Breeder Spotlight

from The American Black Hereford - Spring 2022

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Sherman Beef Cattle

Sherman Beef Cattle in central Pennsylvania is owned by Michael and Vanessa Sherman. Michael’s experience in the cattle industry is long and varied, giving him a unique perspective and desire to think outside of the box. “I have always had the “when you see everyone is turning right… don’t be afraid to be the one who turns left” mentality when it comes to our operation,” he said.

The family farm was purchased by Michael’s grandfather in 1956 and began as a dairy. It had converted to a cash crop operation by the 1980’s which marketed a few beef cattle annually. Michael’s father Donald Sherman Jr. was instrumental in sustaining the family farm until he was able to purchase the farm from his grandparents in 2006. By then Michael had already been busy at work developing his program while attending Penn State University. While working towards his degree in Animal Science in 1996 Michael purchased his first registered Hereford heifer. “It is hard to believe that a single purchase of a young heifer, DR Royal Nifty 121, would begin a series of events that enabled me to grow our operation into what it has become today,” Michael reflects.

Sherman Beef Cattle purchased their first Black Herefords in 2018. “I had been searching approximately four years for phenotype and bloodlines that would complement our Hereford genetics prior to selecting a bull. I felt a calculated approach was necessary and ultimately enabled our operation to produce cattle with much higher marketability rather than just selecting any bull to turn our calves black,” he said. Michael places a high value on a base of quality Hereford genetics. “Beginning with the strongest Hereford genetics you can obtain is essential for producing quality Black Hereford cattle. Although homozygous black and high

percentages typically command the highest prices, structure and phenotype should not be compromised while making mating decisions. Single trait selection has been attempted numerous times by those no longer in the cattle business and does not make a comprehensive breeding plan for any successful operation.”

Today the Shermans calve out approximately 30 Registered Hereford/ Black Hereford females annually. Most of the resulting offspring are sold as replacement heifers and breeding bulls at approximately one year of age. The top 25% of the calf crop are typically enrolled in performance testing programs. Michael primarily utilizes the Pennsylvania Livestock Evaluation Center for annual bull testing and heifer development. He has also tested bulls at the Midland Bull Test in Montana and the Wardensville Bull Test in West Virginia. Michael feels passionately about the benefits of performance testing saying, “Performance testing has been crucial to the success of our operation as it provides a benchmark to monitor genetic progress. I believe it holds us accountable for our breeding decisions as the information is 100% unfiltered and quantifiable. It offers an opportunity to make mating decisions based on verifiable and reliable data rather than relying on less predictable EPD’s with low accuracy values. By focusing on genotype AND phenotype, it has allowed us to create genetic packages that can flourish in a variety of production models suiting the needs of both commercial and seedstock breeders. The exposure we have received by releasing our test data on social media has enabled us to market our genetics to a national market.”

Michael is also focused on changing with market demands, even during these crazy times. “As demand for premium locally produced beef has recently skyrocketed due to the pandemic, we have decided to incorporate GRF Sasian H08 ET into a portion of our breeding program for the 2022 breeding season. We believe this unique 100% fullblood Wagyu sire will allow us to produce high performance F1 cattle with superior carcasses that stand to capitalize on the Hereford/Angus genetic base that our Black Herefords currently possess,” he said.

Along the way of Sherman Beef Cattle’s quest for excellence they have received numerous awards for their commitment to conservation including the Chesapeake Bay Clean Water Farm Award, Pennsylvania Cattlemen’s Environmental Stewardship Award and Lycoming County Conservation Cooperator of the Year Award. Additionally, the operation has been featured on national CRP video campaigns by the USDA and highlighted in educational material by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. But Michael is committed to more than just his operation, seeking to also serve his community. Michael is the boys’ varsity and junior high head soccer coach for Montgomery Area School District and a Regional Commissioner for Montgomery AYSO soccer program. He has received the Presidential Volunteer Service Award for the last three years for his commitment to strengthen his community through volunteer service.

Michael views the ABHA as a positive network for developing breeders. “The best asset our breed has to offer any incoming breeder would be the tremendous support network our breeders have developed. I am amazed how breeders can contact each other for the first time and within minutes feel like you have been lifelong friends. This is extremely rare in the cattle industry today. By viewing our “competition” as resources rather than threats, we have enabled our breed to make significant gains in our market share in a relatively short period of time. Take your time and do your research. Often excellent animals can be obtained from some of the most unlikely sources at a fraction of the cost for those willing to take the time to locate them,” he said. ABHA

2022 BACk TO BASICS ONLINE SALE

4-18-2022 on SmartAuctions.co

THIS A RETURN TO OUR ANNUAL SPRING ‘BACK TO BASICS’ SALE. WE WILL BE OFFERING APPROXIMATELY 20 LOTS OF SHOW PROSPECTS, OPEN AND BRED HEIFERS, PAIRS, HERDSIRE PROSPECTS AND FROZEN GENETICS. PLEASE CONTACT US FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.