August 2021 News

A new Spotlight on Members is now posted featuring Bud and Becky McLean with Airline Farms in Connecticut. They have been involved with Heritage Shorthorns for a number of years and are always happy to discuss their cattle with interested Shorthorn breeders. Check the Spotlight on Members Page under the Heritage Members section.

Several members of HSS are involved in dairy activities with their Heritage Shorthorns, and a request was made to provide a logo similar to the Heritage Shorthorn Certified Beef logo that could be used with their milk production. This is the new Heritage Shorthorn Milk logo, which is available for our members to use by contacting the HSS office.

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HSS has paid for 4 quarterly ads to run in the print version of The Small Farmers Journal, and this allows HSS to also have an ad posted in their online magazine. The Small Farmers Journal is focused on family farms and traditional rural lifestyles with both their print and online versions. Take a look at the HSS online ad which is already posted on their website on the right, part way down their home page. The first HSS print ad (which is larger and more comprehensive) will be in their next “paper” issue.

New HSS website feature: “Calf of the Month”

The purpose of this new page is to showcase calves that demonstrate the increasing quality and diversity of Heritage Shorthorn Genetics currently being produced. The Heritage Shorthorn Society is committed to encouraging expansion of the genetic base of Heritage Shorthorns by utilization of semen from quality older Heritage Shorthorn bulls. A new calf will be featured every other month (6/year) on the Calf of the Month Page. You are encouraged to submit one or more photos for the “HSS Calf of the Month”—the guidelines for eligible calf photos are at the bottom of the Calf of the Month Page. A prize will be given to each member breeder/owner of a featured calf.

The first calf, for August/Sept. 2021, is already posted on this new page.

July 2021 News

There are some individuals who have been involved with breeding/raising Shorthorns for many years who are now retired or for other reasons they are no longer able to maintain a Shorthorn herd. These individuals can be valuable sources of information about the older genetics, and they often have insight into practical positive (or negative) traits of various older Heritage (Native) bulls and bloodlines. The Heritage Shorthorn Society would like to provide current breeders with access to their valuable information.
If you are, or know of someone who is, a retired Shorthorn breeder who would like to share your knowledge with newer Heritage Shorthorn breeders—i.e. be open to having people call you to discuss older Heritage/Native bulls &/or breeding strategies, etc., HSS would like to offer complimentary membership. A complimentary Honorary HSS membership is available to anyone who is retired from raising Shorthorns and who is willing to be listed as a contact resource.

Have Heritage or Heritage-Influenced Shorthorns to sell? Send a note to the HSS office with the information you would like posted on the Cattle for Sale Page.

The Livestock Conservancy will be publishing an article on the Heritage Shorthorn Certified Beef program and it will also be promoted through their social media accounts which generate tremendous viewership. Anyone who is a participant in the HSCB program will receive considerable exposure as a result of the article. If you are considering joining the HSCB program it may be beneficial to do so before the Livestock Conservancy article comes out later this summer.

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Colorful flyers to advertise your farm/ranch beef have been sent to those members who have signed up for the free Heritage Shorthorn Certified Beef (HSCB) Program. These flyers can be given to your customers or potential customers to emphasize the quality of beef that you are selling under the HSCB label. HSS members can sign up for the HSCB Program at any time by sending a note to the HSS office. The public website for the HSCB Beef is: www.heritageshorthornbeef.com

June 2021 News

A new article written by Gary Kaper is featured in the Cattle Viewpoints Section. This article “From One Inn to Another” is an entertaining snapshot of 3 historical characters involved with Shorthorns, who were inducted into the renowned Saddle and Sirloin Gallery, and with additional comments by Gary.

The new Heritage Shorthorn Certified Beef Program (HSCB) is now “up and running” with its own dedicated website. Check it out at: www.heritageshorthornbeef.com. This promotional program to market your steers and freezer/locker beef is available free of charge to anyone who is a current HSS member. If you have Shorthorn steers that are either Heritage or Heritage Influenced (25% or more Heritage parentage), they would qualify to be marketed under this program—i.e. using a Heritage Sire or son of a Heritage sire on modern Shorthorn cows would produce Heritage Influenced offspring. It’s not too late to have your contact information added to the HSCB list of producers—just send a note to the HSS office. Even if you are sold out of locker beef for 2021, become a participant now and start a list of potential purchasers for 2022.

