The Prettiest Girl and Cattle W
ho is the prettiest girl in the school? I have heard boys in gym locker rooms argue that point many times and they usually could not agree which one it was! Contrary to what some advocate today, the same is true with cattle. When I was on high school and college livestock judging teams and we were judging old cows, it was amazing how the placings would change when the calves were later brought in and paired with their mothers. Big, fat, good-looking cows rarely had the best calves. When our kids were showing 4-H steers in the 1970s, we had an excellent, high gaining calf that we thought was near ideal, but he stood near the bottom of his class while another one that had been sick and did poorly won his class. Another breeder and I were pondering about this when he gave me some great advice. “Don’t let a judge determine your breeding program. It’s just one man’s opinion on one day.” Maybe that is why longtime Hereford breeder Mike Friend advised us in our younger days to stay out of the showring. Even great cattlemen can have differences of opinion. My dad and I were visiting with Jim McClellan (former manager of Turner Ranch) at the 1972 “Mighty Mainstream Dispersion” near the bull pens when Jim looked over at Winrock D4, who would later sell for over $100,000, and
For performance-tested Hazlett-Turner Ranch Bloodlines said if TR Zato Heir 394 were here no one would even look at D4. In spite of EPDs and more technology, the best Hereford like the prettiest girl is still a matter of opinion! In October 2008 we attended the Hereford portion of the North Dakota Stockman’s All-Breeds Tour and visited with a large commercial cattleman from western North Dakota who complained that most Herefords in that area were too big in frame size for commercial breeders because of the cost of cow maintenance in their offspring. This year I read a published letter from a Hereford breeder in that area of the country promoting 1,500 lb. cows as the ideal size. Like the North Dakota commercial cattleman, most commercial men in our area also prefer a smaller 900-1,100 lb. cow for this same reason. Obviously, one size may not fit all. Like picking the prettiest girl, breed what you like and hope others like it as well. Your opinion and reasons may be more practical than the so-called expert. We too have our opinion and have bred what we think are practical, good disposition, thick, Hazlett Herefords for 50 years. They work for us and our commercial bull buyers. We invite you to stop by and see if your opinion agrees with ours.
Day ZatoTone 943
Day Zato Tone 943 is a 2,300 lb., frame 5 1/2 sire with an actual birth weight of 81 lb. and a sweetheart disposition that excels.
This picture was taken by Pollestad Herefords, Halliday, N.D., who co-own 943 and have semen available.
Richard C. Day Family Oklahoma Division Richard and Sheila Day 3284 Hwy. 1, Roff, OK 74865 580-456-7567 day972@yahoo.com 30 Hereford World / July 2010
Texas Division Jacob and Amy Day 9405 Hwy. 36 S., Abilene, TX 79602 325-669-3729 jday@daysigncoinc.com www.hereford.org