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Starting with only fifteen cows, it was a slow,
methodical and planned building process. Just two
years after the ranch’s inception, they incorporated an
embryo transfer program. But typical of Dad’s approach
his whole life, he wasn’t content to just worry about his
own program. Since they had such a small herd to begin
with, they worked to solidify relations with other small
Brangus breeders throughout the Midwest and started
developing and merchandising bulls together. He also
did consulting work for several breeders and still worked
with the Brinks—Camp Cooley program assisting with
their sales.
The coop model
Mom and Dad began
employing in the early
‘90s is now a part
of many large scale
purebred operations
in America today.
But Dad’s philosophy
and approach was
to help these small
breeders advance.
He knew they were
the lifeblood of a
growing breed and without their success it would deal a
crippling blow to the breed as a whole. He was always
one to encourage the broad use of AI. It was a win-win
situation, as other breeders were able to compare genetics
and watch the development of their bulls alongside
others, thus aiding in further bull selection.
In April of 1993, we held our first bull sale at the
sale barn in Eureka, Kansas. That first sale is easy to
remember not just because of it being the start of a now
20 year tradition, but the morning of the sale, the entire
southeast Kansas region was hit with a huge ice storm.
Despite the treacherous road conditions that morning,
the parking lot was full and the initial sale was a strong
success. Since that first sale, we have weathered many
types of natural phenomena – including a huge grass fire,
a rain storm deluge, snow and even tornado watches.
Being
located in Kansas,
far from the
epicenter of the
Brangus world in
the south; Dad’s
main difficulty was
being recognized
within the Brangus
breed as producing
the quality of Brangus necessary to impact the breed.
The breed first began to notice Mom and Dad’s operation
when the two flush mates, Affirmed and Alydar, sold in
2005. We were grateful to Texas breeders Joe Cavender
and Jack Moore, respectively, who became their new
owners.
Only a few years later, many were captivated by
a young bull bred in Dad’s herd called Next Step. When
the gavel fell at $28,500 for half- interest in the bull, no
one would have imagined the impact this young sire
would have on the Brangus breed. Today Affirmed,
Alydar and Next Step combined have nearly 3,000 off-
spring recorded at the International Brangus Breeders
Association. From a herd of less than 200 mama cows,
the impact of Suhn Cattle Company genetics has been
wide-spread and left an indelible mark on the future of
the Brangus breed.
Less than a month after Next Step sold, Dad took
the unprecedented step to sell one of the young donor
females straight out of the heart of his herd. Suhn’s Miss
Cadence 331L2 was one of his prepotent female factory
producers. Right in the prime of her productive life,
Dad decided to sell her. From the moment she arrived
at the Camp Cooley facility in Texas the high marbling
trait leader captivated the cattleman in attendance. She
ultimately sold for $60,000 – and for years was the highest
selling full interest female to sell in the 21st century in the
Brangus breed. 331L2’s mark on Dad’s herd is now on
her new owners’ herds – Chimney Rock Cattle Company
and Iron Farms Cattle Company. It was also in this time
frame that Dad started to cross known Angus genetics on
GENETRUST at Suhn Cattle Company - Page 4