February 2025 News

A new Calf of the Month has been posted. This Heritage heifer is sired by a well-known bull from the early 1960’s.

HSS has paid for ads in the January 2025 edition of the Small Farmer’s Journal and for the January Livestock Conservancy Quarterly News. (see below)

In the January 2025 Newsletter we noted that it’s a triple win (for you, for a new cattle purchaser, and for HSS) if you gift a 1 year HSS membership to a new purchaser of cattle from you. It’s a tremendous amount of goodwill towards you for a very small expense. This idea came indirectly from David Bender and we are happy to announce that Kimberly Thiessen is the first HSS member to provide a new membership this way. Increasing memberships in HSS benefits everyone who has Heritage or Heritage-Influenced Shorthorns.

---

Some breeders of Heritage Shorthorns have only been registering their cattle with ASA. Since ASA does not recognize heritage or native status, after a couple of generations there is no documentation that these animals are actually out of Heritage lineage cattle. In addition, since ASA has upgraded many crossbred animals to “100% Shorthorn”, there is no official documentation that an ASA registered animal is actually even a pure Shorthorn. For each additional generation which has only been registered with ASA, it becomes harder and harder to prove that these cattle are actually what they are claimed to be. HSS cannot simply register a animal as Heritage if it has several generations of only ASA registrations—there needs to be pedigree information provided which shows all grandparents &/or great-grandparents, etc. as being directly out of registered Heritage/Native cattle.

For those breeders who register with AMSS and also apply for “Native” status for their Heritage Shorthorns, the AMSS database is only available to active AMSS members so that potential purchasers cannot access any online information about that animal or its parentage. In addition, the AMSS pedigree database is dysfunctional and at times unavailable even to AMSS members.

Regardless of your reasons to register with ASA or AMSS, if you want to officially document the Heritage/Native status of your animals and be included in the HSS publicly searchable database, then dual registering with HSS is an inexpensive way to circumvent the above short-comings. For more information about registering cattle with HSS, click on the “Registration” button on the HSS homepage or enter: https://www.heritageshorthorn.org/registry-information .

---

Here at HSS we were recently surprised to receive donations from 2 long-time members of HSS in memory of Jack Barnes. They wish to remain anonymous, but their generosity is greatly appreciated to help support the preservation and promotion of Heritage Shorthorns.

We believe it is important to say a few words about Jack Barnes because he was a major inspiration for the formation of the Heritage Shorthorn Society. We had been in Shorthorns for a few years and purchased ASA type Modern Shorthorns from several ASA “big time breeders” because we were ignorant about the genetic issues with many modern Shorthorns that were being sold. We were about to “cash out of Shorthorns” at the stockyards because they had heritable genetic problems. Before getting out of Shorthorns we decided to call Jack. He opened up a world of Shorthorns that we had not known about. We did sell most of the Modern Shorthorns and purchased several Heritage Shorthorns to rebuild our herd. Joe spent many hours on the phone with Jack over the years as Jack explained how and why the Modern Shorthorns had become a “wreck”. He gave us advice and suggestions, but he also warned us that the AMSS show crowd was not interested in supporting “Native/Heritage” Shorthorns via advertising, brochures, or other promotions. Jack had mostly given up on AMSS. Despite misgivings we decided to try to partner with AMSS to promote traditional Shorthorns. We thought we could build interest in “Native Shorthorns” by donating our money to support AMSS promotion of their “Native” program. Contrary to our hopes and best efforts, it turned out Jack was right—AMSS was no longer interested in supporting pure Shorthorns, but instead was focused on dairy crossbreeds. Our frustration led us to form HSS and as they say “the rest is history”.

We treasure our visits to the J Bar J Ranch in Fallon and the return visits to our farm by Jack and Joyce. Joe still savors Joyce’s wonderful apple pie. The visits were worth it for the apple pie alone, not to mention the engaging discussions with Jack about Shorthorn history and breeding. There was only one Jack Barnes, and Heritage Shorthorn breeders owe a debt of gratitude to Jack for his life long dedication to traditional pure Shorthorns.

