Welcome to Bowman Superior Genetics.
Phil and Linda Bowman
Beginning in the fall of 1994, Bowman Superior Genetics has never been one to follow the crowd. Nearly twenty years later, the Bowmans still recognize that what is trendy may not always be the best for the successful longevity of the Shorthorn breed and in return, the beef business. Good cattle that have the form to function are always in style.
The goal of the Phillip Bowman Family is to consistently produce cattle that excel in the breed’s greatest strength; maternal ability. Working hard to produce maternally excellent females that annually perform for cattlemen across North America, Bowman Superior Genetics takes great pride in the quality genetics that come from their operation.
Located in the heart of Shorthorn country, Bowman ranch is easy to locate. Stop by for the afternoon. They’ll sure be glad to show you around and walk you through a set of cattle that they’re proud to have developed.
The Sankey Family
The Luke Bowman Family
The Hamm Family
Practical Ideas. Practical Cattle.
These two simple statements above define what goes on in this eastern Indiana Shorthorn herd; a herd that was once only a dream of mine. In an honest attempt to bring beef Shorthorns back into the mainstream marketplace for logical production, this Shorthorn herd has gone from three original cows from Wonder View Farms in 1994, to well over 100 producing females, today.
Beginning as an intense junior program while the kids were young, we were fortunate to exhibit on a national scale and receive All-American honors. However, like always, the kids grew and the show halters were hung up in the barn leading us to focus more on the cow herd than ever before. The box stalls became calving pens, and the show cattle runs became donor lots and bull facilities.
In 2019, Phillip and Linda were named Builders of the Breed by the American Shorthorn Association.
As we started traveling across the USA and Canada, we began to learn more about what production oriented Shorthorn genetics can do to the industry. We viewed this as a challenge and more importantly, a responsibility to produce exactly that: The model Shorthorn Cow. The need for maternal heterosis through a British-based breed has never been more important to the industry than it is today.
With the price of cattle these days, it is becoming much easier to cull the higher maintenance females, in turn causing cow numbers to decline. Additionally, as the next generation decides whether or not to return to the farm, it’s important to prove to them that they can be profitable with the cattle that they raise. Perhaps equally important is ensuring that they enjoy the cattle by producing docile, low maintenance breeding stock that have calving ease, fleshing ability, attractive appearance, and even aesthetic value. Everyday single day, BSG works towards these qualities.
These ideas have allowed us to develop a program utilizing superior genetics from some of the world’s best programs to generate a Shorthorn bull battery unlike any you will find- not only in Indiana, but throughout the North American continent.
What began as a dream decades ago, has transformed into a successful program that we are happy to share with you as we strive to bring you the highest quality Shorthorn breeding stock available. Stop by anytime and look over what we’re proud to offer.
We are a family operation and we’re passionately working to improve the production, promotion, and longevity of the Shorthorn breed.
TECHNICAL WORK:
Steadfastly involved in the genetic improvement of Shorthorns.
From 1994 to 2004 BSG bustled with Luke and Lindsay’s junior projects. These AJSA members successfully exhibited cattle on the county, state and national level and took home awards that would make any parent proud. Phil and Linda invested many hours and dollars knowing that the hard work and leadership skills developed in their children through the AJSA would pay dividends for decades to come.
Since 2005, BSG has always put breed and genetic improvement to the forefront of the priorities list for activities on the farm. Phil and Linda have stayed connected to the greater registered and commercial beef industry and work to make the model industry-applicable Shorthorn the best they know how. Every season, BSG does all they can to submit performance data from birth to growth to carcass information. They feel that the only true way to fully analyze and understand a sire or an entire cow herd is to collect data on every measurement offered by the national cattle evaluation (EPD system, i.e. IGS Multi-breed Genetic Evaluation). Phil and Linda are truly dedicated to the growth and expansion of the Shorthorn breed. They invest many dollars in ASA programs, (and some programs not directly involving the ASA) for the industry to notice the benefits that the modern Shorthorn brings to the table.
Since 2005, BSG has always put breed and genetic improvement to the forefront of the priorities list for activities on the farm. Phil and Linda have stayed connected to the greater registered and commercial beef industry and work to make the model industry-applicable Shorthorn the best they know how. Every season, BSG does all they can to submit performance data from birth to growth to carcass information. They feel that the only true way to fully analyze and understand a sire or an entire cow herd is to collect data on every measurement offered by the national cattle evaluation (EPD system, i.e. IGS Multi-breed Genetic Evaluation). Phil and Linda are truly dedicated to the growth and expansion of the Shorthorn breed. They invest many dollars in ASA programs, (and some programs not directly involving the ASA) for the industry to notice the benefits that the modern Shorthorn brings to the table.
