The American Angus Association® recognized its inaugural class of Data Driven Herd recipients during the 2025 Angus Convention. The program, launched this summer, aims to recognize members who carry on the Association’s, and more specifically Angus Herd Improvement Record’s (AHIR®), long history of phenotypic data collection.
Today, the Association manages the largest single beef breed database in the world and offers a suite of selection tools available to all registered Angus genetics users that would not be possible without the support of the member-built database. Breeders like Lee Duckworth of Grassy Valley Angus have seen the value of the consistent input of data over the decades.
“When I step back and think through the seventies and the eighties and the nineties and how far we’ve come, how much better the cattle are, how much more predictable the cattle are. . .it’s phenomenal,” said the second-generation Angus breeder from Greeneville, Tennessee. “Our data that we collect on the animals has proven to be accurate. . . It’s a continual building block.”
A building block, Duckworth and his family are consistently adding to. Grassy Valley Angus was one of 20 herds to earn Gold Level recognition in the Data Driven Herd program. Members can earn Bronze, Silver or Gold level recognition annually by submitting a minimum of 8-12 traits of their choosing on a corresponding percentage of their herd to AHIR. The number required for each trait is determined by the member’s cow inventory as part of the Inventory Reporting program and on a percentage of what is reasonable to collect for each individual trait. For example, scrotal requires a minimum of 20% while birth weight’s minimum is set at 75% of the cow inventory.
Grassy Valley Angus has been enrolled in Inventory Reporting, AHIR’s whole herd reporting program, since 2021 and has earned the program’s additional distinction, MaternalPlus®, by submitting heifer breeding data and weaning weights or calf disposal codes on their herd. Along with submitting 12 traits, Gold level Data Driven Herds must complete MaternalPlus requirements for that year. Duckworth said the inclusion of additional data collection into their program has made him more in tune with his herd’s performance.
“If someone knows what they’re buying with a higher degree of accuracy, having a favorable outcome in their program is a lot more likely,” continued Duckworth, who believes his family’s efforts to earn Gold will help continue to better describe his cattle. “That’s the way I see the role of our EPDs and our data systems. It gives us an advantage to predict outcomes for our customers.”
Duckworth went on to say he believes all producers can have an influence on bettering the breed through phenotypic data collection. It’s a sentiment the Association’s Board of Directors agree with and was a driving factor in their directive to create the Data Driven Herd program.
“Some of these phenotypes are hard to measure; we know it’s time consuming, we know it’s expensive, but our database and selection tools would not be what they are today without these submissions,” said Smitty Lamb, who severed as chair of the Breed Improvement Committee at the time of the program’s launch. “This recognition program highlights the herds who have made the commitment; gives them some visibility and just really it is a way of saying thank you for submitting the data.”
Data Driven Herds will be recognized annually as part of Angus Convention and listed on Angus.org. On Saturday, Nov. 1, the twenty 2025 Gold Level Herds were presented with plaques on stage in front of their peers at the convention’s Awards Dinner. Bronze and Silver herds will also receive plaques. In addition, all qualifying herds have use of the year level logo for marketing and promotion of their breeding program.
Members interested in earning 2026 Data Driven Herd recognition and are primarily spring-calving herds, should enroll in Inventory Reporting by January 15, 2026. Primarily fall-calving herds can enroll between May 1st and July 15th of next year. However, members can begin submitting data at any time during the fiscal year which runs from October 1st to September 30th. Learn more about the complete program requirements of Inventory Reporting and Data Driven Herd at Angus.org/ahir.