Joe & Sue Schallberger, Heritage Shorthorn Society

Ad for Livestock Conservancy Quarterly Newsletter for Jan. 2025

January 2025 News

A New Year—Looking Back and a Look Forward: When the Heritage Shorthorn Society was started in 2018 its purpose was to provide an informational website that would help breeders of Heritage Shorthorns to preserve, promote, and produce the traditional pure Shorthorn genetics which were on the verge of being lost. Modern Shorthorn breed associations had moved on to crossbred cattle, primarily for the show ring with limited commercial appeal leaving true Shorthorns in the lurch. HSS has focused on the expansion and utilization of the many desirable genetic traits of Heritage Shorthorns that can have a positive impact on today’s cattle industry.

Photo taken at Glenisla Shorthorns, in Blairgowrie, Scotland

We did not imagine that within a relatively few years there would be so much “newly discovered” Heritage Shorthorn semen preserved in semen tanks throughout the U.S. and Canada, and that it would result in so many impressive Heritage Shorthorn offspring.
Interest in Heritage Shorthorn genetics is being embraced by Shorthorn enthusiasts around the world, and this has lead to an invitation to make a presentation about Heritage Shorthorns during the World Shorthorn Conference this coming July in Brandon, Manitoba, Canada.
All HSS members should be proud that their support of HSS, through membership, registrations, and donations of time & money, has resulted in this level of achievement/relevance for Heritage Shorthorns in all corners of the world. The future for Heritage Shorthorns is bright but only if each of our members promotes these cattle and encourages new purchasers to become members of HSS. With the support of HSS members interest in HS can continue to grow and thrive, and thereby increase the opportunities for each of you. Thank you HSS members.

---

Article #8 from Lonny Flack is the latest Cattle Viewpoints post. It is titled “A Shorthorn Heritage: Hodgepodge”, and Lonny highlights the far-reaching changes that were happening with the Shorthorn breed during the 1980’s and early 1990’s.

---

Are you looking for a simple action to impress the people who purchase your Heritage and Heritage-Influenced Shorthorns and to also encourage their repeat business at your farm/ranch? Gift them a 1 year membership in HSS. A first time membership only costs $40 and they get a 12 month membership plus a free book about Shorthorns written by Otis Fisher. You get lots of goodwill, and Heritage Shorthorns get a promotional boost by the purchase of additional national or regional ads.

A new Heritage Shorthorn ad is in the January 2025 edition of the Canadian Shorthorn Report. (See the ad below.) In thinking about ads to promote your Heritage Shorthorns, if you have a suggestion about where HSS might spend its advertising dollars during 2025, please send your suggestion to the HSS office.

December 2024 News

We know that 2024 has been a difficult year for many HSS members, for a variety of reasons. Hopefully each of you also has many reasons to be thankful, and that this holiday season brings you minimal stress and lots of joy.

The Heritage Shorthorn Society has paid for a ¼ page ad in Graze Magazine for this December (see ad below). Additional ads in a variety of journals/magazines are already “in the works” for 2025 including a full page ad in the Livestock Conservancy directory.

An appealing new Calf of Month is posted for Dec.2024/Jan.2025. He is A2/A2 and as with most of the calves on this page, he is sired by a Heritage Bull that has not been previously featured on the Calf of the Month Page.

Unless you are involved in the Show Cattle markets, have you considered how much money ASA and AMSS have invested in promoting your Heritage Shorthorn cattle in the last decade? In the less than 7 years since the Heritage Shorthorn Society was founded, the Heritage Shorthorn Society has “invested” $18,183.00 in the promotion of Heritage Shorthorns by purchasing ads in a variety of national magazines/journals. Because the design of each ad was done “gratis”, essentially all of this money went for the placement of ads in print media.

With fewer than 75 current members and the extremely low annual membership fee, the bulk of the money for these ads comes from HSS registrations of Heritage and Heritage-Influenced Shorthorns and from the larger paid ads on the Breeder’s Ads page. With support from each of you by registering your cattle with HSS and by encouraging your Shorthorn acquaintances to join HSS, we will be able to run additional ads each year in a wider variety of places to promote your Heritage and Heritage-Influenced Shorthorn cattle.