Today, the herd consists of nearly 100 breeding age females; purebreds, composites and foundations. Each female is mandated to represent the program with production records that prove their genetic superiority in Conception (STAY), Calving Ease (CED & CEM), Carcass (MARB), and Cows ($Durham). All heifer calves are retained after weaning for 205-day weights and genomic testing. Cull decisions are made after the GE-EPD results are published. They are also sorted and culled on phenotype (structural integrity, body volume and eye appeal).
Only 10-15% of the male calves are saved as bulls. This is due to these males needing to ratio properly at BW & WW, but also they must meet the visual appraisal specs of their son-in-law who is a professional A.I. sire analyst. The remainder of the males are steered and sold to local freezer beef producers or fed for retained ownership and sold as hanging carcasses all the while being tested for full performance and carcass data collection at a University of Missouri feedlot through the IGS Steer Profitability Competition. The data collected on the steers then effects their dams’ and sires’ performance and carcass EPDs and adds accuracy to the figures. While at Mizzou, they also are measured for feed efficiency.
ASA Great State Feedout:
Several years ago, BSG was asked by Jacob Alden, then working for the ASA, to participate in a program called “The Great State Feedout” in southwestern Iowa. Through the Tri-County Steer Carcass Futurity, Shorthorn breeders retained ownership in their registered feeder steers from weaning through the feeding period and sold as hanging carcasses on a yield and quality grade basis. BSG found this very intriguing and fit as many steers as they could on two Iowa-bound trailers for multiple years to gain knowledge and collect carcass data through this program which was supported by the ASA. Carcass data is the hardest discovered information for the formulation of EPDs for any breed association. Benefiting by no longer getting docked at the sale barn for “spotted cattle,” plus getting data for the ASA and on top of getting more accurate EPDs for their sires, proved this was a win-win-win for BSG and the ASA! Furthermore, in the first year they participated, BSG had the highest profit sire group contest against all other Shorthorns, plus ranked among the highest profiting pens representing more than 6 breeds and more than 100 different sire groups!
ASA National Sire Test:
Phil and Linda admire and appreciate the ASA’s effort to host a national sire test in years gone buy. Many breeds do not have such a test and rely only off of USDA Meat Animal Research Center (MARC) data for realization of their breed. ASA has the advantage to supplement the use of popular sires actually used in real time and evaluate them in the IGS Multi-breed Genetic Evaluation to get a more accurate assessment of where our breed stands in the industry.
Although BSG missed the first year because we were in the middle of our own sire test, they were proudly part of the last two cycles. National cattle evaluations need the unbiased data from an organized sires test, especially one that measures carcass traits and feed efficiency.
As long as there are bulls roaming the pastures of Greens Fork, BSG is committed to participating in this project every year it is available.
Whole Herd Genomic Testing:
In 2015, BSG was asked to start genomically testing higher accuracy females on the farm for a research project supported by the ASA. They were part of the initial testing trials that built the models for the ASA to offer a genomically-enhanced EPD test. Just a few years later when a test was commercially available, they tested as many females as feasibly possible, both the purebred and composite cattle.
In 2018, at their Form to Function female sale, BSG made sure 100% of the live lots were genomically tested, therefore sold with genomically-enhanced EPDs. This was the first sale in the Shorthorn breed, both nationally and internationally, to offer a 100% tested offering and likely the first production sale of any breed in Indiana to do so.
In their latest production sale catalog, Phil and Linda added multiple education pages so that members and non-members can learn more about the huge advantage genomic testing brings to the table. This is another extra expense, but worth it if it helps to enroll more breeders into whole-herd genomic testing.
ASA Genomic-Enhanced Heifer Project
BSG was the first herd to participate in this program. Phil and Linda were in the middle of testing all of their yearling heifers when the ASA released the fee schedule and BSG took immediate advantage. 100% of the heifer crop is tested every year, and has been since 2018; replacements, composites and even the culls in order to capture a complete snapshot of the gene pool.
University of Missouri Hair Shedding project:
One of the ‘behind the scenes’ efforts that BSG did to promote Shorthorns is the Mizzou Hair Shedding Project. In 2016 BSG was approached by Dr. Jared Decker and then grad student Harly Durbin about participating in a hair shedding study as a research project to be sponsored by the University of Missouri. Without hesitation Phil and Linda jumped at the opportunity in order for the scientists to seek out the genetics that were more adaptive to the fescue belt. Where they live and to the south is where most of their yearling bulls are marketed. BSG gathered blood DNA samples for the university on every registered cow on the farm. From there, a shedding score from 1-5 is taken on each female annually. The scores are used to develop the genomic tests in order for markers to be found so that a shedding test is available in the future. BSG is just one of 2 Shorthorn herds in the United States that participated in this program and is also the only Shorthorn herd in the fescue belt that was studied.
