Kansas Beef Genetics Go Global
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A combination of Angus and Hereford breeds, the Black Hereford traces its roots to a ranch in Kansas. That’s not surprising considering Kansas ranchers boast world-renowned beef genetics and are always striving to improve their herds.
Birth of the Black Hereford
The idea of combining Hereford and Angus breeds was not a novel one for Joe and Norma Hoagland, owners of J&N Ranch and creators of the Black Hereford. What was unique was the concept of intentionally crossing the two to make Herefords black.
“The big advantage of Herefords is their temperament and feed efficiency,” Hoagland says. “Angus marble well and are easy calving. With Black Herefords, we try to select for the best from both breeds.”
See more: 7 Most Popular Breeds of Cattle in the United States
Now ranchers can take advantage of the market premiums for black-hided cattle with the benefits of having Hereford cattle.
“An animal that’s a five-eighths Hereford blood is the first level you can register as a Black Hereford,” Joe Hoagland says. “Slowly over time, you have black on both sides of the pedigree, and you just keep introducing new Hereford genetics to make it more Hereford but keep the hair color black.”
The Black Hereford has found a good niche.
“We founded the Black Hereford Association in 1994,” Hoagland says. “Today, we have 500 breeders in 35 states. We’ve sold cattle from Hawaii to Pennsylvania, we’ve even shipped two bulls to New Zealand.”
Trade and Trust for Beef Genetics
In the robust Kansas agriculture industry, beef cattle is the single largest sector.
“Kansas cattlemen are dedicated to keeping the industry moving forward and sustainable for the next generation,” says Suzanne Ryan-Numrich, international trade director for the Kansas Department of Agriculture.
Trade missions help them achieve that goal.
See more: Globally Desired Genetics
“We participate in inbound and outbound trade missions promoting Kansas beef genetics in both established and exploratory markets,” Ryan-Numrich says. “Trade missions give ranchers opportunities to build relationships with other ranchers and potential customers. Relationship building is key.”
But sometimes it takes multiple missions to the same market to build meaningful relationships.
“Personal relationship is just how it works in this industry,” Hoagland adds. “For example, we sell bulls to a dairy semen distributor in New Zealand, and he’s come to our ranch to look at our cattle and see who we are. We’ve been doing business with him for 15 years. I doubt we would do that if we hadn’t met the guy in person.”
Genetic Progress with AI
An important strategy for continuing improvement in the industry is artificial insemination (AI). Headquartered in Fort Scott, ReproLogixTM assists ranchers with AI and other reproductive services.
See more: How the Kansas Department of Agriculture is Enhancing Ag Industry
“We help producers speed genetic improvements within their herds,” says Kalli Ellis, the company’s marketing manager. “Using ReproLogixTM, donors could have multiple calves per year depending on how many embryos they produce. Animal reproductive technology gives producers the opportunity to utilize the highest quality genetics in the industry.”
A Promising Future
AI and other modern technologies contribute to a promising industry outlook. In 2018, Hoagland developed CattleTracs, a facial recognition and record-keeping app for cattle.
“The European Commission is interested in using CattleTracs to track cattle in Brazil,” Hoagland says. “In support of their farm to fork legislation, they want to ensure that imported beef isn’t coming from deforested areas of the Amazon. The platform records the date and GPS location where cattle are photographed, showing they were at a specific place at a specific time. We can use this cellphone data to prove they weren’t raised in the Amazon.”
Traceability, sustainability and efficiency are growing priorities in the international marketplace.
“Seeing cattle producers using the best genetics available to efficiently speed up the genetic process is exciting,” Ellis says.
From the American heartland to the world, Kansas beef genetics just keep getting better and better.
“Globally, there’s an increasing emphasis on producing beef more efficiently,” Ryan-Numrich says. “Quite a few seedstock producers who raise foundational breeding stock in our state emphasize and select for more efficient cattle. This will become increasingly important when we market genetics internationally and as customers demand a more sustainable and efficient product.”