November 2024 News

There currently is an overwhelming promotional emphasis in society on “the latest and greatest” and for what is “the most desirable”. This seems to be true whether talking about clothes, food fads, equipment, or cattle. Does chasing the “latest & greatest” actually put more money in your pocket? The new “Cattle Viewpoints” article looks at an alternative path to profitability.

As the Heritage Shorthorn movement continues to expand, HSS has doubled down on “getting the word out” with highlighting the versatility of Heritage Shorthorns in ongoing paid advertising in multiple varied magazines & journals.

Recently there have been more sales of Heritage Shorthorns through the “Cattle For Sale” section on the HSS website. Congratulations to all of the HSS members who have been successful in selling their cattle. As always, all HSS members are welcome to have postings on the “Cattle for Sale” Page &/or to place a more comprehensive ad on the “Breeder’s Ads” Page.

We periodically post additional interesting old photos and old advertisements in the section “Pictures from the Past”. There are currently 3 pages of these “oldies”, with the original postings on Page 1, and more recent postings on Pages 2 & 3. Take another look if it’s been a while, because the Pictures from the Past are guaranteed to bring a smile in these trying times.

* Please check your online listing on the HSS Breeders/Members Page and let the HSS office know if any of your information needs updating: (phone numbers, address, what you typically have for sale, etc.).

October 2024 News

Graze Magazine Ad for Fall 2024

The Heritage Shorthorn Society has paid for new ads which will be coming out this month in “Graze” Magazine (see ad on the left), and another in the Small Farmer’s Journal.

The fall cattle selling season is upon us and the “Cattle For Sale” page on the HSS website continues to be the number one page viewed. Many HSS members are having selling success by posting their Heritage and Heritage Influenced Shorthorns for sale on the HSS website. The HSS is always available to help HS breeders to promote or sell their Heritage Shorthorns. Don’t hesitate to contact us if we can be of help.

The most recent Calf of the Month is an ET calf and she is an East Coast beauty. Visit the Calf of the Month Page to see her and her pedigree.

---

September 2024 News

There are some outstanding calves being born to Heritage Shorthorn breeders in the U.S. and in Canada with photos submitted for the Calf of the Month. The latest to be featured is a Canadian-born heifer, and you may be “surprised” at her sire. She is posted on the HSS website on the “Calf of the Month” Page. Take a look, and consider submitting your own potential Calf of the Month.

If you have one or more appealing photos of your cattle which might make a good addition to the photo gallery at the top of the HSS home page, please send the photos to the HSS office — office@heritageshorthorn.org. They generate a lot of interest in the Shorthorn breed.

The ongoing updating of the Heritage Shorthorn pedigree database is a priority for HSS as a service to all Shorthorn breeders. The HSS pedigree database allows anyone to view both the latest pedigree updates and search for pedigree information on specific animals. It is the most complete public Heritage Shorthorn database in the world. HSS wants to thank HSS member Dr. Bert Moore for his ongoing help in finding historical pedigree information on many different older Shorthorns. His help has been invaluable.

HSS continues to document new Verified Heritage Shorthorn bulls as a service to Heritage Shorthorn breeders. Periodically check listings to view what bulls have been added. If you know of a bull which qualifies but is not on the list, send a note to the HSS office.

August 2024 News

Because of burgeoning interest in Heritage Influenced Shorthorns (HIS) it is important to note why the Heritage Shorthorn Society recognizes HIS. The primary reason is to give more opportunities for HSS members to sell their Heritage Shorthorn bulls. There are many Modern Shorthorn owners/breeders who would like to get into Heritage Shorthorns but do not want to replace their whole cow herd at once (many of our HSS members have both Heritage Influenced and Heritage Shorthorns and are valued HSS supporters). By purchasing Heritage Shorthorn bulls from HSS members they can take advantage of several HSS programs and slowly transition to a HS herd by purchasing HS cows for replacements in their herds &/or maintain multiple end markets for their cattle. HSS is constantly working to help HSS members sell their cattle through multiple venues with the Heritage Shorthorn Influenced program being just one.

