The 2024 Livestock Tour presented by the Western Livestock Journal took place from Sunday, May 19 through Saturday, May 25. What a week we had in Texas! This year’s Livestock Tour saw 120 attendees from 16 different states convene in Texas to traverse over 1,200 miles on three buses! The geographical diversity was fascinating, and we were able to visit ranches with a variety of management techniques, a broad range of goals, multiple different species of livestock and so many great conversations that will be impossible to capture in this column.
The hospitality in Texas was second to none. Each stop along the tour was very gracious with their time and rolled out the red carpet for our group. I want to give a huge thank you to all 14 of our tour stops. No question went unanswered, and we left each stop feeling like old friends. Mr. Jim Williams from the V8 Ranch in Hungerford, TX, said it best when he welcomed the group. Paraphrasing Mr. Williams, he said he could tell right away when the group got off the buses that these were good people, his kind of people, who were interested in cattle and the ranching lifestyle.
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Beyond the excellent stops during the week, the attendees of the tour deserve a lot of recognition as well. Spending a week with over 100 folks of similar interest results in life-long friendships being made. The group of attendees are all passionate about the ranching life. From multi-generational ranching families, to Saddle and Sirloin Club Portrait Gallery inductees, to livestock enthusiasts who do not own any livestock, the make-up of the groups is diverse yet focused.
Many of the attendees have been on multiple tours. A special shoutout goes to the Rose family in Washington who had three generations on this year’s tour! The Livestock Tour group often refers to themselves as a family and if you ever have been on a tour or get a chance to go on one in the future, you will see what I mean.
For those not familiar with the Livestock Tour, they began nearly 85 years ago when the Western Livestock Journal began touring ranches and looking at cattle that were for sale but not available at auction. Over the course of more than eight decades, the tour has transformed into what it is today. Sometimes referred to as “The University on Wheels,” we strive to provide an enjoyable and informative week touring ranches and agricultural facilities. Lodging, transportation, the majority of meals, refreshments and details are all taken care of by our team. You simply get to show up and let us handle the rest. Our goal is to provide a memorable, enjoyable week of camaraderie, education, hospitality and fun.
Where else do you have the opportunity to see Akaushi, Angus, Beefmaster, Brahman, Brangus, Ultrablack, Hereford and diverse commercial cattle, along with goat ranching, racing Quarter Horses, ranch horses, working cur dogs and much more? Only on the Livestock Tour! Beyond the working ranches, we also got to hear from leading professors at Texas A&M University and saw the latest technology being used at Integrated Breeders and STgenetics. The tour stops at 44 Farms and Mound Creek Ranch were extremely memorable for each one’s vision in their respective breeding programs and goals to impact the cattle herd through their genetic advancements. The diversification and generational legacy shared at Weinhiemer Ranch was extremely impactful to learn about. And seeing the value and opportunities created by Scarmardo Cattle Company through their order buying and cattle marketing business was eye-opening. I wish I could expand on all the tour stops, because there was valuable insight shared at each location.
A huge shoutout goes to Anna Miller, managing editor at WLJ, for all her efforts on social media. She provided daily updates through pictures and videos on Facebook and Instagram. You will also get a chance to read more about the tour and see some fun photos from the week in this issue. I would also be remiss if I didn’t give credit to my wife, Samantha, for taking care of all the details. She made sure that nothing was overlooked, and that the week went off without a hitch. Thank you to the Crow family for starting the legacy of the Livestock Tours. Special thanks to Pete Crow and Jerry York who had been organizing the tours up until 2023.
We hope that you can join us in 2025. We promise that you will meet people and see things only available to the Livestock Tours crowd and become a member of the “Tour Family.” If you’re interested in future tours, watch for more information in the Western Livestock Journal and feel free to reach out to myself or Samantha. — DEVIN MURNIN
