Western Livestock Journal is pleased to welcome Kevin Murnin of Worden, MT, to its team of field staff. Kevin brings with him a strong background in livestock and a passion for serving the industry. He began his role on June 23 and will represent WLJ readers and advertisers across Montana, northern Wyoming, North Dakota and Minnesota.
“I have always had a deep respect for WLJ and the representatives that have been out in the field,” Kevin told WLJ. “I am excited to get to work with the staff and producers, and I believe I can bring a new perspective to the team as I’ve had the opportunity to work on different ends of the industry, including on the international scale.”
Kevin previously served as the mountain region field representative for the American Hereford Association (AHA), where he assisted breeders with marketing and genetic selection and attended Hereford sales and events. Prior to his time at AHA, Kevin worked as a beef genomics territory manager for Neogen and as a field auditor with IMI Global.
“Coming from a family that has developed fieldmen and livestock marketers, Kevin has built a wonderful reputation for himself, and we are thrilled for him to join our staff of excellent fieldmen,” said Logan Ipsen, WLJ president. “He has always been a standout of his generation and carries a wide array of quality assets. We couldn’t be more excited for him to join our team as we continue to look to the future and building WLJ’s commitment to its readership and advertisers.”
Kevin will be assuming the role of field representative previously held by his brother, Devin Murnin, a responsibility Kevin describes as an honor.
“It is a very neat opportunity to fill in my brother’s position, especially with how successful and great of a job he did,” Kevin said. “He is a true professional. I have learned so much from having him next to me ringside and watching how he conducted business. It’s a big honor to get to fill some big shoes.”
Devin praised Kevin’s experience and work ethic. “Kevin is a rising star in the livestock marketing industry,” Devin said. “His experience and passion for the industry will be a huge asset to the WLJ team. If you have not met him yet, I encourage you to find him at an upcoming sale and do so.”
Where it all began
Kevin grew up in eastern Montana on his family’s commercial cow-calf operation in Miles City, where his passion for the livestock industry first took root. After graduating high school, he headed south to Wyoming to livestock judge at Casper College.
He then continued farther south to Lubbock, TX, proudly donning the Red Raiders hat as a member of Texas Tech University’s competitive livestock judging and meat animal evaluation teams while he earned his animal science degree.
Following college, Kevin worked for a purebred Angus operation in Burlington, CO, before taking a job with IMI Global in Montana. “That was a great opportunity that really opened my eyes to the industry,” Kevin said. Through his role at IMI Global, Kevin audited about 190 commercial cow-calf operations and feedlots each year, exposing him to a broad range of livestock operations.
With that foundation, Kevin took on a new opportunity with Neogen, where he worked with cattle producers to develop genomic plans. This led him into his most recent role with AHA, where Kevin covered four northern mountain states and three Canadian provinces as a field rep, assisting Hereford breeders in marketing their cattle.
Working as a field rep has been a career Kevin has had his eye on from an early age. With three older brothers who have been very involved in the industry and served as mentors over the years, “I’ve had a chance to learn from what they’ve done and I’ve been very fortunate,” he said.
While it might run in the family, Kevin has carved out his own path in the industry. When it comes to marketing cattle, he has a genuine appreciation for the auction business and is always looking for ways to elevate how cattle are promoted.
“Growing up, we had a sale barn in town, and every chance I got as a little kid, I tagged along to go sit and watch sales,” Kevin said. “Something about an auction has always been a big love of mine. The whole atmosphere and excitement is something I’ve loved since I was a kid.”
Over the course of his five years at AHA, Kevin saw firsthand how cattle marketing efforts expanded. “Seeing the number of bulls marketed in my territory grow year after year—along with the increasing demand for Hereford cattle—was really exciting,” he said.
Kevin is well-equipped to serve the publication industry after his time with AHA and his work on the Hereford World publication. “It really opened my eyes to how many people truly sit down and read a publication when it shows up on their doorstep,” he said. “Every month, when that publication hit, my phone would ring about something in there.”
Although he will be stepping into a new role with WLJ serving cattle producers of all breeds, Kevin looks forward to getting to know producers and their cow herds. “I enjoy getting out on the road and seeing these guys when it’s not the fast pace of sale day, just to really learn what their programs are to understand that message we need to get across to their customers,” he said. This field-based perspective has given Kevin clear insight on current industry trends and opportunities. “What I see happening is there is getting to be more of a stretch in premiums on quality cattle,” he explained. “There can be as much as a $100 difference in calves, and it’s all in the quality—the genetics behind them and how they’re being managed. There’s an opportunity for producers to put more capital in their pocket by capitalizing on the genetics they have and getting their calves marketed correctly.”
Kevin’s dedication to working with cattle producers and their marketing programs comes from his own upbringing in the industry. When he’s not on the road working with producers, you’ll likely find him working on his parents’, brothers’ or in-laws’ cattle operations.
Kevin joked that he might try picking up a hobby that doesn’t involve cattle sales or ranch work—though with his wife, Mackenzie, expecting their first child later this year, and their plans to start a herd of their own, that might be wishful thinking. For now, cheering on Texas Tech athletics programs strikes the balance. — Anna Miller Fortozo, WLJ managing editor
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