Shorthorn Cattle, America’s first breed | The American Rancher

[Music] coming up the short horns have been a good fit here because they've been that all-purpose breed that can do so many things really well i do believe that shorthand breed has something to offer everyone short horn cattle america's first cattle breed next on the american rancher [Music] welcome to the american rancher i'm pam minnick short horns are america's first beef breed and since the 1800s short horns have been the livelihood of ranches across the nation this is due to their exceptional performance maternal efficiency and family focus today the breed is the ultimate outcross for british-based cow herds short horns have benefited marty and scott loving of kansas since the 1950s and improved the herds of countless customers here at loving farms we have about 260 mother cows all registered from 100 purebred short horns down to half blood cows that we've used in our composite program dad started the herd in 1948 really got going in the 1950s and we've just tried to carry that on tried to keep producing the kind of cattle that work in the commercial industry we collect over 20 data points on every animal that's here and it's something that as we analyze and critique our cattle it makes them better it makes us look ahead and improve what we're reading so the short horns have been a good fit here because they've been that all-purpose breed that can do so many things really well we're really focused on making these cattle as predictable as possible removing all the genetic risk from these cattle that we can and so as we start to look at things that make cattle work better on these range conditions work better in the feedlot we collect data from those points and then tie that back to what we're actually seeing out here as we start to stack generations of those traits that we find to be you know useful in this situation and you know feed efficiency is the one trait that's probably more valuable in terms of you know returning dollars or saving dollars to not only our operation but our customers operation as i see the shorthorn breed their all-purpose all-around breed that can provide extra milk in the cows they can provide a good cuttable carcass high yielding carcass and they can do it most efficiently on the least amount of grain and so our short horns we're proving that they have the ability to do all of those things and we have so much to offer as far as hybrid vigor they can give you the most heterosis of any breed we feel like they've got a lot of potential and as cattlemen across the country look for something different to to you know help with maternal efficiency to help with performance and carcass quality that the short horn is going to be a natural fit american shorthorn association has been very aggressive in the last six or eight years as far as getting us into the igs system getting us into digital beef and then getting us into the genomics with genetic evaluations so we feel like we've got the tools we just need to use them as a breed now to to bring that kind of cattle to the commercial man i would say 60 to 70 percent of our customers are wanting shorthand plus genetics it's a gateway for people that haven't used short horns before as they trend away from being so focused on one breed it's interesting to me that when a customer comes and buys a black or a solid red children plus a lot of times their next purchase is a purebred shorthorn they see the value and the heterosis and over those years we've enhanced that generation after generation and so you know as a calving ease breed that's where the short horns of today are one thing that we do at loving farms it's somewhat unique at least in the shorehorn breed is unique is we've started purchasing back feeder calves that are out of the genetics bought from loving farms we think that's a way to feed our data analysis it's a way to get more data points back into the shorthand epd system helps us drive and make better decisions based on that data and so it's a nice way for our customers to get them back to where they can get some data back on them get some feedback on their calves it also gives them another marketing outlet that helps them financially maybe not go through some of the traditional avenues of cattle marketing and so it's just a nice feature that we do that helps us from a data standpoint and it also helps our customers from a marketing standpoint the data that we collect now will be valuable in the future as we connect the dots with the data and the genetics we feel like our cattle have so much value it's just a matter of us defining and collecting and putting that data into the system if we can keep our cattle headed in the direction of the industry we'll be successful shorthorns the all-purpose breed with proven genetics time and again we now go to ohio where lee miller alongside colleague and veterinarian dr jeff byers host a nationally recognized bull and maternal event sale every spring in autumn working together and using gentle but high quality short horns they've garnered repeat and loyal customers from across the country we really like the british cattle and and the shorehands were docile they're easy to work with they cross really well back on the commercial cow herd that exists today there's a lot of british-based cows and a lot of people are looking for an outcross british outcross to use on those cows and shorehands really complement that we started in the business back in say the mid 50s when my about the time i was born and my dad started a small herd uh my brother and i were interested in the cattle business so we just kept it growing over the years and became a kind of a major occupation for the both of us it's his full-time job and i'm a veterinarian so i work at it as much as i can and when i can at our farm it's always been short horns my dad liked him because they were more problem-free in his eyes than some of the other breeds and the docility raising a family so that's how we got started in it i think what makes byland and us such a good fit is the fact that we both focus on trying to continuously improve the genetics in our cowherds we're always looking for cattle to perform in the pasture as well as in the feedlot our goal is to raise cattle that are competitive in the commercial setting carcass quality mothering ability capability gainability easy flushing we do collect data for the evaluation of the animals it's important to us to know that those cattle are going to perform for our customers when they get out and we sell those bulls and they cover their cows that those calves are going to grow you're trying to make a better animal in whatever way you know you look at your own herd and you think well we need to add this trade or we need to fix that trade or something you know you select another bull based on what does my cow herd need so that we can make a better animal the selection traits that we choose at paint valley farms