Besides exposure to potential new customers for your beef via the HSCB website, all HSS members who are participating in this new program will have access to free promotional materials and marketing ideas. These will be made available as they are developed over the next couple of months. A huge thanks again to those HSS members who have already made significant donations earmarked for this program.

May 2021 News

The new “Spotlight on Members” article features Bobby Halcomb in Tennessee who is a Charter Member of HSS. He has a passion for preserving the genetics of traditional Heritage/Native Shorthorns.

The Heritage Shorthorn Certified Beef program, its new website, and marketing ideas are being finalized and intended to be fully activated by the first of June. Any comments or suggestions that you have about the latest information which was recently sent to all members should be sent to our office. For those who would like to participate for this year and for 2022, it is a free program, but we need you to send us contact and promotional information even if you don’t currently have locker meat & steers available. No one is automatically added to the program, so be sure to “officially sign up” to be listed by sending a note with the information that you want included. This new program can be a benefit to all Heritage Shorthorn breeders by raising the desirability of Heritage Shorthorns with new breeders, but HSS needs your help in making this a success.

With the work involved with the new HSCB program, our volunteer staff has decided to reschedule the annual HSS Photo Contest from spring until late summer. Keep your camera or smart phone handy so you can capture some great snapshots. If you have an idea for the theme of this year’s contest, send us a note.

Some of you may have already observed that the Canadian members of HSS are being “relocated” from the International Members page to the main Breeders/Members Page on the website.

April 2021 News

For the past 2 years the Heritage Shorthorn Society has been working on a new marketing opportunity for our members who sell locker beef. We designed and now have successfully obtained a Registered Trademark from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The eye catching logo highlights Heritage Shorthorn Beef. (The trademark process was started long before the ASA locally raised meat program was initiated, and it took 18 months to complete. We could not disclose this program until the official Trademark Registration was finalized.) The use of this Trademark and listing will be free to all current members of HSS. (HSS will be seeking donations to cover the cost of maintaining the Heritage Shorthorn Certified Beef website from members using the logo &/or site to market their Premium Heritage Shorthorn Certified Beef.)

A separate dedicated website, which is currently being constructed, will be used to advertise and spotlight the advantages of Heritage Shorthorn Certified Beef (HSCB) for consumers who are looking for locally raised beef from heritage type sources. If you sell locker beef in the U.S. or Canada, this will be a tremendous way to boost visibility & value of your beef. The marketing emphasis will be on beef from both Heritage and Heritage-Influenced Shorthorns, so that all HSS members can utilize the promotional information and logo in selling their locker beef at a premium price.

After construction, the website will be made live once there are 6 or more members who have signed up to have their farm/ranch promotional & contact information listed on this new website. HSS is seeking feedback from you on what pages & info you believe should be on the new (HSCB) website, and on what specific promotional materials you want to have available from HSS: i.e. stickers to attach to meat packages, 1 page information sheets that you print off your computer to hand to potential buyers, folded glossy brochures (purchased at cost from HSS) to hand out, or ??.. HSS wants your help in making this a success for all members as we continue to promote your cattle—send us an email to let us know that you are interested, or if you have ideas for the HSCB website, and/or to get more information about this opportunity.

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Additional News: Since spring and summer are good times to take pictures of your cattle and especially of the ones that you would like to sell, there is a new Cattle Viewpoints article titled “Do Your Photos Sell Your Cattle?”. This article by Sue Schallberger provides tips and reminders on taking better photos to promote your cattle.

March 2021 News

In just the first 2 months of 2021, there have been over 5,500 online visits to the HSS website, which is a 26% increase from the first 2 months of 2020. While all of the different pages on the website are looked at, the highest number of visitors are looking at the Cattle for Sale Page, Cattle Viewpoints, the Breeders/Members Page, and the Breeder’s Ads Page.

It’s that time again—time to implement plans for marketing your cattle this year. Here are some ideas to consider:

—Update your farm/ranch website or Facebook page with current pictures and information to highlight your cattle &/or locker beef.

