John E.Tobe started Englewood Farms in 1981, when he began his work in building the Laura’s
Lean Beef Company (Laura’s).
At the time, Laura’s did not have a defined cattle program when he joined the company and a
local cattle buyer suggested that Laura’s try Limousin bulls on commercial females.They then began
to use Limousin-cross cattle and the rest is history. Tobe and his business partner grew Laura’s
business from $1 million per year to over $160 million per year in 2007.
During the Laura’s years, the company had shear-test and taste panels done on Laura’s steaks
from Limousin-cross cattle – the results were amazing! Laura’s steaks tested equally tender as
choice and prime steaks, and more tender than other exotic-cattle steaks. It wasn’t until 2007 that
Tobe learned about the Myostatin F94L gene marker. The phenomenal shear-test and taste panel
results were further validated since most of Laura’s suppliers used Fullblood Limousin bulls,which
carry two (homozygous copies) of the F94L gene.
Englewood Farms was founded on Fullblood Limousin cattle and will always maintain a
Fullblood Limousin herd.We will continue to improve the genetics in our Fullblood herd and hope to
produce more cattle like ENGD Unbridled 832U – cattle with above-breed-average EPDs in growth,
milk and rib.
When he planned to sell Laura’s in 2007, Tobe decided to get more involved in the Limousin
seedstock business and invested in a herd of
E N G L E W O O D F A R M S
The Complete Dispersal
of the Registered
Red Angus & Limousin Herds
SEPTEMBER 17, 2016
At The Farm
