The Angus Table Podcast Por Scott Wright CEO Angus Australia arte de portada

The Angus Table

The Angus Table

De: Scott Wright CEO Angus Australia
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 Welcome to the new look Angus Australia podcast. This season we'll be bringing you conversations designed to add real value to your business. As members of Angus Australia, you'll hear from the people across the breed and the wider beef industry sharing insights, stories, and ideas that really matter.Copyright © 2025, Angus Australia, All rights reserved.
Episodios
  • Building Beef Demand and the CAB Success Story, with Mark McCully from American Angus

    Building Beef Demand and the CAB Success Story, with Mark McCully from American Angus
    Mar 9 2026
    In this episode of The Angus Table, host Scott Wright sits down with Mark McCully, CEO of the American Angus Association, for a comprehensive conversation about leading one of the world's largest breed organisations. Mark shares insights from managing 22,000 members across five wholly-owned subsidiaries (Association, Certified Angus Beef, Angus Media, Angus Genetics Inc, Foundation), the remarkable success of CAB brand with 27% of US fed cattle qualifying and $50+ premiums per head, the historic shift from 50% select grading to more prime than select today, developing functional longevity and udder EPDs, navigating methane research controversy with transparency, and the power of servant leadership. They discuss some of the similarities and differences between US and Australian industries, the evolution from "where's my premium" to value-based marketing dominance, beef-on-dairy integration, and why keeping independent breeders independent through strong associations matters globally. So pull up a chair at the Angus Table for insights from one of the breed's most accomplished international leaders.Key topics covered:How the American Angus Association evolved from 1883 herd registry to five wholly-owned subsidiaries with 300 staffThe scale of CAB brand: 27% of US fed cattle qualify today, creating $50+ premium per head at packing plantWhy CAB gave producers a target aligned with consumer value rather than producer value perspectivesThe historic shift from 50% select grading (when Mark started) to more prime than select produced todayHow value-based marketing evolution transformed premium signal flow to producersThe development of functional longevity EBV and teat/udder suspension EBVs incorporated into maternal weaning valueThe importance of phenotypic data as genomics foundation "only as good as phenotypic data breeders turn in"How non-traditional data (health traits, BRD, congestive heart failure, fatty acids) requires downstream collaborationWhy beef-on-dairy integration (60% of 9.4M dairy cows bred to Angus) accelerates data capture in integrated systemsThe challenge of staying innovative as breed associations when private companies characterise economically important traitsHow World Angus Evaluation provides a common currency for breeders globally and helps prevent gene pool narrowingWhy strong member-owned associations hedge against integrated systems taking genetic decisions from independent breedersThe methane research controversy: objectives around efficiency in cows on grass, navigating funding source concerns, factual information challenges in social media eraThe importance of servant leadership principles shaped by "The Servant" by James HunterWhy focusing on consumer eating satisfaction rather than cattle producer value perspectives drives sustainable demandPull quotes:"We're comprised of about 22,000 members, register over 300,000 animals annually. We operate with four wholly-owned subsidiaries: Certified Angus Beef, Angus Media, Angus Genetics Inc, and our Foundation. About 300 staff combined, over half work on CAB. That program has been a growth vehicle for the breed." "Today a certified Angus beef carcass is worth $50 more at the packing plant than event its Angus counterpart that doesn't meet specifications. When it gets into Prime, premiums around $200. About 80% of fed cattle are sold on formula or grid-based systems now. Value-based marketing dollars are getting passed along.""When I started at CAB, the question was always 'where's my premium?'... Today 27% of US fed cattle qualify for certified Angus beef—up from zero. We have a higher percentage of cattle grading Prime than we have grading USDA Select. When I entered the business, close to 50% of cattle fed in the States graded Select. Today we produce more Prime than Select. It's almost become a thing of the past. That focus on quality is why we've got all-time record beef demand." "What CAB has done is give producers a target aligned with how consumers assign value to our product, not how cattle producers assign value. Year after year as we grow sales and more cattle hit specifications, we grow demand. As we grow supply, the spread gets bigger." "There's very strong desire of our breeders to not be part of integrated system where breeding and genetic decisions are taken out of their hands or where they don't have access to tools. Strong associations are a hedge to keep that from happening. Anything we can do to strengthen our collaborative work together is very positive.""We weren't entering debate around cows and climate change. We saw it as path to advance research on discovering differences in efficiency of cows on grass. We just don't have much data [on that]. The ability to measure methane as a measure of efficiency had appeal…If we can find cows that produce more with less, that's good for beef industry." Relevant links mentioned in the episode:American Angus Association: www.angus.orgCertified Angus Beef brand: https://...
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    55 m
  • Premium Beef at Scale with Andrew McDonald and Tony Fitzgerald from NH Foods

