The Future of Beef Show

Embryo transfer and IVF have become powerful tools for accelerating genetic progress in cattle—but selecting the right embryos remains one of the biggest challenges in reproductive management. In this episode of The Future of Beef Show, Dr. Cara Wells joins hosts Jim Johnson, Dr. Jessica Sperber, and Ian Wheal to explore the science behind embryo selection and how new technologies are helping prod...

Canada and the U.S. are more intertwined in beef than most producers realize—and Ryder Lee is one of the people making sure that relationship works. In this episode of The Future of Beef Show, Ryder joins hosts Jim Johnson, Dr. Jessica Sperber, and Ian Wheal to explore how Canadian cattle production mirrors—and differs from—the U.S. industry. Drawing on decades of experience from a cow-calf upbrin...

Red Angus is gaining ground—and Greg Ruehle is helping lead the charge. In this episode of The Future of Beef Show, Greg joins hosts Jim Johnson, Dr. Jessica Sperber, and Ian Wheal to explore why the Red Angus breed is uniquely positioned at this critical moment in the beef industry. Drawing on his experience across breed associations, government affairs, and commercial beef production, Greg expla...

From virtual fences to real-time herd data, ranching is entering a new era—and Andrew Fraser is helping lead the shift. In this episode of The Future of Beef Show, Andrew joins Jim Johnson, Dr. Jessica Sperber, and Ian Wheal to explore how smart collar technology is transforming the way cattle are managed on pasture. As President of Halter Inc., Andrew shares how a simple idea—a collar for cows—ha...

From rumen science to global food systems, innovation in beef production is happening at every level—and Dr. Vaughn Holder is right at the center of it. In this episode of The Future of Beef Show, Vaughn joins Jim Johnson, Dr. Jessica Sperber, and Ian Wheal to explore how research, innovation, and systems thinking are shaping the future of beef. Drawing on his role leading global beef research at...

Sustainability has become one of the biggest conversations shaping the future of agriculture—and few people have a clearer global perspective than Justin Sherrard, our first guest from Australia. In this episode of The Future of Beef Show, Justin joins hosts Jim Johnson, Dr. Jessica Sperber, and Ian Wheal to explore how the beef industry fits into the broader sustainability conversation. Drawing o...

Record-high calf prices, tighter herds, and strong consumer demand—what’s next for U.S. beef? Patrick Linnell, Director of Market Research at CattleFax, breaks it all down. In this episode of The Future of Beef Show, Patrick joins Jim Johnson, Dr. Jessica Sperber, and Ian Wheal to explore the trends shaping the cattle market today and tomorrow. From herd rebuilding and carcass weights to internati...

Managing grass, cattle, and the land drives more of beef production than ever — and few people know it better than Dr. Jeff Goodwin. In this episode of The Future of Beef Show, Dr. Goodwin breaks down why grazing management sits at the center of modern cattle production. From regenerative grazing and soil carbon to linking cattle genetics with pasture quality, he shows how planning, adaptability,...

Breed associations have long played a foundational role in the beef industry—but their purpose, value, and responsibilities are rapidly evolving. Few people understand that transformation better than Brett Spader, President of the American-International Charolais Association. In this episode of The Future of Beef Show, Brett joins hosts Jim Johnson, Dr Jessica Sperber and Ian Wheal to discuss how...

Genetic progress is only as valuable as the profitability it creates, and few people understand that connection better than Marty Ropp, founder and executive officer of Allied Genetic Resources. In this episode of The Future of Beef Show, Marty joins hosts Ian Wheal, Jess King, and Jim Johnson to discuss how data, genomics, and collaboration are reshaping the business of beef genetics. From lesson...

13. Beef on Dairy with Lorna Marshall Beef-on-dairy is transforming how we think about efficiency, genetics, and profitability in cattle production—and few people have influenced that evolution more than Lorna Marshall, Vice President of Beef Genetics at Select Sires. In this episode of The Future of Beef Show, Lorna shares how she’s bridging the worlds of dairy precision and beef performance to d...

fd Ranching isn’t just about raising cattle—it’s about telling the story of where beef comes from and why it matters. Few do that better than Tucker Brown of R.A. Brown Ranch in Texas. In this episode of The Future of Beef Show , Tucker shares how he’s using humor, transparency, and digital storytelling to connect consumers with the people behind their food. As a sixth-generation rancher, he’s bri...