—Link your website or Facebook page to the Heritage Shorthorn Society website so potential buyers can read about Heritage and Heritage-influenced Shorthorn advantages and marketing opportunities.

—Place a free classified ad on the HSS “Cattle for Sale” Page, &/or a more extensive promotional ad for your ranch/farm on the HSS “Breeder’s Ads” Page. Both of these pages offer maximum exposure to potential buyers.

—Talk to one or more Heritage Shorthorn breeders in your state or in a neighboring state about sharing the cost of placing an ad about your herds in a local/regional ag oriented magazine. The HSS office can help you design a ¼ page, ½ page or larger ad which you can use wherever you want.

—Order Heritage Shorthorn brochures (which you can personalize with your own contact information on the back of the brochure) to hand out to visitors to your farm or to interested potential buyers at fairs and sales. (See HSS Store page for a picture of the inside & outside of the full-color brochure).

February 2021 News

There is a new article in the “Cattle Viewpoints” section— Raising Shorthorns for Working Oxen, a Growing Niche Market. This article by Gregory Mitchell highlights this important market, especially if you are producing horned calves.

The “Spotlight on Members” features a different HSS member each quarter. Check out the latest article about Wally Klose of Diamond K Shorthorns in Montana. Many of you may already know Wally, because he is a long time Shorthorn breeder. He always enjoys discussions with other Shorthorn breeders about bulls that have been popular over the last 40-50 years.

If any of you have previously contacted the heritage-cattle.com website about adding your ranch/farm to their listing for Heritage Shorthorns and received a discouraging reply, please try again. I have discussed with Donna Grace, who started that website, how she decides who to list under the various heritage breed categories. In the interest of providing more information to the viewers on her website who are looking for various heritage cattle, she is willing to list all Heritage Shorthorn breeders who contact her with their information.

Due to an increase in questions coming to the HSS office about health and genetic issues, we feel it’s appropriate to help clarify two previously discussed, potential issues in Shorthorn cattle:

1. Growing interest in Heritage Shorthorn family milk cows has resulted in more testing for specific diseases. While Johne’s Disease was previously seen mainly as a diary cattle problem, it currently is an expanding problem in all cattle. Unfortunately Heritage Shorthorns are no exception. There is confusion about testing, so HSS put the question to an expert at johnes.org. Dr. Michael T. Collins, veterinarian and Johne’s expert, sent the following reply “There is limited value in testing cattle under 2 years old. A positive test is meaningful but the rate of false-negative tests is high because the disease is so chronic and slowly progressive that young animals have not had time for the infection to advance to a stage that is detectable by today’s diagnostic tests.” Heritage Shorthorn buyers need to ask sellers if they have a Johne’s testing program in place and whether they have ever had a positive test. Negative tests in young animals under 2 years of age do not mean much, so it’s advisable to do repeat testing of cattle, even after an initial negative test result. Please note that cows shedding the Johne’s organism in their feces may contaminate your property, and therefore put all your young cattle at risk for gradually contracting this disease.

2. The second issue that HSS has been fielding questions on is Myostatin (double muscling). A recent post on a major cattle forum indicated the presence of the F94L double muscling gene in at least one Heritage Shorthorn bull and his offspring. On the “Purchase Guidelines” Page, HSS has always recommended Myostatin testing. While some beef operations consider the F94L gene to be positive in the heterozygous condition, it is always best to know the status of this gene up front, rather than be shocked when it starts popping up in the homozygous state as dystocias and other serious issues. Unfortunately not all Heritage Shorthorn breeders are testing their herds.

January 2021 News

HSS now has Canadian members (see the International Members Page), reflecting the growing interest in Canada for finding and utilizing Heritage Shorthorn genetics. HSS has purchased ad space for 2021 in The Canadian Shorthorn Report. The first ad (see ad below) will be in the January issue.

If it’s been a while since you looked at the “Pictures from the Past” Page on the website, check out the latest additions. The most recent postings are at the top of the page.

A new article is posted in the “Cattle Viewpoints” Section. This article, contributed by Ralph Larson, was from a lecture given by Roy Beeby on the importance of selecting for maternal traits in your cow herd. It is an entertaining and thought-provoking read.

