DENVER –The Grid Master Award, an honor bestowed by the Red Angus Association of America, is earned by operations that have successfully combined superior Red Angus genetics, skillful feeding and well-planned marketing to achieve success in the production of superior beef carcasses.

“This year, Red Angus producers once again raised the bar by marketing cattle that achieved highest percentage of premium product in the history of the Grid Master Award program. Our hats are off to the producers that earned honors on more than 30 loads of cattle – this year’s winners averaged 96.5% Choice and above. Commerical Red Angus producers continue to push the envelope of excellence,” said Nolan Woodruff, RAAA commercial marketing specialist.

To be named a Grid Master, Red Angus or Red Angus-influenced cattle entries must be enrolled in RAAA’s Feeder Calf Certification Program or the Allied Access tag program, and must achieve a minimum level of carcass excellence. The program is open to both conventionally and naturally fed cattle.

Conventionally fed Red Angus cattle must be marketed in lots of at least 30 head, reach a minimum of 85%  Choice and Prime and have a maximum of 5% Yield Grade 4s.

Naturally fed Red Angus cattle must also be marketed in lots of at least 30 head, achieve 90% Choice and Prime or better, with a maximum of 10% Yield Grade 4s.

This year, 33 Red Angus cattle operations from around the country earned Grid Master awards. Honorees include the following:

Conventionally Fed Division

• Ammann Red Angus, Wilmot, South Dakota, fed at Vandiver Farms Feedyard, Camden, Missouri.
• Anderson Land & Cattle, Oberlin, Kansas, earned Grid Master honors on three loads, home fed.
• Circle Pi Ranch – Troy Olson, May, Idaho, fed at Darr Feedlot, Inc., Cozad, Nebraska.
• Cross Diamond Cattle Company, Bertrand, Nebraska, fed by ADM Animal Nutrition, Quincy, Illinois.
• Hueftle Cattle Co, Cozad, Nebraska, earned Grid Master honors on eight loads, home fed.
• Lorenzen Ranches, Bend, Oregon, home fed.
• Meyer Family Farms, Brunswick, Missouri, earned Grid Master honors on two loads, fed at Kinsley Feeders, Kinsley, Kansas.
• Pelton Red Angus, Burdett, Kansas, fed at Anderson Land & Cattle, Oberlin, Kansas.
• Phillips Ranch, Selden, Kansas, earned Grid Master honors on three loads, fed by Stephen Farms, Inc., Menlo, Kansas.
• Prairie Dog Creek Cattle, Dresden, Kansas, earned Grid Master honors on two loads, home fed.
• Shaw Ranch, Joes, Colorado, earned Grid Master honors on two loads, fed by Chappell Feedyard, Chappell, Nebraska.
• Steven Meyer, Brunswick, Missouri, fed at Kinsley Feeders, Kinsley, Kansas.

Naturally Fed Division

• Meyer Company Ranch, Helmville, Montana, fed by Beef City Feeders, McClave, Colorado.
• Skinner Ranch, Jordan Valley, Oregon, fed by N.A. Timmermann, Inc., Sterling, Colorado.
• Otley Brothers, Inc., Diamond, Oregon, fed by Beef Northwest Feeders, Boardman, Oregon.
• DeLong Ranches, Inc., Winnemucca, Nevada, fed by Five Rivers Cattle Feeding – Kuner Yard, Kersey, Colorado.
• Spreutels Farms Red Angus, Koshkonong, Missouri, earned Grid Master honors on two loads, home fed.
• Christensen Brothers, Inc., Weldona, Colorado, home fed.

For those who would like additional information on the Grid Master Award program, or to learn more about the Red Angus-specific marketing grids and the FCCP program, please contact Nolan Woodruff at nolan@redangus.org or call (805) 861-0996.

The Red Angus Association of America serves the beef industry by enhancing and promoting the measurable advantages of Red Angus and Red Angus-influenced cattle. The RAAA provides commercial producers with objectively described cattle by implementing new technologies and utilizing scientifically sound principles that quantify traits of economic importance to beef producers in all segments of the beef industry. For more information, visit www.RedAngus.org.

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