So far our winter has been what we would call normal for us. A lot of rain, fog, wind and temperatures close to or below freezing. Fortunately we have enough barn space so that our cows can stay inside if necessary. Their feed bunkers are also inside so we avoid most of the winter mud issues. We have already had several rare Heritage Shorthorn calves born that we feel quite positive about and look forward to several more.

Quarterly Topic: Are Heritage Shorthorns A Separate Breed Of Cattle?

Back Story:

Some of what I will include in this Shorthorn Bulletin has been presented in past SB issues. Hopefully I can integrate it to achieve clarity on the question of whether Heritage Shorthorns should be considered a separate breed of cattle. Several recent developments in Shorthorn registries around the world have brought lucidity to that question.

What is a Cattle Breed?:

To be a cattle breed certain prerequisites must be met. The cattle in question must be a closed group, similar in origin, traceable by related descent, and must have a group of distinguishable characteristics. An example of a group of cattle that would not be a breed are black cattle. Similarity may end at color and they may have a whole range of other characteristics that are a smorgasbord with no relationship in origin or type. Almost all cattle breeds today are not true to the definition of a cattle breed as they have incorporated genes from other breeds to expedite change and are essentially upgraded to purebreds as defined by their breed association/society. This has resulted in both confusion and the loss of important DNA that made a particular cattle breed valuable to the whole genetic pool of cattle genes. Using the black cattle analogy many individuals would assume if they saw black cattle they are black Angus but in today’s rush to black they might be part Simmental, part Limousine, part Gelbvieh, part Shorthorn, or some other mixture of cattle genetics with the only related overt characteristic being black color. In other words a crossbred.

Formation Of The Shorthorn Breed:

When the progenitors of the Shorthorn breed were being amalgamated from 1780-1820 certain distinctive cattle traits were part of the incorporation process. The void in transferable traits which existed in cattle during that time frame needed to be addressed. I would refer anyone interested in the early history of Shorthorn cattle to the Heritage Shorthorn Society website: www.heritageshorthorn.org. What emerged from the process of building the Shorthorn breed was a group of cattle that possessed many reproducible, desirable traits that were needed to improve all cattle at the time. Thus, Shorthorns became known as the “mother of all cattle breeds”. Approximately 40 breeds used Shorthorn genetics as part of their genetic base. Maine Anjous would be a classic example.

Variation Within The Shorthorn Breed:

Shorthorns rapidly gained acceptance on the farms of Old England because of their versatility. Slowly certain traits were accentuated through selective breeding, producing both beef and dairy types, along with dual purpose. Reference can be made to the saying “Bates breeding for the pail and Booth breeding for the butcher”. The fact that all this utility was present in one genetic package is a testament to the genetic selection talents of those breeders who codified the traits that made the Shorthorn breed famous throughout the world. Today the complete remnants of that original genetic package are only found in a limited number of Shorthorns which are now called “Heritage Shorthorns”.

Heritage Shorthorns Versus Modern Shorthorns Versus Other Cattle Breeds:

Present day “Modern Shorthorns” are mostly a blend of traits brought together through cross breeding rather than using selective breeding to preserve the original special DNA makeup of Shorthorns. This also applies to all other modern breeds of both dairy and beef cattle. Cattle breeders today are always eager for a quick fix to genetic issues with no regard to the long term consequences. There are a litany of examples to validate that statement. The introduction of the Myostatin E226X, double muscling gene, is an excellent example. Most likely it came from Maine Anjous but certainly there are other cattle breeds that may have been the origin. Fortunately Shorthorn breeders in most countries are in the process of removing it from their Shorthorn gene pool through testing, although the American Shorthorn Association has not taken that step. It has not been a problem in the Heritage Shorthorn breed because it never was in the original Shorthorn gene pool.

The Heritage Shorthorn Breed:

There is no question that Heritage Shorthorns are a special breed of cattle because they are “true to their roots” and have the ability to trace every one of their ancestors to the Coates Herd Book of 1822. No other breed of cattle in the world can do that today. Any rudimentary examination of the pedigrees of Modern Shorthorns, be they beef or milking, will inevitable directly trace to the inclusion of other cattle breeds. Breed associations/societies try to gloss this over by an upgrading process as an individual animal that may have been 97.5% pure suddenly is called 100% through upgrading. This simply is false advertising and is misleading at its best and deceitful at its worst. Unfortunately buyers, unless they have done a thorough investigation and asked a lot questions, have no idea they have been hoodwinked by the “100%” label. This is the state of the cattle industry today—upgraded cattle being called “pure”. All the EPDs, genetic tests, breed promotions, and shows cannot erase the fact that they are not pure. Unfortunately this cross breeding leads to the infusion of “foreign” DNA into the original Shorthorn genome and causes the loss/dilution of the special genes that separated true Shorthorns from other cattle breeds. It is also a societal loss because lost DNA can not be recovered. Apparently this fact is missing in the thinking of most cattle breed associations today as they try to justify their bureaucracy, registration fees, testing rules, and existence.

Heritage Shorthorns are genuinely the only pure cattle breed except for a few other Heritage breeds. Their unique blend of beef, dairy, and dual purpose genetics, plus adherence to purity, can be exploited in many ways to improve the state of the cattle industry today. Reaching into that genetic bank can insert useful genes for almost any trait in cattle. Also it maximizes hybrid vigor when crossed with other cattle, including Modern Shorthorns, because it is pure. I firmly believe that the Heritage Shorthorn breed has a bright future because of its uniqueness, extensive genetic trait bank (beef, dairy, and dual purpose), and enthusiastic supporters. The fact is that it is the “only game in town” when it comes to a reservoir of pure cattle breed genetics, and it comes in a package that easily adapts to almost any environment or management system. Heritage Shorthorns are absolutely a unique and valuable asset for modern cattle breeding that can be utilized in may different ways as more and more people “discover” the opportunities within the Heritage Shorthorn breed.

This is the Last New Issue Of The Shorthorn Bulletin:

After 10 years I have decided to permanently stop writing the Shorthorn Bulletin. It is not because of a lack of topics. There is a wealth of potential topics but time for all of us is a limited commodity, and I have other interests that I want to pursue. Hopefully I have stimulated readers to at least look at the classic Shorthorn breed through “new glasses” rather than simply be bamboozled by different types of charlatans and breed associations that pretend they value the Shorthorn breed, when in reality they are only interested in money and in perpetuating a false narrative around the purity of crossbred Modern Beef and Milking Shorthorns. True believers in the value of the Shorthorn breed are gravitating toward Heritage Shorthorns. I trust that the many young, serious breeders of Heritage Shorthorns will carry on the legacy of those who have preserved Heritage Shorthorn genetics over the years, and that they will improve on what my wife and I started with the creation of the Heritage Shorthorn Society. The Shorthorn Bulletin has always been a venue to bring new ideas/view points to Shorthorn enthusiasts. It has allowed me to put the facts about “Modern Shorthorns” on the “internet table”. Other breeders have “nibbled at the edges” and privately complained, but have rarely spoken out publicly about all the problems with Modern Shorthorns and the breed associations/societies promoting them Before I started the Shorthorn Bulletin there were only breed magazines and breed associations that constantly regurgitated the same “propaganda”. The recent establishment of a Heritage Shorthorn Breeders Facebook page by two other Heritage Shorthorn breeders now provides a forum for those interested in Heritage Shorthorns to discuss the many nuances of this breed with other enthusiasts in a free, open environment. In that sense I believe my job is done.

All of the issues of the Shorthorn Bulletin posted over the past 10 years will remain online for the foreseeable future, and so will be accessible to anyone interested in previous topics.

Joseph Schallberger, DVM, PhD
Whispering Hills Farm
Member Academy of Veterinary Consultants

Despite a relatively warm summer our pastures continued to be productive throughout so it was not necessary to start feeding hay until early September. Fortunately hay prices have fallen by 30% this year to the lowest level in 5 years. Once again we have an eclectic variety of calves coming next spring sired by extremely rare, quality Heritage Shorthorn bulls from Canadian Image to Scottshill Major Clark. Resurrecting some of the finest Shorthorn genetics has continued be our guiding force.

Quarterly Topic: AI Versus AI: Short Changing The Shorthorn Breed?

History:

One could argue that there have been four inflection points in the evolvement of cattle genetics: Mendalian Genetics, Artificial Insemination, Embryo Transfer, and Artificial Intelligence. Most breeders are familiar with the concept of Mendalian Genetics from their high school biology class so I will not rehash it. Artificial Insemination (A. Insem.) has been around for almost a 100 years although it really started to be fully utilized in the 1950’s. Embryo Transfer started to emerge in the 1970’s and 1980’s but has only come into its own the last 15-20 years with the development of In Vitro Fertilization now accounting for over 80% of all embryo production. Artificial Intelligence (A. Intel.) is the new watchword that encompasses all aspects of society including cattle breeding. A prior Shorthorn Bulletin has discussed the many facets of Embryo Transfer. Thus this Shorthorn Bulletin will focus on A. Insem. and A. Intel.

The Construct:

Recently I was reading an article about the future of the Shorthorn breed and cattle in general. The article purported to describe how genomic testing was the driving force behind the improvement in the Shorthorn breed. Anyone who has followed the cattle industry the last twenty years has seen the rise of numbers/EPDs as the driving force behind the promotional efforts of most cattle breed associations. The question is whether that has really resulted in better animals or are there other explanations? The title of this article refers to artificial insemination versus artificial intelligence, and what impact they have had on the Shorthorn breed. The hope of all cattle breed associations is now based on projecting that artificial intelligence (the new marketing story invading every aspect of our daily lives ) will establish their breed and specific individuals as superior to all others.

Artificial Insemination:

Having grown up on a dairy farm in the 50’s and early 60’s I was exposed to the merits of using A. Insem. at a young age. My Dad starting using this technology in about 1955: first Curtiss Breeders then American Breeders Service (ABS). He also used the Dairy Herd Improvement Association (DHIA) program to test our dairy cows on a monthly basis. On a year to year comparison it was easy to see both the genotype and phenotype improvement in his herd of 120 dairy cows. I still remember certain cows that embodied many of the qualities of modern dairy cows. He decided to quit dairying in 1965 when I decided to go off to college. There is no question A. Insem. made a tremendous improvement in his herd but I emphasize he utilized his “own eye” to significantly improve the phenotype. These experiences as a “kid” drove home the point that numbers (DHIA testing at that time) should not be the only driving force in herd improvement.

Looking at how A. Insem. has been fruitful in moving the needle for cattle in a positive direction should be taken within certain limitations as evidenced by the size fascination during the 80’s and 90’s in conjunction with the employment of many continental breeds in crossbreeding such as Maine Anjou and Charlois. Shorthorns were not immune to the crossbreeding rage, along with the incorporation of Irish “Shorthorns”, who were supposed to be the salvation of the Shorthorn breed. When A. Insem. is used within a herd to improve it, rather than follow the latest trends, impactful results can quickly materialize. When it is used to follow the current cattle industry genetic fads monetary gains may be minimal. Today’s Shorthorns have become a mix of genetics from other breeds due to opening their herd book. Subsequently real improvement in Shorthorns has become increasingly difficult because the genetic variability that other breeds bring to the Shorthorn genetic pool creates more uncertainly rather than predictable improvement. A Insem. has facilitated this Shorthorn trait dilution when it could have been used solely to incorporate and spread the best traits of the Shorthorn breed. This short changes the Shorthorn breed in both breed integrity and breed value.

Artificial Intelligence:

There is no doubt that A. Intel. is taking the cattle industry by storm. In fact if it is not inserted into “everything cattle” the conclusion seems to be that it is not important. Whether it is disease, reproduction, trait selection, or feed efficiency A. Intel has an answer for you to just mention a few of the ways A. Intel. is at the forefront of the “new cattle industry”. Whether this will ultimately put more money in your pocket after all of the additional expenses, is another story. With the recent purchase of Digital Beef by 701X a new trait test, new EPD permutations, or new testing demands by breed associations will only be a $bill away. Recently in the “Shorthorn Country” a comment was made regarding the constant changes being made to EPD formulations and whether the “fix is in” regarding how and why data/algorithms are being changed to produce a different result. The fact that the American Shorthorn Association has had to address this issue indicates to me there are a lot of breeders like myself that do not trust the data for various reasons. I have commented on some of the questionable assumptions made about the whole investigation of EPD basics in past Shorthorn Bulletins. I do believe, from a Veterinarian’s perspective, that A. Intel. can bring forth positive developments in the areas of animal health and reproduction but at a cost. Whether this will result in higher profits is open to debate. The reality is that A. Intel. can short change the Shorthorn breed because new costs and tests will ultimately cause small breeders to get out and discourage new individuals from getting in. It is important to note that most Shorthorn breeders have fewer than 10 cows and are more interested in shows than EPDs or algorithms.

The Contrast:

When viewing the virtues of A. Insem. versus A. Intel. the pragmatic person will look at all aspects and realize that A. Insem. has cost and selection benefits that A. Intel. will never attain. If the end results with A. Intel. is gene editing and enhanced EPDS, with resultant “cookie cutter cattle”, then the dynamics favor A. Intel. over A. Insem. At that point I would not want to be a seller of range bulls because that market will be dead. The JBS’s and Walmart’s of the world will own the cattle genetics and cattle breeders will be in same boat as farmers who used to breed hogs or chickens. They are now essentially tenant farmers. I have always believed good management, along with objective phenotype/genotype selection, will put more dollars in a breeder’s pocket than anything else. In many cattle operations profits will disappear trying to meet the standard of the “new marketplace”. Melding A. Insem. and A. Intel. can certainly have positive results but at what cost? That is the real question for most Shorthorn breeders.

Future:

Ultimately I believe that cattle genetics will be shaped by gene editing through the utilization of A. Intel. There are many reasons for this. Expediency of standardization through gene editing will eliminate the varieties of the genetic selective process that is currently utilized throughout the livestock industry and will be the new driving force. Societal acceptance will be accomplished by the changing political environment and cost savings. It all comes down to money and who does it first. (I suspect the Chinese will take the lead.)

Two caveats I see that could potentially change this paradigm are animal rights and the environmental movement. It has become quite clear over the last 20 years that they both will ultimately determine whether beef is on the table a 100 years from now, or whether everyone will be eating artificial meat (protein).

With the almost exponential increase in A. Intel.’s ability to sort out questions that have pervaded the animal kingdom for eons major changes are coming. One example is the current work being done, utilizing A. Intel., to understand the language of pigs. If “pig language” is fully understood, and they are considered to have high “intelligence”, then there will be a massive movement to ban their processing and the pig’s standing in the animal kingdom will rise dramatically.

The increasing power of the environmental movement to “throw animal agriculture under the bus” will ultimately alter the criterion under which animal agriculture is allowed to exist despite mitigation efforts as exemplified by the utilization of feed additives to reduce methane production by the rumen.

What Does This Mean For Shorthorns?

I will be addressing this question extensively in my next Shorthorn Bulletin. Suffice it to say that Shorthorns’ path forward will be narrow. The encroaching realities of the “modern world ” will conclusively eliminate many of the tenets employed by current Shorthorn breed associations and Shorthorn breeders to perpetuate their existence. Those that adapt will survive. The rest will be cast into the dustbin of history.

Future Topic: Are Heritage Shorthorns a Separate Breed of Cattle?

Joseph Schallberger, DVM, PhD
Whispering Hills Farm
Member Academy of Veterinary Consultants

Spring has arrived and our pasture conditions are excellent. In fact they are the best in several years. With record high cattle prices here in the USA there is optimism in the air even as we approach the dreaded “political season” this fall that occurs every 4 years. As we continue to produce rare offspring from many of the great Heritage Shorthorn bulls of the past I am encouraged by the burgeoning interest in our herd especially in Canada. Our goal is to continually make available quality, rare Heritage Shorthorn genetics that will increase both the diversity and relevance of the Heritage Shorthorn breed.

Shorthorns in Australia

This is the final article on my numerous trips to Australia visiting different Shorthorn herds over the last 20 years. It is a continuation of the previous Shorthorn Bulletin which discussed Shorthorns in Tasmania.

Western Australia: Geography And Demographics

It is imperative to grasp the enormous variability in the topography of the Western Australia (WA) land mass to fully comprehend why raising Shorthorns in WA is so difficult. For comparison Western Australia is four times as big as Texas and is by far the largest state in Australia encompassing one third of the country. Stretching almost 2,200 miles North to South the huge size of Western Australia engenders tremendous variability in climatic and geographical conditions. The great deserts of Central Australia bisect the country and contribute to the geographical isolation of WA from the rest of Australia. With WA’s low population density (just 11% of the Australian population) the logistics and management associated with cattle production is lacking as evidenced by the fact there are only 2.1 million head of cattle in Western Australia (8.6% of the Australian cattle herd). The demand for cattle, and the infrastructure to support large cattle operations, is wanting.

Western Australian Shorthorn Herds: (A discussion of two individual herds will be presented in the order my wife and I visited them on our latest trip to Australia in the fall of 2023.

Liberty Charolais & Shorthorns

Owners: Kevin and Robin Yost
Location: Toodyay, Western Australia

Located in the “Wheat Belt” of WA the Yost family’s Liberty Shorthorns has emerged as an important new Shorthorn herd in Australia with international aspirations. The herd was started 9 years ago but has made rapid progress in building a top notch Shorthorn herd in Australia through acquisitions and selective breeding. The Yost family has a long history in the purebred livestock industry, and have been breeding purebred award winning Charolais for over 30 years, along with shepherding a flock of 1500 white Dorper ewes for fat lamb production. Kevin actually grew up in Iowa in the Untied States eventually immigrating to Australia through his relationship with Robin. Having grown up in a completely different farming environment in Iowa, Kevin brings a breadth of knowledge and experiences that enhance the farming techniques and skills of the Yost family farming operation. Daughter Morgan is the Stud Manager for the Liberty herds and is actively engaged in all aspects of overseeing the Yost cattle operation.

Shorthorns were added to increase marketing opportunities and balance genetic trait offerings. Currently the Shorthorn cow herd numbers 60 along with 220 Charolais females. Besides private treaty sales, the Yost have an annual bull sale in April each year with many bulls being sold to the Northern Cattle Stations in WA. In contrast to most Shorthorn breeders in Australia, the Yosts sell most of their bulls at a younger age (1-1 1/2 years) trying to provide extra value to their buyers who gain an additional year of breeding from their purchased bulls. They have found this to be a successful marketing tool but requires “management re-education” of buyers to facilitate seamless utilization of the bulls.

Both the Shorthorn and Charolais herds rotate through a pasture management system that is subjected to the vagaries of potential drought conditions that often wreak havoc on grass production in WA. Because of the dry land conditions in their part of WA their cropping consists of oats for hay/silage production and barley for supplemental feeding during the winter and throughout the calving season. Utilizing a minimalist production system enhances the the ability of Yost Shorthorns to work well in all conditions in WA.

All cattle and people are faced with the reality of Australia being home to 7 of the 10 most poisonous snakes in the world. Most rural cattle breeders in Australia carry Snake Bite Kits in their vehicles because of the potential hazards and the fact they frequently live in remote locations. Cattle are often just found dead as they quickly succumb to a poisonous bite. Any large cattle operation in Australia will occasionally lose stock to snake bite. The Yosts have had encounters with poisonous snakes that could have had severe consequences, but fortunately did not. Vigilance is the watch word in Australia as many times I was warned about poisonous snakes being a risk when walking through fields looking at cattle in Australia.