Markets don’t have to be a mystery. Dave Weaber breaks down the numbers—and how producers can use them to stay ahead of the game. In this episode of The Future of Beef Show, we sit down with beef industry analyst Dave Weaber, who brings decades of experience helping producers, packers, and retailers understand the economics that drive our business. Dave breaks down the market forces shaping cattle...

Welcome to the 10th episode of The Future of Beef Show: Feedyard Health with Dr. Dan Thomson. From the feedlot pen to the packer line, every decision made around cattle health ripples through performance, profitability, and public trust. In this foundational episode, Dr. Dan Thomson—a PhD nutritionist, DVM, and managing partner at PAC—joins Jim Johnson, Dr. Jessica Sperber, and Ian Wheal to map th...

Welcome to the 9th episode of The Future of Beef Show: Academic Innovation with Dr. Jessica Sperber. In a special turn of the mic, this episode spotlights one of our own—Dr. Jessica Sperber, PhD in feedlot nutrition and co-host of The Future of Beef Show. From Alberta cattle roots to packing plant data and feedlot research at the University of Nebraska, Jessica shares a refreshingly honest journey...

Welcome to the 8th episode of The Future of Beef Show: Connected Calf Health with Dr. Taylor Engle. What if the best way to raise healthier, better-performing calves didn’t start with treatments, but with trust—trust in your environment, your protocols, and your team? In this forward-looking conversation, we’re joined by Dr. Taylor Engle of Four Star Veterinary Services to explore how producers ca...

Welcome to the 7th episode of The Future of Beef Show: Ag Tech Innovation with Ian Wheal.   In this deeply personal and practical episode, we flip the mic to interview our own Ian Wheal—co-founder of Breedr and the tech visionary behind much of what makes this show tick. From his family’s sheep and beef operation in Australia to consulting on global ag supply chains, Ian shares a candid, plainspok...

Welcome to the sixth episode of The Future of Beef Show: Data-Driven Carcass Insights with Dr. Dale Woerner. In this episode, host Jim Johnson, alongside co-hosts Dr. Jessica Sperber and Ian Wheal, welcomes Dr. Dale Woerner—a leading meat science researcher at Texas Tech University—for a candid discussion on one of the most overlooked yet pivotal issues in the beef industry: carcass yield accuracy...

Welcome to the fifth episode of The Future of Beef Show: Succession with Alan Hojer. In this episode, host Jim Johnson, alongside co-hosts Dr. Jessica Sperber and Ian Wheal, sits down with Alan Hojer—succession expert and advocate for legacy ranching families—to explore one of the most emotional and vital topics in the beef industry: succession planning. Alan brings over a decade of hands-on exper...

Welcome to a special 3oz portion episode of The Future of Beef Show: Calving with Dr. Taylor Engle. In this special "3oz Portion" episode, host Jim Johnson is joined by co-hosts Dr. Jessica Sperber and Ian Wheal for a focused conversation with Dr. Taylor Engle, diving deep into best practices for calving season—from nutrition and data collection to health preparedness and genetic planning. Dr. Eng...

Welcome to the fourth episode of The Future of Beef Show: Genomics with Nick Jorgensen. In this episode, host Jim Johnson, alongside co-hosts Dr. Jessica Sperber and Ian Wheal, sits down with Nick Jorgensen, CEO and CFO of Jorgensen Land & Cattle, to explore how genomics and cutting-edge data tools are shaping the future of sustainable beef production. Nick shares how his family operation has...

Welcome to the third episode of The Future of Beef Show: Genetics with Troy Marshall. In this episode, host Jim Johnson, along with co-hosts Dr. Jessica Sperber and Ian Wheal, sit down with Troy Marshall, Director of Commercial Industry Relations at the American Angus Association to discuss how genetics can shape smarter breeding decisions and maximize profitability in the beef industry. As always...

Welcome to the second episode of The Future of Beef Show: Beating the Bell Curve with John Schroeder.  In this episode, host Jim Johnson, along with co-hosts Dr. Jessica Sperber and Ian Wheal, sit down with John Schroeder, General Manager of Darr Feedlot to discuss managing cattle individually to maximize performance and profitability.  As always you’ll find additional resources and tools at the f...

Welcome to the inaugural episode of The Future of Beef podcast! In this episode, host Jim Johnson, along with co-hosts Dr. Jessica Sperber and Ian Wheal, sits down with Lamar Steiger, owner of 808 Ranch and founder of Ranch to Retail, to explore how the beef industry is evolving through supply chain collaboration, data-driven management, and stronger producer partnerships. Lamar shares his experie...