Below is the HSS ad in the most recent Small Farmer’s Journal, Vol. 48, #1, 189th edition.

A new Calf of the Month is posted for August. We know that some of you HSS members are producing Heritage Shorthorn offspring out of interesting combinations of Heritage Shorthorn lineages, so consider sending some good photos of your special calves for possible posting on the Calf of the Month Page later this fall or into the winter. To be eligible the calf can be either Heritage or Heritage Influenced (out of a registered Shorthorn cow mated to a Heritage bull), and less than 7 months old at the time the photo was taken.

July 2024 News

There will be a new HSS ad in the Canadian Shorthorn Report in their July/August issue (see ad below), and there is also an ad in the July issue of Small Farmers Journal.

A new Calf of the Month has been posted for July, and there will be a new one each month for the next several months (keep those calf pictures and parentage info coming).

Lonny Flack still has a stash of stories and reminiscing about showing Shorthorns “back in the day”, and the next article in his “A Shorthorn Heritage” series on the Cattle Viewpoints page will be posted early this month (July) for you to enjoy reading.

There are some new interesting additions to the “Pictures from the Past, Page 2”.

HSS Registrations—If you are dual registering with HSS plus ASA or AMSS, and you already have a registration # from them, you can include a snapshot of their registration paper along with your HSS application. We will incorporate that information into the HSS Registry database and on the HSS registration paper. Our goal is to build the most accurate and complete pedigree database for Heritage Shorthorns in the world.

Are you new to genetic testing for your cattle, and in need of information? Within the next few days there will be a new page on the HSS website titled “Genetic Testing—Why, Where, and How”. The page will be located under the Registration/Verification Folder.

June 2024 News

"Show Tails”—Installment #6 of Lonny Flack’s entertaining stories about raising and showing Shorthorns “in the good old days” will be posted in the Cattle Viewpoints section of the HSS website later today. It was accidentally partially posted a couple of days ago in an unfinished format, so if you happened to see it, look again at the complete article. Find out what shenanigans Lonny was up to back then!

HSS has paid for a full page ad in the 2024 Livestock Conservancy Directory promoting Heritage Shorthorns (see ad at left), and we continue to place smaller ads in their quarterly newsletters.

Another new ad is in the May/June 2024 issue of Grit Magazine. Like the ad in the Jan./Feb. Grit issue, this ad was 50% paid for by a generous donation from one HSS member who wants to remain anonymous.

A new Calf of the Month has been posted, highlighting more uncommon Heritage Shorthorn genetics. (We have had more submissions recently, so there will be a new “Calf” each month for the summer months.)

With spring calves being born, fall calves continuing to grow, and with herds needing new bulls &/or cows, we’re heading into the prime marketing season. For excellent ideas &/or a good review of how to market/sell your cattle, take a look at the article “Develop a Marketing Plan” in the Cattle Viewpoints section. It’s the 9th or 10th article down in the article index list.

May 2024 News

“Frosty”

The Small Farmers Journal has a new issue out this month (May) which contains an extensive article about Heritage Shorthorns and the Heritage Shorthorn Society. This issue also has a picture on the inside front cover which is based on the classic horned Shorthorn cow “Frosty” that belongs to HSS member Zane Sunday. If you are not familiar with the Small Farmers Journal, it is dedicated to homestead type farming with informative and “how to” articles about using draft horses and oxen, growing specialty crops, heritage livestock, traditional and regenerative farming practices, building or modifying useful equipment, etc.

Increasing numbers of HSS members are making monetary donations to HSS because of their strong belief in the efforts that HSS is making to help to preserve, promote, and produce Heritage Shorthorns. HSS sincerely thanks these members for their financial support. The Small Farmer’s Journal promotional article and the assorted national advertisements for 2024 are just our latest efforts on your behalf.

Some Heritage Shorthorn Society members have brought up the point that although the purpose of the Heritage Shorthorn Certified Beef and Heritage Shorthorn Milk programs is to enhance the marketability of Heritage Shorthorn products and to encourage the utilization of Heritage bloodlines, the current guidelines need to be modified to provide more viable opportunities for HSS members. The changes HSS is incorporating in response to membership concerns will allow more members to use these marketing programs to promote Heritage Shorthorns.