are quite simple we try to take the problems out of the cattle so we choose for calving ease we choose for maternal we're looking for cows with some longevity right so there needs to be good udders they need to be reproductively sound the thing that makes me proud is that we have a lot of repeat buyers over the years that keep coming back to us sometimes in a new generation a younger generation will come back and they'll comment how they used to come with their dad or grandpa to our sales years ago and i think that's that's just a real great feeling at pay valley farms we have 150 children cows we have two sales each year the females are sold through the maternal event sale in december of each year and the bulls are sold through the bull sale in april of each year well we market our cattle through the sale jointly with paint valley farm and then we have other bulls that we sell throughout the year a few extra bulls as well but last year actually most of them sold in the sale i do believe the showhorn breed has something to offer everyone we've sold bulls from as far west as california and as far east as maine when you buy bull from peyton valley or byland at the bull sale what you're getting is a first year breeding guarantee and if you have a problem with the bull replace your bowl for you to use and we'll also offer free delivery anywhere to us customer service is the really the most important part of everything i mean i'm a veterinarian so i'm dealing with clients every day and i know how important that is to my business the cattle business is the same way we have to treat people with dignity and respect and have total integrity in our operation or we aren't going to be there in the long term and we want to be there in the long term after the break you know if i could tell folks one thing about shorehorn cattle i'd really want them to understand or know how valuable they are in the entire beef industry the maternal ability of the cattle is the driving point they're docile they're easy to work with but there's a lot of attributes that made me stick with the shorehorns we visit walkaroo farms next on the american rancher stay with us [Music] [Applause] welcome back to the american rancher for over 100 years the jordan family of walkeroo farms has trusted in the shorthorn breed early on the family determined that shorthorns have distinct advantages they're easier to manage they're more adaptable to various feed resources they last longer and they produce a higher quality beef product you know if i could tell folks one thing about about shore and cattle i i'd really want them to understand or know how valuable they are in the entire beef industry and they're fit i mean it does have a long tradition in this country one of the the oldest first breeds that established a herd book in the united states and throughout the world but because of the cattle and the way they behave their ability to drop valuable replacements and profitable steers in one mating i think it's a resource that as a group as an industry we don't tap into enough [Music] my kids and my brother's kids would be the sixth generation to to help them help out on the farm my family has been involved in shorehorn cattle for a long time probably longer than we realize we do know that my great-grandfather had registered shorehorn bulls in 1902 as we grew and developed he really selected the cattle that fit our environment and our systems better and the shorehorn cattle kai rose to the top we're in the corn belt and we're you know pretty flat and we're we're blessed with with ample rainfall but our market isn't close by uh there's not cattle here in the corn belt so our primary product is the sale of commercial bulls and and most the people we deal with have commercial cows and those cattle are from all corners so we've developed an animal that we can transport long distances and and this year we'll have bulls breeding cows in the state of washington down through southern california uh florida and up into canada the main goal of our operation is to use these cattle to not only grow our family and sustain our livelihood but we want them to generate profit for our customers and we're really cognizant of that fact as we make breeding decisions is will this make our customer money the the traits that shorehorns will offer on the maternal side that you'll see on the ranch for decades to come is the better temperament the more superior maternal traits a better foot sounder genetics that can really go out and forage and move and work for you i enjoy the challenge of making cattle better every generation i enjoy having my kids and my family you know working alongside of them to to meet that challenge we've stayed committed to shorehorn cattle here on our farm for a lot of generations we appreciate things like the temperament and the docility that they possess their natural ability for those mama cows to get a calf up when it's cold and get it nursing and cows that work for us instead of us working for them and as we've matriculated you know through our family's history the shorehorn cattle were always able to do those simple jobs the best and that's why they've remained here for so long shorthorn cattle continue to prove their value across the nation not only does the breed possess a diverse set of economically important traits it also offers unmatched disposition nowhere is this more apparent than at kate's farms in modoc indiana i am a third generation shorehorn breeder my grandfather had a multi-faceted livestock corn row crop operation just like a lot of people did back then then my dad and my uncle started showing some short horns and it seemed to be the breed at that time that they had the most luck with as they got out of college and got done they came back that's kind of when it really took off back then it was more cow calf less show cattle whereas right now we do a lot more embryo work and ivf work and focus more on the show cattle part i attribute our success mainly to just we've never been satisfied we try to make small improvements every year and i always say the day you stop learning is the day you stop getting better i've always been a question ask her because there's always people out there that know things that you don't i was brought into schoen's it was an easy breed to like a lot of it's the people our industry has a family feel i would say the majority of the farms are much like ours they're farmers and they raise cattle and they'd spend time with their family also that cattle are easy going the maternal ability of the cattle is the driving point they're docile they're easy to work with but there's a lot of attributes that made me stick with the shorehorns we have really focused on utter quality feet and legs and structural correctness that has allowed us to always stay somewhat relevant but also have some longevity to our cows things that will keep you in business for the long haul one reason to show shorns right now especially