American Angus Association recognizes top sires
For over 150 years, the popularity of Angus cattle has grown, making over 80 percent of America’s cow herd influenced by Angus genetics.
Influential sires have made their mark, and during the 2024 American Angus Association Awards Dinner and Reception on Nov. 3 in Fort Worth, Texas, the association recognized the sire registering the most progeny.
Recognizing these sires highlights breeders dedicated to providing top-quality Angus bulls.
“Our members enjoy wide diversity in genetics to achieve whatever their breeding goals are,” said Mark McCully, American Angus Association chief executive officer. “We’re thankful for these cattlemen committed to breed improvement.”
Top sire of 2024
Connealy Craftsman, owned by Select Sires, Inc. of Plain City, Ohio and Sexing Technologies of Navasota, Texas, sired 4,014 calves registered into the Angus herd book, the most in Fiscal Year 2024.
“We were interested in this bull for a variety of reasons, but it was phenotype that set him apart for us. His Maternal Weaned Calf Value Index and foot scores were excellent, and his pedigree was something different for us,” Brian House of Select Sires, Inc. said. “When our team set their eyes on him, they very quickly selected him as the ‘special bull’ in the sale.”
Top 10 sires
Recorded from Oct. 1 through Sept. 30, nine other bulls were honored as the top 10 sires of 2024.
The bull with the second highest amount of registered progeny in 2024 is GB Fireball 672, owned by ABS Global, Inc. of DeForest, Wis.; Goode Angus of Pampa, Texas and Grand Bayou Farms of Ruston, La., with 3,500 calves.
In third is Deer Valley Farm’s Deer Valley Growth Fund of Fayetteville, Tenn. with 3,368 calves, followed in fourth by Sitz Resilient 10208, owned by Bar JV Angus Ranch of Fairview, Mont.; Dan Ingalls of Casper and Lunds B Bar Angus of Wibaux, Mont., with 3,332 calves.
In fifth is Tehama Tahoe B767, a bull owned by Midwest Genetics of Long Island, Kan.; Tehama Angus Ranch of Gerber, Calif. and VanDerVeen Farms of Phillipsburg, Kan., with 2,411 calves.
The sixth-place slot is held by LAR Man in Black, owned by ABS Global, Inc. and Larson Angus Ranch of Sharon Springs, Kan., with 2,292 calves, closely followed by DB Iconic G95’s 2,273 calves. This bull is owned by the Douglas Booth Family of Torrington and Genex Cooperative of Shawano, Wis.
Recording a total 2,165 calves, Sitz Stellar 726D, owned by ABS Global, Inc. and Sitz Angus Farm of Dillon, Mont. landed eighth in the lineup, while Danny Poss of Scotia, Neb. and Sexing Technologies’ Poss Rawhide was ninth with 2,090 calves.
Rounding out the top 10 sires was GAR Home Town, owned by Gardiner Angus Ranch, Inc. of Ashland, Kan., with 2,068 calves.
Amber Wahlgren is a communications assistant for the American Angus Association. This article was originally published by the association on Nov. 12.
