Relationship Key to Test Herd Performance

The goal of the GENEX progeny test program is to determine the true breeding value of a young bull as quickly as possible.

GENEX works with some of the industry's best ranchers to prove young sires. These cattlemen, both registered and commercial producers, work together with GENEX to breed their cows and heifers to GENEX young sires and proven sires used for reference. Then, they provide fertility, performance and ultrasound/carcass data on the resulting calf crop.

This month, we would like to introduce you to four of our test herds through #TestHerdTuesday.

Today we are featuring Pleasant View Farm in Belmont, Wisconsin. Josh and Gretchen Kamps joined the test herd program in 2013, with the first calves being born in the spring of 2014. Some of that progeny has just weaned off their second calves. 

Pleasant View Farm is a predominantly Angus cow/calf to finish operation in the southwest corner of the state. Their cows calve in a loading area and then are moved to pasture. They have a spring herd and a fall herd, so their biggest calving months are March, April, September and October.

The Kamps say the benefits of being a GENEX test herd are that they have been able to develop some cow families they are excited to see the future of, both in the herd and in the feedlot. "We have also built a strong relationship with the GENEX team we work with. We put a lot of faith in their bull selection for our herd, and they have continually proven they are buying the right bulls." 

When asked what bulls have had the most impact on their herd, the Kamps listed the following:

1AN01302 WESTERN CUT - These heifers are weaning their second calves. They are functional, sound and productive cows that we've been very happy with.

1AN01302 WESTERN CUT daughters

1AN01300 INVESTMENT - A good carcass animal. They were efficient converters of feed and performed well on the rail.

1AN01379 iBULL - We didn't have good success with him on the heifers, but the the cows, the success was better. The iBULL calves sifted themselves to the top of the scale at weaning, we're excited to see how they perform in the feedlot.

1AN01379 iBULL calf

1AN01340 Upward - We used him as a reference sire early in the program. He made solid daughters for us, as well as feedlot cattle.