Award Winners
Sandhill Farms Honored as
BIF Seedstock Producer of the Year
COLUMBIA, MO. (JUNE 30, 2010) – The Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) named Sandhill Farms, Haviland, Kan., as its 2010 Seedstock Producer of the Year. Originally homesteaded in 1869, Sandhill Farms has been the home to six generations of the Schultz family, who still use the resources of Edwards County for the farming and ranching operation.
From left, Burt Rutherford of BEEF magazine presents Vera and Kevin Schultz of Sandhill Farms the 2010 BIF
Seedstock Producer of the Year Award.[Click here to download high-res. photo]
Farm owners Kevin and Vera Schultz accepted the award from BEEF magazine Senior Editor Burt Rutherford during the 42nd BIF Research Symposium and Annual Meeting, June 28-July 1, 2010, in Columbia, Mo. The Kansas Livestock Association, located in Topeka, proudly nominated the ranch.
“The Sandhill team uses the fruits of BIF every day by utilizing technology to ensure both commercial and seedstock customers’ success in the future,” said Scarlett Hagins communications program manager for the Kansas Livestock Association. “They work hard to utilize really sound genetics and solid management practices to grow their business.”
Roy Schultz purchased the first registered Polled Hereford bull to use on the commercial cow herd in the 1940s. Around three decades later, his grandson, Kevin, started the registered Hereford herd as part of his 4-H project. Presently, 300 brood cows reside on Sandhill Farms, two-thirds of which are registered and the rest purebred commercial.
The spring breeding program utilizes artificial insemination, embryo transfer and highly proven cleanup sires to ensure genetic improvement. Sandhill Farms tested more bulls in the American Hereford Association sire test than any other breeder in the last decade. The top-end of the tested and proven bulls is used in the farm’s breeding program along with highly accurate and proven outside bulls. For the past 17 years, Sandhill Farms have used ultrasound to identify outliers that could improve its cattle’s carcass merit. Today the bulls that are marketed through the farm’s sale rank in the top 1% for two of the breed's four selection indexes and the top ten percent in the remaining indexes.
Along with using performance data, Sandhill Farms management ensures a quick generation turnover. Next to selling bulls, culling the cow herd is the favorite thing to do. The Sandhill team believes that seedstock customers buy the benefits and discipline of its culling program.
For more information about Sandhill Farms, visit www.sandhillfarms.com.
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The Beef Improvement Federation has been a means to standardize programs and methodology and to create greater awareness, acceptance and usage of beef cattle performance concepts for more than 40 years. The 42nd Annual BIF Research Symposium and Meeting, conducted this year in Columbia, Mo., was hosted by the University of Missouri Extension and other cattle producers, organizations and leaders in the state. For more information about BIF and the conference, log on to www.BIFconference.com or www.beefimprovement.org.
Editor’s Note: This article is provided as a news release by the Beef Improvement Federation. For more information, contact Katie Maupin.
For additional 2010 BIF Award Winners, see the "Awards" page at www.BIFconference.com. API coverage of the 42nd BIF Research Symposium and Annual Meeting is available in the site's "Newsroom," with photo galleries of the tours and meeting located on the "Photos" page.This site contains materials with various copyrights. Please refer to the "Reprint Guidelines" for guidance.