There is an online site (www.heritage-cattle.com) which highlights various heritage cattle breeds and allows posting of resource farm/ranch contact information. You may want to consider posting your information on their website under the Shorthorn section, by contacting their site.

HSS has looked into creating an online quarterly magazine which would feature an interesting mix of new articles, interesting articles from the 1940’s to 1980’s, links to cattle historical & modern resource information, advertising opportunities, and a variety of additional content. While the online magazine concept is very appealing as a way to widen the exposure of Heritage Shorthorns, it was concluded that HSS, by being an all volunteer effort, does not currently have the staff to produce a high quality quarterly magazine. For those members and non-members who had agreed to send articles, thank you so much for your willingness to contribute. The articles which would have been in the new magazine will instead be featured during this year and the coming years, either in a new or an already existing section of the HSS website.

For those of you who are interested in “facts & figures”: Since its founding in January 2018, the HSS website has continued to add more information, both about Heritage Shorthorn history and about the utilization of these cattle in today’s environments, which is attracting world-wide attention. In 2019 the total number of visitors to the website was 7,900 and the number of pages looked at was 24,000, which was a 25% increase over 2018. For 2020 the total number of visitors was 20,000 (150% increase from 2019), and the number of pages viewed was almost 46,000 (90% increase from 2019). The 8 most popular pages visited were: Home Page, Cattle for Sale, Cattle Viewpoints section, Breeders/Members Page, Heritage Shorthorn’s Impact on World Cattle Breeds, Breeder’s Ads, Semen for Sale, and the Classic Bulls Section.

December 2020 News

As part of the Heritage Shorthorn Society’s efforts to promote your cattle in 2021 in a variety of markets, HSS will be sponsoring print ads in the Livestock Conservancy Annual Directory and in their Quarterly News Magazine. HSS will also be a continuing National Sponsor of the Livestock Conservancy for 2021 which will provide ongoing exposure for Heritage Shorthorn Breeders in many different markets. As the markets continue to broaden for Heritage Shorthorns, HSS will also have a print ad in the Canadian Shorthorn Report. HSS has members in Canada, and HSS is aware of sales of American Heritage Shorthorns into the Canadian market. Additional ads will also be funded on other online sites and in print magazines during 2021.

Slow Post Office deliveries continue to be a headache for anyone who sends mail. The HSS registry has encountered delays which can be attributed to several different factors. HSS anticipates that these occasional hiccups will lessen once the Christmas season passes. If you encounter problems with receiving your registration papers, do not hesitate to contact the HSS office and the HSS staff will help mitigate any issues. HSS’s number one priority is its members because without your support HSS would not be the success that it is.

If you or someone you know might enjoy reading about Shorthorn history, the Otis Fisher collectable books “The Story of the Milking Shorthorn in the U.S.” and “Shorthorns Around the World” (published in 1993) are available for purchase on the Store Page of the HSS website. These books would make excellent Christmas presents, and should arrive before Christmas if ordered within the first couple of weeks of December.

November 2020 News

The new “Spotlight on Members” article features Zane & Elaine Sunday of Foxfire Farm in Florida. For 45+ years they have focused mainly on the dairy lines of Heritage Shorthorns. Zane, who is in his late 70’s, is still passionate about his cattle and excited about the future of Heritage Shorthorns. Find out about these inspiring folks on the Spotlight on Members Page.

Elaine & Zane Sunday

In different areas of the U.S. and in Canada, there are local and regional cattle & agricultural publications which are widely read by cattle enthusiasts. In order to expand the outreach of advertising about Heritage Shorthorns, and to make the HSS advertising budget have a greater impact, HSS is initiating a cooperative advertising program to reach these local publications. HSS will pay ½ of the cost of up to a ¼ page, one time ad (up to a maximum of $200/publication) to team up with you and regional HSS members in advertising about Heritage Shorthorns to reach local people who may be eager to buy Heritage or Heritage-Influenced Shorthorns. For more information about this new opportunity, send an email to: office@heritageshorthorn.org.

