Beef Improvement Federation recognizes value of Bos indicus genetics

The 44th Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) Annual Meeting and Research Symposium was held April 18 - 21 in Houston and was co-hosted by the American Brahman Breeders Association (ABBA) and Texas AgriLife Extension. The conference is considered the beef industry's premier event. Over 300 industry professionals, researchers, academia and ranchers gathered from across the nation to report on and discuss the most recent beef industry research, and to work to make this research applicable to the ranching world. The ABBA is pleased to have had this year's meeting focus on the influence of Bos indicus genetics in the United States. The conference concluded with two optional bus tours that visited South Texas or Gulf Coast ranches. Two ABBA member ranches were part of this tour.

Each year, the BIF selects one outstanding seedstock producer and one outstanding commercial producer to receive recognition at its annual meeting. This year, the ABBA is pleased to announce V8 Ranch of Boling, Texas as the recipient of the BIF Seedstock Producer of the Year award. V8 Ranch was recognized Friday, April 20 at the 44th BIF Annual Meeting and Research Symposium's award lunch.

The ABBA is also delighted to have nominated Kempfer Cattle Company of Saint Cloud, Fla. as its nominee for the BIF's Commercial Producer of the Year award. Kempfer was recognized Thursday, April 19 at the conference's awards lunch.

V8 Ranch was selected from 12 seedstock producer nominees, and Kempfer Cattle Company competed in a category of eight other producer nominees. The ABBA is proud to support association members in receiving this esteemed recognition.

Through this event, Bos indicus genetics, and especially Brahman cattle have been recognized for their value in the U.S. beef industry. This is another major step in promoting the benefits of Brahman and Brahman F-1 crosses to the country's most prominent beef industry representatives, the people who will educate and influence our nation's cattlemen.

The Williams family of V8 Ranch in Boling, Texas receive the 2011 Seedstock Producer of the Year award from the Beef Improvement Federation.

George Kempfer (second from right) of Kempfer Cattle Co. in Saint Cloud, Fla., is recognized as a nominee for the Beef Improvement Federation Commercial Producer of the Year award.

Chris Shivers, ABBA, and Dr. Joe Paschal, Texas AgriLife Extension were honored Friday as co-hosts of the 44th Beef Improvement Federation annual meeting and research symposium.

BIF attendees enjoy a hay ride around J.D. Hudgins, Inc. on Saturday, April 21 as a part of the Gulf Coast Ranches tour in conjunction with the Beef Improvement Federation conference.

V8 Ranch's show cattle were on display for BIF attendees on the Gulf Coast Ranches tour on Saturday, April 21. V8 Ranch was the second stop on the ranch tour trip.

Dan Wendt of Wendt Ranch in Bay City, Texas shows off his Santa Gertrudis herd during the final leg of the Gulf Coast Ranches tour.