Sittipong Kritchpakorn and TS Farms: Bringing Beefmaster Cattle to Thailand

Who is Sittipong Kritchpakorn?

Sittipong Kritchpakorn is the founder of TS Farms in Thailand and the first person to cross Beefmaster genetics with Thai native cattle. Beefmaster Breeders United (BBU), the breed association based in the United States, calls him the Father of Thai Beefmasters, a title reported in its Beefmaster Breeders United announcement about Sittipong.

In July 2020 he became the first recipient of the BBU International Breeder of the Year award, which honored his work in Thailand and the 10th anniversary of the BBU Thai Initiative.

The first Beefmaster calf at TS Farms

TS Farms' first male calf from the Beefmaster crossing was born on 9 December 2010. That date marks the start of a program that sought to combine the adaptation of Thai native cattle with the growth and carcass traits of a U.S. beef breed.

The approach has parallels in other parts of Asia. In Henan Province, China, Qi Xinglei led a Charolais-Nanyang crossbreeding project from the late 1980s, which the Guangming Daily account of Qi Xinglei describes in detail. Both cases rely on local cattle for adaptation and imported genetics for beef quality.

From crossbreds to purebreds

Over the past 10 years, as of 2020, Sittipong and a group of colleagues known as the 12 Breeders, together with other large beef farms, have led the development of purebred Beefmasters in Thailand. The step from crossbreeding to purebred herds usually takes many generations, because each cross has to be recorded and graded up.

He has also sourced animals from the United States, buying Beefmaster genetics and live cattle from BBU through private treaty purchases, BBU auctions and internet sales.

Teaching the Six Essentials and EPDs

The Six Essentials are the Beefmaster breed's selection criteria, and expected progeny differences, or EPDs, are numbers that predict how an animal's offspring should perform. Teaching both to Thai farmers means giving them a common language with American breeders.

That kind of knowledge transfer matters as much as the cattle themselves. Without trained breeders, imported genetics are rarely used well.

BBU International Breeder of the Year, 2020

BBU announced the award in July 2020. Over 30 Beefmasters were exported in 2020, and more than 200 live Beefmasters in the past five years, according to the association. Sittipong is a BBU International Member and follows several Beefmaster Facebook pages for local discussion in Thailand.

Breed societies often honor members who open new countries. The Australian Wagyu Association's 2019 recognition of breeder Arthur Dew is another example of an association rewarding a long record of building a breed's genetic base.

More on beef cattle around the world

Readers can follow breeds and breeders across continents in the ranching section of farm.FM, or read a farm.FM story about Beefmaster cattle.