Anyone know who

[rockmillsherefords]

this bull is

[timbernt]

Big Dutch. RC Mischeif 45. I think that is correct, been a long time.

[alex]

MISCHIEF 678.

[timbernt]

This bull shows why Herefords became "Americanized".

[woodford]

Jan 17, 2020 8:43:54 GMT -6 timbernt said:

This bull shows why Herefords became "Americanized".

     Tim, 

     Not to be a pain, but how about giving us a more detailed analysis so I don't have to guess your meaning? I am curious about your thoughts and would like to see how they compare with mine.

     Woodford

[timbernt]

Steven, there were a few good cattle of that era that should have been kept pure and improved to keep up with the needs of a changing beef industry. Instead, the breed was dominated by the Mischiefs, the Zatos, and other 3 and 4 frame Herefords with no milk in terrible udders. As the cattle industry became more efficient and cattle feeding moved away from farmer feeders in the midwest to the professional feeders in the high plains, very few Hereford breeders had the genetics to provide the needs of a different economic environment. This bull represents the mainstream Hereford world of the 60's. If you search the Hereford Journal over my Dad's breeding career, you will find very few true breeders. When change was unavoidable, most Hereford breeders abandoned the breed, a very few found Herefords with the ability to compete in the real world, and a few found refuge in the show world. Those few Herefords with the ability to compete in the real world were a combination of genetics from the English imports from the late 1940's thru the early 1960's and a few hard headed breeders that never lost the economic traits needed by a new beef industry. Into that mix came the "Americanization" of Herefords. This included genetics from other breeds as well as a few breeders with the ability to breed cattle with economic significance. Unfortunately, the most widely used Herefords as this change progressed was the Miles City L1's. With such a narrow genetic base and breeders so dedicated to not going outside the base, Hereford genetics have stagnated for 40 years and we have lost a generation of commercial cowmen. On the polled side, I know of no commercial herd of significance in my area using polled bulls more than one calf crop. In a few days I will answer your question about Herefords becoming Americanized and my opinion about the relevance of HOP, so I can infuriate the few I have not already offended.

[George]

I saw Mischief 678 at a AJHA Field Day in Oklahoma. He was so post legged that his rear hocks were swollen to twice their normal size.

Visually, I like straight legs on my cattle but I have always remembered 678 and tolerated a little more set than I prefer. The cattle need to be able to walk, for sure.

[alex]

MISCHIEF 119, a 678 son with a mature weight of 2500lbs.

[alex]

678 son.

[alex]

Carload of 678 sons.