Following Mrs. Ames' death in January of 1950, the Angus herd, as a component part of the Ames Plantation holdings, passed to the Trustees of the Hobart Ames Foundation. Ames cattle continued to compete in the show ring until the 1960's. During the middle part of that decade, the emphasis began to shift from a show herd to a research program designed to assist area beef producers in making efficient use of their livestock resources and the land areas and pastures they utilized. Leading bloodlines now included in the Ames beef herd are Leachman Hoss, Leachman Tonto, and Premier Optima. Occasionally, breeding age bulls and replacement females become excess to the research needs and are offered for sale to the public.
Educational activities are varied and diverse.