The rules/guidelines for the Heritage Shorthorn Certified Beef program previously stated: #4a—“The animals are full Heritage Shorthorns, or are Heritage-Influenced Shorthorns (Shorthorns with at least 25% Heritage bloodlines by pedigree—i.e. using a Heritage Shorthorn bull or son of a Heritage bull on modern Shorthorns will result in offspring which qualify).”

Because steers that are destined as locker beef are obviously not used for breeding, and because they often come from cows which have not been kept current on registrations in ASA or AMSS, HSS has decided to expand the definition of what can be marketed under the HSCB program.

Rule #4a will now read: “The steers in the quality beef HSCB program must be at least 75% Shorthorn (to take advantage of the natural marbling qualities of traditional Shorthorns) and also at least 25% Heritage Shorthorn by pedigree (to recognize the preservation & utilization of Heritage bloodlines). Steers qualifying for this program can only have the traditional red, white, or roan Shorthorn coat patterns. No black in their hair coats and no Hereford or Belted coat patterns are allowed.

The Heritage Shorthorn Milk has had a logo, but has not had official rules/guidelines. In considering that a micro dairy, by necessity, mixes milk from all their cows into a common holding tank, and they typically would have Milking/Dairy Shorthorns that are not all registered as “Heritage” by HSS or “Native” by AMSS, the following rule would now apply:

To qualify for the Heritage Shorthorn Milk logo, all of the cows currently in production at the dairy have to be registered Milking/Dairy Shorthorns (this includes classic Dual Purpose). In addition, when looking at the combined registration papers of these cows, at least 25% of their combined parentage must be certified as “Heritage” by HSS“ or “Native” by AMSS.

**If any HSS member needs further clarification on the updated rules for the Heritage Shorthorn Beef and/or Milk programs, do not hesitate to contact the HSS office with your questions or concerns.

April 2024 News

If you (or your A.I. technician) have only used semen straws and are unfamiliar with using “amps”, the most recent “Cattle Viewpoints” post is an informative article explaining how to successfully use Ampules (amps) or rare “Semen Magic Wands” for breeding cattle.

How do you know you are an Old Shorthorn Breeder? There is a very clever ad from the July 2009 Shorthorn Country which is now posted on the HSS page: Pictures from the Past, Page 2—how many of the comments can you relate to?

The featured Calf of the Month for April/May 2024 is now posted.

Do you enjoy telling interesting stories? Spring calving is in full swing and it is always an adventure. We all look forward to the beautiful red, white, and roan calves in the spring (or fall), but things don’t always go as smoothly as we would like. If you have an interesting calving story, send a short paragraph or two about it to the HSS office because it could make an appealing addition to the HSS monthly newsletter.

Have you purchased or been given semen from older Shorthorn bulls? Semen cane codes are listed on the HSS website Semen Codes Page (under the Heritage Bulls section), and can be checked by the name of the bull or by the alphanumeric code written on the top of the cane. If you happen to have semen from Heritage/Native bulls which are not already on this page, please send any additional bull names and cane codes to the HSS office for inclusion in the listing as a benefit to everyone who is interested in using these genetics.

March 2024 News

Lonny Flack partly hidden by Justamere Todd

The most recent installment (Part 5) in Lonny Flack’s entertaining articles about raising & showing Shorthorns during the 1960s-1980s is posted on the Cattle Viewpoints page of the HSS website.

As the weather starts improving, and as spring calves are born and romping in the pasture, be sure to take some photos with your camera or phone. HSS is always pleased to receive good pictures for possible use on the home page rotating photo gallery, or for possible use in other ways on our website or in promotional literature. In addition, HSS likes to highlight calves (less than 7 mo. old at time of photo) which are born from assorted “classic” Heritage bulls, and these are posted on the “Calf of the Month” Page.

HSS wants to expand advertising for Heritage Shorthorns into new marketing areas so any suggestions from HSS members for new places to advertise are helpful—drop us a line with your suggestions. The advertising budget is increasing as the number of registrations from HSS members continues to increase.

