The American Simmental Organization is making waves in the beef industry, with recent accolades and upcoming events set to tackle some of the most pressing issues facing cattle producers today. Farm Director KC Sheperd caught up with Luke Bowman, Director of Sim Genetic Development for the American Simmental Organization, to talk about their upcoming events.
The recent Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) meeting saw Wade Shafer, the soon-to-be-retired Executive Vice President of the American Simmental Association, recognized with the prestigious Pioneer Award. Bowman praised Shafer’s forward-thinking approach. “There’s really no one more deserving than Wade. He’s a man who’s still ahead of his time, who has focused on profitability in the beef business. He thinks outside of the box about everything, including the model of what a breed association should be.”
Bowman highlighted Shafer’s unique philosophy, which centers on the profitability of their members’ customers. “If our members’ customers can be profitable, then there’s a pull-through of Sim genetics, and then our membership is profitable. Wade has ingrained that into the staff and other folks in the membership, and he was very deserving of that Pioneer Award.”
Fall Focus 2025: Addressing the Beef Industry’s Paradox
Looking ahead, the American Simmental Organization is gearing up for its annual Fall Focus event, scheduled for August 22nd through 26th in Columbia, Missouri. Co-sponsored by the Simmental Association of Missouri, this year’s event promises to be highly impactful, diving deep into the complex relationship between economics and genetics in the beef cycle.
Bowman articulated the central paradox they aim to address: “We all want more efficient cows. The cow-calf producer wants to create a more efficient, more profitable female. Still, the demand for beef and what the packers are telling us is something totally different.” He explained that packers desire “the biggest, boldest, heaviest carcasses,” often equating to steers weighing 2000 pounds or more live weight. Conversely, the most efficient cow for a producer is typically a 1200 to 1300-pound animal that requires fewer resources while weaning more pounds of calf per acre.
“It’s this really tight thing,” Bowman stated. “We want moderate cows who can’t really produce the kind of animals that the beef packers want. And if we go and try to meet just the demand of packers and create very large cows, like we did in the 90s, we’re going to make cows that don’t last as long, their stayability isn’t quite as good. Things fall apart there.” This paradox will be a key discussion point at Fall Focus.
The event will feature prominent speakers, including Dr. Allison Meyer from the University of Missouri, who will discuss her work in fetal programming, and Dr. Jamie Courter of Mizzou, who will present on specific genomic tools for optimizing cow efficiency. Attendees can also look forward to a roundtable discussion with professors, tours of AI stud Cattle Visions, and insights into estrus synchronization protocols from Mizzou staff.
Registration and the full schedule for Fall Focus can be found at fallfocus.org.
Driving Profitability Through Life-Cycle Indexes
When asked how the organization plans to tackle the challenge of meeting both producer and packer needs, Bowman emphasized their unique profit-driven indexes. “The best way to do it is through the profit whole life cycle, profit-driven indexes, and in American Simmental, we have two of those that are complete life cycles.”
He explained the two main indices:
- Terminal Index: Ideal for producers focusing solely on terminal calves and not retaining heifers. This index considers calving ease and rapid growth, ensuring profitability for calves destined for the feedlot. “It’s important to remember you need to sell 100% of your calves,” Bowman noted.
- All-Purpose Index: Designed for operations where male calves go to the feedlot, but female calves are retained for the breeding herd. This index promotes moderate growth while emphasizing marbling, stayability, and calving ease. “It’s revolutionized the animal breeding business,” Bowman asserted.
Industry Outlook and Leadership Change
While there’s talk of herd rebuilding, particularly with recent rains in areas like Oklahoma, Bowman remains cautious. “We hear it, but we want people to put their money where their mouth is. We often hear people discussing it. We want that to happen, but I predict the sell-off is going to be pretty high again this fall.”
Excitingly, the American Simmental Organization is also preparing for a leadership transition. Dr. Jon DeClerk, who holds a master’s degree and PhD from Texas Tech and has a background in animal nutrition, will take over as the new Executive Vice President starting July 1st.