As Johne’s Disease in cattle and other ruminants continues to spread to more ranches/farms, HSS is receiving more questions from both prospective Heritage Shorthorn buyers and HSS members about this disease. For members who would like more information about this complicated and always fatal disease, there is an excellent website which can answer any questions you may have. This online site is: Johne’s Information Center at johnes.org . It is sponsored by the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine and it’s a very comprehensive site with articles, references, and photographs, etc.

October 2020 News

HSS has contracted with a program developer to create an online searchable pedigree program, as an alternative to the Digital Beef software program. This Shorthorn pedigree search program is now online and active via the following link: hss.openregistry.io . It shows the Heritage or Heritage-Influenced status of each animal if applicable, as well as additional information on each animal, including owners and registered progeny. HSS believes this will be a valuable resource for anyone interested in Shorthorn pedigrees. Give it a try—search for a cow or bull by partial or full name, or by registration number, and then click on various names to get expanded information.

Additional bulls have been added to the list on the Verified Bulls Page of HSS. This list is useful if you want to know which bulls in a Shorthorn pedigree have been “Verified” as having documented Heritage parentage (equivalent to the AMSS “Native” designation).

A number of breeders took advantage of the temporary reduced fee for registering their Heritage and Heritage-Influenced Shorthorns with HSS. While the temporary fee reduction expired on Sept. 30, 2020, the regular fees for registering with HSS are still significantly less expensive than with ASA or AMSS registrations. Information on registering cattle and access to the application forms is available on the “General Information and Forms” page under “Registration”.

September 2020 News

The Heritage Shorthorn Society has paid for a full page ad in the September issue of “Shorthorn Country”. The ad directs readers to the Breeders/Members page of Heritage Shorthorn Society, where each of you is listed (unless you opted not to be listed). If you still have cattle to sell for this year, let the HSS office know if you want to also post a classified ad on the “Cattle for Sale Page” of our website—a free service for our members. A copy of the “Shorthorn Country” ad is attached below.

A new article has been posted on the “Cattle Viewpoints” page. This article “What is a Heritage Breed” by Dr. Sponenberg is a companion article to the one that was posted in May 2020 entitled “Quality Matters”.

If you are planning to register Heritage or Heritage Influenced Shorthorns through the HSS Registry, please note that the reduced fee of $12.00/head (if over 1 year of age) is good only until Sept. 30th. This reduced rate is especially useful if you have a group of cattle which have not been registered over a number of years.

HSS Ad in Sept. 2020 “Shorthorn Country”

August 2020 News

There is a new HSS “Spotlight on Members” article featuring Rich and Katie Forrest. They represent a growing number of families who are using Heritage Shorthorns as their multi-purpose family cows. They have an interesting story about how Heritage Shorthorns fit perfectly into the life style that they want for their family.

A quick reminder: As mentioned in the HSS July 2020 News, HSS will be running a full color, full page ad in the September issue of “Shorthorn Country” magazine. The ad will highlight the positives which Heritage Shorthorns can contribute to improving modern Shorthorn herds, and it will direct readers to the Members/Breeders Page of HSS. There is still a short amount of time in which to contact “Shorthorn Country” about placing your own ranch/farm ad in the same September issue, and/or to place an ad on the HSS website (we expect an uptick in visits to the HSS website next month) beyond the 200% increase HSS has already seen in visits to the HSS website in 2020.

On July 15 another email was sent to Nancy Grathwohl-Heter, President of the American Shorthorn Association, in the hopes of receiving a final answer to the question of whether ASA would accept HSS registration papers. HSS had significant discussions with ASA earlier this year regarding the acceptance of HSS registrations papers and was given the impression that an answer would be forthcoming. Obviously the Covid 19 problem interrupted the process but ASA has not re-engaged with HSS to resolve the question. HSS believes that the synergistic opportunities that exist to promote Shorthorns as a breed should overcome the negativity that exists between various Shorthorn circles. Regrettably this has not happened, and we still have no reply from ASA.

The staff at HSS is in the process of assuring the long term stability of HSS. We are in discussions with a national independent organization about maintaining the non-partisan management of HSS, and for putting the interests of the breed and the HSS membership ahead of everything else. We hope to provide further information to our membership in the September update.