The HSS office receives many inquiries about the availability of Heritage Shorthorn heifers from across Canada and the USA. If you plan to sell heifers this year, it is never too early to contact the HSS office to make us aware of what you may have for sale later this year. Our office likes to know what “direction” to send potential purchasers. More people want to jump on the “Heritage Shorthorn bandwagon” but the availability of females to purchase is still a limiting factor.

February 2024 News

It was mentioned in the January 2024 HSS News that there was a new “Shorthorn Heritage” article (#4) written by Lonny Flack. Posting was a bit delayed, but it is now on the Cattle Viewpoints Page where you can read it (and the 3 previous Flack articles) with his engaging stories about raising Shorthorns.

The Canadian Shorthorn Report has published a 3 page article about Heritage Shorthorns and the Heritage Shorthorn Society in their January 15, 2024 edition. If you are not a subscriber to the written magazine, the issues are posted online at https://issuu.com/shorthornreport/docs/shorthornreportwinter2024. HSS paid for a ½ page ad to run concurrently with the article.

Additional ads have been paid for by HSS and are in the current editions/issues of The Livestock Conservancy quarterly report, and the Small Farmer’s Journal.

Canadian Shorthorn Report Ad

Livestock Conservancy Quarterly Ad

Are you testing all of your Heritage and Heritage-influenced Shorthorns for the A2 vs A1 milk protein? There is a steadily growing demand for A2/A2 cows to provide milk in grass-fed diaries and for families which milk their own cow, and the HSS office routinely gets queries asking about A2 cows. If you know the A1/A2 status of your cows, heifers, and bull semen you can aim for producing A2/A2 offspring which can then be sold for an added premium compared to comparable offspring which are only A1/A1 or A1/A2. A2/A2 Heritage Shorthorns advertised on the HSS website sell fast!

Check out the sire of the most recent “Calf of the Month” posted on the HSS website.

If it’s been a while since you looked at the “Pictures From the Past” Page, it has now been split into 2 pages because of the increasing number of pictures and entertaining vintage ads, etc. that are posted there. The more recently posted pictures are on “Pictures From the Past, Page 2”.

For those of you who like to really “plan in advance”, please note that the (International) World Shorthorn Congress, which is held every 3rd year, will be hosted by Canada next year (2025) in July, in conjunction with Calgary Stampede activities. Of the 8 Canadians listed for the planning committee for the 2025 World Conference, 2 are members of HSS—Dan Stephenson of Diamond Shorthorns, and Grant Smith of Craig Elachie Shorthorns.

January 2024 News

Lonny Flack has written another witty segment about raising and showing Shorthorns over many years. It is part 4 of the “A Shorthorn Heritage” articles, and it will be posted within the next week or two in the Cattle Viewpoints Section of the HSS website. Be sure to look for it.

The ad below about Heritage Shorthorns will be in the January/February 2024 issue of “Grit” magazine. This ad will also be in the May/June 2024 Grit issue. These ads were initiated and financed with a generous matching donation by an HSS member who prefers to remain unnamed. A huge thanks to this generous person, in helping to promote Heritage Shorthorns to a wider audience of potential buyers.

Another in a series of Heritage Shorthorn Society ads will be in the January 15, 2024 edition of the “Canadian Shorthorn Report” to encourage continuing interest in Heritage Shorthorn bloodlines by Canadian Shorthorn breeders.

An extensive article is scheduled in the January issue of the “Canadian Shorthorn Report” about Heritage Shorthorns and the Heritage Shorthorn Society. We expect this article to stimulate even more interest in Heritage Shorthorn genetics in Canada. An increasing number of American Heritage Shorthorns are being sold into Canada because the Canadian Shorthorn industry is interested in diversifying with quality traditional Shorthorn genetics, rather than just “modern show cattle”.

