FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For a high-resolution photo of the winner, click here (will activate link when photo is available).
For more information contact:
Joe Cassady, executive director, Beef Improvement Federation, North Carolina State University; 919-513-0262; www.BIFconference.com; www.beefimprovement.org
Brian McCulloh Honored with BIF Continuing Service Award
HOUSTON, Texas. (April 19, 2012) — The Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) honored Brian McCulloh with the Continuing Service Award during the organization's 44th annual meeting and research symposium in Houston, Texas, April 18-21. The award recognizes those who have made a significant contribution to the industry.
Brian McCulloh was raised on a livestock farm near DeWitt, Iowa, and graduated with a bachelor's degree in animal science in 1981 from Iowa State University, where he met his wife, Lori. They have three children — Ryan, Matt and Allison.
McCulloh served as director of junior activities for the American Angus Association prior to joining Woodhill Farms, Viroqua, Wis., in 1984. He is managing partner at Woodhill, a sustainable partnership between Dan and Anne Borgen, and Brian and Lori. The operation has grown to include 260 cows and their calves on more than 1,000 acres of pasture, cropland and woods.
From the beginning, McCulloh has targeted the production of sound, functional, problem-free cattle using available objective breeding tools and selecting for the many phenotypic and behavior traits fundamental to sound animal husbandry. Woodhill Farms relies heavily on the use of expected progeny differences (EPDs) and complete Angus Herd Improvement Records (AHIR®) data to formulate its breeding program, which includes an embryo transfer (ET) program with cooperator herds. Woodhill has conducted annual bull sales since 1989 and conducted its first production female sale in the fall of 1998.
McCulloh is a past board member of the Wisconsin Angus Association, the Wisconsin Cattlemen's Association and the American Angus Association. He also is a past president of the Wisconsin Beef Improvement Association (WBIA). Locally, he served on the Chamber of Commerce, Agricultural Advisory Panel and the Athletic Booster Board, and he is a 4-H beef project leader.
Woodhill Farms was named 1996 Wisconsin Seedstock Producer of the Year by the WBIA. It was recognized in 2000 with the Certified Angus Beef LLC (CAB) Seedstock Commitment to Excellence Award.
McCulloh has judged Angus cattle at the National Junior Angus Show (NJAS), the National Western Stock Show (NWSS), the Fort Worth Stock Show and the Royal Melbourne Show in Australia. He also has spoken at seminars in New Zealand and Australia, in addition to Extension seminars in the Midwest.
McCulloh has served two terms on the BIF board of directors, serving as the at large representative from 2004 to 2009. He was elected president in 2009. While an officer, McCulloh helped spearhead a long-range planning effort for BIF. He has been a tireless servant to the BIF mission and its programs.
A 2009 BIF news release quoted McCulloh as saying, "We live in a scientific age of accelerated technology development. Somebody needs to help those in the production sector understand the new technologies so that we apply them appropriately. BIF is supposed to be that independent infrastructure that standardizes the development of genetic predictions and then helps producers apply those appropriately."
McCulloh was presented the BIF Continuing Service Award at a luncheon Thursday, April 19, in Houston.
For more information about this year's symposium, including additional award winners and coverage of the meeting and tours, visit www.BIFconference.com. For more information about the BIF organization, visit www.beefimprovement.org.
###
Editor's Note: This article is provided as a news release by the Beef Improvement Federation. For a high-resolution photo of the winner, additional award announcements and coverage of the meeting, visit the Awards page at www.BIFconference.com.
The Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) was formed more than 40 years ago as a means to standardize beef cattle performance programs and methodologies and to create greater awareness, acceptance and usage of these concepts of genetic improvement. BIF represents more than 40 state and national beef cattle associations. For more details about the BIF organization, contact Executive Director Joe Cassady at 919-513-0262.
