Most people wouldn’t expect to find one of the hardest-working cows on a Wagyu ranch wearing a Jersey hide. But that’s exactly what you’ll find at SDG Ranch outside Carthage, Missouri.
She’s the family milk cow, and just this week Michael and Sarah Cochran transferred another fullblood Wagyu embryo into her. It’s not the first time, and if all goes well, it won’t be the last. Over the years, she’s quietly helped bring elite Wagyu genetics into the world, proving that a recipient cow doesn’t have to be expensive or registered to have an important job.
In a lot of ways, she represents what SDG Ranch is all about.
“We’ve always believed you work with what you’ve got,” Sarah says.
That philosophy has shaped nearly every decision the Cochrans have made.
They know Wagyu can seem out of reach for many families, with elite donor females often carrying price tags that stop people before they ever get started. But they don’t believe that’s the only path. A healthy recipient cow, a quality embryo, and a willingness to learn can go a long way.
Sarah earned her master’s degree in reproductive physiology from South Dakota State University before completing postgraduate research in reproductive biology at the University of Florida. Her background in embryo transfer, IVF, and artificial insemination gives her a deep appreciation for the science, but what excites her most is seeing those technologies become practical tools that everyday cattle producers can actually use.
That desire to help others has become part of the culture at SDG Ranch. When someone wants to get started in Wagyu but doesn’t know where to begin, the Cochrans are happy to help. If a family has a good recipient cow, they’ll sell embryos at a fair price and perform the embryo transfer without charging for the labor. Their hope is simple: help another family take that first step into the Wagyu industry. After all, they remember what it was like to be new.
Founded in 2021, SDG Ranch may only span 40 acres, but the Cochrans have never believed success is measured by acreage.
Over the past few years, they’ve grown their herd to over 25 registered fullblood Wagyu, with several more calves expected in the coming months. Alongside the Wagyu, the ranch is home to a variety of cattle breeds that each play a role in the family’s embryo transfer program and day-to-day life on the farm.
One of the ranch’s highlights this past year was selling a pregnancy that is a full sibling to the No. 1-ranked fullblood Wagyu female in the United States at the time. That pregnancy sold for $28,000. Moments like that are exciting, but for the Cochrans they’re also reminders that careful planning, patience, and good genetics can produce opportunities far beyond what anyone might expect from a small family ranch.
They’re also looking forward to several exciting genetic combinations that will be hitting the ground over the coming year. Every calf represents another opportunity to learn, improve, and continue building the herd they’ve envisioned from the very beginning.
Everything at SDG Ranch is very much a family effort. Michael and Sarah work side by side while raising and homeschooling their five children, who are growing up learning that caring for animals, serving others, and working hard are simply part of everyday life.
The name SDG stands for Soli Deo Gloria—”To God Alone Be the Glory.”
It isn’t just a name on the sign at the end of the driveway. It’s the foundation of how the ranch operates.
The Cochrans believe the opportunities they’ve been given are gifts from God, and one of the best ways to honor those gifts is by helping other families succeed along the way. Which brings the story back to that Jersey milk cow. She doesn’t know she’s carrying embryos worth thousands of dollars. She doesn’t know she’s helping produce the next generation of elite Wagyu cattle. She’s just doing what she’s always done. And in her own quiet way, she reminds everyone at SDG Ranch that remarkable things don’t always start with remarkable beginnings. Sometimes they start with simply using what God has already placed in front of you.