Leachman Cattle of Colorado was founded in 2003 by Lee Leachman and Dallas Horton. The Horton family is a multi-generational ranching operation now involved in all sectors of the industry – seedstock, cow/calf, and feedlot. In the 90’s, the Horton’s conducted a sire progeny test to measure profitability from birth to slaughter. This innovative test estimated genetic differences in terms of dollars. Dallas Horton’s desire to select for bulls that would earn more money directly led to testing for feed efficiency and the development of the $PROFIT® index.
In 2009, Mike Browning and Lee Leachman purchased the new company from Dallas Horton. Later, Tim & Shirlene Watts joined Lee and Mike in the business. The operation was based at 2056 West CR 70, Fort Collins, CO. Annually, LCoC marketed over 2000 bulls including Angus, Red Angus, Stabilizer Composites, and Charolais.
Lee & Lisa Leachman
Mike & Lisa Browning
Tim & Shirlene Watts
LCoC raised three lines of maternal cattle: Angus, Red Angus, and Stabilizer® Composites. The terminal line was Charolais. LCoC does not believe that one breed or one bull can provide all of the solutions. We know that many cows are getting too big and are eating too much. By moderating size and measuring feed intake, we can produce cows that eat less. Unfortunately, we also know that higher carcass weights lead to more feedlot profitability. This fundamental genetic antagonism between cow size and carcass weight led us to develop lines that are selected to specialize on either maternal traits or terminal traits. Meanwhile, most seedstock producers are attempting to provide one bull that does it all. Their high growth, “super bulls” produce daughters that are too big, eat too much, fail to breed back, and fall out of the herd too quickly.
LCoC calculates their $RANCH® which predicts maternal profitability and their $PROFIT®, that predicts the profitability from birth to harvest. By using these indexes combined with disciplined selection and an industry leading 1.2 MM animal database – Leachman tries to thread the needle. Every bull that sells shows these two valuable indexes which allow customers to compare the maternal and overall strengths of every bull.
Each year, LCoC markets over 2,000 bulls and 2,000 females. The bulls are produced through a network of cooperator producers and via embryo transplant. LCoC’s cooperator network consists of forty-five herds comprised of over 12,000 breeding females. LCoC provides cooperators with breeding, selection, and marketing services. The cooperators own the cows and the land and provide the management to raise the bulls. Most LCoC cooperators have been in the Leachman breeding program for over a decade. Over 75% of LCoC cooperator calf crops are AI sired. An additional 15% are produced by ET. Only the top 50% of cooperator male calves are sent to LCoC to be performance tested and sold as bulls.
Leachman Cattle of Colorado markets bulls through our Spring sale held the third week in March. Also, LCoC sells bulls throughout the year at regional sales and via private treaty year round. For a nominal charge, bulls are delivered to major stockyards across the country any time of the year.
LCoC bulls are all backed by our reputation and sell quality guaranteed. Many bulls are bought Sight-UnSeen and carry a complete satisfaction, money-back guarantee once delivered. LCoC offers a FULL ONE YEAR GUARANTEE on every bull we sell. If the bull becomes unable to breed cows for any reason, then the buyer will receive a credit towards the purchase of a future bull.
Simply put, the combination of traits that come from selection for $Profit™ is putting more money in our customer’s pockets!
We hope we can earn your business! Please contact us at any time for more information.
A member of our Leachman team will be happy to contact you through phone or email if you’d like more information! Please fill out our catalog request page to get started.