LIMOUSIN TODAY LimToday_AugSept19_WEB | Page 18

Beef Improvement Federation Hager Cattle Company: Seedstock Producer of the Year Finalist Hager Cattle Company was a finalist for Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) Seedstock Producer of the year. This national award is presented annually to a producer to recognize their dedication to improving the beef industry at the seedstock level. Hager Cattle Company, Karlsruhe, North Dakota, was one of three finalists for this prestigious award. Hager Cattle Company (HCC) is a fourth-generation farming and ranching operation. Their crops and cattle, both registered and commercial, pay the bills for the Hager family. Austin and Leah Hager know what it is like to make a living and raise children in production agriculture. HCC runs more than 750 cows with half of the cattle producing registered seedstock and the remainder commercial cattle. They also background feeder cattle at the home ranch and sell approximately 400 feeder cattle on an annual basis. The North Dakota winters are long and hard, which mean the cattle on this operation have to be built tough to thrive in the environment. HCC has worked diligently to breed more rib shape, capacity and fleshing ability into their Limousin cattle. At the same time, they work hard to increase performance levels, while holding birth weights modest and keeping maternal traits high. Hager Cattle Company heavily utilizes genomic testing and is a strong supporter of single-step EPD utilization with the switch to the IGS BOLT National Cattle Evaluations. Austin and Leah Hager are pictured at the Beef Improvement Federation, where they were a finalist for Seedstock Producer of the Year award. 16 | AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2019 HCC will host its 14th annual bull sale in 2020, selling approximately 110 head of Limousin and Lim-Flex bulls to commercial customers