For anyone who wants to catch up their registrations of Heritage or Heritage-influenced Shorthorns by registering their Shorthorns with HSS, there is a reduced registration fee of $12/head which is in effect only until Oct. 1, 2020. After Oct. 1st the fee will revert back to $15.00-$24.00/head depending on the age of the animal. See details on this reduced Registration fee on the “Opportunity to Catch up Registrations” Page under “Registrations” on the HSS website.

July 2020 News

The votes have been tallied, and the winner for the HSS 2020 Photo Contest is #20: “Where are the ladies? (Social distancing)” submitted by Irene Reinhardt. Our second place winner is #4: “I dare not ring the dinner bell twice” by Zane Sunday. The 1st & 2nd place winners will be notified about their prizes.
There was a tie for 3rd place with the photos: #11: “Motherly Love” submitted by Bert Moore, and #10: “Spring Meeting” by Joe Schallberger. Thanks so much for everyone who submitted photos and for all of the members who sent their votes.

Photo Contest Winner: “Where are the ladies? This social distancing is ridiculous.”

Submitted by Irene Reinhardt

2nd Place Winner: “I dare not ring the dinner bell twice”.

Submitted by Zane Sunday

Several additional bulls have been added to the list of Heritage bulls which have been tested free for all 4 of the main genetic defects. This list is updated as semen on Heritage bulls is submitted by breeders to the national testing laboratories and information becomes available.

HSS will be running a full page ad in the September issue of “Shorthorn Country”. This ad will be designed to inform newer ASA Shorthorn breeders and others who read the magazine about the positive influences that Heritage Shorthorn genetics can play in improving their cattle, and the opportunities that exist in raising Heritage Shorthorns. While the article will direct readers to the Breeders/Members Page of the Heritage Shorthorn Society website, you may want to consider running your own individual farm/ranch ad in this same “Shorthorn Country” issue. An ad prominently highlighting your own Heritage or Heritage Influenced cattle could garner extra attention by dovetailing with the HSS ad. Another consideration would be to place an updated ad on the HSS Cattle for Sale Page &/or the HSS Breeder’s Ads Page since there will be a spike in viewers to these HSS pages after the Shorthorn Country ad is published.

June 2020 News

The HSS 2020 Photo Contest closed for submissions on May 31st—thanks to all who sent pictures. There are a total of 24 photos which were submitted by 10 different people. We will be contacting all HSS members shortly about voting for your favorite pictures—your votes will determine the 1st and 2nd prize winners of the contest.

As all the side effects of Covid-19 continue to cause major disruptions in the cattle industry HSS is pursuing new ways to help HSS members promote their Heritage Shorthorns. HSS believes that expanding the genetic base of Heritage Shorthorns is the key to expanding interest and sales. Over the next several months HSS will be announcing new initiatives to help all HSS members. Recently HSS has been working with the Livestock Conservancy to bring some of these initiatives to fruition.

We want to thank members that have embraced the HSS Registry. It is quite apparent that many HSS members were looking for alternatives to register their cattle.

Have you noticed the farm/ranch logos along the right side on the Breeders/Members Page? Having a logo is an easy and inexpensive way to draw people’s attention to your farm/ranch information. If you would like help in creating a logo to use on this page, send a us note because we’re happy to help you design one.

May 2020 News

We have a new posting on the “Spotlight on Members” Page and a new posting on the “Cattle Viewpoints” Page.
The Spotlight article features Kevin Cooksley, whose name is well known to Shorthorn breeders. Their Haumont cattle ranch is currently celebrating its centennial year of raising purebred Heritage Shorthorns.

