Kansas State Recognized as ASA Lifetime Promoter

by Lilly Platts

Editor’s note: Started in 2019, the Lifetime Promoter Award recognizes those who make significant contributions to the Simmental breed. Recipients of this distinguished award are selected based on major contributions to the promotion and advancement of SimGenetics and the American Simmental Association.

The Kansas State University (KSU) Department of Animal Science and Industry, which includes the Purebred Beef Teaching Unit, has been chosen as the recipient of the 2022 Lifetime Promoter Award. Since the Simmental breed first found its way to the US, the University has had a significant impact on its development and leadership.

Simmental has been an important part of the KSU program for decades.

KSU made an early effort to stay at the forefront of the beef industry, which led to its use of Simmental genetics early in the breed’s US history. A commitment to science and advancing the industry as a whole aligned well with ASA’s mission; the connection between the two entities has remained for decades thanks to many shared goals. The KSU beef herd started in the mid 1970s, and holds ASA member number 000701. Many leaders in the Simmental breed obtained their education through KSU, served as educators at the institution, and even held positions as KSU faculty and ASA board members simultaneously. Several KSU educators, retired and active, continue to promote the breed, assist in educational efforts, and breed Simmental cattle themselves. Today, SimGenetics is a significant part of the KSU beef herd, with bulls and females marketed through the annual Legacy Sale. This sale is unique to the nation because it is engineered entirely by students, giving them hands-on, practical experience in purebred cattle marketing. Each year, hundreds of students gain education, real-life experience, and knowledge on breeding, science, and technology through the Purebred Beef Teaching Unit. Since Simmental first landed at KSU, it has been a part of significant research and the advancement of management and genetic practices in the breed and industry. The University has also actively promoted the Simmental breed with a presence at shows throughout the nation. Several influential studs have come out of the KSU program, backed by the University’s longtime commitment to management and data collection. The KSU Department of Animal Science and Industry’s significant impact is evident in the number of influential leaders, members, breeders, educators, and students who have a connection to both the University and Simmental breed.

The KSU Purebred Beef Teaching Unit.

The Kansas State University (KSU) Department of Animal Science and Industry will be presented with the ASA Lifetime Promoter Award during their Cattleman’s Day on March 3, 2023.

Previous Award Recipients

2019 Ron Miller, Plattsmouth, Nebraska 2020 Carlos and Sister Guerra, La Muñeca Cattle Company, Linn, Texas 2021 Larry Martin, Clinton, Illinois 2021 Keith “Sundance” Ruff, Pleasant Hill, Illinois n