if they have a young kid are the attitudes on the cattle as a whole they are gentle cattle that genuinely like attention and affection from humans it's a breed that you can get into pretty quick and compete without having to maybe spend quite as much money or have as many years under your belt the shoreline breed is such a family friendly junior driven business we're sending the right message when we feel like we can send our kids in there and they're going to get a shot and i don't know that there's any breed right now where a young kid or a junior has more of an equal playing field than they do within the shoreham breed i feel like the american shore association definitely has stayed with the time stayed up with each and every breed but you just have to have leadership at the top that people can rely on people can trust and i feel like our breed has done a good job putting people in place that has helped our breed stay successful i mean i feel very fortunate i'm excited to go to work every day and a lot of people don't have that luxury that sometimes you have to have a reality check and just appreciate what god has given you and the opportunities that he's laid before you after the break the short horn in your herd will help with the hybrid vigor the calves will be outstanding it's just amazing what you'll do if you add that short horn cow we are a family oriented breed but we're a business breed at the same time they're a great breed for kids to get started with in 4-h in terms of docility and more importantly they're a great breed for any commercial producer to have they're great in the pasture and they're even better on the plate see more of why short horns are the backbone of america's ranching families you're watching the american rancher stay with us [Music] welcome back to the american rancher here are a few facts to consider about short horns when you're buying bulls this spring short horns are the perfect complement to angus based cow herds short horns add longevity to your females a significant economic advantage and short horns boost heterosis or hybrid vigor without taking your cowherd in the wrong direction let's learn more from these breeders short orange are what made me love the industry it was kind of the spark that struck the match of passion within me for the livestock industry was the shorthorn breed to us the shorehorn breed has meant family so really it's what has kept our family close kept our family active we enjoy working together out here that close working relationship that discussion of what we want to accomplish is valuable to me we try to raise livestock that are low maintenance real sound on breeding calving knees growth structure short horns are very adaptable they seem to do really well in the midwest but they do great where we are they tolerate the heat they tolerate the cold shorthand cattle are ideal for the beef industry because they cover the whole gamut they are a versatile breed they obviously show very well they're easy flushing they marble well they improve carcass qualities truly find the value in the cattle in terms of their maternal ability their marbling ability their docility you know they're going to lay down have calves raise calves produce heavy calves at weaning if you take them on the commercial side they're going to have adequate marbling and then also be very high cutability kind of cattle so they're very productive in the feed yard as well we know they're easy to work with they're easy-going cattle and people can see that we want them to come and see and interact with the animals as we do every day because i think it's a really good selling point for the cattle every cow on this place i can walk up to when they're here scratch them feed them they're just there's nothing wild about a short horn cow we are a family oriented breed but we're a business breed at the same time they're a great breed for kids to get started with in 4-h in terms of docility and more importantly they're a great breed for any commercial producer to have shorn's actually marble really well which a lot of people don't realize but then on top of that also the distillery really ties into tenderness and so that allows for a higher quality product that people really appreciate you know if you're strictly commercial you need to be crossbreeding and you know there's a lot of really good hereford angus cows and if you have a hereford angus cow if you breed her back to an angus bull you're going to lose some heterosis if you breed her back to a hereford bowl you're going to lose some heterosis you breed her back to a short horn bull you're going to maximize the heterosis on the three breed cross they're still going to be all british and you're going to maintain all those traits that are important to you the shorthorn breed has done such a good job in recent years keeping track of genetics dad and i talk about all the time utilizing our purebred genetic gene pool to optimize on heterosis and complementarity well i think the association is very important they are always looking at new programs to measure these cattle to put them up against other cattle to evaluate them there's no question adding in the feed intake and strengthening the carcass data that they have will really help move the short horn breed forward there's some outstanding people in this breed that work very hard are very dedicated to improving it but maintaining its strengths as well the people within the shorthorn breed are like a family that's one of the reasons why we are so passionate about the breed because we're passionate about the people in the breed you know we have so many things going on in our lives every day and when i can enjoy just walking amongst the cattle knowing that they're providing for our family that's that's fun the most important job we have as ranchers is to take care of the land that we're on and to produce food for the world and that really is a very important task and we see our role as being part of that we hope you enjoyed this journey across america and seeing all the great things that shorthorns have to offer to learn more visit shorthorn.org and to learn more about us visit our website theamericanrancher.com or connect with us on facebook we'd love to hear from you i'm pam minnick for our entire american rancher team thanks for joining us we'll see you next time [Music]

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Keywords: agriculture, animal agriculture, auctioneer, cattle for sale, cattle management, cattle marketing, feeder cattle, livestock auction, livestock management, marketing livestock, raising livestock, rodeo, shipping cattle, tags, shorthorn cattle ireland, shorthorn cattle shows, shorthorn cattle pros and cons, shorthorn cattle history, shorthorn hereford cross cattle, shorthorn cattle hstory, shorthorn cattle australia, dairy shorthorn cattle, shorthorn angus cross cattle

Id: 1WwBGj4OfZs

Length: 22min 11sec (1331 seconds)

Published: Wed Feb 17 2021