Shedding is important to BSG because of the demands of their customers. Although our breed is appreciated for its ability to have plenty of hair for junior show projects, too much hair can be detrimental during the summertime in the fescue belt if cattle cannot shed. Lack of shedding causes increased body temperature, resulting in poor conception rates, reduced fleshing ability and cows that stay in the mud – – causing dirty udders, which results in sickly calves.
BSG sees the economic benefits of knowing an animal’s shedding ability through genetic prediction and is doing all they can to help the university develop a test for the benefit of all Shorthorn breeders. BSG finds this to be a great way to promote Shorthorns to the commercial sector of the industry. If cattlemen in the southeast and gulf coast region can depend on Shorthorns to shed out, one can predict increased demand for Shorthorns to be the alternative British breed to compliment Angus cattle for increased Calving Ease and Marbling and maternal traits.
Although the ASA does not officially participate in this project, we feel this behind-the-scenes work will benefit the breed when IGS releases a shedding EPD once a test is commercially available in the coming years.
Whole Herd Reporting
For well over a decade, and maybe two, BSG has been involved in total herd enrollment through Whole Herd Reporting. This is an exceptionally important program because EPDs are only accurate when the entire contemporary group is documented, and culling data creates the #1 most economically relevant trait, Stayability.
What Beef Industry Leaders Have to Say...
“We are located in Central Florida raising both purebred and commercial cattle. I recognize the importance of sourcing outside genetics from seedstock producers that have a true understanding of the BEEF Industry. The Bowman’s were referred to me by a feedlot manager that fed their cattle multiple years and experience phenomenal results. I was very pleased to find they weren’t just breeding for feedlot performance, but also moderately framed, structurally correct, maternally oriented cattle that seem to thrive in a challenging Florida environment.”
“Breeding good commercially acceptable Shorthorn cattle is not easy—But BSG has done it. From the time they purchased their first Shorthorn cows from my dad, BSG has paid attention to objective data and used all the information available—and if the data wasn’t available, they measured and collected their own in order to learn more about their cows.
Phil and Luke traveled lots of miles to locate genetics to improve their cattle. They found better cattle with unique pedigrees—and so did the breed. They cattle generated by BSG over the past decades have worked in Greens Fork, IN and for their customers throughout the U.S. The cows are good—but the people are better—and the best crop Phil and Linda raised were three good kids who have a love for agriculture and the Shorthorn breed.”
“The Shorthorn breed as tremendous potential to contribute to the commercial beef industry. To do so, they must be objectively described genetically in large equal opportunity contemporary groups; have an abundance of convenience traits such as calving ease and shedding early and completely; and have feeder calf market desired color patterns. Unfortunately, there are too few herds producing this type of Shorthorn to meet demands. Bowman Superior Genetics is one the leading herds breeding performance-oriented Shorthorns that check all the boxes to have a very positive impact on the commercial beef industry.”
“BSG sets the standard in the Shorthorn breed for genetic improvement. Where else can a Shorthorn enthusiast go to find more practical, real-world data? For several years Phil and his crew have gathered anything from standard performance info, to kill sheets, and ultrasound data. More recently they have incorporated the use of genomics, and composite breeding; they have essentially taken the guesswork out for any potential customers. All the while, one thing has never wavered…QUALITY! Come see for yourself where form follows function.”
“It was great to have an opportunity to go through the Bowman Superior Genetics cow herd; an impressive program! I was most impressed with the uniformity and consistency of the cattle. It wouldn’t matter what color the breed, the cows are the right kind to work in any environment and have a positive impact on the beef industry.”
“Always promoting progress is part of the reason that Bowman Superior Genetic are known and respected not only in the US, but around the world. Newer technologies too, like 100% herd DNA enhancement, faster generational turnover to ensure greater progress are combined with the time-tested practices like collecting carcass data on every sire used and developing bulls and females on a non-starch diet in order to avoid masking non-useful genetics with feed and management, are all part of the commercial business targeted program here.
So, whether you are searching for some of the world’s most consistent and highest profit Shorthorn genetics or are considering some of the designed composite products in the future of the Bowman program, I am confident you will appreciate the commitment to customers and the commitment to the future these folks put to plan each year and for each new generation.”
“Successful breeding programs make the most of the next generation. Breeding superior genetics takes planning, disciplined selection, the use of relevant technology and time. It takes time and commitment to stack generations of cattle that excel important economically relevant traits. Bowman Superior Genetics has made this commitment and in doing so have created genetics that have relevance in all segments of the beef industry.”