The 7L Farms Story

The 7L team. Started in 2001 by Jimmy and Lucy Levens and their five children, 7L Farms and Land Co., LLC is an Angus operation founded on the principles of Quality, Integrity and Commitment. Located on 3,000 acres in Wiggins, Miss., the day-to-day operations of the 1,000+ head herd are entrusted to the accomplished hands of managing partner Dr. Michael Bishop, an expert in bovine genetics with several years experience in stem cell cloning, in-vitro fertilization (IVF) and DNA research. Levens and Bishop have carefully selected a team of skilled a knowledgeable people who have gained their knowledge through a balance of hands-on experience and advanced degrees. As a team they share their expertise to create a system of management that is efficient and effective.

	The cattle. The Angus cattle at 7L come from farms such as Kahn, Southern Cattle Company, Limestone, Three Trees, Express, Vintage and a variety of other genetically power-packed establishments, locally and across the country. Faced with the Southeastern environmental challenge of high temperatures and humidity, 7L's cattle are hardy. Levens and Bishop say that if an animal can make it in southern Mississippi, they believe they can make it anywhere in the world.
	Breeding technology. 7L's breeding program aggressively employs technologies such as DNA marker-assisted selection, in-vitro fertilization (IVF) and embryo transfer (ET). One thing that sets the 7L apart from others is that they have their own on-farm DNA laboratory capable of handling DNA sampling and embryo manipulation. 7L ETs about 10 cows per month while operating 10 months out of the year and typically averages eight embryos per flush.
	Herd health. The herd is a Brucellosis accredited-free herd and is continually tested for Johne's disease, bovine viral diarrhea (BVD), tuberculosis (TB) and bovine leukosis virus (BLV). Modified live virus (MLV) vaccines are systematically used to prevent other diseases.
	Nutrition. The 7L team believes that to have good cattle you have to raise good forages. In addition to growing dryland corn silage and high-moisture wrapped rye grass silage, 7L experiments with seeding pastures with a mix of native and exotic forages, always in search of the combinations that enhance harmony between the cattle and the land. Wet forage analysis is used to determine feed values and detect possible deficiencies. Donors and recips are also supplemented with macro minerals.
	Internships. Firm believers in supporting youth activity in the agriculture industry, 7L offers three-month internships to animal science and pre-veterinary students from across the country. The internship experiences are tailored to each student's skills and interests, and include research projects in addition to normal farm chores.
	Partnerships. In an effort to advance cattle genetics to better fit the current beef industry's needs, 7L has formed a partnership with neighboring Beefmaster producer Dr. Gerald Berenson and his operation, Windy Hills. While Berenson continues to maintain ownership of the Windy Hills land and cattle, 7L now manages the cattle in partnership and leases the land. With this partnership, 7L aims to co-invest in the Beefmaster breed by maintaining an elite core of Beefmasters on Windy Hills property, while advancing the carcass merit of the Beefmaster breed.
	The future. 7L's long-term goal is to become vertically integrated. But regardless of the path 7L takes in the future, you can be sure that the Levens family's core values of Quality, Integrity and Commitment will be at the forefront in producing beef cattle. After all, with that kind of solid foundation, 7L Farms is Built to Last. Read more details about the 7L program. To read more about the complete history click here