The Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) Pioneer Award recognizes individuals who have made lasting contributions to the improvement of beef cattle and honors those who have had a major role in acceptance of performance reporting and documentation as the primary means to make genetic change in beef cattle.
June 12 BIF recognized six beef genetics pioneers, including: Steve Hammack of Stephenville, Texas; Joe Paschal of Brenham, Texas; Jim Sanders of College Station, Texas; Wade Shafer of Bozeman, Montana; David Steffen of Lincoln, Nebraska; and Jeremy Taylor of Pensacola, Florida.
Hammack served as the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension beef cattle specialist based in Stephenville, Texas, from 1973 until 2003 and continued part-time through 2023. His work focused on genetic management and cow-calf production systems, and leading statewide efforts such as the development of the Texas Adapted Genetic Strategies (TAGS) series, a set of 11 bulletins covering breeding programs, breed characteristics, sire selection, genomics and more. Hammack was a frequent speaker at the Texas A&M Beef Cattle Short Course and numerous regional, state and national educational venues.
Hammack has a long history with BIF. He served as the official BIF contact in Texas and co-hosted the 1990 BIF Annual Meeting. He also authored a monthly “Beef Cattle Browsing” column summarizing research nationwide and was an early adopter of web-based publications for sharing beef cattle knowledge.
Paschal began his career as the director of breed improvement for the American International Charolais Association. There, he oversaw the Charolais herd improvement and sire evaluation programs. He later served as an Extension livestock specialist for 38 years with the Texas Agricultural Extension Service, where he conducted adult and youth education programs through South and Coastal Texas.
He played a key role in statewide feeding and genetics programs, including the TAM Ranch to Rail program and the South Texas Brahman genetics feeding program at King Ranch Feedyard, where more than 12,000 steers were fed from 1992 to 2004. Paschal’s research on carcass merit and tenderness in Brahman genetics significantly contributed to EPD development and industry knowledge.
Alongside Hammack, he coauthored the TAGS bulletin series. Since retiring in 2022, he continues to consult with producers both in the U.S. and internationally and shares his expertise to improve cattle performance.
Paschal also served on the BIF board of directors from 1980 to 1982 and has remained actively involved with BIF throughout his career as a supporter of the organization’s mission to advance beef cattle genetic improvement.
Sanders served as a professor of animal breeding and genetics at Texas A&M University until his retirement in 2023. Throughout his career, he taught more than 12,000 students and conducted pioneering research focused on American Bos indicus-influenced breeds and crosses.
His work included developing the first beef cattle simulation model that evaluated genetic differences for birth, growth, carcass and productivity traits, and investigated hybrid vigor retention in Bos indicus/Bos taurus crosses. Sanders also identified genes with major effects on key traits and studied the genetic history of the American Brahman breed.
He was a dedicated mentor and supporter of animal science student groups and competitive judging teams, and he coached multiple national champion teams. His influence extends internationally, as he presented and judged cattle across 18 countries on five continents.
Since retiring, Sanders’ legacy continues through his former students who are now leaders in academia, industry and breed associations worldwide. He has also been a long-time supporter of BIF and its mission to advance beef cattle genetic improvement.
Shafer joined the American Simmental Association in 2003 and brought with him a doctorate from Colorado State University and practical experience building economic selection indexes for his own herd. He led the development of two whole life cycle indexes, launched a whole herd reporting system and transitioned ASA’s genetic evaluation into the genomic era.
In 2010, Shafer co-founded International Genetic Solutions, which now includes more than 23 million animals from 23 breed organizations — the largest genetic evaluation system in the world.
Throughout his career, Shafer’s focus has always been on improving genetics across the entire beef industry. He served as executive vice president of ASA beginning in 2013 and guided significant growth while prioritizing service to commercial cattle producers. He defended independent genetic evaluation during a patent challenge and maintained the integrity of expected progeny differences (EPDs) and indexes.
Shafer’s leadership and vision have been widely praised by industry peers, who describe him as humble, principled and driven by service to the beef industry.
Steffen grew up on his family’s farm near Fordyce, Neb., where his passion for livestock and veterinary medicine began. After earning a bachelor’s in animal science from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a DVM from Iowa State University, he completed a doctoral degree in pathology at Kansas State University. He spent most of his academic career at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where he served as faculty head for quality assurance and accreditation at the Nebraska Veterinary Diagnostic Center.
Considered a national resource for investigating genetic disorders in beef cattle, Steffen’s research has contributed to the commercial testing of nearly 70% of known genetic disorders in beef cattle. His work in discovering genetic conditions and helping producers manage breeding around them has significantly impacted breed improvement. Throughout his career, he has demonstrated a strong passion for advancing cattle health and supporting producers.
Taylor has been instrumental in advancing cattle genomics through his work at the University of Missouri. He played a key role in commercializing the first SNP array, a groundbreaking technology developed in collaboration with USDA-MARC, USDA Beltsville and Illumina.
Taylor also led efforts that were foundational to the development of dry-matter intake EPDs used by several breed associations and was an early adopter of whole-genome sequencing to enhance understanding of cattle genetic diversity.
Beyond his scientific contributions, Taylor is celebrated for his mentorship. He chaired 45 graduate students and advised 14 postdoctoral fellows, many of whom have become prominent leaders in beef genetics. In 2015, he received the Graduate Faculty Mentor Award from the University of Missouri Graduate School.
Taylor’s career has contributed to advancements in beef cattle genetic improvement through collaboration, innovation and service to the industry.
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