It’s amazing how many thousands of units of valuable old Heritage Shorthorn semen have been lost over the past 5-10+ years because of various issues. HSS has heard many sad accounts about lost semen due to: “wasn’t using it so I just threw it out to make more room in my tanks”, or “forgot to have the liquid nitrogen replenished and lost everything in the tanks”, or “one semen tank failed due to a defect, and everything in that tank was lost”, or “a tank was sold after someone passed away to a non-Shorthorn breeder who didn’t realize the potential value of the older semen”, or “straws or amps were lost because of transportation problems when trying to transfer the semen”, etc. In 2024 make sure that your semen tanks are routinely serviced, and consider chatting with any retiring breeders about their plans for older Shorthorn semen which they may have in their semen tanks.

December 2023 News

Kimberly and Scott Moore

The latest “Spotlight on Members” article on the HSS website features Scott and Kimberly Moore in Indiana. The Moores are friendly, enthusiastic members of HSS always willing to talk Heritage Shorthorns—read about their Shorthorn connections.

Check out the Part 3 installment of Lonny Flack’s entertaining articles on “the way it was” in raising & showing Shorthorns during the last half of last century. His articles, titled “A Shorthorn Heritage” are posted in the Cattle Viewpoints section of the HSS website.

There is increasing interest in Heritage Shorthorn genetics by Canadian Shorthorn breeders. The January update will contain more information about the growing promotion and opportunities for Heritage Shorthorns in Canada. Take a look at the new Calf of the Month which is posted on our website.

Keeping HSS updated on any changes in your farming operation, contact information, or Heritage Shorthorn herd is extremely important. *Please review your listing on the HSS Breeders/Members Page and let our office know if any of your information needs to be revised. (If you previously were not listed, but would now like to be listed, just send a note to the office about the information you would like posted.)

In the “amazing but true” category, look at the Pictures from the Past page to see what the dam of “Columbus” looked like at 14 yrs. of age. Picture courtesy of Zane Sunday.

Consider contacting your local or regional newspaper paper to see if they would like to do a story on you and your Heritage Shorthorns. Local media are always looking for unique stories and connections to the Heritage Livestock movement. It can be a real marketing opportunity to get free advertising and promotion of your herd.

If you are looking for an inexpensive Shorthorn themed Christmas present for someone, why not order one or both Otis Fisher books. The titles are: “Shorthorns Around the World”, and “The Story of the Milking Shorthorn in the U.S.” They can be ordered via the Store Page on the HSS website.

November 2023 News

Do you have any nice calves born this past spring or early fall out of old Shorthorn bulls? Why not send a photo and information for possible inclusion on the HSS Calf of the Month Page. (The guidelines are on the bottom of that page: https://www.heritageshorthorn.org/calf-of-the-month).

Some of the photos in the rotating gallery on the HSS home page have been changed. Take a look at the photos and consider sending some of your own pictures for possible usage.

As the summer and fall chores and distractions wind down, this is a good time to review your ranch/farm website &/or Facebook page to make sure that it’s up to date and visually appealing to visitors. Do you have an online link to the Heritage Shorthorn Society?—an active link would be very much appreciated so that more people can read about the history and current markets & advantages of Heritage Shorthorns. As the saying goes “A rising tide floats all boats”.

The HSS ad below is in the latest edition of Small Farmer’s Journal Vol.47, #2.

October 2023 News

Lonny Flack has written a 2nd (new) installment to his article in the HSS Cattle Viewpoints section on “A Shorthorn Heritage”, relating incidents about “how it used to be” in the 1960’s when he started raising Shorthorns. Many of you know Lonny who is an entertaining story teller.

Some additional interesting pictures and “old-time” ads have been added to the “Pictures From the Past” Page.

HSS is very focused on promoting Heritage Shorthorns by paying for ads in a variety of journals and magazines from one year to the next, to reach the widest number of people who may be interested owning Heritage Shorthorns.

There is a new ad in the Oct./Nov. 2023 issue of the Canadian Shorthorn Report (see copy below).

HSS has also paid for an ad in the latest (October) issue of Small Farmer’s Journal, which is similar to the one in their August issue.

Check out the HSS website Calf of the Month Page to see the most recently featured calf out of a well-known Heritage Bull.

