BREEDPLAN data key for M6 Cattle Co

SPOTLIGHT FROM TEXAS, USA BREEDPLAN DATA KEY FOR M6 CATTLE CO

Kevin and Jessica Moore are the sole owners and operators of M6 Cattle Co. LLC, and have been married for 29 years and have a 22 year old daughter, Emily, who recently graduated from university with a Bachelor of Science degree.

Alvarado, Texas USA

The Moore family has been in the cattle business for generations and the seed stock business since 1971. Kevin grew up on the inside of the business and partnered with his dad, Jack Moore, in his early adult life. As a boy and after graduation from Texas A&M University where he got a Bachelor of Science degree and National Champion livestock judging experience, Kevin has worked every job needed in order for the M6 Ranch to survive and thrive…cow/calf duties, beef delivers, herd health, cattle evaluations, DNA, registrations, data records, construction, feed programs, grass management, farming, AI and ET responsibilities, show cattle, genetics, marketing, customer service, accounting, etc. Jessica has been involved every step of the way, helping where needed and loving the agriculture life style. Jessica and Kevin besides their faith in Jesus Christ have depended on beef to meet their financial needs. There was a slogan painted on a wall at the “old” M6 Ranch sale pavilion that stated “When You Depend On Beef For Your Bottomline” M6 Ranch. Jessica and Kevin are living examples of their cattle business providing a wonderful way of life.

BREEDPLAN data - key for M6 Cattle Co

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The M6 Ranch is a smaller operation since the passing of Kevin’s parents, however, the M6 Ranch can still operate approximately 200 cows plus, replacement heifers, bull development and feeding slaughter cattle. The M6 Ranch started transitioning to fullblood Wagyu in 2014 from an internationally known Charolais program.

From 2001 to 2016 (15 years in a row), the M6 Ranch earned the highest averaging Annual Charolais production sale in the United States while marketing about 300 bulls a year. The catalyst for switching breeds from Charolais to Wagyu was the potential health benefits in Wagyu beef. Jessica was extremely sick in 2013! She needed a double lung transplant to stay alive. She tried a variety of different diets in order to have an edge in survival. Jessica stopped eating ”choice” beef fattened the traditional American way. Kevin did not enjoy the grass-fed beef and started bringing home Wagyu beef while pointing out the health benefits.

Both Jessica and Kevin were happy with their new found beef and M6 Ranch started its Wagyu breeding adventure. The days of “more pounds of choice beef in fewer days and less feed” were over. The Moore’s sold their famous Charolais herd. The new pursuit for Kevin and Jessica/M6 Ranch was producing the “best tasting and healthiest beef in the world”.

Our goal is to breed the best of the best and without a comprehensive measuring stick to separate young cattle was near impossible. Cow/calf artisans with production agriculture values ingrained can separate cattle based on efficiency, production traits and cow-man common sense but we needed genetic tools based on science and less opinions to make these cattle better.

Kevin and Jessica’s Wagyu beginnings were not without extreme frustration. Kevin says “Our goal is to breed the best of the best and without a comprehensive measuring stick to separate young cattle was near impossible. Cow/calf artisans with production agriculture values ingrained can separate cattle based on efficiency, production traits and cow-man common sense but we needed genetic tools based on science and less opinions to make these cattle better”.

Ultrasound work

It might not be the American thing to do but we have to do it. It will either break us or make us but we are going to DNA test every animal in the Australian Wagyu Association in order to get Genomic enhanced EBVs. We have to embrace the most accurate science available in order to make better and more profitable decisions.

It did not take long for the Moore’s to find the Australia Wagyu Association data base with tens of thousands of records backing up their science. An added benefit is the foundation genetics used in Australia and American are the same which creates genetic evaluation linkage. At the time Australian EBVs and now Genomic enhanced EBVs were not conventionally accepted by American Wagyu breeders but the Moore’s could not ignore this tool of EBVs to try and breed better cattle.

Kevin explained “It might not be the American thing to do but we have to do it. It will either break us or make us but we are going to DNA test every animal in the Australian Wagyu Association in order to get Genomic enhanced EBVs. We have to embrace the most accurate science available in order to make better and more profitable decisions”. No doubt the Moore’s had been researching the data for the better individuals and more profitable cow-families in addition to putting selection pressure on their herd for years prior to their 100% commitment to EBVs because the M6 Ranch produces genetics that rank at the top of the breed in BREEDPLAN. The Moore’s are grateful and thankful that the more progressive Wagyu breeders in America have recently embraced Genomic enhanced EBVs from BREEDPLAN.

Kevin and Jessica Moore sole owners and operators of M6 Cattle Co. LLC with daughter, Emily, <<< from page 51

Kevin says “EBVs have been good to make the M6 Ranch cattle better and good for the breed”. The M6 Ranch had it’s first Wagyu production sale in 2017 and it’s first sale with Genomic enhanced EBVs in 2021. The M6 Ranch 2021 sale set a record as the highest grossing sale in American Wagyu history ($2.7 million and averaged over $12,000 per head). The high sellers had top 1% genetics based on BREEDPLAN EBVs. Now Jessica and Kevin are preparing for the 2022 M6 Ranch Bull Sale on April 9th, including 80 fullblood Wagyu bulls and featuring the current #1 Wagyu Breeder Index bull in ALL of BREEDPLAN and the #1 Self Replacement Index bull in North America. In fact, 5 of the top 10 Self Replacement Index bulls in North America will be offered at the 2022 M6 Ranch Bull Sale on April 9th. Kevin is very excited about, M6 RANCH ITOSHIGENAMI R073H. Kevin says “073H has top 1% genetics for 6 traits in addition to every $Profit Index. He is also FREE of all recessive genetic conditions. This bull makes Multiple Trait Selection look easy”. Kevin says “At M6, we are using our years of experience in our goal to make Wagyu cattle even better, in our pastures and on the plate. What has worked for us is stacking pedigrees with Trait Leading sire through our extensive E.T. and A.I. program. We measure everything on the hoof, in the lab and on the rail in order to identify elite individual genetic differences. Australian Wagyu Association Single-Step EBVs are a huge source of information for cattle evaluations. After we have identified curve bender, elite individuals, we mass produce the good ones. Mating cattle for progress is our passion so that each calf crop is better than the previous one. Our aim is to supply our customers with a consistently excellent product. Whether you are buying Beef, Breeding Bulls or Females or Frozen Genetics, M6 is providing dependable quality! At M6, we have embraced the ultimate challenge in breeding Wagyu cattle. We are selecting for more carcass quality, more performance, more phenotypic eye-appeal while keeping heifersafe calving ease. The M6 Ranch is home to top 1% Wagyu genetics and Jessica and I plan to provide the industry with more top 1% Wagyu genetics in the years ahead.”