Michael at Paradise Islands farm.

Michael is travelling with his father Peter and his wife Donna

Paradise Islands farm.

T Neg Stelly is the owner of Paradise Islands farm.

He also grows 500 acres of rice. 600 acres of crawfish.

20000 alligators for skin and meat.

Also runs 800 commercial cattle all F1 brahman Hereford. 160 registered Charolais cows.

His special hobby is his brahman show cows. He has 10 donor cows and has won The Champion cow twice 2019 and this year 2022

T Negs beautiful Southern style home and a photo of an American saddle made from Aligator.

Sire k bar c justice out of miss Stelly manseaux 5/7

This is Gypsy who was the cow show champion last year for Paradise Islands stud--

This Paradise Islands herd of cows are small in numbers but huge in quality

CT miss Stelly manseaux 5/7 out of JDH Mr Manso 840 and ms SS liberty 144

Houston Day 4

Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo

With Michael Trout

We caught up with the rest of the Aussie over hear at the show quick wrap on the day of Judging in the red and grey cattle.

The red cattle are more moderate in size from the last time I visited over 12 years ago.

Some very good breeders from Louisiana were very good.

The international bull CCC Mr Cletis 149/0 is very similar bull to what we like in Australia.

The other placings going to the Detering ranch.

The International champion grey bull was JDH Bull. A very thick bull.

The other placing going Heritage and Bulls Eye brahmans.

They must be listening to Australians as underlines have been tidied up and colour is a big deal here.

Grant Vassberg,Texas, Aussies Troy and Cam Trevor Brett Nobbs Michael, Donna, and Peter Trout.

Carlos is no doubt one of the most hospitable Texan in the brahman game.

As he will tell you don’t give a Mexican a microphone. He certainly took some time with us. He is very proud of the amount of semen he has sold to Australia.
He also told me that Polled Pathfinder has passed away. He is a bull that he owns half share with Ava Barker who bred the bull.

Dad with Carlos Grandkid. These two heifers are full sisters and they are third generation showing cattle

Neil Hudgins Bill Hudgins and Peter Trout

This is a young Hudgins bull that took my eye in video.

This interview is with Neil Hudgins who bred him.

He is by a bull called JDH Falvo who is a Woodson son.

He said Falvo is breeding the place down back on the ranch. Falvo semen is available and in Australia.

Our Grey Bull Champions have been crowned!

Grand Champion Grey Bull was exhibited by JD Hudgins- J Forgason Division and KI Cattle Company with JDH RAFIKI MANSO 893/7 ET ABBA NO 1004820!

Reserve Grand Champion Grey Bull was exhibited by Heritage Cattle Company with MR H STATESMAN MANSO 372/0 ABBA NO 1020612.

Houston, we have a Champion Red Bull
Grand Champion Red Bull was exhibited by Carriere Cattle Co- Christopher Carriere with CCC MR CLETUS 149/0 ABBA NO 1028925.

Reserve Grand Champion Red Bull was exhibited by Brownies Ranch with VL ROJO APACHE 89/9!

Glen Cox from Razorback Farms and Chris Shivers from Infinity Services.

DAY THREE HOUSTON

Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo

With Michael Trout

Attending Day Three of the Livestock Show

This is the line-up of the Grey Intermediate Champions for the four divisions. Really nice Heritage heifer in this line up.

Intermediate Red heifer line up

Rounding out our first round of division champions is this stellar duo! Reserve Calf Champion Grey Female was exhibited by Scott Cattle Services and Gracie Lambright with SCS MISS LISA MARIE 40/1 ABBA NO 1033940!

The Grey females have hit the green shavings! Calf Champion Grey Female was exhibited by Heritage Cattle Company with LADY H LISA MANSO 476/1 ABBA NO 1035266.

The Red Females are on fire at NRG Center! Reserve Calf Champion Red Female went to Phillip Cattle Company with PCC RAY OF HOPE 11/1 ABBA NO 1041622.

Interview with the great man Will Detering.

He has been showing Red Brahman cattle since 1980.

His genetics have been sold all over the world. Mainly to Latin America but also to Australia and Thailand.

I am interviewing him today with DB Big Boy who has won many championships this year.

Will was wishing everyone in Australia all the best and particularly those people in the flood areas.

Our first Division Champions of the 2022 International Brahman Show have been named! Calf Champion Red Female went to Moreno Ranches with MORENO MS LADY RICACHE ABBA NO 1032498!

This herb drink is from Paraguay.

The next World Congress is there this year in July. The boys drink this herb tea out of a cow horn. They are real cowboys.

The herb drink is called Tetere

THATS A WRAP DAY THREE

DAY TWO

Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo

With Michael Trout

Just attended the F1 sale at the Houston Livestock show.

Most of the pens of 5 cows and calves where Brahman bulls over Hereford cows.

The calves where by Angus sires. They sold for between $3600- $4200 per unit.

They take this program very seriously with some of these lots been IVF programs.