2025 Gold Level Herds
Branch View Angus | Hustonville, KY
Dalebanks Angus Inc | Eureka, KS
Fuller Angus Ranch | Barnsdall, OK
Grassy Valley Farm | Greeneville, TN
Hoover Angus Farm | Ellston, IA
LakeView Farms | Powhatan, AR
Maples Stock Farm | Elkmont, AL
Meinders Stock Farms | Buffalo Center, IA
Mill Brae Ranch LLC | Maple Hill, KS
Montana Ranch LLC | Bigfork, MT
Oak Hollow | Smiths Grove, KY
Danny Poss | Scotia, NE
Providence Angus Farm | Pamplin,VA
Rocking M Farm | Mount Ayr, IA
Rockn D Ranch Inc | Junction City, OR
The Biltmore Company | Asheville, NC
W 3 Bar Ranch | Stillwater, OK
Weaver Family Angus | Verndale, MN
Werner Family Angus | Diagonal, IA
Yon Family Farms | Ridge Spring, SC
2025 Silver Herds
2XL Cattle Company | Boone, IA
Arntzen K7 Angus | Hilger, MT
Billy C Ashe | Selmer, TN
AT2 Performance Angus | Pueblo, CO
Chad & Cassie Bontrager | New Paris, IN
Bradley 3 Ranch Limited | Memphis, TX
Cherne Angus | Guttenberg, IA
Coleman Angus | Charlo, MT
Jason E Crowe | Irvine, KY
Richard M Dyar | Crossville, AL
Chad & Julie Ellingson | Saint Anthony, ND
Robert & Sons Elliott | Adams, TN
Engelberg Angus Farm | Pocahontas, AR
Frey Angus Ranch | Granville, ND
Gentry Homeplace Angus | King, NC
Griffis Farm Angus | Rockwood, TN
Hilton Farms | Coyle, OK
Ipsen Cattle Company | Dingle, ID
Allen F Johnston | Okemah, OK
Knoll Crest Farm Inc | Red House, VA
Kuhle Farms | Hazel Green, WI
Little Sioux Angus | Quimby, IA
Locust Grove Beef Cattle | Peebles, OH
John H Pfeiffer Jr | Mulhall, OK
Purdum Angus Farms | Lenox, IA
Stewart Select Angus LLC | Greensburg, IN
Troxtel Farms | Geraldine, AL
2025 Bronze Herds
Adams Angus Farm | Union Springs, AL
Alcove Cattle Co | Blue Rapids, KS
Aristocrat Angus Ranch | Platteville, CO
Bar A Ranch LLC | Nashville, GA
Scott M Barzak | Conneaut Lake | PA
Basin Angus Ranch | Laurel, MT
Beaver Creek Farms LLC | East Berlin, PA
Bone Land & Cattle | Clinton, AR
Aaron & Rebecca Borror | Fort Rock, OR
Bremer Bros | Metropolis, IL
Brickyard Bulls LLC | Scottsville, VA
Bruner Angus Ranch | Drake, ND
Buck Ridge Cattle Company | Seymour, MO
Bullerman Angus | Adrian, MN
Burgett Angus Farm LLC | Carrollton, OH
Carson Family Farm LLC | Laurel Springs, NC
Castera Farm | Romance, AR
Connealy Angus Ranch | Whitman, NE
Russell L & Susan A Coon | Bethel, MO
Pam & Duane Davis | Westmoreland, KS
Dutch Creek Angus | Pleasureville, KY
Echols Angus Ranch | Caddo, TX
Edgewood Angus LLC | Williamsburg, VA
Flickerwood Angus LLC | Jackson, MO
Gartner – Denowh Angus Rch | Sidney, MT
Green Garden Angus Farm | Ellsworth, KS
Daniel Greet | Ten Sleep, WY
Jerry J Gustin | Gloucester, VA
Henke Farms | Salisbury, MO
Frank & Marilyn Hinkson | Emporia, KS
Orval Hinrichsen | Hinton, IA
Hopewell Farms Livestock LLC | Paris, MO
Joel & Bethany Johnston | Burwell, NE
K-Butterfield Livestock | Veteran, WY
Kleve Cattle Company | Wykoff, MN
Kraus Angus Ranch | Milburn, NE
Lance Larsen | Underwood, IA
James & Marcia Larson | Sioux Rapids, IA
Little Goose Ranch | Big Horn, WY
Francis H Lueken & Son | Ferdinand, IN
J D Lunn Registered Angus | Burns, TN
Matthew Manbeck | Buchanan, VA
Mc Cumber Angus Ranch | Rolette, ND
John Jay Mc Curry | Hutchinson, KS
Michigan State Univ | East Lansing, MI
Mogck & Sons | Olivet, SD
Mohnen Angus Farms | White Lake, SD
Morehead State Univ | Morehead, KY
Mountain View Farm | Gadsden, AL
Bill E New | Leavenworth, KS
Otto Cattle Co | Ocheyedan, IA
Pennsylvania State Univ | University Park, PA
Potts Bros Farm | Jefferson, GA
R A Brown Ranch | Throckmorton, TX
Rahe Family Angus | Bluffs, IL
Rawlings Farm | Summit Point, WV
Michael L Ripp | Delta, CO
Duane F Robertson | Russellville, MO
Rowh Angus | Jennings, KS
Shuffler Farm | Union Grove, NC
Mike & Debra L Sitz | Burwell, NE
Bo Slovek | Philip, SD
Justin & Sara Spickler | Glenfield, ND
Thelma B Starner | Delta, CO
Sterling Angus LLC | Bend, OR
Darrell J Stevenson | White Sulphur Springs, MT
Story Cattle Company | Flemingsburg, KY
Sydenstricker Genetics Inc | Mexico, MO
Tehama Angus Ranch | Gerber, CA
The 909 Ranch | San Bernardino, CA
Thomas Angus Ranch | Baker City, OR
Thomson Land & Livestock | Idaho Falls, ID
Chris Throne | Lexington, GA
Trio | Amarillo, TX
Reese H Tuckwiller | Lewisburg, WV
Twin Pines Stock Farm | Griswold, IA
Two Cedars Angus | Blanding, UT
Wann Ranch | Poteau, OK
WEBO Angus LLC | Lusk, WY
Edward & Lori Williams | Quitman, MS
Jimmy Williams | Denison, TX
Woodall Angus Farm | Quality, KY
View the list of 2025 Data Driven Herds at Angus.org.
