Embryo Program

Goals

In 2012, we realized that the expanding demand for Hereford genetics was fast exceeding our herd’s production capacity.  In order to be able to quickly increase the number of high quality calves offered for sale each year, we decided to expand our embryo program rather than try to find a large number of Hereford cows.  Our goals are to produce some of the highest quality Herefords possible.  We are striving to produce heifers that will compete at any level as “junior projects”, bulls that will perform in either registered or commercial herds, and replacement females that can work in any herd.

Progress

In 2012, Our search for unique females to anchor our program led us to GO MS PJ Excel T137, outstanding cow for George Ochsner & Sons in WY and a proven donor for Hoffman Ranch in NE and to KJ 750P Pure Progress 989W ET, a young exciting 2 year old from Kevin Jensen in KS.

The T137 and 989W cows were flushed to Hometown, 88X, 955W, 3027 and Pure Country late in 2012 and in the spring of 2013 and produced 82 #1 embryos and the WF embryo program was off to great start. From those embryos came 16 bulls in the 2015 ProfitaBull Sale including the top selling “1549” that sold for $20,000 to Milligan Herefords in Kings, IL, the “1607” bull that sold ½ interest to Empty Pockets Farm, Lawrenceburg, TN for $11,000, the “1575” bull that went to the Mueler Polled Herefords in MO for $7500 and 6 bulls that went to Martin O’Connor Cattle Co in Victoria, TX. In addition to the bulls, several heifers were sold in the 2015 Sale – A – Bration including the top selling “1570” that sold to Hoffman Herefords in Thedford, NE for $15,000. Most of the heifers have been kept in the herd and are calving winter/spring 2016. Some of these will be features in the next WF Female Sale on May 20, 2017.

WF and Hidden Acres Farm selected TF Burks P49 Beth 122L 005 and LPH Roxie P606 L1003 from the CMR Grandview dispersal in 2013. WF joined with Delaney Herefords of MN to bring home Grandview CMR MS Plato 9154, a Plato Dom 0424/P606 daughter that brings lots of potential to the donor team. All three of these cows are already proving their worth with several exciting fall calves on the ground in 2015

We were so excited over the quality of calves that came from each flush of T137 that we went back to Ochsner in Torrington, WY in search for more donor prospects. That trip resulted in GO MS PJ EXCEL T124 a paternal sister to T137, and Y21 an outstanding 5 year old coming to TN to join the WF donor team.

Flushes have been to some of the breed’s leading sires including: 955W, DiMaggio, Hometown 10Y, Perfect Timing, Laramie, Grandview 4003, Durango 44U, 3027, Cracker Jack 26U, ECR Extra Deep, NJW Trust, Times – A – Wastin, Pure Country 0109, NJW Ribeye 88X, SHF Access, NJW Hometown 27A, GO Andy and HH 7195. All of these bulls have been carefully selected for specific matings with our herd goals in mind.