Passing It On

One of the best things a parent can do is pass along the necessary skills in life to help their children achieve their goals.  It was a proud moment this week when Emilie received an envelope in the mail notifying her that she had once again received special honors for two of her Hereford cows.  Called the “Dam of Distinction” award, this recognition is for cows in the Hereford breed that have made their mark in the beef industry.  These individual cows have met the strictest requirements of the Hereford breed for early calving, reproductive efficiency, calving intervals of no greater than one year, and weaning weight ratios in the top end of the breeder’s herd.

Hereford cattle at Deitschland Farm have been recognized by the American Hereford Association in the Dams of Distinction listing since 1999.  Emilie’s first cow to reach this special award was in 2000.  It was exciting for her, at age 15, to have accomplished an honor that took me twenty years in the Hereford business to achieve the year before.  I was thrilled to share in the realization that all of our family's hard work was noticed by the national breed association.  That year both Emilie and I had cows recognized by AHA, and were among the 607 breeders nationwide who were listed in this elite group.

Since then, Emilie and I have teamed up or traded off in having cows earn Dam of Distinction honors.  From 2001 to 2007, we’ve only missed one year to have at least one of our cows make this prestigious list.  Unfortunately, due to injuries sustained by our herd bull in 2004, we missed making this honor roll but take pride in the seven years when top cows in our Hereford herd have made the national list.

It has become somewhat of a contest between mother and daughter as the fourth generation "cattleman" in my family makes her mark in the Hereford industry.  Emilie’s herd has been growing since her first birthday when Mike and I gave her a heifer calf as a gift.  We continued that tradition until she was about ten years old and her female numbers were climbing close to half the herd.  Through her years in 4-H, FFA and the Junior Hereford Association, Emilie has learned how to manage and market her cattle.  She has purchased cattle from other breeders that have done well in the herd.  But, the greatest satisfaction comes from having cattle bred and raised exclusively on the farm achieve top honors.

One cow that has done well for Emilie is a bred and owned Hereford that would never win a blue ribbon at a livestock show.  But, her performance outshines her herd mates every year.  Productivity isn’t always wrapped up in the prettiest package.  She out produces herself and has earned a permanent place in the herd.  Lucky for us that the potential buyers of this heifer calf changed their mind and picked another Hereford to take home.  Emilie decided to hang onto her and see how she would turn out.  Glad she did.

Earning these honors within the industry are special benchmarks for us.  It helps us measure our progress and improvements when stacked up against every other Hereford breeder in the country.  It’s great to know our report card has a few A+ cows on it.  Emilie’s two cows in 2007 were part of a group of 1,903 listed throughout the breed.  There were only 630 breeders in the country to have Dams of Distinction listed, and only eight in Pennsylvania.  This was another Gold Star accomplishment for the Hereford cattle she has bred and raised as a young Pennsylvania cattle producer.

As a proud parent, who is happy Emilie is finding her own strong future in the beef industry and agriculture, I wanted to share her success story.  Both Mike and I are happy to know some of the skills and lessons we’ve shared have been part of Emilie’s “toolbox” for achieving her goals. We know hard work, determination, and her desire to learn and improve will keep her on the list of Hereford breeders who have earned a place in the record books.

Congratulations, Emilie.

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