Thankyou.....

[Sudsy]

Glen, just wanted to pass on my gratitude and thanks for this forum.

Has surpassed all my expectations, a virtual font of knowledge, wisdom, and experience, even if i don't totally agree with all points of view.

I can only imagine the degree of behind the scenes workload, thus my gratitude is extened to yourself.

This site has now become my default site for hereford news/topics/gossip etc.

In closing, just a little more knowledge please, as you all would understand, over here in Aus. we have terminologies quite peculiar to ourselves, and so too you yanks, thus leading to my next points:

• what is the 'cake' in a grass and cake operation? - pellets I guess.
• DOD's and SOD's, what does an animal do in order to qualify for such an honour?

 

 

BTW, some of the pictures posted on this site of the members animals are nothing short of exceptional. Would post some of my own,
however my limited IT skills prevent me from doing so, will find a way around that in the not to distant future.

Good to see practical cattle men and women breeding practical cattle.

Thanks again, Sudsy Sutherland.

[fivestarherefords]

A cow that has 3 calves with an average weaning weight ratio of at least 105 and maintains a 370 day calving interval or less. She also must calve prior to 30 months of age to be awarded DOD. A SOD must sire 7 DOD's.

[Carlos (frmaiz)]

DOD: dam of distinction
SOD: sire of distinction

[Deleted]

Aug 21, 2014 6:14:24 GMT -6 fivestarherefords said:

A cow that has 3 calves with an average weaning weight ratio of at least 105 and maintains a 370 day calving interval or less. She also must calve prior to 30 months of age to be awarded DOD. A SOD must sire 7 DOD's.

When did it change from 365 day and 24 months?  Unless I dreamt it that's what i remembered it?  No?

[moon]

It changed when the merger took place back in early 90's.  Compromise.  The standard of 365/24 was the horned specs.  Polled was different.   I liked the TPR Most Efficient Cow designation personally, and how that would play in advertising and with today's economic climate.  Also, I think the cow had to be at least 5 years of age to qualify, but going off memory, so will stand any corrections.  EPD's are always being tweaked so maybe consider tweaking DOD.  Side note,  a Canadian once told me he likes the term   " Damned to Extinction ".

[Glenn]

Sudsy, Thanks! A thank you sure feels good. Sometimes HT gets me down. LOL It does take a little work and real money out of my back pocket to run this thing.

Cake is short for any type of compressed protein feed. In my neck of the world it was cottonseed cake back in the old days. They were just compressed flat feed. Now they produce them in a "prettier" form and call them cubes. In this area if grazed properly you shouldn't have to feed hay to the cowherd in the winter the dormant grass was/is just supplemented with the protein in the cube/cake form.

[Glenn]

Moon/Ace expand on most efficient cow. What was criteria for this designation. Thanks

[larso]

Glen, I personally would gladly pay a small subscription fee to belong to this forum. I have always been of the opinion if you have to pay for something you generally appreciate it more. I'm new here so this may have been already discussed when you started up the forum and regulations may not allow. Anyway that's my $2's worth.

[Deleted]

Some more info on DOD: www.hereford.org/seedstock/dams-distinction

The Dams of Distinction program recognizes superior cows in the breed and the cattle producers who manage them based on data submitted to the American Hereford Association (AHA). Efficient, fertile and productive females are the foundation of the most successful cow herds.

To be honored as a Dam of Distinction, a cow must have:


◾Weaned a calf born since Jan. 1, 2012.
◾Produced at least three calves.
◾Initially calved at 30 months of age or less.
◾Had an interval between the first and second calves of no greater than 400 days. In addition, a 370-day calving interval must have been maintained after her second calf. The longer initial calving interval allows breeders to calve 2-year-old heifers prior to the mature cow herd.
◾Had weaning records submitted to the AHA Whole Herd Total Performance Records (TPR™) Program for every calf produced that was born before June 30, 2013.
◾Had a progeny average 205-day adjusted weaning weight ratio of at least 105.

A cow receiving the Dam of Distinction honor is a cow that meets the highest standards of commercial cattle production. The cow must do her job, but also her owner must manage the herd correctly to give her the opportunity to excel. Only a few active cows are recognized. All heifers have the potential to be a Dam of Distinction, but only a small percentage fit the job description of an ideal cow year in and year out.



Females attaining the Dam of Distinction status are recognized with “DOD” after their names when doing an animal or EPD inquiry on Hereford.org.

[moon]

Aug 21, 2014 12:55:56 GMT -6 Glenn said:

Moon/Ace expand on most efficient cow. What was criteria for this designation. Thanks

Glenn, since the merger was approx. 20 years ago I will have to research old Journals and pamplets received from the old AHA to find and verify the actual criteria.   As I recall when compared to other breeds the TPR Most Eff. Cow criteria was one of the most strict in the industry.  The complete list was published, including owner name, WW and YW ratios, calving interval, and number of calves in the Journal each year.  Again I can stand corrected, but I think the polled version pre-merger, was first calf prior to 36 months, thus the compromise to 30 months.  I also recall many horned breeders and fieldmen wanting to stay with old system but the merged board compromised.  If you look in an old Journal which has the list I think the criteria was published as well. 

[Deleted]

Aug 21, 2014 12:29:08 GMT -6 moon said:

It changed when the merger took place back in early 90's.  Compromise.  The standard of 365/24 was the horned specs.  Polled was different.   I liked the TPR Most Efficient Cow designation personally, and how that would play in advertising and with today's economic climate.  Also, I think the cow had to be at least 5 years of age to qualify, but going off memory, so will stand any corrections.  EPD's are always being tweaked so maybe consider tweaking DOD.  Side note,  a Canadian once told me he likes the term   " Damned to Extinction ".

Were you directly involved with merger discussions or part of a committee?

[Deleted]

Glad you are keeping it going during this pivotal time in the breed, Glenn. It can be a lot of work just keeping up with a discussion when I am busy much less running the show. Your commitment is appreciated.

[moon]

Aug 21, 2014 20:07:02 GMT -6 @blackbull said:

Aug 21, 2014 12:29:08 GMT -6 moon said:

It changed when the merger took place back in early 90's.  Compromise.  The standard of 365/24 was the horned specs.  Polled was different.   I liked the TPR Most Efficient Cow designation personally, and how that would play in advertising and with today's economic climate.  Also, I think the cow had to be at least 5 years of age to qualify, but going off memory, so will stand any corrections.  EPD's are always being tweaked so maybe consider tweaking DOD.  Side note,  a Canadian once told me he likes the term   " Damned to Extinction ".

Were you directly involved with merger discussions or part of a committee?

No, but I went to the annual meetings, talked to several breeders, talked to several AHA fieldmen, a few board members, and most of all I asked questions.  Me directly involved or part of committee??   Definitely not 20 years ago and would never be asked today.  Got a big laugh on that one. Did I take copious notes back then, no, my statements are based on my recollections about this particular issue, and was one which I had greater interest than other issues concerning the merger since there had been diminishing emphasis on performance programs with the previous regime at AHA at the time.  If my recollection is wrong then someone please correct me where I have erred, but I am not making it up as I go along.

[moon]

BLACKBULL, I know this is a burr in several HTers' saddles, but I attend as many AHA sponsered meetings as I can, and some unsponsered, because you never know what you may hear or overhear when you happen to be in the right place at the wrong time for the person doing the talking. That is one of the reasons I am going to Springfield, but most importantly to listen and ask questions.