Raised in western Nebraska, Samantha Cunningham grew up with cattle in her blood. As a fourth-generation rancher, Samantha spent her youth working alongside her family, helping with the family’s ranch.
“The focus was always on the cows,” Samantha told WLJ. “We were very involved in the Gelbvieh breed and the Gelbvieh association. I grew up showing cattle, selling bulls and helping host sales on our ranch. We are still very involved in the cattle business, while no longer a registered operation, we do still run commercial cows.”
The lessons learned in the show ring and beside her parents during sale prep now define her role as a teacher, mentor and leader in the beef industry.
“I was fortunate to grow up showing cattle across the country and to work through the ranks of 4-H and the junior Gelbvieh association,” Samantha said. “Between showing and livestock judging, those two things really springboarded me to where I am today.”
Journey through judging, education
Samantha’s introduction to livestock judging came through 4-H, where she competed on county and state teams and discovered an eye for livestock evaluation. That skill would follow her throughout her schooling and career.
“I met my junior college judging coach in Texas between my junior and senior years of high school,” she recalled. “I think I made up my mind right then that’s where I wanted to go.”
After high school, she headed south to Clarendon College in Texas, where she spent two years judging livestock before transferring to Texas Tech University to major in animal business and continue competing. She originally planned to study agricultural communications—dreaming of writing for a livestock publication and designing breed association catalogs—but her advisors saw something different in her.
“My advisors told me, ‘You’re going to major in animal science,’” Samantha said. “They promised if I didn’t like it after one semester, I could switch back. But I loved it. I loved my reproduction, genetics and breeding classes. I realized I liked studying livestock and figuring out how to make them better.”
When her animal breeding and beef systems professor left for Texas A&M University, Samantha followed, earning both a master’s in animal breeding and a Ph.D. in animal science with an emphasis in beef systems.
After completing her doctorate, Samantha took a job at R.A. Brown Ranch in Throckmorton, TX. “It was the culmination of everything I’d learned,” she said. “I managed data and registrations for their bull program, worked with cooperators, even handled horse registrations. They were selling about 1,000 bulls a year, and it was an incredible experience.”
From the ranch to the classroom
A few years later, an unexpected opportunity pulled her north to Western Illinois University, where she taught animal science, managed an on-campus bull test and worked with a commercial Angus herd.
“I loved it,” she said. “I coordinated the bull test, worked with students every day and got involved with the Illinois Beef Association.”
After four years in Illinois, an opening at Colorado State University was forwarded to her by a dear friend and Samantha said “it felt like it was time to go home.”
Samantha joined Colorado State University’s (CSU) Department of Animal Sciences in 2016, teaching introductory animal science and livestock practicum courses before taking the reins of the Seedstock Merchandising and Management Program—a nationally recognized, student-run operation that combines classroom learning with hands-on cattle management.
“The seedstock program started back in 1976 with Dr. Bob Taylor and a small group of students selling their first bulls,” she said. “Next spring, we’ll host our 49th annual CSU Bull and Female Sale, driven largely by the students.”
Students in the program work with the university’s Angus and Hereford herds, collecting data, evaluating pedigrees and preparing cattle for sale. Her students handle everything from genetic selection to advertising, budgeting and sale-day operations.
“They put on the boots of a purebred producer without realizing it,” she said. “By the time they’ve been through a couple of classes, they have this spark—this pride of ownership—that’s contagious.”
Her students learn to balance traits for performance, maternal ability and profitability while understanding the role of measurement in making genetic progress. That philosophy—grounded in science and practicality—drives both her teaching and her involvement with CSU’s herds.
“We need cows that get pregnant every year, raise a calf every year, and do it efficiently,” she said. “Not every bull needs to be a bull. Some end up in the feedyard, and that’s OK. It reminds us to focus on balance and to stay connected to the entire beef chain.”
Beyond the classroom
The CSU program gives students a front-row seat to the business side of beef. Each February, they host the bull sale north of Fort Collins, where Samantha coordinates the moving parts but lets her students take the lead.
“They’re in the pens with customers, talking cattle, answering questions,” she said. “It’s a phenomenal experience to watch.”
Her students also travel to sales and shows across the region, including the National Western Stock Show in Denver, where CSU exhibits a pen of Herefords.
“It takes a small army to get cattle ready, but it builds community,” Samantha said. “They learn teamwork, responsibility and the value of hard work.”
Her teams are small—usually between four and nine members—but the bonds last long after graduation. Alumni return to help with sales and shows, mentor new students and even share career advice. Recent former students have gone on to industry careers with breed associations, Trans Ova, Merck, Farm Credit, USDA’s Farm Service Agency and graduate research programs. Alumni from the past 48 years have gone on to build their own operations or manage ranches, work with agencies and publications, and attend graduate school or professional school and beyond.
“They’re succeeding because they leave here not just with technical knowledge, but with communication, leadership, and problem-solving skills,” she said. “Those are things you can’t always teach from a book.”
Samantha often jokes that her patience was “hard-won.” Growing up showing cattle, she was known for her drive.
“People who knew me then can’t believe I have this kind of patience,” she said with a laugh. “But it’s worth it when you see things click for a student.”
Her approach mirrors the long game of genetics: consistent progress rooted in faith and perseverance. “Some days are tough, but I remind myself—we can’t let the hard days win,” Samantha said. “These students are learning grit, adaptability, and accountability, even when they don’t realize it.”
Samantha is humble about her role in CSU’s seedstock legacy, following in the footsteps of industry giants. “It can be intimidating to think about the names who came before me,” she said. “So, I just remind myself: I need to be Sam today. Focus on the students, the cattle and the work in front of me.”
But her students—and the industry—know she’s building a legacy of her own. “I’ve had incredible mentors,” she said. “Some are still here, and some are gone. I just hope I can be half as much to my students as they were to me.” — Charles Wallace, WLJ contributing editor