The Viewpoints article by Dr. Phillip Sponenberg is titled “Quality Matters!”. Dr. Sponenberg has extensive knowledge about conserving and promoting heritage breeds of livestock, including Shorthorns. The article discusses some of the challenges facing breeders of heritage cattle, compared with breeders of conventional non-heritage cattle.
If you haven’t looked recently, the 2020 Photo Contest Page has several submitted photographs, but we are hoping for many more entries during this month of May. The deadline for entering up to 5 photos in the contest is May 31st, so keep your iPhone or camera handy when you head to the barn or out into the field. (If not many pictures are submitted, your chances to win a prize are excellent, so think up a caption and send them in!)
We realize that 2020 is turning out to be a very tough year for marketing cattle. Thanks to the financial support from our members, the HSS website has continued to expand and to attract new visitors interested in information about Heritage Shorthorns especially the Cattle for Sale section. Just during April the HSS website had online visitors from 33 countries worldwide. There were viewers from 6 Canadian provinces and from 46 U.S. states. Unique visitors to the HSS website have increased 232% during the first four months of 2020. While not all of these online visitors are looking to buy cattle, for those that are buyers, especially in the U.S. and Canada, what better way is there for you to advertise your cattle than with a listing on the HSS website. Because HSS has become the primary website for people interested Heritage cattle, the opportunities for members continues to grow. Email our office if you would like help creating a Breeder’s Ad or with posting a free Classified “Cattle for Sale” ad.

April 2020 News

HSS in conjunction with the HSS Registrar, Dennis Russell of International Livestock Registries, has simplified some of the forms and the registration application process. Clarification of all rules and regulations continues to be the goal of the HSS Registry. We have implemented several suggestions submitted by members as HSS’s mission continues to be to serve our membership and streamline the registration process.

Acceptance of HSS Registration papers is still under review by the American Shorthorn Association (ASA). Given the problems we are all facing with the disruption caused by Covid-19, it may be awhile before ASA makes a final decision.

The theme for the 2020 HSS Photo Contest is “Shorthorns in Spring”, however many areas of the USA and Canada are not yet into spring weather, and it’s difficult to get good photos when weather conditions produces more mud than flowers. Therefore, we are extending the photo submission to May 31st. Hopefully this will allow more Shorthorn breeders to submit some excellent photos. Everyone is welcome to submit pictures, and as mentioned in the March News announcement, there are some great prizes for the contest winners (as voted on by all HSS members later this summer).

During these trying times HSS continues to be available to help members through promotion of Heritage Shorthorns in a multitude of ways. Contact the HSS office with any questions or suggestions.

March 2020 News

There is a thought-provoking new Cattle Viewpoints article posted on the HSS website. It is titled “What is the Cost of Get Big or Get Out”, and it’s written by Don Ashford who farms in Ethel, Louisiana. It was originally posted in “On Pasture”, which has authorized HSS to re-publish the article. “On Pasture” is a great resource for anyone interested in producing grass fed beef.

HSS is sponsoring our third annual photo contest. Photos can be submitted from March 1, 2020 until May 15, 2020. The theme for this year’s contest is “Shorthorns in Spring”. We invite everyone (you don’t have to be a Heritage Shorthorn Society member) to submit photographs. The photos will be displayed on our Photo Contest Page, and will be credited as to who submitted them. They will be voted on by HSS members this summer. The first prize winner will receive a complimentary Heritage Shorthorn vest or sweatshirt, while second place winner will receive a Heritage Shorthorn cap or T Shirt. Rules are posted on the HSS Photo Contest Page.

New items have been posted on the Shorthorn Collectables For Sale Page including books and Shorthorn World journals. See what’s available, and also consider listing items that you have which someone else might be interested in. Great way to spread around Shorthorn History.

A promotional ad for Heritage Shorthorns, funded by HSS, will be in the March Issue of the “Stockman’s Grass Farmer”. Additional promotional ads are planned for late summer or early fall.

Members may not be aware but free white RFID interstate identification tags will be available through State Veterinary Offices in the near future. Most State Veterinary Offices have the application forms available now. For those who have their heifers Brucellosis vaccinated your Veterinarian will be using orange RFID tags in the future. No more orange metal tags.

February 2020 News

In conjunction with our new Registration Services (see last month’s Jan. 2020 News, and the new Registration Section on the HSS website) we have asked the American Shorthorn Association (ASA) to accept HSS registration papers for those who want to dual register with ASA. The ASA Board will decide at their Spring Meeting whether to accept HSS Registration Papers.

There is a new “Spotlight on Members” posting featuring Joe Cavanaugh who, together with his father Lawson Cavanaugh, has a herd in eastern Ohio. The Cavanaughs are working toward building a significant Heritage Shorthorn herd in the Eastern US.