Since my visit in November of last year the Yosts have achieved another milestone as they have sold 10 head of cattle to Botswana. Included in the sale were 2 Shorthorn heifers and 2 Shorthorn bulls. They are to be congratulated in taking their herd to another level, another country, and another continent. This sale exemplifies the reach of Shorthorns and specifically the surging quality of the Liberty herd.

Narralda Shorthorns

Owners: Alec & Heather Burrows Managed by their son: Graeme Burrows
Location: Albany, Western Australia

Started in the 1960’s by Alec Burrows, the Narralda herd has a long and decorated history in Australian Shorthorn circles. Situated just miles from the Southern Ocean coastline of WA, close to the famous tourist town of Albany, Narralda Shorthorns enjoy a more mild, temperate climate compared to most of the rest of WA. Average rainfall is about 35” which allows for good grass production throughout much of the year. The incongruities of the weather conditions, given the proximity to the Southern Ocean, can have an a negative impact but generally does not produce the severe drought conditions that often exist in much of Australia.

Management of the Narralda herd was assumed by the Burrows’ son, Graeme Burrows, in 2017 when Alec elected to retire. During the time Alec controlled the herd, he put an emphasis on showing and selling Shorthorns in many parts of Australia. Showing was part of the mechanism used by Alec to sell his Shorthorns and he was very successful at it. Concurrently Alec pursued the top Shorthorn genetics in Australia, along with occasional usage of AI bulls from outside Australia, to build both quality and competitiveness into his herd’s genetic traits that are still very evident today.

Currently, with Graeme managing the herd (200 Shorthorn cows), emphasis has turned more to the commercial side of the Shorthorn industry. Grass fed genetics that can withstand the inconsistencies of both the Australian weather and forage conditions have become the bedrock of Graeme’s goals with the Narralda herd. His emphasis on growth, temperament, structure, calving ease, and longevity are incorporated into his selection process as he pursues a symbiotic relationship with the commercial cattlemen of Western Australia.

I was struck by the size and shape of many Narralda females, partly because they emulate what I look for in a Shorthorn cow, but also because they hark back to what I call “real Shorthorns” were and should be again. The type that the Shorthorn breed was built on, not the composites and crossbreds, that are the mainstay of most Shorthorns in America today and to a certain extent in Australia.

The depth, length, and thickness of many of the cows in the Narralda herd are to be admired, and in my case, envied. The fact these cows were able to achieve this level of quality is a testament to the abilities of both Graeme and his father, Alec, in putting together the “Rubic Cube” of genetics that exists historical within the Shorthorn breed.

Much of what is being achieved in the Narralda herd today can be attributed to the fact that Graeme is one of the few Shorthorn breeders I have ever met that actually uses EPDs correctly. Originally, EPDs were developed for within herd comparisons to self select the best individuals within one’s herd to improve the herd based on the local environment, forage, and management system that is employed. In contrast EPDs are frequently misused in Shorthorns today because of the small sample size, lack of accurate data, and tremendous herd variability in both management and environment. Currently many Shorthorn breeders and Shorthorn Associations use EPDs/EBVs for marketing by trying to convince others to “buy into” the hype. Graeme actually uses an in house software program that his son developed which maximizes his ability to self select using all the different data points he accumulates in his herd on a continual basis such as birth weight, weaning weight, yearling weight, dam longevity, etc. This methodology augments both his phenotype and pedigree information. I was very impressed by his well thought out herd building approach to develop, select, and sell quality Shorthorns to both commercial and stud breeders.

Narralda has an annual production sale that is in either February or March of each year offering a mixture of Stud and Commercial bulls and heifers. Individuals or groups are also sold privately. Steers are marketed at local facilities which decreases transportation costs. Given Graeme’s propensity to both innovate and modify his selection process , I believe the Narralda herd has a bright future. If Shorthorns are going to play a role in the cattle industry long term, then there is a great need for Shorthorn breeders like the Burrows.

Conclusions:

I continually marvel at the dedication and commitment of Shorthorn breeders around the world who want to make Shorthorns great again. My visit to Australia last fall was further proof to me that Shorthorns are definitely the most versatile cattle breed in the world. With the dynamism of the world today, opportunities exist that were never available to Shorthorn breeders before. Seizing on new technology that can be melded with the wide, pure, genetic base of the traditional Shorthorn breed will provide a route forward for the Shorthorn breeders that can be both profitable and personally rewarding.

Future Topic: A.I. Versus AI: Short Changing The Shorthorn Breed?

Joseph Schallberger, DVM, PhD
Whispering Hills Farm
Member Academy of Veterinary Consultants

The last couple of months have been interesting weather wise. In January we had the worst 10 days of inclement weather in the almost 20 years we have lived on our current farm. Besides the cold temperatures and snow there was a lot of ice which often causes leg injuries in the cows due to slipping. Fortunately all the cows came through it with no problem, once again showing the resilience of the Shorthorn breed. Calving will commence in the next week so optimism is high with all the unique Heritage Shorthorns that will be born this spring at Whispering Hills Farm. There is no question that the opportunity we have to optimize quality old Heritage Shorthorn genetics is rewarding on many different levels.

Historical Notes About Tasmania

This trip to Australia was the first time I have traveled to Tasmania and Western Australia (WA) in over 30 years, so many changes were readily apparent. Since there is a significant difference between the geographic and climatic conditions in Tasmania and WA, I decided to write one Shorthorn Bulletin about Tasmania and another about WA to highlight those differences. Both face additional difficulties raising Shorthorns compared to the rest of Australia.

The uniqueness of Tasmania as an island, separated from mainland Australia, has been embraced by the agricultural community in Tasmania. Distinct promotion of Tasmanian agricultural products is indicated by the “Tasting Trail” and special branding. Using the geographic isolation of Tasmania to advertise provincial agricultural products is a lesson in alternative niche marketing which can be utilized by other agricultural entities (Shorthorns included) that are faced with continual competitive marketing broadsides from social media and large corporations.

Originally Tasmania was known as Van Diemen’s Land and was settled by convicts sent there by England in the early 1800’s. Many of these prisoners turned to farming after their release. The first Shorthorn to arrive in Tasmania was in 1822 and was a grandson of the famous English bull “Comet”. Tasmania and Shorthorns were meant for each other given the lush, pastoral setting throughout much of the year in Tasmania—an environment that Shorthorns thrive in. Like in many parts of the world, during this time period, Shorthorns quickly became the cattle breed of choice. For those history buffs there is an excellent book “The Beef Shorthorn In Australia” published in 1932, and written by M. H. Ellis, that documents how Shorthorns played an integral role in the development of Australian agriculture. A used copy occasionally comes up for sale on eBay.

Since Tasmania is separated from mainland Australia, all Shorthorn breeders looking to market breeding stock to mainland Australia are faced with increased costs for two reasons: additional transportation costs since they have to be sent by ship to the mainland and quarantine/testing requirements for those animals. Currently those costs are approximately AUS$1500-AUS$2000 for each animal—a substantial sum. These limiting factors have caused most Tasmanian Shorthorn breeders to look inward for sales rather than going to major mainland sales or shows, such as the National Show and Sale in Dubbo, New South Wales, Australia. It should also be noted that Tasmanian Shorthorns cannot participate in the JBS sponsored “Thousand Guineas” program that is available to mainland Australian Shorthorn breeders, who receive sale price premiums for Shorthorn beef, because Tasmania lacks a proper JBS processing facility.

Tasmanian Shorthorn Herds: (A discussion of individual herds will be presented in the order my wife and I visited them on our latest trip to Australia, in the interest of fairness.)

Woodlands Farm

Owners: Dr. Carolynn and Darren Evans Location: Legerwood, Tasmania, Australia

The picturesque setting that is Woodlands Farm can only be described as “Shorthorn Heaven”. The lush clover pastures provide optimal grazing conditions for much of the year to maximize growth and minimize stress while the herd, of approximately 150 cows, traverses the 340 acres that encompass the main farm. The herd was started in 1970 by Graeme Walsh and recently registered their 1000th Shorthorn calf. Graeme semi-retired in 2015, and the farm is now run by his daughter Dr. Carolynn Evans, a Veterinarian, and her husband Darren, ably assisted by their enthusiastic young son John, while Graeme takes on an advisory role. Dr. Evans still works part time at a Small Animal Veterinary Clinic in the Launceston area of Tasmania, but her main focus is the Woodlands herd with an intent to both build on her Father’s herd and enlarge it over time.

Having visited a tremendous number of Shorthorn herds around the world in the last 20 years, and coming from a dairy background, I have never seen a large group of Shorthorn cows with better udders. Graeme did a tremendous job in fixating udder quality in the Woodlands herd. Woodlands cows are also large compared to most mainland Australia herds with many weighing in the 750 kg to 850 kg range. Length of body was also a strong point in the Woodlands herd which plays an important role in how Woodlands Shorthorns are marketed. The focus of the Woodlands breeding program is carcass quality and commercial relevance. This is particularly important given the opportunities they have to market grass finished beef in Tasmania.

Dr. Evans’ brother, Kenneth Walsh, runs another 1500 acre commercial cattle property where Woodlands Shorthorn bulls are used in a commercial composite beef cow breeding program (Shorthorn, Hereford, and Angus cross cows) to produce top quality calves that meet market guidelines for “Milk Fed Vealers”. These calves are marketed directly off the cow at 9-10 months of age with weights of 400kg-500kg (880#-1100#) with a carcass weight of 200-250 kilos (440-550 pounds) with no supplemental feeding—only Mom’s milk and pasture. In essence Woodlands Shorthorns have their own testing station to evaluate the growth and carcass quality of the herd which enables them to constantly appraise their Shorthorn bulls to maintain important genetic characteristics and improve their marbling traits.

There is no question that the Woodlands Shorthorn herd has a bright future given the focus on commercial Shorthorn genetics rather than show cattle (compared to most Shorthorn herds especially in the USA where Shorthorn show cattle reign). I would be remiss in not mentioning the “Australian Barbie” BBQ that Darren prepared for us. His barbecue setup is first rate and his skills in food preparation make “delicious” an understatement.

Dunroan Herd

Owners: Loane Family Location: Latrobe, Tasmania, Australia

Shorthorns have been on the Loane property since the late 1800’s with M. W. Loane (present owner Phillip Loane’s great, great, grandfather), establishing a Dairy Shorthorn herd in 1865. The current herd was established in 1953 by Eric Loane and was featured in the 1990 book “Beef Australia” edited by Ken Edwards and Peter Owen. I highly recommend this book if a person is interested in the history of the beef industry in Australia. It is periodically available on eBay.

The Dunroan herd is located in the North West corner of Tasmania where there are rolling hills and very fertile cropland as a result of the volcanic basalt soil. It is an ideal setting for raising quality Shorthorns and row cropping. The sons of Eric Loane, Dick and Alec, took over the herd from their father Eric, with the herd eventually passing to the current owners: the Loane Family.

Philip, Richele, and their daughter Emily were our hosts during our visit to the Dunroan herd. Philip’s main interest from an early age was mostly row cropping. Row cropping has continued to play a major role in the Dunroan farming operation as there is a Simplot vegetable processing plant in Ulverstone which is only a short distance from the Dunroan farm. Crops currently being produced under contract to Simplot, at different time intervals, include cauliflower, onions, potatoes, peas, and carrots. The Loanes also grow poppies which are used for medicinal purposes under strict government licensing.

The Shorthorn herd numbers about 150 cows. Some of the management of the herd is now under the direction of the Loane’s daughter Emily who oversees many of the breeding decisions and helps maintain records. The foundation of the Dunroan herd was Horned Shorthorns. Polled Shorthorns were not introduced into the Dunroan herd until about 1980. This was accomplished through the efforts of Phillip’s father, Dick Loane, who foresaw that much of the future of the Shorthorn breed was on the polled side. Both bulls and cows were imported to Tasmania from the mainland to help establish and maintain the quality in the herd as evidenced by the many exceptional females I saw there. Additional genetics were added through AI including several bulls from the USA and Canada. The Loanes want large, thick cows in their herd for the local beef trade and their cows certainly fit that mold. They are quite different than the smaller framed cows currently in vogue in the USA.

Dunroan has a long history of showing Shorthorns in Tasmania as part of their marketing scheme. They have had considerable success over the last several decades showing but have not allowed showing to change their focus on important beef genetic traits that are valuable to the beef trade and to their commercial bull buyers. They send a lot of commercial bulls to King Island, Tasmania. King Island is off the NW coast of Tasmania and has significant commercial beef herds. The Dunroan herd and yearling bulls have outstanding thickness with generally more size than in most herds located on mainland Australia. Dunroan has a production sale in March (fall season in Australia) that is well supported. Additional breeding stock is sold mostly within Tasmania, with occasional sales to mainland Australia. All of their finished steers go to a domestic Tasmanian processor. The Loanes see a bright future for Shorthorns in Tasmania despite the cost production obstacles they face.

Conclusion:

Based on the Shorthorn herds I visited in Tasmania, the style and size of the cattle I saw were more to my liking than what is presently being bred for the Shorthorn show industry in the USA. Tasmanian Shorthorns have a real utilitarian value and Tasmanian Shorthorn breeders have not been blinded by the trophy/ribbon industry as is seen in the USA. I think any independent thinking, progressive Shorthorn breeder would find much to like in Tasmanian Shorthorns.

Future Topic: Shorthorns In Western Australia

Joseph Schallberger, DVM, PhD
Whispering Hills Farm
Member Academy of Veterinary Consultants

With the reduction in our Heritage Shorthorn cow herd I currently have increased flexibility and more time to devote to other endeavors. I had many subscribers contact me expressing disappointment that I was no longer writing the Shorthorn Bulletin. After much thought I have decided to resume writing it but not follow a specific schedule. There certainly are a plethora of topics I can write about the cattle industry as it continues to evolve and as Heritage Shorthorns become more popular. In the near futureI I will be writing a couple of articles covering my recent trip to Australia which hopefully will provide some insight into the Australian Shorthorn Industry.

Farm Update:

To say late Spring and the first part of Summer were dry is an understatement. We only had 0.25” of rain from April 20th until late September. Unfortunately that necessitated the feeding of hay starting in late July. Fortunately late fall rains allowed for some pasture regrowth. It is extremely expensive to raise cattle in our part of the USA because of long dry periods each year. Our cows and calves are all doing fine despite the difficult weather. We will again have a very eclectic calf crop this coming Spring sired by a very rare collection of quality, old, Heritage Shorthorn bulls.

Types Of Embryo Production:

When considering embryo production the methods available include conventional and in vitro fertilization (IVF). With conventional embryo production (CEP) the cow is hormonally super ovulated, bred, and the embryos are flushed out of the uterus to be implanted immediately in recipient cows or frozen for later implantation. With IVF the cow may or may not be super ovulated before ovum pickup (OPU). The ova (eggs) are collected directly from the cows ovaries by ultrasound guidance, fertilized, and placed in specialized growth media in a petri dish under regulated temperature conditions to produce embryos which are to be implanted fresh or frozen for later use.

Why I Chose IVF:

One of the big advantaged of IVF over CEP is that small amounts of semen (partial straws or ampules) can be used to fertilize many ova from many different cows at the same time in separate petri dishes, while with CEP only one cow can be bred using either two straws or ampules (one in each horn of the uterus) to breed the cow. The fact such a small amount of semen can be used with IVF embryo production is a huge advantage over CEP, especially when using rare, expensive semen. If a breeder has the luxury of large amounts of reasonably priced semen then CEP may be the better way to go, although most embryo production today is IVF. The other big advantage of IVF over CEP is that cows pregnant up to 90-100 days of gestation can be used for embryo production while pregnant cows can not be used for CEP because hormones are used that will cause abortion. Since the emphasis with our own Shorthorn herd is to maximize embryo production from limited amounts of rare semen (in some cases only 1-2 ampules left in the world) it is necessary to use IVF.

Fresh Or Frozen:

As one would suspect there is wide variability in the numbers published for the success rate after embryos are implanted. In general the success rate for fresh embryos is 10% high than with frozen embryos. Anything over 40% with frozen embryos is considered good while anything above 50% with fresh embryos is reasonable to expect. There are many factors that affect the success of implantation that must be considered beyond simply the quality of the embryo. Several of these factors are discussed below.

Managing The Donor Cow:

There is a large variability in the numbers of oocytes produced by donor cows undergoing the collection procedure. Some cows simply are better quality oocyte producers than others. No amount of “special management” can create a super donor cow. Cows with a condition score of 5-6 are ideal. It is most important that she be gaining weight to maximize the “flushing effect”. Many breeders use Multimin 90 as a supplement in IVF embryo production in both the donor and recipient cow. The healthier the cow the more likely the chances of producing good quality oocytes that can be successfully fertilized and result in large numbers of quality embryos.

Choosing And Managing The Recipient Cow Prior To Implantation:

I prefer large cows with large pelvic diameters for recipients because they provide extra flexibility when it comes to calving ease. There is not the tendency to have large, oversize, calves with IVF embryos like is often seen with CEP calves but it still can occasionally occur. An age range of 4-8 years is ideal because these are often the most fertile years of a quality Shorthorn cow. Ideally many breeders want to use a cow that does not have a calf nursing on her because she is less stressed and therefore more likely to conceive, although I have had good success with quality cows which are nursing a calf. Recipient cows should have a very calm disposition because excitability during pregnancy can have negative epigenetic affects. Beyond that if she is a “nut job” her IVF calf will tend to be the same just from watching her overly anxious reactions. Cows that are feed efficient with good udders, and have excellent milk production, are essential to maximize the growth of the calf. Finally a cow that has great maternal instinct will increase the chances of raising a happy, healthy IVF calf. Using a poorly conditioned, cull cow as a recipient is not a wise way to “save money”.

Selecting The Bovine Embryo Technician:

I cannot overemphasize the importance of using an experienced, quality, Bovine Embryo Technician as it is the greatest guarantor of success in IVF embryo implantation. I strongly believe that using a Technician certified by the American Embryo Transfer Association (AETA) results in the best chance of achieving a successful IVF pregnancy in a recipient cow. Their website (www.aeta.org) lists all their certified members throughout the USA. Certification requires a special program and exam followed by continuing education so a AETA member is up on the latest techniques and synchronization methods for IVF embryo work.

Post Implantation Considerations:

Managing the recipient cow properly post implant can further enhance the chances of a successful ET pregnancy. Maintaining proper nutrition, vaccinations against abortion diseases, and minimizing stress can all contribute to a positive outcome. The greatest risk during an IVF pregnancy in recipient cows, once they are confirmed pregnant, is between the 30th day and 60th day of the pregnancy. Statistically there is a 10% chance of a lost pregnancy during this time frame. The causes for the possible pregnancy losses are many from poor implantation attachment to genetic defects in the embryo. Once the 60th day of pregnancy is passed one can assume that the percentage of fetuses lost would be the same as is in a conventional pregnancy-in the 2-3% range.

