ILC Feature
isn’t one for standing out in
front and attracting a great
deal of attention. It is safe to
say Gary knows everything
that goes on at the ranch.
In 1981, Bob Magness
purchased a ranch in Wyoming
where he maintained a 3,000-
head commercial herd. Since
he was having trouble finding
the type and volume of bulls
he needed, Bob started a
Limousin herd. Then, in 1985
Magness purchased the
renowned McKown herd in
Norman, Oklahoma. In the
early years, the Magness
operation concentrated on
raising its own bulls, selling
quite a few percentage bulls
and showing very little.
Beginning in the early ’90s,
they began to put more
emphasis on the purebred
side of the business, which
included the show ring.
Currently, the program
strives for a healthy balance
of supplying commercial
bulls to their long list of
satisfied customers, while
remaining a leading source
for Limousin and Lim-Flex
seedstock in the form of
both high-end females
and AI-type herd bulls.
The Magness program is run
day-to-day by several capable
people. Those currently
helping keep the operation
moving in a positive
direction are: Seedstock
Cattle Manager, John Pence;
Farm Production Systems
Manager, Kirk Johannsen;
Seedstock Registrations, Jim
Harl; Office Administrator,
Sue Wells; and Assistance
Herdsmen, Austin Gotschalk
and Mike Hathaway.
Today, the Magness
operation includes more
than 600 registered females
and nearly 150 of them
are marketed each year
through their annual sales
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