COW HERD
The Linton cow herd consists of 80 hard working brood matrons that are strong in Felton Ranch breeding. They are moderate frame, problem-free cattle. The herd is managed much like those of our commercial neighbors, utilizing the forages grown in the area: central Nebraska hard grass pastures and corn stalks, with minimal supplementation. Replacement females are developed on pasture, crop aftermath and hay.
These cows reflect multiple generations of selection for the essential traits of economic importance to our commercial customers such as calving ease, above average milk flow, high quality teats and udders, structural soundness and a pleasing disposition. Care is taken when selecting herd bulls to insure that their daughters will also possess these traits.
Most of our cows are linebred to the great female sire Feltons 517. LHR Madison 517 C26, a 517 son, was used in our herd for several years until we ran out of unrelated cows to breed him to. KT Top Secret 1030, who served here for nine years and is the sire or grandsire of many of our cows, was out of a Feltons 517 daughter. Most of our other herd sires are also descendants of 517, although more remotely so.
The success of this careful multi-generational selection program for curve-bending genetics is reflected in cow herd average EPDs that are:
- 1.8 pounds below breed average for birth weight,
- 8 pounds above average for weaning EPD,
- 13 pounds above for yearling EPD, and
- 3 pounds above for milk EPD.
Our current replacement heifers further reflect our genetic progress as they are:
- 1.9 pounds below breed average for birth EPD,
- 11 pounds above for weaning,
- 13 pounds above for yearling EPD, and
- 6 pounds above for milk EPD.
Each year a number of Linton cows are recognized by the American Hereford Association as Dams of Distinction. Currently over ten percent of the herd have earned this recognition awarded to the elite cows of the breed.