Because we also run a thriving beef business, we are very selective about which cows and bulls are retained intact for breed ing. We evaluate every animal, looking for the ones with the most potential to advance the genetic legacy of the Hereford line and amplify desired Evergreen traits.
When we select sires for our cows, we are mindful of the traits that we would like to add. If a cow or a cow’s bloodline has ever experienced any calving difficulty, we will choose a sire that should convey calving ease to her offspring. While we never know in advance the sex the calves will be, we do know what we want for each cow for her next generation, and we have a pretty good idea what our sire selection will be for the second, third and fourth generation.
In the commercial cross breed business, the breeder thinks in terms of F1, F2, F3 etc. We are looking forward to achieving a Rib Eye Area, REA, EPD baseline of “.20”, and Inter-Muscular Fat, IMF, EPD baseline of “.04” in our offspring. At these levels, we know that our stock will consistently grade USDA choice.
Next, we focus on enhancing the economic production factors of calving ease, growth, and fertility. As we achieve both quality and quantity we look at eye appeal, the “phenotype”. For some folks, just having herefords is eye pleasing enough, but we are a little more picky. For us, the darker the red, the better. Conservative white marking with mostly red legs and a red neck is preferred. Red or brown around the eyes will ensure good eye pigmentation.
For a list of available cattle click here:
http://evergreenherefords.com/?page_id=909