Our weaning and yearling weights were consistent with those of our neighbors and frame size continued to creep up in search of heavier calves. The first year we retained ownership on a group of calves we were surprised to find how poorly they preformed on carcass merit.
We consulted with the feedlot managers and found that Angus based cattle consistently out-performed cross-bred cows and all other purebreds for hitting valuable grid targets.
Deciding to move from the relatively random process of trying to develop a high-performing cowherd made up of cross-bred cattle with no real documented genetic history was easy. Unfortunately there was almost as much diversity among the purebred herds as there was with cross-bred cattle, but the genetic history was documented.
We selected the Angus breed and purchased females from top herds across the country. The idea was to gather a broad genetic base to minimize line breeding. But many of them didn't adapt or perform like they should and we found predictable reproduction to be almost as elusive as it was with the commercial cattle.
The cattle that did perform were consistently those that descended from long lines of high accuracy cow families with proven genetics carefully stacked for continual improvement. Their genetic traits were well-balanced and there was little or no evidence of single trait selection. Frame sizes were moving down, not up; birthweights were stabilized or moving downward slowly, weaning and yearling weights were increasing, milk was being held at a moderate level, marbling was increasing and ribeye size was normalizing at desireable levels.
Incredible genetic progress was being made on a large scale in Ashland, KS and we focused our genetic base there. Because Gardiner utilitzed an extensive embryo transfer program, we were able to access genetics that would otherwise have remained closely protected in their own herd. And, due to their large cowherd size, they were able to make genetic progress that a smaller operation could never achieve. Further, the large population in their statistical universe made it easier to identify the exceptional performers earlier.
But, the bottom line for us came after we developed a “blue print” of what we believed the ideal cow should be. With each calf crop, the calves that repeatedly rose to the top were those from our GAR gene pool.
The following excerpt from a letter one of our customers wrote sealed the deal.
“We appreciate the good bulls that you raise and we can purchase.”