Genetics & breeding
Registered black herefords & registered black angus cattle
Even in the high tech age that we live in, it amazes me how far science has advanced in the last few years in genetic research, understanding gene traits, and DNA testing. We can now improve, add or remove good and bad traits in cattle in a few generations if we pay attention to detail and the use the tools available. It has only been a few years ago that if you had made that statement to cattlemen or the science world, it would have made for a good laugh.
While we have never produced the perfect animal and probably never will, there is simply no excuse in this day and age to have poor quality cattle. When attempting to fine-tune genetics, one must pay attention to detail. Too often we find that many breeders use single trait gene selection to breed cattle. One of the most common examples is yearling EPDS or growth. Breeders see huge growth numbers and breed strictly for that single trait. Now don't get me wrong, growth is great, however a cow that weans off a 700lb calf and takes six months to breed back is much less profitable than a cow that breeds back in 45 days after calving and weans a 550lb calf. You're probably thinking, well everyone knows that! Maybe so, but this type of mind set happens everyday in our industry. We at Triple T Farm believe in a balanced trait breeding program. What this simply means is that while animals may not be in the very highest perentile of a single trait, they are functional and profitable in all or most categories. Paying attention to detail in your breeding program will make you money, whether you are a purebred breeder or a commercial cow/calf operation.
At Triple T, we have a spring and fall calving season. Selecting genetics that will help females retain a good body condition score is of vital importance in reproduction. By having 2 calving seasons, it enables us to provide both spring and fall operations with bulls and females that are ready to go to work. While calving season is an exciting time, sire selection is just as important. I spend days selecting sires that will help improve the next generation of calves. My standard is to select sires that are equal to my females in their strong genetic areas and superior in weak areas. No one sire is a catch all. For that reason, several different A1 sires are used each season.
I understand that everyone cannot do A1 breeding. For the commercial breeder, sometimes it is just not feasible. That is why my job is so important to our customers. It is my responsibility to provide our customers with a balanced trait sire or female that will meet their needs. The breeding of purebred cattle is often misunderstood. Angus, Black Herefords, or any other breed cannot give you everything that you want in a genetic package. No one breed has all the perfect traits. My job, as a seed stock, producer is to provide breeders with the best possible genetics that a breed posses. A great example is the Angus ability to grade choice. I don't think too many people would argue that point. However, very few breeds will grow like a Hereford. Therefore we concentrate on excelling the traits that each bred posses.
When selecting genetics, we pay attention to bloodlines that are known for longevity, fertility structure, and many other factors that will make a cow profitable. We pay attention to detail and take great pride in our herds. It takes time and a lot of hard work to develop the genetic package that our customers have come to expect from us. It is a huge privilege in being able to serve our customer and meet their needs.