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“We have a superb staff at board – highest beginning, The Midwest Cattleman · August 5, 2021 · P21
the Gelbvieh Association,” mid, and end weights; as well
she said. “They'll answer as highest weight per day of Rebel Yell, a KCF Bennett
questions and are very re- gain and average daily gain. and HTFM Mr. Equalizer
sponsive. I love the website I look forward to sharing sons. We'll probably sell
and the breeder tools. Digital similar data from our herd.” the bulls as yearlings and
Beef is a wonderful resource. Even the clean-up bulls keep one back.”
I keep track of my semen in- are A-listers, including 3G The reason for so few,
ventory, my embryos. I love Empire Builder 797E ET, a according to Lisa is, “in
the DNA tools that helps us Champion Balancer® Senior our opinion, there are
improve our cattle on our Bull Calf at the National way too many bulls in the
ranch.” Gelbvieh Show during the world. I've seen a lot that
Since that accidental in- 2019 North Western Stock are not sound or balanced.
troduction to the breed and Show. He is as docile as he is Our desire is to improve
its association membership, muscular. the breed; and every calf
the Wolters have built their “I pull in the pasture,” Lisa crop has to be better than
herd to encompass nearly a said. “Josh opens the trailer the last. That starts with
hundred head of Gelbvieh or door, I shake the bucket at castration, and there's not
Gelbvieh-influenced females. him, and, voila!, he's loaded! enough of that happen-
Kaitlyn anchored a 2019 We like a good disposition ing. It's a tool more people
NAILE Grand Champion in our cattle and won't keep should be using.”
Balancer® Female at the Na- trouble around.” The focus for se-
tional Western Stock Show Added to docility are char- lection is on EPDs
in 2020, and showed Divi- acteristics important for nav- with inherent
sion Championship calves igating hills and draws of value. Lisa admit-
from the American Royal northwestern Kansas. “Our ted that a lot of peo-
and Iowa State Fair. As for cattle get lots of exercise and ple don't fully un-
Grandma Claerhout, she is have to be sound to forage,” derstand EPDs. “If
going to make sure that her Lisa said. “We don't have a those of us who do
girls continue growing and tremendous amount of rock, understand them
succeeding with Gelbvieh. so they don't wear hooves off are going to keep
“She just bought a farm a bunch. We have to breed for putting emphasis
close to me,” Lisa said. “She good feet.” on that tool, we
got it so that we could run Lucky Cross also utilizes a continued on page 24
more cattle. And it has a Pop A Top son that came first
house on it so that either she to the Claerhout ranch and
can move out here some day then Lisa's mom passed him
or it can be a place for one of on to her.
the kids. She's always had a “Mom lives close to Judd
mind for the future when it Ranch and goes to their
comes to cattle and family.” sales, plus other top breeders
In the past, herd growth at in the area,” Lisa said. “She
Lucky Cross relied primarily purchased General Pershing
on raising their own replace- out of General Patton most
ments. Accelerated growth recently.”
will call for purchasing more A shared eye for quality
females along the way and and a knowledge of EPDs in
continuing to breed for genet- Janice and her daughter is
ics that render highly mater- taking Lucky Cross Ranch
nal, good milking cows. Lisa to the next level. Lisa views
thinks they are well are on the brotherly-love gestures
their way to building a solid of her mom sharing such ex- A Program Built on Maternal Power
reputation by using A.I. sires, cellent sires as added gal-pal Since 1996, we’ve been unyielding pounds to your breeding program,
maintaining a tight calving power. on breeding the best red genetics we urge you to check out our reds.
window, and utilizing strict “I like to think of our small our breed has to offer. We’ve
culling and genetic testing. herds as 'sister' herds,” Lisa selected our females carefully and We offer bulls, heifers, semen and
“I want to do more though,” said. mated them to top A.I. Sires. embryo packages private treaty at
she said. “You can see This summer, Kaitlyn is the farm in Kansas City.
growthiness in our calves, hands-on help for her grand- If you are looking for seedstock that Give us a call today!
will bring added muscle, length and
but, I want to run the num- mother's herd, six hours
bers to chart how our wean- away, while Lisa holds down
lings have grown since we the fort in Atwood, where Small Group
started using A.I. four years she's trying something new. of Young A.I.
ago. And we'd like to get more Lisa is developing a group of Sired Bulls
data and testing for perfor- sire prospects herself. Available
mance. It’s exciting to me to “I convinced my husband
see how the Gelbvieh breed to leave a handful intact,” at the Farm.
has dominated the Kansas she said. “They are nice
Bull Test averages across the calves. We have one out of
Contact Bob Hart for information • Cell (816) 225-8530 • Email: bhart@hartfarm.net
SMALL HERD POWERFUL GENETICS