Conclusion:

Embryo Transfer is not a useful technique for everyone in the cattle business, however it can play an important role in quickly expanding a herd, preserving genetics, or improving the genetic base of a herd. Everyone has different goals in the cattle business, and a decision to employ ET as part of a business plan, should be based on sound economics rather than on the emotional response “everyone is doing it”. It is important to realize that production of a quality live calf from an IVF embryo often has a low percentage positive outcome simply because either the embryo doesn’t take, or the calf is not as good as expected. For most cattle breeders both buying and/or producing IVF embryos does not “pencil out” despite what the so called experts say. Too many risks and too much cost. Selective use of ET can work but it is not the best answer to build a well constructed, quality herd. To me it is often another shortcut that cattle breeders take hoping that it moves them into the limelight. My experience tells me it is often fraught with disappointment because there was not adequate research prior to its utilization in a herd and expectations were simply too high; although, that said, we have had some excellent calves produced from rare old Heritage Shorthorn semen by utilizing IVF.

Future Topic: Shorthorns In Tasmania, Australia

Joseph Schallberger, DVM, PhD
Whispering Hills Farm
Member Academy of Veterinary Consultants

We have had the coldest winter in over 10 years with several snow events. The cold/wet weather has continued through the first half of spring causing significant problems for the cows, calves, and me. The pasture growth is approximately a month behind normal. Our cows finally went out on pasture the latest they ever have (mid-April).
Several cows have already calved and we are very impressed with many of the new calves we have sired by some of the great Heritage Shorthorn bulls born in the 60’s and 70’s (Boa Kae Royal Oak, Mandalong Super Elephant, Four Point Major, Kenmar President 26A and Spiro. As spring progresses we expect the arrival of several additional calves that will help increase the diversity of today’s Heritage Shorthorns.

Updates on Shorthorn Bulletins:

The Shorthorn Bulletin has been published for 8 years and there have been many changes in both the Shorthorn and Cattle Industries over that time frame. As a result I will be slowly updating some of the older Shorthorn Bulletins to reflect some of these changes. As I complete updating a particular SB issue an announcement of the update will be made in the following issue of the Shorthorn Bulletin so that readers of the Shorthorn Bulletin can reread the updated issue if they are interested.

Shorthorn Connections:

My ongoing interest in the Shorthorn breed can be broken into three parts: historical, breed preservation, and current breed changes. Over time I have been able to amass a large collection of Shorthorn historical books, magazines, and other documents that has allowed me to become fairly well versed in Shorthorn history. My pursuit of older Heritage Shorthorn bull semen has provided a dynamic basis for the Whispering Hills Farm herd, while reviving the classic genetics the Shorthorn breed was founded on. Recently the movement by both the American Shorthorn Association and the American Milking Shorthorn Society to emphasize shows/showing, especially with Junior members, has resulted in more overt and covert changes to the Shorthorn cattle breed increasing my concern that the original Shorthorn paradigm is being destroyed. Overt changes include: cross breeding, upgrading pedigrees, and breed type changes by judges. These are all obvious transformational changes that can be well documented. A further concern is the covert changes that are occurring that are causing additional long term shifts in the Shorthorn genetic base that most people are not recognizing because they are intertwined with the nature of Epigenetics and Fetal Programming.

Quarterly Topic: Epigenetics And How They Might Be Changing The Shorthorn Breed

What are Epigenetics:

Epigenetics is the study of different behaviors and environments that affect the expression & heritability of genes which can not only affect a particular animal but potentially also affect subsequent generations. Epigenetic research has greatly expanded our knowledge of subtle changes that activate and deactivate genes in the developing life form. DNA molecular sequences are not changed, but instead genes are either turned on or turned off to affect various traits. How that happens is really what the scientific field of epigenetics is all about. Why is this important to know? Because efforts made to improve a species, in our case Shorthorns, through selective use of EPDs, genomics, and phenotype may be inadvertently negated by the turning on or off of certain important genes that may have been beneficial to the individual and the breed. In other words, the genes directly inherited from the sire and dam are not the whole story for producing a quality calf.

What is Fetal Programming:

If Epigenetics is the study of what affects the turning on and off of genes in the developing fetuses then Fetal Programming is taking accidental or intentional actions that will result in lifelong positive or negative outcomes by causing epigenetic changes in the developing fetus. For example it is a well known that stressful or alarming events during a cow’s pregnancy will increase the chances that her offspring will not be a calm calf. Thus the demeanor of the dam (fetal programming) will cause a change in what personality genes are turned on or off in her offspring during gestation (epigenetic affect). Poor nutrition or starvation in the dam during gestation can trigger permanent stunting of her calf’s growth, while optimal dietary conditions will maximize positive traits in the calf—fetal programing maximizing positive epigenetic affects.

What Overt Changes Have Occurred In Shorthorns:

Like many historical breeds of livestock Shorthorns are a landrace breed. They were developed to be productive in a particular environment and effectuate the production of milk and beef in a small farm setting (Dual Purpose family cow). When the Shorthorn breed association in the USA was split a new direction was taken with more specialized milk or beef animals. This was not the result of Epigenetics or Fetal Programing. It was simple genetic selection. Over the course of time genetic selection has dramatically changed Shorthorns as show judges, promoters, breed associations, and cross breeding have produced a “ping pong affect” where Shorthorns have gone from big to little to big to little all the while being proclaimed as the best the breed has ever seen. If anyone believes that then they are either naive, misrepresenting facts, or are participants in this charade. True 100% Shorthorns are making a comeback as the overt negative changes to the Shorthorn breed are becoming obvious to even the casual observer.

What Covert Changes Are Occurring In Shorthorns:

To me a more concerning turn of events is the “under the radar” (Epigenetic) changes that are happening in the Shorthorn breed that no one is taking into account. Subtle changes ultimately change the character and traits of any breed of livestock but are occurring more rapidly in both Milking and Beef Shorthorns because of production systems, artificial breeding, showing, lack of health considerations, and embryo transfers. Fetal Programming is happening as a result of all of these systematic changes in Shorthorns. These changes can each have a detrimental affect on the Shorthorn breed. The rapid movement toward Confined Animal Feeding Operations (CAFO) has become the dominant production system in cattle. The result is that genes that have been instrumental in the conversion of grass to milk or beef may be turned off in the fetus because the dam is now consuming a specialized mixed diet that is producing fetal nutrients that are affecting what genes are being activated. This is particularly relevant in show animals, which are now dominant in both milking and beef Shorthorns, because they are being fed a “pushed” diet with artificial products while being overfed to project what is called “show condition”. To believe that this does not result in negative fetal programing in pregnant animals is naive. As we learn more about how fertilization occurs, and the effect of bull semen production, evidence is accumulating that AI may be subtly changing reproductive genes because certain types of sperm may be selected through the freezing process which may activate genes that are changing the genome of the future fetus. Immune status of the dam, along with overall health, may be programing the fetus to be either more resistant or more vulnerable to disease.

One technology that may be having the greatest epigenetic affect on the Shorthorn breed is embryo transfer (conventional or IVF) into recipient cows. Most breeders using ETs to produce offspring are not giving much thought to the recipient cow when in actuality that may be the most important factor in maximizing the positive genetic potential of the calf. Haphazardly using any cow, not taking into account her age, health, condition, breed, temperament, and diet may be having a substantial negative impact via fetal programing and causing dramatic epigenetic changes. In reality selecting a quality (healthy, even tempered, consuming a well balanced diet) Shorthorn cow as the recipient for any Shorthorn embryo is the best route to success for producing an outstanding calf. (The next SB will have much more information on embryo production in Shorthorns.) Many other conditions that we may yet not be aware of could trigger negative or postive fetal programming as the science of epigenetics is still in its infancy. The best advice is to optimally manage carefully chosen recipient cows throughout their pregnancies if the goal is to maximize the positive genetic potential of their offspring.

What Does All This Mean For Shorthorns:

Epigenetic changes to the Shorthorn breed, along with other breeds of livestock, are happening through fetal programming that we do not completely understand. The fact Shorthorns are now primarily show animals with no relation to their landrace roots is resulting in both overt and covert changes to the breed that are not necessarily positive. Those looking to breed Shorthorns should carefully consider their objectives realizing today’s Shorthorns are a “different animal” through selective breeding and management changes that have produced both genetic and epigenetic changes to the breed that make them different from the Shorthorns of yesteryear. If a potential Shorthorn breeder is interested in the classic type of Shorthorn then consideration should be made to breed Heritage Shorthorns and leave the show cattle behind. It has been said “It’s not nice to fool mother nature”. Modern Shorthorn production is trying to do just that.

Future Topic: Thoughts on Embryo Production/Utilization In Shorthorns

Joseph Schallberger, DVM, PhD
Whispering Hills Farm
Member Academy of Veterinary Consultants

So far we have had a more normal winter weather wise although it has been colder with one ice storm which always causes a lot of difficulties. Unfortunately that has resulted in the consumption of more high priced hay but hopefully it will balance out over the rest of the winter. It is a long ways till spring.

History:

Because Shorthorns were the dominant cattle breed in the world for many decades starting in the 1850’s it is important to recognize that they were completely different animals compared to what is being bred/promoted by most Shorthorn breeders today. In previous Shorthorn Bulletins I have detailed many of the changes that have occurred within the Shorthorn breed and why today’s Shorthorn is almost literally a “cow of a different color”. Unfortunately both the American Shorthorn Association (ASA) and the American Milking Shorthorn Society (AMSS) continue to move more toward a “show model” for the breed because they have nothing to offer the commercial cattleman or dairyman. Without the show market both ASA or AMSS might not exist today, which is why both ASA and AMSS are putting so much money and time into youth shows and activities. They are trying to attract a certain demographic: parents who will spend any amount of money to help their child win a trophy, which obviously benefits high end Show breeders

The addition of Shorthorn Pluses doubled the number of trophies in Shorthorn shows, and now with multiple National Shows, the availability of trophies has started to resemble Little League where everyone gets a trophy just for participating. Not only that but in some shows Shorthorns are competing directly with Shorthorn Pluses, further confusing onlookers when they see red, white, and roan Shorthorns intermingled with “black Shorthorns” in the show ring with “black Shorthorns” sometimes winning.

Poor Branding:

Brand promotion has always been a problem for the term ”Native Shorthorn”. It is lamentable that AMSS chose the term “Native” when they started a process in 1988 to define pure Shorthorns versus crossbreed Shorthorns because the term “native” generally has a different connotation for the general public. When you have people asking if Indians developed this breed one knows confusion reins. The other problem is that by directly tying the term native to Milking Shorthorns a stigma developed in the sense that other Shorthorn breeders thought that “Native Shorthorns” were all Miking Shorthorns. The derogatory term “Milkers” soon was fostered on them and this resulted in the belief that they had nothing to offer the commercial cattle breeder other than milk. Of course nothing could be further from the truth but names matter when selling a product. If AMSS had set up a separate breed society and registry these problems could have been avoided. When the term Heritage came into use, instead of embracing it, AMSS decided to plough ahead with the Native term not recognizing that the term Heritage has tremendous gravitas and can be linked to a growing segment of the livestock industry.

What Has Been Lost:

Shorthorn’s place in the history of cattle was forever established in the early 1800’s by the the founding efforts of Bates and Booth who developed and enhanced their traits while showing Shorthorn’s versatility. Unfortunately much has changed as Shorthorns lost their predominance in the world because of the parochial approach to the breed by ASA and AMSS. To use a trite statement “Bates and Booth must be turning over in their graves”. The pursuit of money rather than probity has consigned many livestock breeds to the dust pile of history. Fortunately Shorthorns have shown a resilience that has defied logic. As cross breeding became a staple of the breed the traits that made them a dominant landrace became diluted by an ongoing push to come up with something new. Throughout time hucksters have played this card and what we have seen in the Shorthorn breed’s recent history is no exception. The reason Shorthorns became the dominant breed of cattle in the world was because they were the complete package and could be used in so many different ways to complement other breeds. That is why they were known as the “universal improver” and were instrumental in the foundation of about forty other cattle breeds. The approach that has been taken by ASA and AMSS is really a reversal since they have systematically polluted Shorthorn genetics by cross breeding. What a loss.

Renewed Popularity:

When the term “Heritage” was proposed to name traditional Shorthorns, instead of “Native”, the whole view of conserving pure Shorthorn genetics changed. Preserving old pure Shorthorn genetics could suddenly become a viable business model and attract a whole different type of potential Shorthorn breeder that could take advantage of the name change. Embarking on a new path for success utilizing the unique traits of the Heritage Shorthorn breed, and eschewing the “show model”, current Heritage Shorthorn breeders are now engaged in bringing pure Shorthorn genetics back to life with new aspirations to take advantage of the evolving Heritage livestock movement. What has been somewhat surprising is the growing interest in older Shorthorn genetics in other parts of the world especially Canada. Whether it be genetic defects such as double muscling or a lack of vigor/hardiness many Modern Shorthorn breeders are beginning to realize that there is a better alternative ie: Heritage Shorthorns. In that sense Heritage Shorthorns have almost become a separate cattle breed. It has been said that the “unadulterated FULLBLOOD genetics of all breeds will be the most valuable commodity in the coming years”. Anyone in the Shorthorn breed that adheres to that mantra is starting to reap the benefits both monetarily and in personal satisfaction.

Heritage Shorthorn Society

With the advent of the Heritage Shorthorn Society (HSS) in 2018 there suddenly was a “gathering site” for pure Shorthorn genetic enthusiasts. It provides not only a focus point for Heritage Shorthorn breeders but catalogs a wealth of information about Shorthorns that never existed before on one website. Much of this was accomplished through the efforts of Dr. Bert Moore (who provided much of the historical information that was eventually incorporated into a book he cowrote “Shorthorn And the American Cattle Industry”), and through the selfless efforts of an all-volunteer staff and financial donations from many HSS members. It is fair to say that the HSS website is now the most complete Shorthorn informational website in the world. As a result a true picture of the Shorthorn breed is available to anyone who goes to the HSS website and spends the time to review the information that is posted. HSS allows small Shorthorn breeders to promote their Shorthorns for a nominal fee and get “their name lights” in front of a targeted audience. They could never do that before. With the addition of a registry focused only on the utilization of traditional pure Shorthorn genetics, and not on show Shorthorns, Heritage Shorthorn breeders can easily and inexpensively document the lineages of their Shorthorns. All of the aforementioned benefits of HSS have been recognized by Shorthorn breeders around the world and have renewed their interest in Shorthorns that are not simply a “bunch of show cattle”.

Long Term Prospects:

Rightly one may ask where are Heritage Shorthorns headed and will they have long term relevance in the cattle industry. In one sense that is a very difficult question to answer because no one truly knows where the cattle industry itself is headed. Will it even exist in fifty years if environmental groups continue to push their almost religious belief that modern meat production is one of the largest contributors to climate change. Some countries such as Sweden and Denmark are already contemplating banning meat produced through conventional methods believing instead that plant based or cell cultured meat is the future. Taxes on meat production and/or increasing regulations may be the backdoor method used to essentially ban meat production. Ruminating on the future of the cattle industry can be depressing but speculation can not be a substitute for moving forward. The reality is Heritage Shorthorns have a bright future because of their ability to fill so many niches beyond the show cattle industry. The opportunities page on the HSS website (www.heritageshorthorn.org) delineates many of them. As more nouveau cattle breeders seize on these opportunities the uniqueness of the Heritage Shorthorn cattle breed will become further entrenched in the minds of both cattle breeders and the general public. The insular existence of Heritage Shorthorns has been obliterated as they are now front and center around the world through the efforts of HSS in preserving, promoting, and helping to produce these amazing cattle. The only limiting factor to their continuing increase in popularity will be the timidity of cattle breeders to embrace their possibilities, and to promote their many desirable qualities.

Future Topic: Epigenetics And How It Might Be Changing The Shorthorn Breed

Joseph Schallberger, DVM, PhD
Whispering Hills Farm
Member Academy of Veterinary Consultants

The temperature have been higher than normal this last summer and into fall but fortunately not as high as last summer. Because we had so much rain in May and June the cows still had good pasture through part of September and I did not have to start feeding hay until then. Last year I was feeding hay by July 1st. Like everyone else our production costs have soared, not the 8-9% the government reports, but 30-60% for almost everything when compared to last year at this time. It is difficult to know where costs are headed but I suspect many cattle breeders are making tough decisions to cut costs at every corner including reducing their herds. On the plus side our cows are all doing fine and we have been able to produce more rare Heritage Shorthorn IVF embryos.

Quarterly Topic: Can AMSS Put Humpty Dumpty Back Together?

Changing The Rules:

Recently I was perusing the latest information from the American Milking Shorthorn Society (AMSS) and I almost fell off my chair when I saw that AMSS was changing their genetic expansion program and looking to work with a major cattle semen company to ferret out genes that are associated with classic Milking Shorthorns. Apparently AMSS has finally realized they really don’t have Milking Shorthorns anymore. Instead, because they have consistently introduced other cattle breeds (primarily Illawarra and Red & White Holstein) into Milking Shorthorns, they have effectively produced crossbred cows that genetically may be less than 50% Milking Shorthorn. I applaud AMSS for belatedly recognizing they have a leviathan size problem.

History:

What is historically interesting is how there were so many great Milking Shorthorn cows in the early part of the twentieth century that were “tossed aside” in the quest for show animals that met the “standards” of show judges and their ilk. I am talking Milking Shorthorn cows that were producing 20,000 pounds or more of milk back then. Certainly the beef versus dairy debate within the Shorthorn breed at that time was also a factor in the loss of milking ability. Once Holsteins came on the scene in the 1940’s and 1950’s the demise of Milking Shorthorns was rapid because of low milk production. They have currently become the least desired dairy breed by dairy farmers.

Salvation Or Downfall:

Often breeds of livestock fall out of favor because they do not have the attributes sought by contemporary breeders and buyers. At that point most breed associations and breeders are looking for the quick fix and have an “aha” moment ie: crossbreeding. Rather than work toward improving the genetics of the breed through careful selection they reach for a “magic elixir” that might quickly be introduced that will “right the breed’s genetic ship”. What they forget about is that in the process they are undoubtably diluting the gene pool of the breed and losing other traits that made the breed desirable.

That was certainly true with Milking Shorthorns when the herd book was opened up in the 1970’s with Red & White Holsteins and Illawarras becoming the “fixes” of the day. In the process milk production was marginally increased (it was actually much better in the earlier 20th century) and in the process genetic defects were introduced from those two breeds of cattle. Furthermore many of Milking Shorthorn’s best traits were not maintained because the focus of the breed became milk volume and cross breeding. The conformation of Modern Milking Shorthorns (MMS) became more extreme (like Holsteins) and their dual purpose role in the cattle industry was eliminated. Anyone can look at a MMS today and see the drastic transformation that has occurred as cross breeding has become dominant within MMS and has resulted in massive changes to the breed’s genotype and phenotype. Traits such as longevity, hardiness (especially important in grass fed production systems), fertility, thickness, and feed efficiency were all pushed to the back burner as judges, breeders, and MMS breed associations embraced the Holstein model. In the process MMS have lost their role/niche within the dairy industry to the point that no dairy farmer today even considers MMS when building or expanding their herd. Evidence for this can be seen simply by looking at MMS sire availability in the stud catalogs of the major dairy semen distributors around the world and see that semen listings for MMS are essentially nonexistent. If dairy farmers won’t buy MMS semen then semen companies won’t put MMS listings in their catalogs, furthering the downward spiral.