Two of our members have recently been given awards by Shorthorn organizations.
1. Dr. Bert Moore and his wife Millie will be awarded “Honored Breeder” this month by the Iowa Royal Shorthorn Show. Bert says that he is especially delighted to receive this award because his parents, Bill & Harriet Moore, had received this same award in 1988. Bert & Millie own Mapleton Polled Shorthorns in Indianola, Iowa. Bert has been a generous contributor of articles to the HSS website, including the entire “Historical Shorthorns” Section.

2. Dale Hart was honored at the Amarillo Tri-State Fair Shorthorn Show in Sept. 2019. This regional Shorthorn Show which highlights cattle from Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Arkansas, and Louisiana was dedicated to Dale as a long time breeder of Dual-Purpose Shorthorns. Dale and his wife Laura, who own Hartsdale Polled Shorthorns in Friona, Texas, were also featured last summer on the HSS website on the Spotlight on Members Page.

This is a good time of year for each of you to consider how you are going to market your cattle for 2020:
—Have you recently updated or started a farm/ranch website or Facebook page to highlight your cattle &/or locker beef, etc.?
—Have you linked your website or Facebook page to the HSS website pages so potential buyers can read about Shorthorn advantages and marketing opportunities?
—Have you ordered Heritage Shorthorn brochures (and put your own contact information on the back of the brochure) to hand out to visitors to your farm or to interested ranchers/farmers at upcoming fairs and sales?
—Are you planning to place free classified ads on the HSS “Cattle for Sale” Page, &/or a more extensive promotional ad for your ranch/farm on the HSS “Breeder’s Ads” Page? Both of these pages are viewed by numerous interested people each day.

As an added service to Heritage and Heritage-influenced Shorthorn breeders, HSS has added a new page which lists Heritage bulls which have tested free of all 4 major genetic defects (TH, PHA, DS, and Myo). If you know of other full Heritage bulls which can be added to this list, please send a copy of the bull’s test results to our office. (Adding a bull is free to members, or costs $60/bull for non-members)

January 2020 News

HSS has become a National Sponsor of the Livestock Conservancy. The Heritage Shorthorn Society logo will be prominently displayed on the Livestock Conservancy website and at all shows that the Livestock Conservancy attends. In addition the Livestock Conservancy will have Heritage Shorthorn literature available for show attendees to pick up.

In the Cattle Viewpoints section is a retro article from the 1970’s which makes a lot of pertinent points about the “Future of Small Purebred Breeders”. HSS intends to periodically supplement the Cattle Viewpoints section with classic Shorthorn articles that have stood the test of time—this is the first of those articles.

Sample Registration Paper

HSS was launched 2 years ago to help Heritage Shorthorn breeders preserve, promote, and produce Heritage Shorthorns while developing an expanded niche in the cattle industry. As an organization HSS has tried to be both nimble and dynamic as it responds to the needs and concerns of members. From day one HSS has fielded numerous inquiries wanting HSS to start a Registry. For years, many Heritage Shorthorn breeders have prodded the American Milking Shorthorn Association (AMSS) to make changes to their “Native” program so that Heritage “Native” Shorthorns would have expanded opportunities and better service. HSS has also communicated with all levels of past & present leadership within AMSS seeking cooperative changes; however AMSS has been unwilling to even discuss providing better registration services for Heritage breeders, instead offering immediate rejections. Therefore HSS is initiating the Heritage Shorthorn Society Registry to provide a better service to breeders, and this brings HSS full circle into a full fledged breed organization. HSS Registry rules, application forms, and fee schedules will be posted on our website starting this January.

In conjunction with initiating the HSS Registry, HSS has also developed a cost effective expedited program to identify & verify Shorthorns that may be Heritage. HSS members will no longer have to endure months of waiting to receive an answer as to Heritage status. Application forms and explanations are now available on the new “Application for Verification” Page. This service is open for both bulls and cows, and any newly verified bulls will be added to the “Verified Bulls” Page under “Heritage Bulls”.

To accommodate these added features, our more comprehensive website has undergone modifications in the menu and in various categories in an attempt to make it more “user friendly”. This includes a new “Search” feature on the HSS Home Page. Please browse through the website and let us know what you think, and whether you encounter any glitches.