We Live It | LiveAg's Livestock Marketing Podcast

In this episode of the We Live It, hosts Ty deCordova and Casey Mabry sit down with Brett Spader, Executive Vice President of the American International Charolais Association (AICA), for a forward-thinking conversation about data, technology, and the future of beef genetics.Brett brings a deep resume to his role at AICA — from his early days as a fieldman for the Kansas Livestock Association, to his time in the auction world, to leading Angus Media and co-founding his own digital agency, Livestock Launch. His career has always orbited the seed stock industry, and that foundation shapes every initiative he's driving at Charolais today.At the center of the conversation is Value Trace — a proprietary AI-powered program built in partnership with Austin-based Frontiers Market. The program deploys solar-powered cameras in commercial feed yards to collect real-time individual animal data, including live weight, feed conversion, predictive red meat yield, predictive quality grade, and health diagnostics. Currently in its third phase, Value Trace now has roughly 3,000 head under camera across nine feed yards in six states.Brett breaks down how the camera technology works — using facial and body conformation recognition to individually identify cattle, weigh them in real time at the bunk, and even predict optimal harvest timing based on back fat, physiological maturity, and sire EPDs. The end goal is simple but powerful: create a full data loop from the seed stock producer all the way through the packer, so that everyone in the chain can make smarter decisions and capture more value.The conversation also digs into why red meat yield is the next major frontier for the U.S. beef industry. With choice grade becoming the new commodity baseline and finish weights climbing, Brett explains why Charolais genetics — known as a terminal sire option — are uniquely positioned to deliver muscle-forward carcasses without sacrificing grade. He also hints at exciting news coming from a K-State life cycle assessment study and new cutout research with Dr. Dwayne Wolf.Whether you're a cow-calf producer, seed stock operator, or cattle feeder, this episode is packed with insight on where beef genetics, technology, and industry data are heading.Visit charolaisusa.com to learn more or connect with the AICA team directly.🧬 Powered by BioZyme®The We Live It podcast is proudly powered by BioZyme, the makers of VitaFerm® and Gain Smart®. Proper cattle nutrition is the foundation of livestock health.Through LiveAg’s nationwide video auction platform, cattle fed BioZyme minerals gain exposure to a national buyer base, often resulting in premium returns.🔗 Learn More: https://biozymeinc.com/blog/biozyme-partners-with-liveag/Sponsored by Parnell Life Sciences:nixiFLOR® is the first FDA-approved generic version of Resflor Gold®, containing the sameactive ingredients, florfenicol and flunixin meglumine. The FDA determined the product isbioequivalent to Resflor Gold®, offering veterinarians and producers a cost-effective alternativewith the same proven performance. Learn more: https://parnell.com/products/livestock/nixiflor00:00 - Welcome & Intro00:35 - Brett Spader's Background & Career Journey02:44 - Introduction to Value Trace & Using AI in Beef Production04:39 - The Hot Carcass Weight Trend & Telling the Story Through Data07:00 - How Value Trace Creates Value for Bull Buyers & Cattle Feeders08:12 - How the Camera Technology Works in the Feed Yard10:31 - The Cattle Feeder Dashboard & Procurement Tools11:03 - Connecting Seed Stock Producers, Commercial Operators & Feed Yards13:49 - Data Value vs. Dollar Value15:24 - Shortening the Genetic Feedback Loop16:26 - Driving Red Meat Yield & the Future of U.S. Beef19:11 - Consistency, Finish Weights & the Power of Char-Cross Calves20:29 - Upcoming Research, Life Cycle Assessment & How to Connect with AICA21:34 - Closing Thoughts & Where to Find Brett

In this episode of the We Live It podcast, Ty deCordova and Casey Mabry sit down with Troy Marshall, Director of Commercial Industry Relations at the American Angus Association, to break down the AngusLink program and what it means for commercial cow-calf producers who are serious about getting paid for their genetics.Troy brings a unique perspective to his role — not just as an industry professional, but as someone who spent a lifetime ranching registered Angus and Sim-Angus cattle in Eastern Colorado before joining the Association. That real-world experience shapes the way he talks about genetics: not just as numbers on paper, but as something you have to live to truly understand.At the heart of the conversation is the Genetic Merit Scorecard (GMS) — a tool Troy describes as the "Carfax report" for a pen of feeder cattle. The scorecard uses EPDs from a producer's bull battery to generate four scores — Beef, Feedyard, Grid, and Maternal — all on a 0–200 scale where 100 represents industry average. The result is an objective, third-party-verified snapshot of the genetic potential in a set of calves, helping buyers make confident purchasing decisions and helping sellers get rewarded for the investments they've already made.Troy shares some eye-opening validation data from 120,000 head, showing how each 10-point step up in the scorecard correlates with measurable improvements in marbling, ribeye area, and average daily gain. Cattle enrolled through the National Beef/USPB partnership are averaging over 40% prime — compared to an industry average of around 11%.The guys also cover the GeneMax Advantage — a genomic testing tool that can be layered into the scorecard to improve accuracy and better describe the cow herd over time. And for producers marketing through LiveAg, the scorecard data flows directly into the listing, making it easy for buyers to see the genetics behind what they're bidding on.If you're a cow-calf producer who's been doing things right and not getting credit for it at the sale barn, this episode is for you.Enroll or learn more: Contact IMI Global or the American Angus Association to get started — it takes about a 10–15 minute phone call and your bull battery registration numbers.🧬 Powered by BioZyme®The We Live It podcast is proudly powered by BioZyme, the makers of VitaFerm® and Gain Smart®. Proper cattle nutrition is the foundation of livestock health. Through LiveAg’s nationwide video auction platform, cattle fed BioZyme minerals gain exposure to a national buyer base, often resulting in premium returns.🔗 Learn More: https://biozymeinc.com/blog/biozyme-partners-with-liveag/Sponsored by Parnell Life Sciences:nixiFLOR® is the first FDA-approved generic version of Resflor Gold®, containing the sameactive ingredients, florfenicol and flunixin meglumine. The FDA determined the product isbioequivalent to Resflor Gold®, offering veterinarians and producers a cost-effective alternativewith the same proven performance. Learn more: https://parnell.com/products/livestock/nixiflor (00:00) - — Welcome & Introducing Troy Marshall (00:38) - — Troy's Background: Wyoming, Colorado Ranching & CattleFax (01:42) - — How Troy Ended Up at the American Angus Association (02:25) - — Living It: Why Ranch Experience Matters in Genetics (03:08) - — What Is the Genetic Merit Scorecard (GMS)? (05:03) - — How Sire EPDs Drive the Scorecard (05:46) - — Accuracy & Validation Data: 120,000 Head (07:08) - — How to Enroll in AngusLink as a Cow-Calf Producer (08:49) - — Why Reputation Cattle Need an Objective Measure (10:17) - — National Beef, USPB Grid Partnership & Real Results (12:49) - — How Genetics Impact Pen Profitability (13:04) - — GeneMax Advantage: Genomics Layered Into the Scorecard (14:20) - — Enrollment Walkthrough: What You Actually Need (15:10) - — How AngusLink Works on LiveAg (17:16) - — Retaining Ownership & Connecting with Feed Yards (17:57) - — Closing Thoughts & How to Get Started