---

September 2023 News

John Mullet is the HSS member currently featured on the Spotlight on Members Page. Although he has owned Heritage Shorthorn cattle for a relatively short period of time, he is enthusiastic about raising them. His farming tradition goes back a long way—he breeds and utilizes Belgian draft horses in his farming operation. Visit the Spotlight on Members Page to read about John and to see additional photos.

A new “Cattle Viewpoints” article will be posted on the HSS website within the first half of September. This article “A Shorthorn Heritage” is written by Lonny Flack. He is a long time Shorthorn breeder who grew up around Shorthorns and he has shown Shorthorns at the Iowa State Fair for 40 years. Lonny has first hand familiarity with many of the older Heritage Shorthorn bulls.

The Grassfed Exchange (GFE) Conference is a gathering of regenerative ranchers, dairies and sustainable food supporters from across the U.S. and the world who come together to network and exchange ideas about raising animals on pasture. Sustainability and regeneration are key trends in animal agriculture, and attendees have been at the forefront of the science, research, production practices, and marketing of sustainable meats. This event is happening in Hershey, PA on Sept 11-13th. You can find out more about this conference online https://grassfedexchange.com, and sign up to attend if you are interested. HSS has sent a supply of our brochures (with inserts about the Heritage Shorthorn Certified Beef program) and has paid an advertising fee to have them included in the packets of information given to each participant.

Planning to register your calves from last fall or this spring? The HSS fee for registration of an animal less than 1 year of age is only $16.00, and slightly higher after 1 year of age. Registration with HSS is an inexpensive, no hassle way to document the Heritage or Heritage-Influenced status of your Shorthorns. If you’ve sold an HSS registered animal, the transfer fee is only $12 if done within 90 days of the sale, vs $26 if done at a later date.

August 2023 News

The photo gallery at the top of the HSS Homepage changes periodically—check to see what photos are currently there. Why not send some of your own photos to the HSS office for the photo gallery?

HSS continues to purchase ads in many national magazines. The ad to the right is currently in the Small Farmer’s Journal, Volume 47, #1.

A similar ad is also in the Summer 2023 issue of the Livestock Conservancy News.

As mentioned last month in the July News, there is a new HSS ad in the latest issue of the Canadian Shorthorn Report, which was recently published. (See a copy of the ad in the July News)

There is a new Calf of the Month for Aug/Sept. from another Heritage bull that has not been featured before.

July 2023 News

With new potential purchasers visiting your ranch/farm this summer to see the cattle that you have for sale, and with the upcoming county and state fairs, passing out information to highlight the advantages of buying Heritage Shorthorns while advertising your own cattle can be a win-win. The colorful, informative, and high quality HSS tri-fold brochures are an inexpensive but appealing way to give people an excellent “business card” because you add your own contact information on the back of the brochure. Small or larger batches of the HSS brochures can be ordered from the Store Page on the HSS website.

New ads highlighting Heritage Shorthorns have been paid for in the July &/or August issues of the “Canadian Shorthorn Report” (see a copy of the ad to the right), and in “Graze” magazine.

The “Graze" ad is a duplicate of the ad pictured in the HSS April 2023 News and as with the previous one, it was partly paid for with a donation from David Bender of Benchmark Shorthorns.

When website visitors are looking at the Breeders/Members Page to find someone to contact about buying Heritage Shorthorns, what helps to “catch their eye” so that they pay closer attention to you?—A colorful farm logo next to your ranch/farm name! If you already have a logo, it can be added for a one-time fee of $25, and it stays posted as long as you are a member. If you need help designing a logo contact the HSS office—we would be happy to help you with a new logo.

This is a good time of the year to promote the cattle that you have for sale via ads on the HSS website. The “Cattle for Sale” classified ads are primarily to list one particular animal or small group, while the ads on the Breeders Ads Page are an extremely inexpensive way to promote your whole herd over the span of 3 months to a year and to let people know what qualities you are maximizing in your herd. **The pricing on the Breeder’s Ads Page has been recently decreased, so it’s an even better bargain.

If you need help designing a ranch/farm ad, contact the HSS office—we would be glad to design one with your input and information. Alternatively, local community college art or design students might be a good inexpensive resource.