False Hope:

I am using the Humpty Dumpty scenario to exemplify the futility of what AMMS and other MMS breed associations around the world are trying to effectuate with their decision to breed back up to a true classic Milking Shorthorn through reducing crossbreeding and trying to isolate and incorporate specific genes that were present in the original population of Milking Shorthorns. If the “king’s men” could not put Humpty Dumpty back together then likewise it is no more probable that the new found emphasis on putting Milking Shorthorns back together will ever be accomplished. There are two specific reasons why this will never happen. First is time. Even if it was feasible, by the time all the pieces are assembled society will have moved further in the direction of artificial milk substitutes with the desire to eliminate cows in general. Second, AMSS has permanently lost some of the genetic pieces that made up the original population of Milking Shorthorns through gene dilution and a counterfactual selection process ie: bad judges and Holstein wannabes. The reality is that the “bull” has left the barn.

Perhaps:

In once sense there is another alternative. The pure Northern Dairy Shorthorn population in the United Kingdom could certainly be brought to the USA through embryo importation and could be melded with many of the dairy type Heritage Shorthorn cows that still exist. Augmented by the large semen selection of dairy type Heritage Shorthorns that still exists from the 60’s and 70’s, which inculcate good milk production in their daughters, there is a basis for rapidly bringing back a contemporary Heritage Dairy/Milking Shorthorn that emulates the Dairy Shorthorns of the early 20th century. To further enhance milk production in pure Dairy/Milking Shorthorns there is still semen available from several excellent Heritage Dairy Shorthorn bulls from the UK in both the USA and Canada. I realize that the milk production from these cows will not match Holsteins but they could easily be part of solving a bigger puzzle-the continuing downward trend of the health, longevity, fertility, and structural soundness of the modern dairy cow. As has been said “pure breed genetics are the most valuable asset in the livestock industry”. They can be used in innumerable ways and can provide important building blocks in any livestock endeavor. Tragically too many livestock/Shorthorn breeders are only focused on today and do not have any sense of history. That is why breed types are repeatedly being changed to rectify the latest self inflicted breed wound which often is related to the whims of show judges and breed associations.

Moving Forward:

For those unfamiliar with the Heritage Shorthorn Society (www.heritageshorthorn.com) it is a great resource for reliable historical information on all aspects of the Shorthorn breed. Many members of HSS are on a mission, to not just maintain old Shorthorn genetics, but to improve and expand the quality and usefulness of dairy, beef, and dual purpose pure Shorthorn genetics in the modern cattle industry, For Dairy/Milking Shorthorns, this would include grass fed dairies, family cows, and locally sustainable production of dairy products. The movement toward A2/A2 milk and higher protein content in milk for the production of cheese and yogurt are additional areas that lend themselves to incorporating the genetics of Heritage Dairy/Milking Shorthorns. The opportunities are expanding rapidly for Heritage Shorthorns as more and more cattle breeders recognize the importance of utilizing pure Shorthorn genetics and want to participate in rejuvenating the best qualities of the Heritage Shorthorn breed.

Future Topic: Why Are Heritage Shorthorns Becoming Popular Again Around The World?

Joseph Schallberger, DVM, PhD
Whispering Hills Farm
Member Academy of Veterinary Consultants

We had the wettest, coldest spring on record. The complete opposite of last year. With the added rain and mild temperatures the pastures have been great, but all the muddy conditions created other difficulties. Many of the cows are now bred back for next year and we have also put in a few embryos. We are hoping for an eclectic, exciting group of calves again next year as we pursue our goal of adding quality animals that increase the genetic diversity of Heritage Shorthorns.

Historical Perspective Of Calving Ease

The most important tenet of breeding cattle is to have cows that produce a live, healthy calf every year. Calving Ease (CE) can be defined as the ability of a cow to have a calf without assistance. Most of the difficulty seen in calving occurs in first calf heifers because of their lack of maturity/size which makes them vulnerable to the vagaries of calf size and shape. The issue of calving ease came to the forefront of the cattle industry with the introduction of the continental breeds, such as Simmental, Limousine, Maine Anjou, and Charolais, in the late 60’s and early 70’s. They were used to increase cattle size subsequent to the “baby beef/ belt buckle” era. Shorthorns were affected by this trend because the Herd Book was opened and other breeds, primarily Maine Anjou, were used to add frame to Shorthorns.

Sources Of Calving Problems

There is a long list of reasons cows may have dystocia. The causes of calving problems can be broken down into four broad categories: Management, environment, the cow, and the bull. Each category plays a pivotal role in producing a positive calving outcome and each can be manipulated to increase the chances of a positive outcome.

Management

Ultimately the cattle breeder selects which cows are mated to which bull be it natural breeding or artificial insemination. Selecting matings that complement each other so the calf is both the right size and shape for the cow can have a significant impact. Deciding when to have calves born and properly maintaining body condition for the cow can also have a huge impact in preventing calving difficulties.

Environment

It has been known that cows in colder environments will have larger calves because of increased blood flow to the uterus & calf in colder conditions bringing more nutrition to the developing calf, subsequently increasing calf size. For instance calves born in North Dakota on average may be 6-8 pounds heavier than calves born in South Texas. Cows that have a much higher plane of nutrition in their last trimester of pregnancy will always have bigger calves on a relative basis since increased nutrition for the cow means excess nutrition for the developing calf and larger birth weights.

Cow

Most breeders put their emphasis in preventing calving problems on the bull when in actuality the cow is probably more important. Selecting for proper pelvic shape and a larger pelvic diameter can compensate for a lot of breeding “mistakes”. Cows that are more mature and larger can certainly accommodate larger calves while the opposite is true especially with first calf heifers. Abnormal presentations creating calving problems can be linked to certain genetic lines as well as cow age. Both first calf heifer and aged cows may experience uterine exhaustion whereby they simply do not have the strength to to expel the calf. This can also be associated with poor nutritional status in the cow.

Bull

Bull size is obviously a major factor in calving problems along with body shape. Smaller bulls that have wide, deep front ends can exacerbate calving difficulties in contrast to a larger bull that may be narrow fronted and not as deep. When evaluating the phenotype of a bull it is very useful to consider the phenotype of the bull’s dam if possible. Most bull buyers never even ask about a bull’s dam even though that information can be a strong indicator of possible calving issues. If the bull’s dam is an older cow that has never had any calving problems that alone is a strong indicator of decreased calving issues in the bull’s offspring.

The Role Of EPDs

Most breed associations, and many cattle breeders, believe lower CE EPDs are the answer to calving problems. They are wedded to the belief that CE EPDs are the magic elixir that will eliminate their calving problems. The most important question is how these lower CE EPDs are obtained. It has been noted that over the last 20 years much of the the decrease in CE EPDs has been primarily achieved through decreasing gestation length. The implications of that statement are huge. In late gestation a calf’s birth weight can increase approximately a pound/day. A calf that is born at 283 days that has a BW of 75# may be 65# at 273 days or 85# at 293 days of gestation. What is not accounted for when low CE EPDs are the result of shortened gestation lengths is the health status of the calf when it is born and its ability to quickly adjust to its “new environment”. There is no question that, on average, shorter gestation calves tend to be weaker, have more health problems, create more management problems, and have slower growth rates all of which can mean less profit for the cattle producer. Even more important is that continually using low calving EPDs for heifer retention will only intensify and ingrain a “new” type of calving problem—early, weak, unhealthy calves. Unfortunately the long term implications of this selection process are becoming more and more obvious as calf resilience decreases and shortened gestation length becomes a dominant trait in many cattle breeds.

Conclusions:

Despite the mantra (low CE EPDs solve calving problems) put forth by breed associations the truth is that they can actually lead to other problems that affect the genetic value of that breed. The best example is seen in Angus where producers and Veterinarians are raising the caution flag as gestation length continues to shorten resulting in smaller, weaker calves that never catch up with other calves of normal birth weight and gestation length. More importantly this trend toward shorter gestations to solve calving issues is never specified in the EPD data so a calving ease bull is more likely to be just a short gestation bull. In the process additional productive traits are sacrificed or permanently lost. Within herd EPDs have value but the new trend toward enhanced genomic EPDs that supposedly make the bull/cow selection process just another data point may prove to be an Achilles heel.

Like so many genetic traits in cattle there is a happy medium. Extremes produce problems at either end of the spectrum. By selecting bulls and cows that are in the middle frame wise, have smooth muscling patterns, have a normal 283 days gestation, and exhibit a moderate wedge shape front to back the chances of dystocia or weak calves will be greatly reduced and profits maximized.

Future Topic: Can AMSS Put Humpty Dumpty Back Together?

Joseph Schallberger, DVM, PhD
Whispering Hills Farm
Member Academy of Veterinary Consultants

Our winter has been fairly normal except for what seemed to be innumerable foggy days. The cows and I are definitely ready for spring. They have all gone back out on pasture in the last week to a bountiful supply of grass. We are about half way through calving and are quite pleased with many of the calves this year including a couple of exceptional calves sired by Thornwood Major and a wonderful IVF Kinnaber Leader 9th daughter. The calves sired by our Pleasant Dawn Seal 2nd son, Styker, are also outstanding.

Quarterly Topic: What Constitutes The Constructive Livestock Breeder?

The Problem:

The average breeder turn over in the purebred livestock industry is approximately 5 years. That means there is little opportunity to have a positive impact on the breed other than buying breeding stock and then dispersing breeding stock. Developing a viable & impactful breeding program is not a short term project. It takes real commitment, patience, and principled dedication to achieve a specific breeding goal. Most breeders are only focused on short term sales and will embrace whatever are the “hottest” bloodlines with little regard to the long term consequences. It is understandable that most breeders simply do not grasp the importance of breed improvement and they either lack the skill set to make needed trait selections through planned matings or they are unwilling invest the time it takes to make breed improvements by adhering to strict principles to achieve long term goals, despite whatever is the latest show fad.

Definition:

Since my interests revolve around Shorthorns, especially Heritage Shorthorns, this article will use examples from the Shorthorn Industry although the principles apply to any breed of livestock. I would suspect most breeders are not familiar with the term Constructive Livestock Breeder because in the rush to capitalize on technology through EPDs and genomics the true art of breeding Shorthorns/Livestock is being thrown in the dustbin of time. A Constructive Breeder visualizes the positive characteristics that need to be incorporated into a breed before anyone else because he/she has the acuity to recognize the need for adjusting breed characteristics to meet the demands of the evolving marketplace for cattle genetics. The shortsighted do this through crossbreeding while a Constructive Breeder does it through a selection process that maintains breed purity. The necessity to improve the genetic characteristics of the breed to fill newly developed niches for his/her breed can be met by a systematic selection approach without resorting to crossbreeding. This preserves the core of the breed but allows for development and enhancement of various traits. Essentially Constructive Breeders are positive change artists that move the breed in the right direction and bring a new paradigm to the breed in the process without altering what made the breed a breed.

Shorthorn Constructive Breeders:

When I survey the historical landscape of Shorthorns around the world over the last 60 years few individuals qualify as Constructive Breeders. Two that had a tremendous impact on the Shorthorn breed were: Robert (Bob) Gordon (Kinnaber herd) who was located in Souris, Manitoba, Canada and Rick Pisaturo (Mandalong herd) who was located in St Mary Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Careful consideration of their involvement in the cattle industry will show a lot of similarities as they effectively changed the Shorthorn breed around the world for the better. When they came on the scene the Shorthorn breed was mired in a precipitous decline as a result of obsequious devotion to the show game that was controlled primarily by wealthy industrialists. The Show Shorthorn type in the 1950’s-1960’s was short in all body aspects from head to tail. Many had a dwarf look to them that was similar to what was seen in the dwarf Herefords at that time. To say they were literally and figuratively “dead end” cattle can not be emphasized enough. Both men recognized the problem and tried to solve it in two different ways.

Robert (Bob) Gordon:

Bob Gordon saw TPS Coronet Leader 21st (bred by Thiemans in Missouri) at a sale, and instantly viewed him as the answer to the ongoing problem of small Shorthorns. Leader 21 was a huge bull for the time and was purchased by Bob Gordon on the cheap because nobody wanted him. He was too big. By using the size attributes of Leader 21, along with his soundness, Gordon bred him to a larger type of cow producing offspring that were bigger, grew faster, had fewer genetic problems, and became more competitive in the cattle marketplace. Leader 21 sons became the answer to the problems of “Belt Buckle” Shorthorns in America. Everyone had to have one because they were the change the Shorthorn breed needed at the time. All because of one man’s acumen and resistance to the pull of the Shorthorn breeding masses/judges/show breeders. Effectively he ended the Shorthorn “Belt Buckle” era. Gordon was a masterful promotor of Shorthorns and was involved with several other cattle breeds during his colorful career. Anyone interested in reading more about Bob Gordon should try to obtain a copy of his autobiographical book, written with his wife Joyce, “A Cattleman’s Walk Down Memory Lane”. Used Copies can be occasionally found for sale on eBay or Amazon.

Rick Pisaturo:

To say Rick’s life story is unique is an understatement of the highest magnitude. Since this article is about breeding quality livestock I will dispense with a discussion of Rick’s history going from his home in Italy to WW II POW in Australia to the preeminent Shorthorn breeder in the world. Rick became involved in Shorthorns in 1960 at a time when the Shorthorn breed was on a downhill slide in Australia and the rest of the world. Many of the problems in Australia were similar to the USA, just not as extreme. From his childhood Rick was enamored by the size of many of the cattle breeds in Italy such as the Chianina. When he embraced the Shorthorn breed he realized it had to change if it was going to be competitive in the cattle industry long term. He saw a need for larger, faster growing Shorthorns that could thrive in diverse environments while maintaining their positive breed characteristics such as maternal instinct, docility, milking ability, reproductive performance, marbling, and feed efficiency. Rick decided that Australian Dairy Shorthorn bulls could solve these problems. He eventually purchased a couple of large Dairy Shorthorn bulls at a dairy dispersal sale and the rest, as they say, is history. Those bulls sired Mandalong Super Flag and Mandalong Super Elephant from cows that Rick had bred for size and maintenance of breed characteristics. Super Flag was sold to Dr. Gary Carter in Canada who promoted him as a changer bull that would return Shorthorns to prominence. Depending on which set of statistics you believe Super Flag constitutes 12-14% of all Shorthorn genetics in Canada today. He was also used extensively in the USA. Super Elephant semen was sold all over the world and had a tremendous impact on the Shorthorn breed. It is interesting to note that Super Elephant was the grandsire of the high selling Shorthorn bull at the recent 2022 Stirling sale in the UK. A testament to his “staying power”. Rick moved on to other interests in the late 70’s and developed several original breeds that are unique to Australia. Rick will 100 years old this month and is still engaged in the livestock industry despite his many other business interests. He truly is a Constructive Breeder. If readers are interested in Rick’s thoughts on stud breeding or his colorful life history I would strongly recommend the two books he has written: “Stud Beef Cattle Breeding & Common Sense” and “Australia, My Love” which is his autobiography. Both books are available on Rick’s website (www.rickpisaturo.com.au).

Constructive Breeders Needed:

Given current societal and Shorthorn trends I see two particular areas of market interest that need to be developed in a systematic manner by determined Heritage Shorthorn breeders. Those areas are: grass-fed Shorthorn Beef, and Dual Purpose Dairy Heritage Shorthorns. With the diverse genetics available in Heritage Shorthorns there is no question that both can be produced with resultant superior genetics which can be marketed in a variety of ways. Anyone who establishes consistent superior Heritage Shorthorn bloodlines that redefine and upgrade Shorthorn genetics in either of those areas may well be on their way to becoming a Constructive Breeder. The challenge presented by trying to compete with commercial composite beef cattle needs to be met through alternative marketing rather than simply going “head to head”. There has never been a better time to seize the opportunities that exist in today’s dynamic cattle industry and take on the challenges of changing the direction of the Shorthorn breed to expand and fill growing niche markets in the cattle industry.

Future Topic: The Pursuit Of Calving Ease: A Potential Disaster

Joseph Schallberger, DVM, PhD
Whispering Hills Farm
Member Academy of Veterinary Consultants

Reversal of fortune would be an apt description of our weather this year. We have gone from the hottest temperatures we have ever had recorded to the wettest/snowiest December we have had for several years. As I write this we have 6” of snow on the ground which is quite unusual for us. It is really helping to refill reservoirs that were decimated by the extended 2021 drought. Our cows have settled into a normal routine since they are not out on pasture due to the snow/mud. We are expecting our first calf about the middle of February and he will be sired by Thornwood Major out of a Kinnaber Leader 9th daughter.

History:

My insatiable interest in Shorthorn history has lead me down many trails and resulted in innumerable contacts around the world. In the process I have met many interesting people in and out of the Shorthorn business. About a year and half ago I was contacted by Gordon Philip because he had noticed that I had semen on a bull called KC Clipper Duke. He had managed the KC herd owned by Mr. & Mrs. Dave Lorenz of Kansas City, Missouri. The KC herd was one of the most prominent and successful Shorthorn herds during the 1960’s showing nationally and winning many championships, including The International Livestock Show at Chicago, with Gordon as the herd manager. After many phone conversations, Gordon and I struck up a friendship, and my wife and I had the opportunity to spend a couple of days at his farm next to the airport in Kansas City, Missouri. What struck me was the life road he has traveled from the hills of Scotland, to Perth cattle shows in Perth, Scotland, to emigrating to America, to the hallowed Shorthorn show ring at the International in Chicago, to being named the outstanding 1973 Missouri “Farm Family of the Year”, to helping bring Simmentals into this country, to facilitating the movement of several European cattle breeds to North America, to world class designer of Sporting Clay layouts, to leading celebrity Sporting Clay shoots around the world, to finally being a successful commercial cattle breeder today at 83. Quite a trip for anyone. I thought it might be interesting for the readers of the Shorthorn Bulletin to take this trip and read about how he achieved his goals as an immigrant to this country with Shorthorn cattle playing a large role.

Scotland:

Gordon was born into a family of 7 children in the town of Strichen, Aberdeenshire, Scotland in 1938. Strichen is located in the NE of Scotland a few miles from the North Sea. Many would consider this area inhospitable but Gordon saw it as normal since he was born into it. His father raised some Angus and Angus cross cattle in addition to a large number of sheep. His father often purchased cattle for finishing and rented land for cattle production. As he got older Gordon had decided that someday he wanted to have a large commercial cattle ranch which would have been nearly impossible to achieve in Scotland. He also developed a keen interest in the fitting and showing of cattle starting at the local level. As his skill increased he was taken under the wing of Alex Ogg who was known worldwide as the best fitter and showman around. Obviously this was a great opportunity for Gordon to not only learn “the tricks of the trade” but at the same time rub elbows with many well known cattle breeders.

Perth Shows and Sales:

The Perth Scotland cattle shows and sales were world famous and became a mecca for cattle breeders/buyers from all over the world where they would come to see and be seen. This gave Gordon an opportunity to fit and show cattle, primarily Angus, at a world class level. He worked for Gordon Blackstock who managed the famous Bapton herd in Scotland. As Gordon became better known through the Perth shows and sales he was given several opportunities to become herdsman at different cattle operations around the world. He had narrowed his options to the USA and Australia but ultimately settled on the USA. It is important to note that during this time period Scottish Shorthorns were all the rage and herds such as Calarossie, Collynie, and Bapton had the attention of the international Shorthorn community.

