Dr. Jason Cleere – Madisonville, Texas

Dr. Jason Cleere – Madisonville, Texas

This month’s featured beef producer is Dr. Jason Cleere, an associate professor and Texas AgriLife Extension beef cattle specialist, stationed at Texas A&M University in College Station. He develops and implements Extension educational programs to increase production efficiency and profitability of Texas beef cattle producers and has a Ph.D. in Animal Science and Beef Cattle Genetics – you could say he’s the brains behind the beef we enjoy as consumers!

In addition to being on the academic side of the beef community, Cleere has his own purebred cattle operation started in 1988. The ranch currently operates with 17 head of cattle on about 75 acres. This is a part-time passion for Cleere, who estimates he puts in another 10 to 15 hours of work in addition to his university job.

“The unpredictability of the weather, is the hardest part of this job,” says Cleere, “however, it’s well worth the ups and downs for the opportunity to raise my boys around ranching and the for values that it teaches them.”

Cleere’s family goes back 5 generations in agriculture and he’s very likely raising the next generation of ranchers (or animal scientists), with two sons Kendel (age 17) and Kanin (age 12) he has with his wife of 20+ years, Kristi. The whole family, including the boys, help out as needed on their small cow-calf operation. The boys also have nine 4H Market Steers and two purebred heifers that they show at big fairs and rodeos in Texas.

Read on to find out more about Jason in his own words:

Favorite Cut of Beef: Ribeye

Favorite Beef Recipe: Keep it simple, ribeye grilled over oak and mesquite.

Favorite Beef Cooking Method: Wood grill

Favorite Place to Get a Burger: Koppe Bridge, College Station, TX

Funniest Ranch Life Story: Trying to explain artificial insemination and embryo transfer to my sons when they were about 5-years-old. You have to develop a very creative explanation.

Active Hobbies: Hunting and fishing with my sons