The lunch was sponsored by the Hudgins ranch.

PJ Budler the South African judge well known the the American cattle judging world. PJ also works as a International consultant from Trans Ova

Donna Trout, Peter Trout, Elizabeth England, Michael England, Brooke England, Benton England holding the Bull He is ECC Polled Maverick 302/9 By Bardia Ambassador
So the Aussie blood bull and the Aussies. Beautiful bull well balanced thick as and a very tidy underline

This is a special bull he is 8 months old. His name is ECC AX Polled War Chief 593/1

To see this bull calf in the flesh is pretty special.

Good pigment. Strong head with a great muzzle.

He is long and good across the back.

Good hump placement thick in the thirds and good in the twist. His feet and underline very correct.

Quiet and a complete package that Australians would like

Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo

With Michael Trout

Years in the planning but now reality. Visiting the largest livestock show in the World with my Dad.

We got here after some heavy traffic and a long walk.

Dad said now we need to have a beer first before we go look at the cattle.

Carl Lambert from The Brahman Journal entertaining the crowd. Nice rum and Tequila

Michael Joyce who fits cattle for the big brahman shows.

His Grandad John Joyce started fitting cattle in the 60 S and was famous throughout the 70-80’s.

His grandson Michael Joyce learnt the trade of feeding show cattle and expects to do well over the next few days.

The President of the Houston Livestock Show Ken Jacobson was so happy to meet my Dad. They talked politics and the State of the Nation in Australia --

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, also called Rodeo Houston or abbreviated HLSR, is the largest livestock exhibition and rodeo in the world.

It includes one of the richest regular-season professional rodeo events.

It has been held at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, since 2003, with the exception of 2021 due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was previously held in the Astrodome.[2] It is considered to be the city's "signature event", much like New Orleans's Mardi Gras, Dallas's Texas State Fair, San Diego's Comic-Con and New York City's New Year's Eve at Times Square.

Michael Talking to Vicky American Brahman Journal

Kallion Farms and Vassberg Ranch Texas

With Michael Trout

We picked out 6 heifers that have great brahman features that have been selected for over 6 generations for carcass qualities.

When you look at the pedigrees, they all went back to famous American bulls like Dakota Maddison Liberty Karu 189 287 777

Grant and Nicole Vassburg have continued the legacy set by Byron Vassburg. The big emphasis is not only on carcass but on docility. Most of the herd rate less than a 1 in docility with nothing rating over 1.5.

Note// What’s important is Kallion Farms produced over 3200 females and we chose 20 selected from that-

Walking through the cows with Grant Vassburg.

Who has the responsibility of balancing herd quality with carcass qualities and docility.

He is currently supplying bulls and Embryos to to Brangus breeders in the USA to many States that need to improve to meet US Choice and Prime.

Using Kallion genetics that are at the very high side of marbling is making it easier for producers right across Southern America to grade. When steers are processed it can be the difference of $150 US --

Grant Vassberg doesn’t let age impede his ability to lead the family seedstock operation.

A steady youth movement is largely what defines his entire approach at Kallion Farms – a 1,300-head operation in College Station, Texas.

The Vassberg family’s work at Kallion Farms goes back to 1996, when his father, Byron Vassberg, turned his attention from farming to building a Brahman seedstock ranch upon graduating from Texas A&M in 1987.

The farm operated under the Kallion Farms name along with the cattle operation that runs livestock on 5,000 acres.

Checking out the bulls with Grant

The 44 Farms Spring Bull Sale

Michael Trout For MDM in Cameron Texas

Michael is headed over to the Houston livestock show and reporting events back to MDM.

Michael is travelling with his father Peter and his wife Donna, first report he is at a Sale with Bob McLaren’s

Bob McClaren the owner of 44 Farms and the owner of Houston Astros baseball team. They won World Series in 2017 and made the finals last year. Very intrigued why us Australians there.

The largest Angus producer of seed stock in Texas.

They sold 650 bulls in 6 hours today. The have 1100 growers that produce steers to provide meat to 836 Walmart outlets as well as the major restaurants in this part of Texas. Had the privilege to meet Bob McClaren the owner of 44 Farms. What a great host he is meeting everyone. We could all learn from this man and his operation.

Michael is travelling with his father Peter and his wife Donna, at the Sale with Bob McLaren’s

In 1872, a young boy from Nolansville, Tennessee, S.W. McClaren (1869-1941), arrived with his parents in Milam County, Texas. “The family settled on the Little River in the Marlow Community where the rich lands of the river bottom appealed to the elder McClaren and his son who followed the long furrow of the years and later held many of its acres in his own name...,” as written in The Cameron Daily Herald on September 16, 1941.

S.W. McClaren became known as “one of the large planters in the bottom lands of the Little River” and a man that “knew his business well,” as reported in The Cameron Daily Herald. However, it was not until 1909 when he first emblazoned his cattle with the “44” brand that the story and tradition of 44 Farms® truly began.

Michael Trout For MDM in Cameron Texas