Coming to America for Shorthorns:

Gordon Blackstock (herd manager of the Bapton herd) and Wib Donaldson (herd manager at Louada Manor Farms owned by Louis Cadesky in Peterborough, Ontario Canada) partnered on the purchase of many Scottish Shorthorns that were brought to Canada. Louada was selling many top quality Shorthorns to Otto Grosse (Northwood Farms) in Cary, Illinois. Grosse was known as the “Mink King” because, through selective breeding, he developed unusual mink fur colors which became popular worldwide and at one point to the extent he was the largest grower of mink in the world. Because of Blackstock and Donaldson’s sales to Otto Grosse they were aware that Grosse needed a quality herd manager. They suggested Gordon to Mr. Gross and he was immediately hired which facilitated Gordon’s move to the USA in 1959. Gordon helped Otto build his Shorthorn herd as Mr. Grosse wanted to have a world class Shorthorn herd. Unfortunately about a year and half later Mr. Grosse became ill and his herd was put up for sale. Eventually Gordon was approached by the Lorenzs of Kansas City, Missouri to manage KC Shorthorns. Through Gordon’s stewardship KC Shorthorns gained a national reputation in the Shorthorn industry by winning nationally throughout the 60’s including the International in Chicago along with countless major Shorthorn championships coast to coast. For those readers who have a collection of old “Shorthorn Worlds”, the 1967 Year in Review issue front cover shows Gordon, along with the Lorenzs, collecting the Levendale Challenge trophy (Lee Mathers, Sr presenting) for the best champion Shorthorn pair at the 1967 Internation Livestock Show at Chicago. KC Shorthorns “cleaned up” that year.

It is important to note that much of Gordon’s success (i.e. KC Shorthorns success) was based on the innovative ideas that Gordon employed in the selection, fitting, and marketing of KC Shorthorn cattle. There is no doubt in my mind that Gordon could “show a thing or two” to the “hot shot” showmen of today. I have long considered TPS Coronet Leader 21st one of two most influential Shorthorn bulls in the in the last 60 years with Mandalong Super Flag the other one. One of Gordon’s interesting experiences was when he helped show TPS Coronet Leader 21st. Gordon had been an admirer of Leader 21 at the time. Parenthetically Gordon’s interactions with Leader 21 were not always positive because Leader 21 stepped on Gordon’s foot injuring his toes while he was showing him, proving to Gordon that Leader 21 was a really big bull, and Gordon is still mad about it today. During his time at KC Cattle Company he used “George the Giant” Kinnaber Leader 3rd (a Leader 21 son) extensively in the KC Shorthorns breeding program. Gordon strongly feels that “George the Giant” was the best son Leader 21 ever produced

Importations:

Because of the inability to import cattle directly into the USA at that time, cattle had to be first imported into Canada and then brought into the USA. The Canadian government limited the number of cattle import certificates they would issue so procuring permits was difficult. Financial incentives were often used to facilitate the procurement of permits. An additional problem was that the Canadian government would only allow bulls (not cows or heifers) to be brought into the USA because they did not want to just be a transit point for cattle moving from other countries to the USA. Because of all of Gordon’s connections in Scotland and Europe he also helped ABS, Carnation Farms, and Curtiss Candy Company Farms (yes the same company that brought us Butterfingers) find and import quality breeding bulls into the USA for use in their bull studs. One Shorthorn bull that Gordon imported for Carnation Farms, that some Shorthorn breeders might remember, was Butte Lee Leader 63 (nick-named “Tiny Tim” after a popular TV personality at the time).

Changing Course/Simmentals:

Gordon’s disenchantment with Shorthorns grew subsequent to his “discussions” with C. D. “Pete” Swaffer who was the Executive Secretary of the American Shorthorn Associations at the time. Swaffer did not want to put any production information (birth weight, weaning weight, or yearling weight) on Shorthorn pedigrees. Because Gordon is what I call a “three dimensional thinker” Gordon simply made the production information part of the animal’s official registered name. Gordon believed Swaffer had a strong allegiance to the “show crowd” and did not have the vision to move Shorthorns ahead to compete with the influx of many Continental cattle breeds hoping to dominate the North American cattle industry at that time.

Gordon felt strongly that the “pony era” of small framed cattle had gone on too long and the Shorthorn breed had lost an opportunity to become a major contributing breed in the “new” commercial cattle industry. According to Gordon, another factor contributing to the loss of interest in Shorthorns by commercial cattle producers was a Federal Lands policy for many years in the West, which was put forth in the early nineteen hundreds, that only Hereford/white faced bulls could be used for breeding cattle on Federal Lands. This was done to bring uniformity to the beef cattle sold off the ranges in the West that were going to the major stockyards in Denver and Kansas City. Prior to this many Shorthorn bulls were being using as range bulls but the variable color patterns of Shorthorns led to confusion because they would be similar to brindle, longhorn, and Mexican cattle that were considered inferior at the time. Consequently Gordon decided to leave Shorthorns behind and move on to Simmentals as they were starting to gain traction as a continental cattle breed that could be useful in moving the commercial cattle industry forward because of their size and muscling. He joined with the Lorenzs in creating the “International Simmental Company” to both import and promote Simmentals. Gordon focused on Simmentals bred in Germany because they had a long production record history that was funded by the Marshall Plan (American funded programs to help rebuild Germany after WW II). All the German Simmental production data helped Gordon to ferret out the best Simmental bulls to import.

Other Business Pursuits:

Gordon had always been engaged in shooting and shotguns going back to his childhood in Scotland. This was the segue way to Gordon’s involvement in the world of Sporting Clays that allowed him to set up “shoots” around the world for wealthy individuals who wanted a world class travel experience and a world class shooting event through his company “Sporting Holidays International”. Eventually Gordon became involved in the design of world class Sporting Clay Shooting courses through his company “Sporting Clays Course Design”. An example of his eminent reputation in the world of sporting clays is exemplified by his design of the 1990 National Championship course at the famous Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado. Even today Gordon receives requests to set up sporting clay shooting courses but he gave up designing courses in the late 90’s. These businesses helped Gordon weather the economic downturn that the USA had during the late 70’s and early 80’s, thus enabling Gordon to continue to fulfill his dream of gradually acquiring a large commercial cattle herd.

Commercial Cattle Breeder:

Because of Gordon’s strong belief in the value of utilizing performance to build a commercial cattle herd he has migrated from show cattle to real world commercial cattle utilizing a combination of survival of the fittest with enhanced selection metrics. He has a low cost/low input model of production that defies many of the conventional preachings of the so called “experts”. Currently he runs approximately 500 commercial cows along with about 30 Registered Angus cows to produce some of his herd bulls. At 83 he still is on a 24/7 schedule running his herd with one “intern”. Gordon has always tried to help younger cattle breeders get started and his innovative approach, combining a working internship with building a herd, provides young cattle breeders with opportunity to both learn and build their herd. It is Gordon’s way of giving back to the cattle industry that has provided him with the opportunity to lead a richly rewarding life that he could not have imagined when starting out in Scotland in 1938.

Other Interests:

Gordon is a voracious reader with a special interest in American Presidential and American Western History. He has visited Monticello, the home of his favorite President (President Thomas Jefferson), several times including a private tour. Part of his interest in American Western History stems from a distant relative, James “Scotty” Philips, who is considered the man who saved the American Buffalo from extinction even though he was from Scotland. When I visited Gordon he actually sent me home with a stack of history books he thought I should read.

Final Thoughts:

Over the last 15 years I have been very lucky to meet and converse with many different people involved in the cattle industry. The two individuals that stand out to me are Rick Pisaturo in Australia and Gordon Philip in Missouri. Each one has a unique story to tell with life lessons for all of us. They are quite different individuals but they share some common traits. They both persevered through trying times, did not whine or complain about their lot in life, “worked their tails off”, never giving up on their dreams, and they exemplify what it it means to be a successful immigrant in a new country. Perhaps in today’s trying times we can all reflect back on the battles they fought to become successful and realize that with hard work and determination there really can be “light at the end of the tunnel” for each of us despite what we have endured over the last 2 years.

Future Topic: What Constitutes A Constructive Livestock Breeder?

Joseph Schallberger, DVM, PhD
Whispering Hills Farm
Member Academy of Veterinary Consultants

After the withering drought, which was the longest dry spell we have ever had, the weather has returned to some semblance of normal although it will take a lot of snow this coming winter to rebuild water reserves. Given the resilience of Shorthorn cattle our herd seems to have done quite well and we are starting to look forward to our first 2022 calves next February. As usual we are anticipating an eclectic group that will further expand the Heritage Shorthorn genetic base.

Quarterly Topic: I Wonder Where Shorthorns Lost Their “Mojo”?

Background:

It has always fascinated me how Shorthorns managed to go from world leaders in the cattle industry to “also rans” in the competition for the cattle market. From their humble beginning in the Tees Valley of England they managed, through careful breeding improvements, to separate themselves from the other cattle breeds and ascend to the mantle of predominance over all cattle breeds in the world. Their reign lasted a hundred years. What changed that brought them to their present status of almost irrelevance on a comparative basis in the cattle industry?

Emergence of Shorthorns

In one sense the Shorthorn breed was lucky that thoughtful, constructive breeders like the Collins brothers (Charles and Robert), Thomas Bates, Thomas Boothe, and Amos Cruikshank became the progenitors of the breed. They were principled men that had a vision of what Shorthorn cattle could become and spent their lives trying to achieve Shorthorn greatness through ongoing breed improvement. Whether farmers were interested in beef cattle, milk cows, or dual purpose family cows Shorthorns were bred to fill all those niches thus resulting in their growing popularity and dominance of the cattle industry from the early 1800’s to the mid 20th century. Because of their versatility, including adaptation to various climatic conditions, they quickly spread from England to throughout the world. It is also important to note that their almost unique ability to improve other breeds through cross breeding led to their usage in many other ways that helped the cattle industry.

What Happened?

The loss of the dominance of Shorthorns was the result of several elements but I think the most salient mistakes are as follows: greed, shows, Holsteins, Angus, and stupidity. I will discuss each one separately to try paint an accurate picture of what has transpired to take Shorthorns from the breed in lead to a breed bringing up the rear. Certainly there were other factors that have played a role in the massive changes that have occurred in the cattle industry which impacted Shorthorns but the aforementioned factors were definitely the most important in causing the collapse of the Shorthorn industry. To put the interest in Shorthorns in perspective, and to provide insight into how interest has plummeted over the last 75 years one only has to look at membership in Shorthorn organizations 75 years ago versus today. Review of Shorthorn Worlds and the Milking Shorthorn Journal from that time period shows in many states a number of county level Shorthorn breed organizations that had 20-30 members. In comparison, today many states do not have that many members in Shorthorn breed associations/societies in the whole state let alone in a county level Shorthorn organization.

Greed:

As often happens in the livestock industry, once a breed (in this case Shorthorns) becomes popular, quality becomes marginalized as most breeders resort to selling even the inferior animals in the pursuit of cash flow. No thought is given to the repercussions when poor breeding stock is fostered onto new breeders who then become discouraged about the breed. As heightened pursuit of sales becomes paramount the breed can quickly become degraded and its value to other cattlemen lost in the money shuffle. There is no doubt that this phenomenon played a large role in the collapse of the Shorthorn industry.

Holsteins:

As the dairy industry moved to a more fluid milk model, where pounds of milk production became more important than butterfat, the rise of of the Holstein breed became the new face of the dairy industry because of their ability to produce large quantities of milk. Milking Shorthorns had played a significant role in the dairy industry up until the 1950’s partly because of their dual purpose role in the small dairies that dotted the rural landscape. Milking Shorthorn breeders ceded this new milking paradigm to Holsteins despite having a plethora of cows that could match Holsteins milk production pound for pound early on.

Angus:

Shorthorns were actually one of the cattle breeds used in the formation of the Angus breed so they actually helped make the Angus breed. When it became obvious in the early 60’s that the “pony” cattle craze was finished different, cattle breeds took different routes to extricate themselves from the hole they had dug for their breeds. Angus, through forward thinking breeders, quickly developed a new breed standard and ultimately developed a brilliant marketing tool “Certified Angus Beef” in 1978. This added many nails to the coffin of Shorthorn beef as Angus were now the standard bearers of “New American Beef”.

Stupidity:

Now we get to the heart of the matter based on history as outlined above. Shorthorn breed organizations failed to rein in gadfly promotors of inferior Shorthorns just to make a dollar. The lack of assertiveness by Shorthorn officials, to stop show judges from kowtowing to major industrial breeders desire to produce “pony” Shorthorns, further exacerbated an already accelerating decreasing interest in Shorthorn cattle.

The failure of Milking Shorthorn breeders to start selecting for high milk production is beyond me. Instead they decided to try to save themselves by bringing in Illawarra Shorthorns (a composite breed) from Australia to increase milk production and even going as far as changing the name of the official American Milking Shorthorn Society magazine (Milking Shorthorn Journal) to the “Journal of the Milking Shorthorn and Illawarra Breeds” in the 1970’s. Milking Shorthorn breeders did not stop there. They followed up with the wholesale introduction of Red and White Holsteins which continues still today. Talk about capitulation to Holsteins. Milking Shorthorn breeders wanted a “quick fix” instead of pursuing carefully designed breeding programs to enhance milk production and yet maintain some of the pluses inherent in Milking Shorthorns such as structural soundness, reproductive efficiency, longevity, and feed efficiency. In the process of crossbreeding several genetic defects were introduced into Milking Shorthorns that did not previously exist in the breed. The opportunity that was lost by Milking Shorthorn breeders by not preserving the purity of Milking Shorthorns is unfathomable. With the modern dairy industry moving to a composite milk cow Milking Shorthorns could have played an intricate role of enhancing the modern dairy cow. Instead, because they embraced crossbreeding early on, they are left holding an “empty bag” of genetic value.

The American Shorthorn Association became the face of the beef segment of the Shorthorn breed when they “split the sheets” with Milking Shorthorns in the late 40’s. They were full participants in the “pony” Shorthorn craze. Looking at the promotion and pictures in Shorthorn Worlds from the 40’s and 50’s can only be described by the question “What were they thinking?”. As the new reality set in for beef cattle with the emergence of Angus, and then European continental breeds (Charolais, Simmental, Maine Anjou, etc), beef type Shorthorn breeders, embraced crossbreeding just as Milking Shorthorns had done for the quick fix, which introduced new genetic defects into the Shorthorn breed. Once again Shorthorns managed to lose their positive traits while increasing genetic defects. Crossbreeding was primarily accomplished by using Maine Anjou and Red Angus bloodlines. Recently Black Angus has been added to the mix with the Shorthorn Plus designation which really should be called Shorthorn crossbreds. The vigor that Shorthorns could have contributed to the commercial cattle in building better beef has essentially been lost through the short-sightedness (pun intended) of most Shorthorn breeders and their leaders in Shorthorn organizations.

Salvation:

Unfortunately the history of Shorthorns has not always been a continuum of breed improvement and positive influence. There is no question that the Shorthorn breed has fallen on hard times and is being propped up by what I call the “Show and Kid Model”. Both Beef and Milking Shorthorns organizations have decided to emphasize show cattle, and to mainly promote them to the parents of kids that want to show. who they hope will be the the stabilizing force that provides sale opportunities for Shorthorn breeders. There is a certain realization that Shorthorns have definitely had their heyday. The one shining light at the end of the “Shorthorn tunnel” is the emergence of Heritage Shorthorns which are the only 100% full blood Shorthorns left in the world. Because there is a considerable amount of semen remaining from quality old Heritage Shorthorn bulls, the positive possibilities for Heritage Shorthorns are being recognized throughout the world. The quality and genetic diversity that remains in Heritage Shorthorns is bringing a new opportunity for Shorthorn breeders to rebuild their herds and to introduce true hybrid vigor into other breeds of both commercial beef and dairy cows. With proper disciplined selection, breeder forethought, and good promotion Heritage Shorthorns can become the new standard bearers for what once made the Shorthorn breed great.

Joseph Schallberger, DVM, PhD
Whispering Hills Farm
Member Academy of Veterinary Consultants

Future Topic: Gordon Philip: From Perth To Chicago And Beyond

Here in Oregon we are going through the worst drought we have ever had. It has not rained for about 3 months and temperatures topped out at a 117 F this summer. We had to start feeding hay in the middle of July when normally we would not start until sometime in September. There has been some impact on fertility in the cows but we now have most of them bred back. Hopefully the drought breaks in the next month and we get back to a normal weather pattern. Fortunately we have not had any major fires in our area so that has been a plus.

Whispering Hills Farm Heritage Shorthorn cow: Whisper Bernice. She is a 3 year old that weighs about 1750# and is sired by Whisper Royal Chief (a Meadowbrook Chieftain 9th son). She had a bull calf this year sired by Great White Hope.

Quarterly Topic: Thoughts On Cattle Shows And Sales

Full Disclosure

Having the good fortune to attend cattle and sheep shows/sales around the world over the last 44 years has provided me with clarity on how most shows and sales are conducted. I quit showing livestock in 1991 because of my disgust with what I thought was a rigged system that was leveraged against the smaller, unknown livestock breeder which resulted in the selection of show winners that often had no relevancy to real world livestock production systems. I have never purchased an animal at a sale because I do not believe in the artificiality that accompanies the way sale animals are “prepped” for the sale nor do I condone the lack of sale transparency that should exist.

History

Livestock Shows and Sales were a large part of the cattle industry even before Shorthorns became a breed around 1800. The local fairs and sales at the beginning of the livestock industry played a pivotal role in breed improvement because they were a gathering place where animals could be viewed and ideas exchanged. They have played a major role in the evolvement of Shorthorns in both good and bad ways. A salient bad example were the Belt Buckle (semi-dwarf) Shorthorns that were promoted from the 1940’s to the mid-1960’s. A positive example would be the selection of larger Dual Purpose Shorthorns to “reshape” Shorthorns from the mid 1960’s to the early 1980’s.

Historically most seedstock cattle breeders have participated in shows and production sales to increase both their herd’s visibility and their access to a wide variety of buyers. This “business model” has been the backbone of the cattle seedstock industry but it is in the process of changing. Many readers are familiar with “the games” that are played at shows and sales. This article is geared more toward the new breeder who may be trying to decide whether to buy at a sale or purchase through private treaty perhaps after attending a show.

Shows

There are many types of shows from those at the local level to regional and national shows. For the novice breeder these shows offer an opportunity to observe the phenotype that is currently in vogue within a particular breed and to meet a broad range of show participants. Unfortunately this may skew the viewpoint of the novice because “show cattle” do not necessarily guarantee quality cattle that will fit their needs. It can be maddening to try to follow the thinking of many judges at shows because there may be subjective rather than objective reasons for their placements in individual classes. Subjective reasons may include friendships, past buyers, particular bloodlines, past show performance etc. It is extremely important to realize that the statement that “it is one person’s opinion” holds true. Ultimately every cattle person needs to formulate their own opinions about what constitutes a good animal versus a mediocre animal for their own herd.

Show participants

There are four types of show participants:

First are what I call the “Ribbon Chasers”. They just want to win regardless of the cost. If that means buying an animal from the judge or employing professional fitters and showers to achieve their goal then so be it. They “farm” their animals out to professionals in the pursuit of winning and spare no expense in trying to achieve that goal.

Second are longtime seedstock producers who have experienced the ups and downs of both shows and sales. They understand the nuances that go into winning shows and having high dollar sale cattle. They understand how the “game is played” and take a more philosophical approach but they also pull out all the stops to win in the show ring and the sale ring.

