are currently in the process of nominating their embryo donations. Embryo selections from the pool of nominated genetics will be made by TAMU personnel. Their goal is to source at least 120 embryos of high genetic merit, based on the approved EPD parameters, to build an early spring calving Beefmaster herd. Their second new herd of Red Angus cattle was initiated last fall and has been set up as a fall calving herd.
“The Beefmaster cattle are going to be at our Beef Center and we are going to utilize those Beefmasters to not only teach classes and educate producers, but we are also going to utilize that herd to do some cutting edge research that will have a positive impact on not only livestock producers in Texas, but around the world,” stated Lamb.
According to Lamb, the Beefmaster females in their herd will be of high-genetic merit and with these animals they will investigate some fundamental research associated with reproduction, genetics and carcass-based traits. The department’s goal is to be able to identify things that they can take into their other larger cattle herds that belong to the department and utilize those ideas they developed, then further expand those technologies on a larger scale somewhere else. Ultimately, distributing that information out to livestock producers.
“We certainly are excited about this and we certainly value what the Beefmaster breed is doing in terms of helping us get this herd established,” said Lamb.
For more information about BBU please contact the office at 210-732-3132 or visit www.beefmasters.org.