    Premium Beef at Scale with Andrew McDonald and Tony Fitzgerald from NH Foods
    Mar 2 2026
    In this episode of The Angus Table, host Scott Wright sits down with Andrew McDonald and Tony Fitzgerald from NH Foods for a comprehensive conversation about building and maintaining premium beef programs at scale. They discuss the remarkable 15 year growth of Angus Reserve brand from 300 head/week to 3,000 head/week, the measurable genetic improvement delivering 10% increase in feeding performance, navigating China market volatility with 55% tariffs forcing strategic program adjustments, the protein trend driving retail growth globally, and why Australia must compete at the premium end against low-cost producers. Tony shares insights on cattle quality improvements, vaccination programs reducing BRD from 60% to 15-20% of death loss, and the importance of consistency. Andrew explains secondary cut value growth, the shift from 2+ to 4+ and 5+ marbling programs, and diversification across 40-45 countries. So pull up a chair at the Angus Table for insights from one of Australia's largest Angus beef operations.Key topics covered:How NH Foods established itself in Australia from late 1970s with integrated farming, feedlotting, and processing operationsThe growth of Whyalla Feedlot to 78,000 head current capacity, with recent and planned expansionsThe evolution of the Angus Reserve brand from 300-400 head/week in 2010 to 3,000 head/week today across 40-45 countriesThe measurable genetic improvement over the last 8 years that has delivered 10% increase in feeding performanceHow consistency within Angus pens compares dramatically to crossbred variationWhy average induction weight increased from 405-410kg (2019 drought) to 455kg with better seasonsThe results of vaccination programs (BRD reduced from 60% to 15-20% death loss) and the shift from 2+ to 4+ and 5+ marbling programsThe challenges of the China market, including 55% tariffs and a quota system forcing five months supply vs year-round, meaning uncertainty for long-fed programsSupporting voluntary quota system in order to prevent South American grain-fed gaining Australian shelf spaceThe importance of diversification to hedge against single market dependence in volatile global politicsHow secondary cut value growth saved the processing sector (beef cheeks doubling, tails over $20/kg, short rib bone-in $50/kg) The protein trend driving retail growth globally, with consumers cooking premium steaks at home and beef snacks like jerky an opportunity for those who don’t cookThe challenge of oversized cuts having weight variations affecting container capacity and box specificationsHow third-party verification through Angus Australia provides integrity and retailer governance confidenceThe success of Whyalla’s graduate program: three grads annually, DISC profiling, structured six-month rotations building team depthWhy Australia must compete at the premium end against low-cost producers with the best 5% of global herd targeting best 2-4% of consumersPull quotes:"We're processing around 3,000 head a week of Black Angus cattle, predominantly packed under Angus Reserve brand….What started as 300-400 head a week is now closer to 3,000." - Andrew McDonald "I can prove mathematically on paper year-on-year improvement in feeding KPIs. Over eight years we've seen upwards of 10% increase in feeding performance purely on weight gain variability within cattle …That's why I'm such a big fan of the Angus breed." - Tony Fitzgerald"We started the program as 2+ to capture that market, but around six years ago we brought in a 4+ program because there were just so many cattle outperforming over that grade. Then for China HGP-free we're doing 5+ programs. We've really seen those outcomes continue to improve." - Andrew McDonald"Secondary cuts are probably what saved the Australian processing industry. [They] absorbed enormous cost increases with power, water, labour over last five years. I still look at amazement when I see beef feet going through the abattoir.” - Tony Fitzgerald"The big buzzword around the world is protein. Every healthy diet headlines starts with protein. We've gone from fats being the devil to ultra-processed food being that item. [Consumers since COVID] are trading down from restaurant experiences…cooking better quality steaks at home. Retail is going gangbusters globally." - Andrew McDonald"Keep doing what you're doing. At any given time beef industries are always under some economic pressure from Brazil, from everywhere. We need to be better all the time. Everything we can do to be a winner needs to be done. It starts with guys and girls making decisions selecting which bulls go with which cows." - Tony Fitzgerald“Australia's never going to be lowest cost denominator supplying to customers. The danger is drifting into cross hairs with Brazil on quality-price matrix. What can Australia do better than everyone else? Angus Reserve and those programs give us the edge... We want to be fighting at the premium end of town. We want to find the best 2-4% ...
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    1 h
  • Canadian Angus Innovation and Market Dynamics with Myles Immerker

    Canadian Angus Innovation and Market Dynamics with Myles Immerker
    Feb 23 2026

    In this episode of The Angus Table, host Scott Wright sits down with Myles Immerker, CEO of the Canadian Angus Association, for a fascinating conversation about leading innovation in one of the world's most challenging cattle breeding environments.

    Myles shares insights from managing 3,000 primary members across Canada's vast geography (70% black, 30% red), the remarkable spring bull market up over 50% from last year, pioneering AI camera technology being developed with Holstein Canada to objectively score structural traits, the evolution of their green tag commercial program, and adapting to extreme temperatures from -40°C to +30°C.

    They discuss digital transformation and shifting to weekly genetic evaluations (replacing monthly runs), China market reopening after five years, and why phenotype and structural soundness remain paramount in Canadian breeding programs.

    So pull up a chair at the Angus Table for insights from one of Australia's closest international breeding partners.
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    49 m
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