Third are what can be called the “financially challenged” in the sense they do not have the funds nor the name familiarity to be any more than moderately successful. Many smaller breeders fit into this category but may continue to show and sell through sales because they enjoy the experience and camaraderie. For some it may be more of a hobby but it still contributes to the overall well being of the breed.

Fourth are the “newbies” who are all excited about their prospects and filled with optimism that they can be successful. Most will soon learn the reality of the show and sale rings. Many will give up (most purebred livestock operations do not last more than five years) because they have no chance to successfully compete in the show and their sale cattle will bring low prices because they do not have name recognition and pumped up pedigrees. They become discouraged and “move on”. This is an unfortunate development because it diminishes the chances for new breeders to build quality herds and to become long-term engaged cattle breeders.

How Shows Often Work

Because most judges have familiarity with the breed they are judging they also know who the “big-time” breeders are. They know who the professional fitters and showers are and often give deference to them through show placement. I would like to say “politics” never play a role in cattle shows but it does. It is fair to say that politics often is the difference between winning and losing at many major shows. Fortunately local shows using outside judges may be less political and more fairly evaluated. Many judges own the breed of livestock they are judging so they may be selecting animals that trend toward their bloodlines. Lastly breed types are continually changing because seedstock producers invariably need “new models” to promote just like Ford and Dodge. The disasters which judges have created throughout history by selecting inferior animals that conform to the fad currently being promoted by name breeders and breed associations could fill several books.

How Sales Often Work

At times the subtlety of the sale ring is even a mystery to seasoned buyers. Gullibility and crowd dynamics play a major role in how successful most sales are. I see two big negatives in how sales are conducted. First the preparation of the animals. The animal in the sale ring has been showered with feed, confined, and managed under artificial conditions. Frequently this leads to a big disappointment when the animal gets to its new home and underperforms in the real world. This is particularly true with bulls. The second issue is the lack of transparency. It is extremely difficult to know when a bid is real because of “sleight of hand”. You don’t know if the bid is fictitious ie: a support bid from the seller’s friend, or if the auctioneer and ring people are trying to entice the last penny out of the buyer. There is simply no way to know what the truth is in a “properly” conducted auction.

The Future: Changing Times

There is a real question as to whether livestock shows will exist in the future. Their persistence will be dependent on costs, regulations, breeder support, and public perception all of which are currently trending negative. This trend has been exacerbated by the recent Covid-19 problems. Costs to participate in livestock shows have been rising steadily for a long time, and for many owners, they have reached a tipping point unless they are rich “Ribbon Chasers” or premier show stock breeders. Even some of those people are backing off. It should be said that not all fairs and cattle shows will return following the difficulties of last year, thus further reducing the cost effectiveness of showing. Fairs in many parts of the USA are no longer about livestock as they morph into glorified entertainment carnivals trying to compete with the increasing number of alternatives available for people to spend their entertainment dollar.

Detailing all the regulatory changes affecting the cattle industry would encompass a long list but suffice it to say that the animal rights movement, along with poor decisions regarding show standards, are making more people cognizant of the artificiality of show prepping. How someone can morally justify keeping a cow/heifer/steer in a cold temperature regulated environment for months on end to simply get longer hair growth, that can then be used through trimming, to hide that animal’s faults is beyond me.

Almost all cattle sales in the future will be online simply because of cost and convenience factors. I believe that online sales are positive for sellers and negative for buyers. Sellers reduce costs across the board and can use video/pictures to project their cattle in the most positive light reducing buyer scrutiny. Buyers lose the “hands on” evaluation that has been an integral part of cattle evaluation and sales since time immemorial. With the loss of this tool, buyers can no longer assess cattle with the same rigor nor can they solicit advice/opinions from other buyers that would be at the sale. That personal interaction is often the difference between a good versus bad purchase decision.

As Shorthorns try to hold on to their small piece of the “cattle pie” the deck may be stacked against them given the emerging dynamics of shows and sales. All is not lost though because the elegance and practical attributes of good Shorthorn cattle will likely help stabilize the Shorthorn breed in spite of all the current challenges which the cattle industry faces. The ultimate fate of Shorthorns resides in the nimbleness and determination of non-show Shorthorn breeders in exploring and developing new markets for their Shorthorn cattle.

Future Topic: I Wonder Where Shorthorns Lost Their “Mojo”?

Joseph Schallberger, DVM, PhD
Whispering Hills Farm
Member Academy of Veterinary Consultants

We have experienced a long dry period here in Oregon over the last several months that has dramatically reduced the production of grass. This has been a test for our Shorthorns since it has occurred during the highest demand on them raising a calf and getting rebred. Fortunately they seem to be managing quite well although the feeding of hay at an early date this summer will probably be necessary due to a complete lack of pasture. Cattle’s ability to adjust to weather variables is an important trait that Shorthorns excel in.

We have commenced the selling of Heritage Shorthorn IVF embryos through our new Shorthorn Select Genetics website (www.shorthornselectgenetics.com).

Quarterly Topic: Corn Versus Grass

With the constantly evolving political environment it is difficult for cattle producers to make long range plans especially when there are large numbers of political entities bent on permanently putting us all out of business. For many years I have believed that will eventually occur through increased targeted taxation and new draconian regulations. As artificial food production ratchets up, and people become further removed from farming, the “reeducation” plans of animal rights groups, vegans, climate change fanatics, and other aligned factions make this an increasing possibility. Further evidence of this trend are the current proposals in both Colorado and Oregon to essentially ban animal agriculture. So the question becomes: Is there hope and how can the cattle industry best adapt to this new reality?

Historically

Throughout history cattle and grass have had a synergistic relationship. Grass provided food for cattle and cattle provided fertilizer for grass. This “peaceful” coexistence allowed for traditional farmers to produce low cost beef while making a reasonable living. Certainly different types of feed products were introduced into cattle diets to improve productivity but there never was an all encompassing movement toward confined feeding operations (CFOs) as we see today. This dynamic change resulted in a whole new industry that revolves around corn/ethanol byproducts, CFOs, and four large integrated meat packers in the USA

Corn Movement

For many cattle producers the synergy that exists between corn and fat cattle has been the basis of their business model. More corn equals more weight. Obviously the selection process in breeding cattle that fit this production model is quite different from the historical development of beef breeds where they were selected to match a particular environment creating a landrace. I think it is fair to say that modern beef breeds have become more of a “cornrace”. This selection process, for a particular type of cattle, may have side affects. Recently there has been a tremendous increase in cases of Beef Congestive Heart Failure (BCHF) in feedlot cattle which may be the result of genetic selection and nutritional imbalances associated with high growth rates in beef cattle. As composite cattle (all-blacks) become more popular commercially, and the importance of individual breeds becomes a forgotten virtue, the opportunities to actually adapt to changing societal mores becomes lost. This unfortunate development makes the elimination of the cattle industry a more likely scenario. One can debate the environmental impact of cattle and corn ad infinitum but the reality is that society is coming to the belief that beef production wastes resources while having a very negative effect on the environment. The extra step that it takes to convert corn from food to steaks is a “cost” many in society no longer believe is advantageous. All the Genomic EPDs, all the breed promotion, and all the “Beef-It’s What’s For Dinner” ads will be for naught if society becomes convinced that beef is bad for the environment and wastes valuable resources in the production process. This is definitely where the corn model becomes muddled because corn itself requires a lot of input from seed to harvesting. Items such as fertilizer, chemicals, fuel, and equipment are all part of the environmental costs that are incurred. To take corn another step by feeding it cattle to produce meat entails additional environmental costs rather than using corn directly as a human food product. Certainly the corn consumed by cattle is different than the type of corn people eat but the production costs are very similar.

Grass

Pastoral scenes of cattle have existed throughout history and their bucolic effects have been rightfully chronicled. For the general public cows grazing in a field is a much more pleasant visual than a malodorous feedlot. This alone is a positive for grass fed beef. In today’s hypersensitive environment presenting a product in a positive light has become paramount. The simplicity of the grass fed beef production model caters to the desires of the “new concerned consumer”. Local production, no hormones, no growth implants, no antibiotics, and reduced environmental impact all present an alluring alternative for the new beef buying public. Cost is still a factor for most consumers but it is not the deciding factor it once was. The “hamburger crowd” is still out there but many now want an environmentally friendly burger that is raised in a regenerative agricultural system. By catering more to this type of consumer the beef industry may be able to stave off the onslaught which is being engineered to put it out of business. I have long believed, that with proper genetic selection and modern management, grass fed steers can be winners in the store and on the farm. The grass fed beef model will fill a long term niche that can never be replicated with corn fed beef. Embracing and expanding the grass fed model will allow producers to have more control of their destiny while supplying the beef desired by the beef buying public. This is not a pollyanna approach and I realize there is not enough grassland in existence to move all beef production to the grass-fed model. Nonetheless the grass-fed model can project a much more positive image for the beef industry as a whole while establishing a larger worthwhile production niche that can be profitable and self-sustaining. If we continue only in “feeding” the CFO/corn model, that will hasten the demise of the cattle industry and leave the beef industry open to ever increasing attacks.

The Future

Predicting the future is at best risky and at worst self-deprecating. Obviously I am a glutton for punishment because I continue to take on taboo cattle subjects that are ignored by many. In my opening statements I said the demise of the cattle industry is only a matter of time and I strongly believe it will happen over the next 100 years, if not sooner. Adjustments in production methodology can certainly delay what I see as the inevitable, but not stop it. Management practices that embrace more of the environmentally friendly grass based models will limit the negative publicity of CFOs while providing a more localized beef production industry that the general populace can better relate to. Without a massive overhaul in the beef industry it will become an even bigger target for the vegan movement that is fast becoming dominant throughout the food industry. News stories everyday point to major corporations bowing to the vocal opponents of beef and embracing meat alternatives. These corporations are about one thing: making money. If they did not sense a “sea change” in the food buying public they would not be producing novel “fake meat” products themselves and calling for ever increasing regulation of the beef industry. This is the “new normal” and the sooner beef producers realize it the sooner they can take the steps necessary to adjust to this new paradigm.

Topic For The Next Issue: Thoughts On Cattle Shows And Sales

Joseph Schallberger, DVM, PhD
Whispering Hills Farm
Member Academy of Veterinary Consultants

I have slowly managed to get back on track with time management that allows me to write more Shorthorn Bulletins. As with all of us the last year has been a trying one, and I think it is fair to say, things will never be the same. I take solace in my commitment to Heritage Shorthorns and hope that I can continue to provide interesting and helpful information to all Shorthorn breeders whether they are novice breeders or experienced ones. As many of you know I, along with my wife Sue, own Whispering Hills Farm (WHF) and started the Heritage Shorthorn Society (www.heritageshorthorn.org) in a quest to create more interest and genetic diversity in Heritage Shorthorns. Because I constantly receive inquires about our Heritage Shorthorns I am going to add a picture of one member of our herd to each issue to hopefully highlight the merits of Heritage Shorthorns and why I strongly believe Heritage Shorthorns can compete economically with the hyped up Modern Shorthorns.

Whispering Hills Farm Heritage Shorthorn cow: Whisper Beatrice. She is a 4 year old that weighs about 1550# and is sired by Boa Kae Royal Oak. She is pictured with her daughter Whisper Cotton (2 days old) who is sired by Spiro.

Quarterly Topic: Shorthorns: What is in a name?

When I started my Shorthorn herd many years ago I did not understand the differences in the types of Shorthorns and the terminology that was used to describe them both historically and today. For some readers parts of this article will be redundant but for most I believe I can clarify what type of Shorthorn is characterized by a particular name. I will take a chronological approach as I discuss Shorthorns in the 1790’s versus Shorthorns today.

Teeswater and Durham Shorthorns:

Initially Shorthorns started as a landrace which means that they were bred to fit a particular localized environment and market. The first Shorthorns were developed in the Tees River Valley which was in the Teeswater District of Durham County, England. They were referred to as Teeswater or Durham cattle. Eventually the descriptive term Shorthorn was added.

Shorthorns Versus Longhorns

Historically there were Longhorn cattle in England prior to 1800. They differed from the typical Longhorns associated with Texas today. Naturally the term Shorthorn emerged as cattle with shorter, curved horns became more popular during the late 18th century.

Scottish Shorthorns:

Scottish Shorthorns can be described as “beefy” beef Shorthorns. The famous Scottish Shorthorn breeder, Amos Cruickshank, was the real pioneer in the development of this type of Shorthorn. Many Scottish Shorthorns were imported into both the USA and Canada from Scotland in both the 19th and 20th century. The term “Scottish topped” emerged which simply means that the sire on a pedigree is a Scottish Shorthorn.

Dual Purpose Shorthorns:

I debated with myself where to insert the term Dual Purpose because it essentially goes back to the origins of Shorthorns when great cattle breeders took sides debating the merits of various Shorthorn bloodlines. Perhaps the most iconic statement about the emerging duopoly in Shorthorns was “Bates for the pail and Booth for the butcher”. In one sense this statement encapsulates both the versatility and uniqueness of Shorthorns from the day they were developed. Dual Purpose Shorthorns are simply Shorthorns that can be used for efficient production of both milk and beef. Shorthorns rose to fame around the world as they became family cows, milk cows, beef cows, and oxen. No other breed of cattle can match the diverse capabilities of the Shorthorn breed.

Irish Shorthorns:

Confusion reigns when having a discussion about what constitutes Irish Shorthorns. The Irish Shorthorns brought to the USA in the 1970’s came primarily from the Deerpark and Highfield herds in Ireland. They had very short pedigrees which could only be traced 2-3 generations. What their total genetic makeup was is unknown but they were primarily of Shorthorn breeding. There was much interest in them particularly in 1980’s as Shorthorn breeders in the USA saw them as “breed changers”—adding size and thickness. The American Shorthorn Association eventually gave them 100% Shorthorn status even though they had a somewhat murky background. As time went on they fell out of favor although there is still a fair amount of semen available from Irish bulls today.

Beef Shorthorns:

Beef Shorthorns are as described phenotypically. This term is used in many countries around the world including Australia and the UK. There was some discussion in the USA to use this term but it never came to fruition. Instead the more generic word Shorthorn was used.

Polled Shorthorns:

All Polled Shorthorns trace to a single polled cow in Minnesota in the 1890’s. Her offspring became the foundation of hornless or Polled Shorthorns that were eventually incorporated into the American Shorthorn Herd Book in 1923

Dairy Shorthorns:

The term Dairy Shorthorn is used in many countries instead of Milking Shorthorns because it is thought to be more descriptive and defining. When Shorthorn breeders in the USA met in 1920 to form a dedicated group to oversee Shorthorns there was much debate about the term milking versus dairy. In retrospect if Dairy would have been used it may have propelled this type of Shorthorn to the forefront of the Dairy Industry instead of being buried by Holsteins and Jerseys today. Unfortunately the term “milkers” became a derogatory term used by many Shorthorn breeders to heap scorn on this type of Shorthorn.

Milking Shorthorns:

At the meeting in 1920 Milking Shorthorn emerged as the name for this type of Shorthorn. Milking Shorthorn is also used in Africa and Australia. When the split within the USA Shorthorn organization between the beef and dairy enthusiasts occurred in 1948 the American Milking Shorthorn Society came into existence and persists until today.

Modern Shorthorns (Beef Type):

Almost all beef type Shorthorns today, except Heritage Beef Shorthorns, are essentially an amalgamation of other beef breeds with varying degrees of purity. Most Beef Shorthorn breed registries around the world acknowledge this fact within their registries either through grade up or percentage programs. Certainly Beef Shorthorns, as constituted today, dominate the breed numbers in most countries relative to Dairy or Milking types.

Modern Shorthorns (Milking Type):

When the upgrade program was instigated at the American Milking Shorthorn Society in 1945 the definition of a Milking Shorthorn instantly changed with the resultant dilution of the breed. Today Modern Milking Shorthorns are often mostly Red and White Holsteins with a smattering of other breeds including Shorthorns. The term Milking Shorthorn is actually a misnomer because the Shorthorn part has gradually been replaced with other types of dairy cattle-thus the “Modern” title. This fact can be found on the AMSS website by viewing the complicated percentage rules that apply when trying to register an animal.

Native Shorthorns:

AMSS started their Native program in 1998 to recognize Shorthorns which had their complete parentage trace entirely back to the 1822 Coates Herd Book. It was an opportunity for Shorthorn breeders to capitalize on their dedication and investment to maintain breed purity. Societal changes have resulted in the term Native becoming a pariah.

Durham Red:

The Durham Red classification of Shorthorns was designated by ASA to create marketing opportunities in commercial markets utilizing the red color seen in Shorthorns. Durham Reds must be at least 25% Shorthorn up to 75% with the rest Red Angus. The term Durham Red has really never “caught on” even though it was initially heavily promoted.

Shorthorn Plus:

The American Shorthorn Association has embraced a new type of Shorthorn crossbred called Shorthorn Plus. To qualify as a Shorthorn Plus an animal only has to be 25% Shorthorn. The other 75% of the animal could be Galloway, Devon, Dutch Belted, Angus, etc. These animals can be upgraded to purebred status in the ASA registry over time by breeding them to purebred Shorthorns. The only caveat is that, so far, no percentage Shorthorn Plus is eligible to to be upgraded to purebred status, as defined by ASA, if they are black or partially black. The term Shorthorn Plus is a great marketing ploy but the reality is they are nothing but a bunch of crossbreds.

Heritage Shorthorns:

The name Heritage Shorthorn first appeared in 2015 as a way to encompass all Shorthorns (Dual Purpose, Beef, and Dairy) that trace their ancestry only to the 1822 Coates Herd Book. All Native Shorthorns are Heritage Shorthorns but the term Native has fallen out of favor because of its linkage with many negative connotations in today’s society. As the heritage livestock movement has ballooned, associating Heritage Shorthorns with it has created tremendous new marketing opportunities for Heritage Shorthorn breeders and eliminated the negativity surrounding the usage of the word native.

Conclusion:

Hopefully I have successfully explained the nomenclature associated with various types of Shorthorns around the world. As new technology continues to emerge in the cattle industry the terms that will ultimately dominate are composite beef and composite dairy cattle. There is no stopping this crossbreeding train so I believe it is extremely important for Shorthorn breeders en masse to comprehend what is different about their cattle through terminology, phenotype, and genotype, what terms refer to crossbred vs purebred Shorthorns, and to strive to maintain the qualities which make Shorthorns “special”.

Topic for Next Issue: Corn versus Grass

Joseph Schallberger, DVM, PhD
Whispering Hills Farm
Member Academy of Veterinary Consultants

After considerable rain in June that built up a significant grass reserve, our weather has become more typical for us in that it has been extremely dry with no rain for the last 2 1/2 months. The massive fires that have been a part of the Oregon landscape the last 3 weeks have resulted in tremendous damage and overwhelmed our area with smoke that is like a dense fog. The cows and calves are doing well but we finally have started to feed hay. So far we have not seen any secondary smoke inhalation problems in our herd but we continue to be concerned about the smoke effects. The cows are bred back utilizing artificial insemination, and we should have some extremely interesting calves from bulls that have not been used in the last 20-40 years.

