American South cattleman TJ Hargrove tests innovation, raises prize-winning Beefmaster operation in Peach State
Story by Candace Dantes | Photos by Jill Burnsed
Photo by Jill Burnsed
The beef machine halts rural traffic to waltz across Laurel Branch Church Road in McIntyre, Georgia. Unabashedly, Bet on Brady struts his hayfield hotness in front of nearly 50 catches while grazing. Muzzle tilted slightly skyward with each collected lope.
Weighing in at 2,000 pounds, this 4-year-old bull exhibits some of the best genetics the Deep South has ever seen. Coal black and already demanding Beefmaster champion attention for this particular breed.
“He’s our prized bull,” said cattleman TJ Hargrove, 41, of 500-acre family farm F&H Farming LLC. “The son of champion Bet on Bubba, Bet on Brady, is in our registered herd. Brady comes from a long line of show ring champions in Texas.”
Photo by Jill Burnsed
Brady’s papa, Bet on Bubba, hails from Emmons Ranch in Fairfield, Texas – a Beefmaster cattle operation established in 1975. Bubba currently holds the title as the winningest bull in Beefmaster history. His stride, structure, and flex: unmatched.
Siring champions to this day, Bubba’s wins include: No. 1 AI Sire for Beefmaster Breeders United at the 60th Annual Convention in 2021; two times National Champion Bull in 2016 and 2018; 2 times Grand Champion Bull Houston Livestock Show; two times Grand Champion Bull San Antonio Livestock Show; two times Grand Champion Bull Fort Worth Livestock Show; 2 times Grand Champion Bull West Texas Fair; and two times Grand Champion Bull State Fair of Texas.
Photo by Jill Burnsed
“Judges describe Bubba as a beast whenever he parades into the show ring,” said Hargrove. “Bubba is what you can only dream of raising. He does the job of giving his top-quality makeup to his calves like our Brady.”
Brady represents his championship father approximately 874 miles away in Central Georgia’s Wilkinson County. Part of Hargrove’s desire to breed superior Beefmaster cattle in the Peach State. Throughout the Southeast Region. Hoping to provide excellence in beef over commercial and registered markets.
Photo by Jill Burnsed
The Middle Georgia cattleman raises both commercial Angus/Beefmaster cross cattle and registered Beefmaster cattle. Two separate herds. Both sired by two registered Beefmaster bulls: Brady and Valentine.
F&H Farming is also exploring reproductive techniques, artificial insemination, and embryo transfer, on the registered side. A lifelong Peach State resident and third-generation cattle farmer, Hargrove became interested in Beefmaster after witnessing the results this breed produces – longevity, docility, and added weaning and yearling weights when crossing Beefmaster with any type of cattle.
Because of his herd’s valuable maternity traits (due to the implementation of the Beefmaster breed), Hargrove’s farm works from a unique position on the commercial side.
Using the most advantageous genetics, F&H is able to birth the healthiest calves possible. “The goal is to use these high-performing genetics to breed quality cattle for both registered and commercial cattlemen,” he said assuredly. “We’re working on growing our herd with self-bred livestock as time goes on.”
Photo by Jill Burnsed
By “we’re” he means his uncle Conn Fountain, wife Ciara, teenager Ellie, and the newest family addition, 1-year-old Parker. Even though Hargrove’s grandfather and great-uncle raised several hundred head of beef cattle from the 1960s to the late 1980s, the millennial agriculturalist considers himself a beginner farmer in the Beefmaster space. Hargrove and his uncle wanted to revive the family’s farming glory days. So, the two decided to re-fence the property and raise cattle again. This time for a modern market. “Black Angus is preferred in Georgia,” Hargrove said, “and is historical to our state. We’re introducing more of the Beefmaster breed to the industry and in these parts.”
Photo by Jill Burnsed
With Parker strapped into his frog-positioned carrier, Ciara, 33, treats their Kawasaki UTV like a cutting horse to help guide the herd. While TJ pushes the cows into new sections by foot. As soon as TJ clocks out of his 9-to-5 job as an investigator with Baldwin County, Georgia’s district attorney’s office, it’s part-time farmer mode with family encouragement and support.
“It’s a lot of hard work,” Ciara said. “There’s always something that needs fixing or feeding. As a farmer’s wife, we have to show grace.”
Photo by Jill Burnsed
During September in the South, TJ has planted nearly 3,000 pounds of cover crop – clover, wheat, rye, oats, kale – in preparation of winter. In between the labor, quality family time is often spent at designated property cattle troughs. At the hay barn.
Photo by Jill Burnsed
Parker offers extra cute crawls on the land as he attempts to follow the herd every chance he gets. As TJ watches his son with generational pride, he’s hopeful the cow-calf operation continues to evolve to benefit farm-to-table lifestyles.
“We’re trying something new,” he said, “so we will just see how it goes. We’re looking for a winner in our Southern show ring.”
About Justin’s contributing writer:
Candace Dantes is a fourth-generation cowgirl and award-winning communicator based in the Georgia Black Belt Region. The print-to-digital journalist has contributed to and collaborated with brands like the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Wrangler, USA Today: 10 Best, National 4-H Council, REI Co-op, and Visit Fort Worth. Photo by Jill Burnsed (@jillburnsedphotography).