A Building Block of Illinois Beef

Meet the 2021 IBA Seedstock Producer of the Year, Lorenzen Farms of Chrisman, Ill.

by Jaclyn Krymowski

Who says a herd can’t have it all? The registered Polled Herefords and Angus at Lorenzen Farms certainly do, having consistently bred and sold animals going on to be decorated show winners and powerful commercial assets.

And the 200-head of cattle aren’t even the farm’s only claim to fame. The outfit also includes a grain operation spanning several thousand acres as well as a Yorkshire hog breeding program.

The Lorenzen family has certainly made a name for themselves throughout Illinois and going far beyond state lines with an illustrious national level showring career beginning over 30 years ago. For their progressive breeding approach and commendable tenacity, their farm has earned the title of 2021 IBA Seedstock Producer of the Year.

“Being recognized as Seedstock Producer by IBA is special because it represents all breeds of cattle plus the commercial producers,” says Steve Lorenzen, the farm’s second-generation owner. “We have a lot of hardworking people involved in Lorenzen Farms, and it was great to see their efforts recognized. I can’t thank IBA enough.”

Crafting a Reputable Herd

The Lorenzen legacy first began as Lorenzen Brothers in the late 1940s, co-founded by Steve’s father, John T. Lorenzen, and uncle, Dave Lorenzen, with their small herd of registered Herefords. As the operation grew over the years – now encompassing multiple generations and families – it

became the partnership that is now Lorenzen Farms. In all, six families are involved with the entire operation, including Steve and his wife, Vicki, and their children.

Steve recalls his family dropping their Hereford membership as the association split between Horned and Polled. This resulted in them temporarily moving to be a commercial-only herd. But not long thereafter, in 1966, he received his very first Polled Hereford heifer purchased from Richard Ellis of Chrisman.

A second heifer was purchased the following year from a man named Robert Kincaid at the Indiana Club Calf Sale. She would go on to take Champion Polled Heifer and Reserve Grand Champion Over All laurels at the local 4-H show in 1967, Steve’s induction to the show world.

“Phil Ellis (son of Richard Ellis) asked if I’d like to help them at the state fairs that summer,” Steve recalls, “and I was hooked.”

As the herd grew, the Lorenzens added Angus cattle in 1974 and the rest is, as they say, history. While they’ve moved far beyond their county fair days, Steve looks back on them fondly and appreciates their role in the herd’s early development.

In 1977, the farm had their very first state champion with a Reserve Junior Champion Bull at the Indiana State Fair. They continued to turn heads in their home state with a Land of Lincoln Grand Champion Female.

“Illinois is noted for some of the best Hereford cattle in the world,” Steve observes. “If you have success at our state shows, you’ll be competitive on a national level.”

And that they certainly have been with multiple national champion bulls and females to their farm’s name.

Competing on their level requires the success of a team that Steve oversees. Adam Harms has been the farm’s herdsman since 2012 and is closely involved with their genetic decisions. Their breeding incorporates a blend of A.I. breeding, live cover as well as embryo transfer work.

A big part of the success he’s been a part of, Adam says, is largely due to Steve’s cattle experience and expertise.

“Steve has been in the business a long time,” says Adam. “He’s seen a lot of different trends, but he’s also just stayed true. We make cows first and if they show, that’s just a bonus.”

“We strive to breed cattle,” says Steve, “that are sound, good uddered, easy fleshing, and have the confirmation that I and Adam can stand to look at – in that order.”

Apparently, their strategy is working as attested to by their customers and showring wins. In fact, a good portion of their marketing is done via word of mouth and notable accomplishments along the tanbark trail.

“We promote our farm through the success of our livestock,” Steve says, “If our seedstock (animals) perform for others as they expect, we’ll be successful.”

Quality cows are what he says they always breed for first and foremost, according to their knowledge of the industry and experience of what works best.

“One big thing is udder quality, good feet and legs and really structurally sound cows,” continues Adam, “that can go and work for almost anybody.”

He adds that they also patronize organizations in the beef

world through paid advertisements. Their farm has appeared on the pages of Hereford World, Angus Journal, here in Illinois Beef as well as various other publications.

Showring Laurels

Lorenzen cattle have trekked across the state and nation over the years, and they have the winner’s hardware to prove it. Most notable to Steve are the several national champions which were shown and bred by his family.

For example, his brother was a two-time Bred and Owned Champion at the Junior National; his daughter was a twotime Owned Championship winner and his son showed the 1998 Reserve National Junior Champion Heifer.

Additionally, their farm was a part-owner in two National Champion bulls – and that’s not even counting numerous National Champion hogs.

From 1985 to 2020, the farm has calculated 635 leads at both state and national shows. They report having cattle who have won 218 classes, standing second 158 times and third 100 times.

They estimate that equates to their cattle placing in the top three of classes 67% of the time. Not to mention, they’ve amassed 180 division title wins with 85 grand or reserve titles.

Getting out of the state to the big name shows including the National Western Stock Show and the Oklahoma City Cattlemen’s Congress is an important part of what they do, Adam notes, as most of their bull buyers will be from out of state and congregating in those settings.

Having worked alongside the Lorenzens for years, Adam can personally attest to the tried-and-true nature of their breeding strategies with a technique that can only come from years of experience. Now a sought-after name for premier Polled Hereford and Angus genetics, the Lorenzens market their cattle with a variety of different outlets ranging from direct order buyers to local stockyards.

Building Blocks of Illinois Beef

Despite all his success, Steve is still sure to credit his initial involvement in the Illinois beef industry as being due to other up-and-coming breeders. As such, he and Vicki have been sure to give back to that community and dedicated over thirty years of their lives to being 4-H volunteers.

“We’ve had numerous young men and women due to internships on the farm and help with the show cattle,” he says. “I really enjoy watching them succeed with their own operations.”

And their dedication to the wider agriculture and beef communities has not gone unnoticed.

For all the time he has worked with the Lorenzens, Adam says that his wife, Rachel, and their sons Chism and Colt feel just like part of the rest of the family.

“You’re not going to find anybody that does not like or respect Steve Lorenzen,” says Adam. “He’s good to his word… you know you can stand behind whatever he’s going to say. And that’s what I think makes him stand out.”