Quarterly Topic: The “Secrets” To Profitable Beef Production

Simplifying The Problem

When it comes to profitable beef production, the models for success and the variables they incorporate are almost limitless. No matter the size of your herd certain basic tenets apply. I will try to chart a simplified path to profitability while discussing the most salient points. My prejudice toward smaller producers (family farms) will undoubtably be discernible but I still believe that many of the thoughts I have about beef production are scalable. The economics of beef production have changed dramatically the last 50 years as a result of beef genetics, production costs, government regulations, and consumer demands.

Compatible Cows

To me a “Compatible Cow” is one that fits the environment she is expected to be productive in, whether that is the grass fields of Missouri, the mountains of Montana, the deserts of Arizona, or Florida’s heat and humidity. As cattle breeds were developed to conform to specific regional conditions, such as the Tees River Valley in England for Shorthorns, too often breeders expect cattle raised in the Western range will easily adapt to the fescue pastures of Missouri and vice versa. They don’t. Cows that grow up feasting on corn in Iowa will not rapidly adapt to a grass fed operation in Oregon. It takes up to 18 months for the flora in a cow’s rumen to adjust to a grass fed diet and some cows never adjust. The genetics used in developing and advancing the profitability of a herd should match the environmental conditions, management system, and the end market for the cattle being produced. When purchasing seedstock or a new herd bull it is extremely important to select cattle that fit your environmental conditions and management style. It is far better to buy cattle that have been selected for the genetic traits you want to emphasize and raised in a setting that matches the conditions on your own farm. Too often cattle breeders simply read the show ads, look at the EPDs, and then purchase what has been hyped. To me that is courting disaster. Purchasing compatible breeding stock saves money in the long run.

Productive Fertility

Fertility encompasses many genetic traits and can be dissected ad infinitum; however, the old adage that the most important economic genetic trait in the cattle business is to have cows that produce and raise a calf every year still holds true. Productive fertility takes into account several other factors. These would include pregnancy rate, calving ease, gestation length. and longevity. Longevity is often ignored with regard to fertility because breeders seem to forget that a cow producing 10 calves and then being culled for fertility issues has been a lot more valuable than a cow culled for the same reason after 4 calves. Bulls have to be mentioned because their ability to get a cow pregnant the first time she is bred can have a tremendous impact on productive fertility and thus, profits.

Feed Efficiency

Feed efficiency is really difficult to measure despite all the scientific studies dedicated to deciphering its complexities. Just because a feed trial says a particular bull gains 4 pounds per day in a structured setting does not automatically have real world relevance. Why? A well balanced quality feed bunk diet is not the same as grazing “pastures” in Wyoming. As mentioned earlier, rumen flora can have a dramatic effect on feed utilization. Melding milk production, foraging ability, grass conversion, and growth genetics will produce both feed efficiency and profitability. One of the best measures of true feed efficiency is to compare the gain rate from transitional weight to 205 days of age weight . Transitional weight is the weight of the calf at 84 days of age. That is the age where the calf becomes more dependent on its ability to convert feed instead of milk. The weight gain between 84 and 205 days of age is the best gauge of that calf’s ability to convert the feed/grass available in your management system. If a breeder’s goal is have feed efficient cattle, then selecting calves which have the highest rate of gain in that time frame will quickly move the feed efficiency “needle” in a positive direction and maximize profit.

Temperament

I can not emphasize temperament enough. Cows that are flighty and nervous can cost a cattle breeder a lot of money and result in a big headache. From decreased fertility and diminished feed efficiency to down right being dangerous, a cow that has a temperament problem can be a real profit eraser. Beyond that; her calf will emulate her histrionics and she will interfere with how other cows cooperate and function. She will truly be a “bad apple” spoiling the whole herd.

Health

As a veterinarian I continue to be amazed by how little emphasis cattle purchasers put on the health status of the animals they buy. With the increasing awareness of the the growing number of beef cattle with Johne’s Disease and Bovine Leukemia Virus, herd additions, whether a bull or a heifer, can introduce serious infections in a herd and cause massive financial losses. There are several other communicable disease problems that can be brought into a herd without the buyers knowledge. Buying good foundation cattle/herd bull, utilizing a comprehensive herd vaccination program, good parasite control, and proper nutrition will eliminate 97-98% of your herd’s health problems. The other 2-3% simply are just a natural consequence of raising cattle. Healthy cattle have lower maintenance costs, and are more feed efficient than unthrifty cattle.

Operational Costs

Operational costs can make or break any cattle production system. If your desire is to have the latest and greatest of everything associated with cattle production, from the fanciest hydraulic chute to the newest “dreamed up” genetic test, then your cost basis will be increased and your profits decreased. Farmers seem to have an almost ingrained susceptibility to the sales pitches made by vendors of agricultural supplies/equipment. Having economic sense entails making judicious decisions. Is this product really going to make me money or am I just following the latest trends? Taking an efficacious approach to management does not necessitate increased use of computer technology or using every genetic test that is promoted. Too often the cost/reward benefits simply do not “pencil out”. It is more important to use your economic and visual acuity to slice through the hype and develop your own management methodology that fits your herd, your location, and your market.

Marketing

Knowing your market, and producing cattle that fit that market, is vital in the cattle business. Whether you want to produce grassfed beef, sell seedstock, or run a cow/calf operation, focusing on a production system that efficiently minimizes costs, is time efficient, cow friendly, quality orientated and is properly marketed will maximize profit. Short change any of the aforementioned tenets of a good beef cattle operation and you may be looking for a new occupation. Be objective. Step back and visualize who your customer is and what they want to buy. Too often breeders leave their customers out of their decision making process and wonder why nobody buys what they are trying to sell. Customer engagement and promotion through an assortment of venues will create the proper bonding that is necessary to sell any product including beef cattle.

Concluding Remarks

I believe the opportunities for the cattle industry today are only limited by the ingenuity of the cattle producer. Be a leader. Utilize only the technologies which will move you in a positive financial direction. Constantly review your approach to raising cattle to avoid the “barn blindness” syndrome that frequently becomes imbedded in many cattle breeding enterprises. As the cattle industry evolves I continue to be a great believer in the “KISS” principle (keep it simple stupid). Overly complicating beef production, which seems the approach of many cattle breeders today, may result in small incremental increases in profit but is it really worth it? Pushing cattle and cattle breeders to their limit in a search for the last ounce of gain just doesn’t make sense to me. Quality of life for the cattle and their owners, is a foundation of the new beef paradigm which is unfolding with the modern sustainable or regenerative herd.

Joseph Schallberger, DVM, PhD
Whispering Hills Farm
Member Academy of Veterinary Consultants

The mild, rainy spring weather has maximized grass production here in Oregon. We have never had this much grass for the cows before. They are in excellent condition and that is contributing to more milk and faster growing calves. With the arrival of our first IVF calf May 8th, sired by Pleasant Dawn Seal 2nd, we have ushered in a new era in our breeding program. We hope to have a number of IVF calves over the next few years that will greatly expand the genetic base of Heritage Shorthorns.

Quarterly Topic: Lies, Damn Lies, Statistics, and EPDs

Why This Topic?

I am opening myself for significant criticism by questioning the whole concept of EPDs (expected progeny differences) but I believe it is important to present “the rest of the story” as Paul Harvey used to say. For too long, we in the cattle business have faced constant bombardment regarding the righteousness of embracing the EPD selection model. According to breed associations, animal scientists, and many seedstock producers we cannot improve our herds and produce better beef without utilizing EPDs as our main selection tool for our herds. I am not going to recount how many times this same group has lead beef producers over a cliff. For me the phrase “follow the money”, whether speaking about politicians or EPDs, is relevant when trying to determine what the motivation is for advocating for a particular position or concept.

History Of EPD’s

I am assuming all readers have a working knowledge of EPDs for this discussion. If a reader does not then there are numerous tutorials on the internet that provide the basics of EPDs. The first EPDs were published in 1983. They were the outgrowth of the demand for a more accurate method of evaluating cattle than the sire summaries that were first presented in 1971. As more data was collected and modern computers allowed for greater statistical analysis, proclamations were made that EPD utilization in the selection process was the nirvana that cattle breeders had long sought. Consistency in breeding and feed efficiency, along with increased profits, were the main components of the “pitch” being made by breed associations, animal scientists, and many seedstock producers. There is also a certain appeal to picking bulls by the numbers rather than spending time working thru all the pros and cons in evaluating and selecting a bull. As computers have improved and gene technology has evolved, new Genomic-Enhanced EPDs have moved the goal posts in pursuit of better accuracy. DNA testing companies have quickly developed many new genetic tests tied to EPDs. It seems like there is a test now for predicting everything but the length of the tail. As genetic companies roll out new focused EPD tests it should be noted they are making more money and the cattle producer is spending more money for information that is often confusing and may be at cross purposes with the breeder’s own breeding program.

EPD Problems

Comparing contemporary groups is a large part of the basis for EPDs. Unfortunately statistical analysis or algorithms cannot account for all of the variability that occurs from one group to the next just as predicting the weather is fraught with the omnipresence of “mother nature”. There are a litany of reasons why this is a problem but I will only mention a couple. Since there has been the introduction of other cattle breeds into all “purebred” cattle (except in a few cases) it is almost impossible to know what is what for “breed standards”. A breeder may have a purebred on paper but the parentage may have one or more other breeds actually mixed in, further scrambling the data.

For Shorthorns another problem is simply sample size. When limited numbers of breeders provide information on their cattle the statistical inferences can at best be described as garbled. When looking at EPDs, it is important to look at the accuracy percentages (ACC) for different traits (Ex.: ACC 0.16 = predicted accuracy is only 16%). They can be extremely low. Some are in the 5-10% accurate range for individual cows and bulls. EPDs listed for old Heritage Shorthorn bulls from the 1950’s, 60’s, and 70’s are really based on conjecture because many measurements were never taken during that time period. They have no basis in fact. Check out the accuracy percentages (ACC) of the EPDs on the American Shorthorn Association website for the three different bulls pictured at the end of this article. They demonstrate the accuracy problem in both older and newer bulls. (The name & registr. # under each picture is an online clickable link.)

Specific EPDs For Scrutiny

I am going to focus on only two EPDs, birth weight (BW) and weaning weight (WW), to illustrate my critique of EPDs. I selected those two traits because most breeders put considerable credence in those particular EPDs when evaluating cattle. The precursor to EPDs, sire summaries, never reached any real level of acceptance within the cattle industry because of their inherent variability. This produced a search for the next “big thing” which resulted in the development of EPDs. Fixating on such traits as BW and WW attracted attention and lead to more promotional opportunities for those companies/breeders interested in utilizing EPDs to make money. Obviously there is a surfeit of other EPDs I could have used.

Birthweight (BW) EPDs

There is a saying “erroneous input equals erroneous output”. Methodology in recording birth weight varies from farm to farm. How soon after birth was the calf weighed? Is colostrum intake accounted for? Was an actual electronic scale used or a foot tape? Is the producer “fudging” numbers to influence the EPDs of a particular bull or the salability of the calf that was born? Was the calf born in the Northern USA or the the South? Blood flow to the uterus increases in cold climates and calves can weigh 6-8# more in Northern climates. What was the nutritional status of the cow? The weight of the calf can be altered 10# in either direction just by how the cow was fed. What was the gestation length? For each day the calf is early, the calf will weigh approximately a pound less or each day later a pound more. All of these factors play a role in the birth weight that is “fed” into BW EPDs. With the advent of Genomic Enhanced EPDs the inclusion of specific gene data from the sire is supposed to improve the accuracy but as we learn more and more about “fetal programming”, which can vary between donor and recipient cows, or even for the same cow during different pregnancies, the veracity of that statement comes more and more into question. No amount of math can accurately account for all the variables I have mentioned, especially for comparing EPDs from different breeders.

Weaning Weight (WW) EPDs

The number of factors that can influence WW are even greater than BW. When a calf is approximately 84 days of age (transition weight) it crosses the age line to where it is receiving more of its nutrition from other sources than from its dam. Those first 84 days of growth are primarily affected by the milking ability of its dam. The variability of the age of the calf’s dam can be easily accounted for, to adjust weaning weight; however what can’t be accounted for are the environmental factors affecting her milk production. What is the nutritional value of her diet? Grass versus corn. Was the weather hot or cold? Did the calf have growth assistance from a “nurse” cow intentionally or unintentionally. We have all seen calves “stealing” milk from a second cow, and also show breeders “pumping” up a calf with various supplements. Did the calf receive creep feed? What was the quality of the creep feed. Was it limit fed or free choice? What type of pasture was the calf on? Legume mix or native grass? What were the weather conditions? Did the calf live in a drought affected area? Was the calf weighed prior to 205 days where the weight/day of age could play a role in the actual WW? I can go on but I think it is evident that there are a large number of factors that can influence WW from contemporary group to contemporary group let alone from farm to farm.

What Does This All Mean For EPDs?

There is little doubt in the cattle business that there are believers and non-believers in EPDs. I think some of the problems the Angus breed has had with EPDs has brought into focus the “fog” that often surrounds EPDs. Many of the EPD values assigned to Angus bulls have not matched their performance in the real world resulting in some Angus breeders questioning their accuracy. On another front, many dairyman are going back to progeny tested bulls because they have found that TPI (Total Production Index) numbers can be misleading. Everybody has to decide how much faith they want to put in EPDs when it comes to the selection process in their own herds or when they buy bulls or replacement heifers. Values that are generated and followed within herd undoubtably have the most benefit because a breeder is putting in his/her own data and comparing it between his own cows, calves, and bulls under mostly known and similar conditions. I think the rest are a “crap shoot” and I would not place my cows in jeopardy by selecting a bull based on EPD values or spend significantly more money to purchase a bull based on someone else’s EPDs. Often the numbers revolve around the trite statement of “putting lipstick on a pig”. Today it is all about numbers, and the “art of cattle breeding” is becoming a lost art. My next Shorthorn Bulletin will “cut to the chase” and present alternatives to the EPD model of profitable beef production.

Click on the name & registration number of each of these 3 bulls for a link to the ASA page highlighting their EPDs with predicted accuracy values (ACC).

Shorthorn Bulletin Topic for Volume 5 Issue 4: The Secrets To Profitable Beef Production

Joseph Schallberger, DVM, PhD
Whispering Hills Farm
Member Academy of Veterinary Consultants

This winter has been very mild here in Oregon with moderate temperatures and decreased rainfall. With the drier conditions our cows went back on pasture full time on March 17th which is the earliest ever. Obviously both the cows and I were very pleased. Hay consumption decreased by 20% which was a substantial saving in these trying times. Given the evolving tragedy of Covid-19, farmers everywhere have had to modify their plans and try to conserve their resources in the hopes that the world will return to a sense of normalcy soon. The question for all of us is when?

Quarterly Topic: Do Old Shorthorn Genetics Have A Future?

What are Old Shorthorn Genetics?

Discussing the usage of Old Shorthorn Genetics (OSG) encompasses three factors: time frame, quality, and artificial insemination. Time frame and quality are issues because almost all Shorthorns in the 1950’s were the pony/dwarf/belt-buckle variety. There were a few “pockets” with quality Shorthorn genetics but most Shorthorn beef breeders had embraced the Shorthorn Show model which was short legs and compact bodies. Blame for this development can be placed on breed societies, judges, and breeders themselves as everyone became infatuated with the concept of “Baby Beef”. The early 1980’s were a turning point in the Shorthorn breed as tall became the dominant selection trait in beef Shorthorns with Maine Anjou creeping into the Beef Shorthorn Herdbook. Milking Shorthorns became intoxicated by the single pursuit of milk quantity and they allowed Illawarra/Red and White Holsteins to enter the Milking Shorthorn Herdbook. Artificial insemination started to emerge in the 1950’s as way of quickly spreading positive genes in the Shorthorn breed. Fortunately it also ended up preserving semen from top quality Shorthorn Bulls which we still have available today. Many excellent Shorthorn Bulls that were born between the late 1950’s to the early 1980’s are still preserved in semen tanks. That semen may be in ampules, “Magic Wands”, or straws.

Why are Old Shorthorn Genetics Important?

Crossbred/Composite cattle have come to dominate both the beef and dairy industries. There are a plethora of reasons for it but I think it all comes down to the pursuit of profits while ignoring the bigger picture and other beneficial genetic traits. What do I mean? It is totally understandable that commercial cattle producers take different qualities from different breeds to maximize their financial returns. Historically “Black Baldies” (Hereford Angus crosses) were considered a great maternal cross. Recently the popularity of the “ProCROSS” in dairy cattle and “SimAngus” in beef cattle are two examples of commercially rewarding crosses. What most breeders forget about is there is an ongoing need for a stable pure gene pool to maximize the positive heterogeneity of that cross. As the Milking Shorthorn has morphed into Red and White Holstein/Shorthorn cross and the American Shorthorn Association has embraced the Shorthorn Plus concept pure Shorthorn Genetics are becoming increasingly scarce. Many Registered Milking Shorthorns are now more than 50% Red and White Holsteins while 30% of the registrations recorded by the American Shorthorn Association (ASA) are Shorthorn Pluses i.e. Angus composites. The breed changing decisions made by AMSS and ASA have actually decreased Shorthorn value in the commercial cattle market be it dairy or beef. Why? Modern Milking Shorthorns have little to offer the dairy industry that Red and White Holsteins cannot provide. The March 25, 2020 Hoard’s Dairyman article on “Bull Proofs” details how Modern Milking Shorthorns continue to lose ground when compared to all other dairy breeds. Beef Shorthorns with the Angus Shorthorn Plus are actually offering less when it comes to the traits commercial cattlemen value than SimAngus and diminishing the maternal qualities that were once prized in the beef industry. Old Shorthorn Genetics can be the salvation of the Shorthorn breed because it has the genetic reservoir that made Shorthorns the dominant breed in the world for a hundred years. There is a reason Shorthorns were called the “Mother Of All Breeds”.

How Can Old Shorthorn Genetics Be Utilized?

I am constantly amazed at the variety, quality, diversity, and amount of semen still in existence from old Heritage Shorthorn Bulls. It seems, almost, that New “Old” Shorthorn semen is being routinely discovered in old semen tanks. There are literally several hundred bulls still available. This presents a tremendous opportunity for Heritage Shorthorn breeders to seize the moment and use this semen to reinvigorate both dairy and beef Shorthorns. With the knowledge of how and why many of these bulls “worked”, I believe discerning, insightful Heritage Shorthorn breeders can rectify some of the missteps of AMSS and ASA and return Shorthorns to being significant niche players in the cattle industry rather than slowly fading away or just becoming another composite cattle breed. Based on the feedback I am receiving from many Heritage Shorthorn breeders, especially in the USA and Canada, I anticipate an explosion of New “Old” Shorthorn Genetics in the next 5 years. This will dramatically increase both the quality and diversity of Heritage Shorthorn offspring, as well as increase their usage to replace lost, beneficial qualities in modern beef and dairy cattle.

What is the Future of Old Shorthorn Genetics?

With the expanding availability of quality Heritage Shorthorns comes the challenge of getting the word out and demonstrating they are a viable alternative to what is currently available in Shorthorn genetics. The keys moving forward are quality, diversity, and relevance. The quality issue reigns supreme. Just because a Shorthorn bull is old does not guarantee he is any good. Heritage Shorthorn breeders must research and develop Shorthorns that fit the modern cattle business, not the cattle business of years ago when Shorthorns started to lose their “mojo”. Diversity is important because, as Heritage Shorthorn breeders, we must be committed to constantly improving our “product”. That can only be achieved through the utilization of proper selection of quality animals rising above “barn blindness” and realizing it is the ticket to success. With a diversity of Heritage Shorthorn genetics at our disposal, we should be able to improve our own herd. and supply a variety of end markets. Relevance will only happen if Heritage Shorthorn breeders start “tooting” their own horns instead of kowtowing to conventional cross breeding trends. This can be accomplished via: Promotion! Promotion! Promotion! Only by actively reaching out in a multitude of venues from the local fair to social media can we achieve recognition. I think it is extremely important to embrace the usage of the term “Heritage Shorthorn”, not only because of the marketing opportunities it opens up, but because it moves every Heritage Shorthorn breeder beyond the negative image of “native” that courses through both the cattle industry and the general public.

In addition, I think there are a wide variety of opportunities for Shorthorn breeders in other countries to embrace “the back to basics model”. Yes, they may not have the diversity of Heritage Bull semen that is available in the USA and Canada. However, I know that searches in old semen tanks may reveal “hidden treasures” that can be used to develop Heritage Shorthorn lines in other countries which can then be used to exploit new markets. I am extremely optimistic about the opportunities that await those who embrace the Heritage Shorthorn (Old Shorthorn Genetics) model.

Shorthorn Bulletin Topic For Volume 5 Issue 3: Lies, Damn Lies, Statistics, and EPDs

Joseph Schallberger, DVM, PhD
Whispering Hills Farm
Member Academy of Veterinary Consultants

The fall has been exceptionally mild with just enough rain and mild temperatures to keep the grass growing and the cows out in the fields. They came off the fields December 7th which is the latest they have ever been left out. Usually they are off the fields by the first week or two of November because of the rain and mud. Certainly saved me about a month’s worth of hay bills. Now it is a matter of waiting for the first calf to be born which should be around the first of February.

Prior Topic on ET and IVF—Update

In Volume 1 Issue 2, which is almost 4 years ago, I discussed the topic of Embryo Transfer and ET calves. I had reservations about the utilization of ET at that time for several reasons that mostly revolved around the hormones used to produce ET calves and the impact they had on donor cows. A lot has changed since then as IVF technology has moved to the forefront with a new method that I call “cow friendly” in which no hormones are used in any part of producing an IVF calf. This revolutionary approach has positive implications for the future as we all try to make life better for our cattle. The applicability of this methodology in the production of embryos from important rare bulls, when there may be only an amp or two of semen left, can contribute to an increase in genetic diversity in Shorthorns. I have used this technology within our herd so I can speak from personal experience. It works. We have several IVF embryos in our liquid nitrogen tank and have our first IVF calf due in early May—a bull calf sired by Pleasant Dawn Seal 2nd. I am excited about the possibility to resurrect some of the best Shorthorn genetics ever known in the breed by utilizing this new methodology.

Bi-Monthly Topic: Turning the Cattle Business Upside Down

Prologue:

I almost titled this article “Can the Cattle Business be Saved” but ultimately decided that was too pessimistic. As long time readers of my articles probably realize I am not a supporter of current trends in the beef business, dairy business, and definitely not the modern Shorthorn business. I believe they have all lost their way partly because they have confused progress and failure. They believe anything that increases sales is progress but the reality is they are failing to counter and to rapidly adjust to evolving consumer trends that, at their extreme, call for the elimination of animal agriculture. For the dairy and beef businesses, progress is defined by the “bigger is better” business model that encompasses every aspect of production with the hope that cheap food pricing will overcome any consumer reluctance to buy their product. Shorthorns have tried to base their business model on cattle shows instead of real world commercial cattle production. All three have failed to recognize that the market for their products is changing. The beef and dairy business need to come to terms with the headwinds of imitation products and with the standards that the public wants upheld environmentally and in animal care. With Shorthorns they have failed to provide animals that can compete on a commercial basis while still maintaining breed integrity. I intend to review all three businesses defining some of the problems they each have and then discussing some possible solutions. To be upfront I think if consumers continue to follow the cheap food model, forgetting about quality and animal conditions, then perhaps “imitation beef and dairy products” will become the norm as they scale up production and develop even more palatable products at reduced prices. Real beef and dairy production may become an antiquated food/business model because so many people involved in the cattle business have put short term “bad” gain over long term “good” gain.

Dairy Business:

Having grown up on a dairy in the 50’s and early 60’s I have first hand knowledge of how it used to be. Dairying has always operated on tight financial margins, however the answer to this problem that has been put forth for the last 50 years has been to increase in size—more cows, more facilities, more equipment, more milk/cow, basically more of everything. With the decrease in profit margins (profit/cow) the argument has been to make up the loss by having more cows and everything else that goes into milk production. Animal scientists, dairy specialists, feed companies, semen companies, agricultural economists, and pharmaceutical companies, to name a few, have consistently put forward the mantra “bigger is better”. To give them the benefit of the doubt, many probably believe in what they are “selling” but they are “crunching the wrong set of numbers”.

Beef Business:

There are strong parallels in the “modern” methods of beef production with the dairy model especially with regard to the more of everything production/profit model. The beef business is still diverse in the sense there are a lot of small producers with less than 50 brood cows that are engaged in the production of steers as an adjunct to their regular job. This is changing though because there are fewer young people interested in beef production, the cost of production is increasing, and steer prices have tended to be stagnant. Lately there has been a significant increase in using the “Hoop System” to run a cow/calf operation. It is a confinement operation where beef cows are not on pastures but are confined like dairy cows year around. There has been an increase in the size of cow/calf operations as consolidation grows. All kinds of things have been tried to increase weight gain in steers through growth promotants, advanced nutrition, and single trait genetic selection such as double muscling.

Shorthorn Business:

It is safe to say that I am just disgusted with the direction the Shorthorn Industry has taken whether it be Beef or Dairy Shorthorns. The problems are different from the beef and dairy industries as a whole because Shorthorn breed associations have embraced two overriding themes of breed “progress”—crossbreeding and show cattle. Crossbreeding was put forward and embraced as the salvation of both Beef and Dairy Shorthorns. The thinking was that the Shorthorn breed needed an infusion of blood from other breeds to improve them and make them competitive in both beef and dairy scenarios. The Shorthorn breed associations seemed to forget that Shorthorns were used for the genesis of over 40 other breeds of cattle. Most Beef and Dairy Shorthorns are now composite animals with varying degrees of other cattle breeds incorporated into them. Talk about missed opportunities. There were 100% pure Dairy Shorthorn cows milking over 20,000#’s/year 80-90 years ago with none of the current nutritional and management aids There were 100% pure Shorthorn steers gaining over 3 lbs/day during the same time frame without hormonal implants or fancy diets. Unfortunately Shorthorn breed associations did not seize on these qualities and move them forward. They allowed Angus and Holsteins to take over. A foot note: 100% pure has different meaning to different people especially in the breed up schemes often used in cattle breeds. When I talk of 100% pure I refer to Shorthorns that can trace all their ancestors to the Coates Shorthorn Herd Book of 1822 or what many would refer to as full blood 100% Shorthorns.

Changing the Dairy Business:

One of my recent Shorthorn Bulletin articles discussed the coming revolution in substitute milk products. Consumers continue to “buy into” milk alternatives as consumers become more concerned about the welfare of dairy cows. Increasing support by venture capitalists for companies such as ‘Perfect Day’ show there is growing belief that milk substitutes may be the future. Ongoing debates about the confinement of cows, removal of calves at birth, short life spans, and high energy diets to pump up milk production provide “fodder” for Animal Rights groups and the anti-dairy crowd. The negative implications of such diseases as Johne’s and Bovine Leukemia should not be dismissed and may lead to further human health concerns.

Given all the negatives what can be done? I see two divergent paths. One will lead to the demise of the dairy business because of costs, regulation, animal rights, health concerns, and ultimately artificial products that will mimic the positive health aspects of milk. The other will require a change in the business model of dairies and will only work if consumers are willing to pay more for quality milk from healthy cows living in a better environment. The impact of animal welfare should not be underestimated when trying to envision the “dairy of the future”. There is growing awareness that things need to change and certainly some companies/dairies are embracing new business models including pasture based dairying, A2 milk, more comfortable housing facilities, and more structurally sound cows that are not just a rumen and a udder. With robotics taking over the dairy industry because of labor concerns, the path for for large dairies may be positive short term but long term the “writing is on the wall” because I do not believe they will be able to adequately address the concerns of animal welfare groups, environmentalists, and government regulators. If the dairy business is to survive it will have to evolve into a more consumer centric model with all of their concerns addressed. This will entail promoting quality over low priced quantity.

Changing the Beef Business:

The Beef Industry is faced with many of the same issues as the Dairy Industry but also an even greater challenge from “imitation” meat products and cultured meat products. For too long the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association has ignored the potential threat of the aforementioned products. NCBA has been more interested in self promotion and having overpriced self congratulatory meetings while watching the cattle business sink in the West both figuratively and realistically. Recently a prominent beef producer wrote that the NCBA is really about beef producers with over 500 cows as they are the only ones that can afford to attend NCBA meetings. NCBA has finally put “Fake Meat” at the top of their threat list when it should have been there 10 years ago. I think changing the public perception of cattle raising is essential. Again, like with the Dairy Industry. the Beef Industry will not have a future unless it addresses consumer concerns. I believe that the new mantra may be “it is what the consumer wants, not what you have to sell”. Being a used car salesman will not work in today’s internet/social media world.

The whole feedlot model needs to change because the public has become aware of its societal costs whether they be environmental, health, or animal welfare. There is no question there is a movement to the grass fed production model that will only continue to grow. I think all types of growth promotants must be eliminated. If the general public ever becomes aware of how much promotants are being used under the guise of increased production they would be enraged. Lately the concept of double muscling has become intertwined with beef production especially in certain countries. I think this is an animal welfare issue that needs to be eliminated because it can result in severe genetic problems affecting both the calf and the cow. Utilization of the double muscling gene just gives another opportunity for Animal Rights organizations to pounce on the Beef Industry. Long term there is likely to be a market for quality beef produced under the right conditions with the right genetics but it will be a diminished market. The “meat replacement train” is rolling down the tracks and it is only a matter of time before the Beef Industry realizes that meat’s dominant position in diets worldwide is slowly being replaced.

Changing The Shorthorn Business:

The continuing utilization/promotion of crossbreeding in both Beef and Dairy Shorthorns is totally counter-productive because it destroys the identity of both. If all Shorthorns are just a composite what distinct qualities do either Beef or Dairy Shorthorns have to offer to the commercial cattlemen or dairymen? The advantages of heterosis and incorporating meritorious breed traits are totally lost if Shorthorns become just another black crossbreed. As with most cattle breeds, judges, animals scientists, breed associations, unscrupulous breeders, and various other “experts” have effectively taken the greatest breed of cattle, Shorthorns, and made them a “has been”.

With the advent of the Heritage Shorthorn Society a new avenue has opened up for Shorthorn breeders who want to break free of the show/composite trends and return to what made Shorthorns great and why they have often been called the “Universal Improver”. Fortunately the Shorthorn breed has a great reservoir of pure genetics that is the envy of other dairy and beef breeds. As an example, both Angus and Holstein breeds are left with basically nothing to correct some of their structural and genetic problems because there is minimal old semen or pure cattle left to build on.

I sincerely believe enterprising venturous people can build a new business model solely based on selective usage of older Heritage Shorthorn genetics. The opportunities are endless with hard work, mental dexterity, excellent health standards, and proper selection of breeding stock. Much of this is detailed on the Heritage Shorthorn Society website (www.heritageshorthorn.org). To be trite, “thinking outside the box” is what is necessary to be successful. Historically Shorthorns were a major part of the beef industry. They were the genesis for over 40 different breeds and were the dominant cattle breed in the world for over 100 years. I am not a “Pollyanna” who believes that the Shorthorn breed can return to its worldwide dominance, but that does not lessen the tremendous opportunities that await anyone who truly loves the Shorthorn breed.

Summary:

I realize that my thoughts on the Beef, Dairy, and Shorthorn Industries will not be positively received by many cattle breeders but it needs to be said, since being “politically correct” won’t result in positive changes. The Beef and Dairy Industries need to recognize that their dominance on grocery shelves is slowly but surely dwindling, and they need to take positive steps to lessen their environmental impact, improve animal welfare, and embrace new health standards and marketing techniques. Only by taking this approach will they have any chance of standing up to the tsunami of changes headed their way.

Shorthorn Bulletin Topic for Volume 5 Issue 2: Do Old Shorthorn Genetics Have A Future?

Joseph Schallberger, DVM, PhD
Whispering Hills Farm
Member Academy of Veterinary Consultants

Our area has had a comparatively cool summer with average rainfall except for September when rainfall has been 500% above normal. This should translate to some good fall pasture, which is a rarity in Oregon. Breeding season has been quite successful as we have initiated our new IVF embryo production model utilizing the latest technology. Our first IVF calf is on its way. Some of the bulls we expect calves from next year include Mandalong Super Flag, Mollie’s Defender Adair, Columbus, and Pleasant Dawn Seal 2nd. Definitely an eclectic group of bulls that will infuse some long lost genetics back into the Shorthorn breed.

Quarterly Topic: Diminished Shorthorn Genetic Diversity: Are We Headed For A Crash?

Prologue

Recently there has been a lot of discussion within the Holstein breed about the fact that over 99% of all Holsteins (9 million cows) trace to only 2 bulls that were born in the 1960s. This means that there are just two different Y chromosomes in almost all Holstein males effectively narrowing the genetic base contribution of Holstein bulls. How this can happen, and its possible implication for Shorthorns, will be discussed. Many of the changes happening in the Shorthorn breed are also occurring in all types of livestock as breeders try to maximize production with little deference to the negative impact of this narrow selection process.

History

For over 100 years, essentially 1850-1950, Shorthorns were the most popular purebred breed of cattle in the world. Because of this Shorthorns had a very diverse genetic base since many different bulls were utilized throughout the world. With the change in dominant cattle breeds, Holsteins became the dominant milk breed and Angus became the dominant beef breed. Beginning in the early 1950’s the number of Shorthorns registered started to decrease and essentially they have been decreasing ever since. As Shorthorn breeders exited the industry many Shorthorn genetic lines were also lost as many Shorthorns simply went to slaughter resulting in a loss of their genetic contribution to the gene pool.

Changing Genetic Selection

As breeders have tried to focus on single traits or on show cattle they lose many genetic traits that may be important to maintaining a sound animal. Certainly that has been the case with Holsteins as breeders chased higher milk production. In Shorthorns, particular show bulls have often dominated with resultant loss of many utilitarian genes that made Shorthorns so popular for so many years. The disregard for genetic balance eliminates many genetic options and produces what I call “cookie cutter” cattle. Probably the most famous historical example in Shorthorns of a particular bloodline becoming preeminent was the “Duchess mania” in the mid-nineteenth century when there was an attempt to make the Duchess line dominant in the Shorthorn breed. Prices of “Duchess Shorthorns” escalated as the fad peaked, then because of the constant inbreeding the “Duchess Shorthorns” were pushed toward infertility. As breeders came to realize there were tremendous negative consequences from this type of narrow emphasis, prices crashed and outcrossing took hold in an attempt to resurrect functional Shorthorns.

Artificial Insemination

The increase in the utilization of artificial insemination (AI) has definitely been an important part of the loss of genetic diversity in cattle as single bulls may sire tens of thousands of calves in a lifetime instead of hundreds. This increases the impact of an individual bull while decreasing the overall gene pool. Artificial insemination has been used more in dairy cattle than in beef cattle, but it has affected both. Since Shorthorns encompass both dairy and beef, a consequential loss to the Shorthorn genetic base has taken place. This has happened as Beef Shorthorns have concentrated on particular traits, such as birth weight, while Milking Shorthorns have fixated on milk production.

Impact of Genetic Defects

Genetic defects also can play a significant part in the loss of genetic diversity if a very popular bull is a hidden carrier for a specific defect. The popularity of the bull will cause his genes to be infused throughout the breed. When the defect raises its ugly head there is a rush to the exit door as animals carrying his blood are sent to slaughter with the concomitant loss of many of the other attributes that make for a distinctive useful breed. The best example of this is dwarfism in Herefords. It took Herefords a long time to recover because the dwarfism gene became so pervasive that many Herefords were shipped and their good genes lost. Genetic defects such as Tibial Hemimelia (TH) in Beef Shorthorns and Haplotype Cholesterol Deficiency (HCD) now seen in Milking Shorthorns, (through the introduction of Holstein blood), are examples of genetic defects that can result in culling and elimination of both bad and good genes from the gene pool.

Crossbreeding

Finally the ongoing dilution of the gene pool by crossbreeding is a huge issue because as pure Heritage Shorthorn genetics are not selected for, they are subsequently permanently lost. Most modern Shorthorns are really crossbreeds in the sense that the beef side has incorporated Maine Anjou while Milking Shorthorns have added Illawarra along with Red and White Holsteins. As was discussed in a recent prominent cattle forum, many Milking Shorthorn owners would be surprised to find out how little true Milking Shorthorn blood is in their cows despite having the Milking Shorthorn moniker. It is believed there are only about 500-700 pure Heritage Shorthorns left in the world and many of those trace to just one large herd. At least the Shorthorn breed has more to work with than the Angus breed as it is thought there are only 200 pure Heritage Angus left in the world.

Genetic Diversity In Shorthorns Today

Regrettably all of the aforementioned causes of diminished genetic diversity are impacting today’s Shorthorns. The number of both Beef and Dairy Shorthorns registrations has decreased dramatically in the last seventy years resulting in a decrease in diversity as particular bloodlines are “wiped out”. Many Shorthorn breeders have embraced the concept of limiting their selection process to a single trait, such as milk production or birthweight. Show sires often predominate in Beef Shorthorns since “ribbon chasers” believe that a particular show bull will put them in the winners circle thus focusing only on his genes in their breeding programs. AI has allowed certain bulls to dominate the breed to its detriment. Crossbreeding has introduced several major genetic defects into Shorthorns which never existed before. Crossbreeding also has a huge impact as pure breed characteristics are lost and with it the potential for true heterosis when Shorthorns are used in crossing with other cattle to intentionally create composites. All of these factors have played a significant role in diminishing the genetic diversity in the Shorthorn breed.

What Can Be Done ?

Fortunately the Shorthorn breed still has options to not only maintain but increase breed diversity. There is a large amount of Heritage Shorthorn semen still sitting in semen tanks across the USA from a very diverse group of bulls, from as far back as the 1950’s. This group of bulls would include mostly Dual Purpose Heritage Shorthorns with certain bulls tending to be either more beef or more dairy. With this semen, and proper selection parameters, many of the specific genes that made Shorthorns a special breed can be reintroduced while rebuilding their gene pool. It will take a lot of foresight and discipline by concerned Shorthorn breeders but it can be done. I know of several Heritage Shorthorn breeders already taking this approach with very positive results. Given the evolving cattle industry it is unrealistic to expect Shorthorns to return to their “glory years” but there is absolutely no reason why they can not play a significant role in the cattle industry instead of joining the many other cattle breeds that have lost their way and are no longer considered genetically viable.

Shorthorn Bulletin Topic for Volume 5 Issue 1: Turning The Cattle Business Upside Down

Joseph Schallberger, DVM, PhD
Whispering Hills Farm
Member Academy of Veterinary Consultants