Why Classics?

Good question.  I've got one for you: Do you ever get tired of reading the same list of qualities each beef breed brags about?  Usually it's the same list, in the same order, and each breed is darn sure they're the best: Fertility, Milking Ability, Weight, Conformation, Hardiness, Disposition.  I personally don't consider those traits to belong in that order, and here's why:

Hardiness.  This quality is highest on the list of desired traits in my herd.  I need a cow who will perform in the mountains of West Texas.  We have rocks, desert, heat in the summer, cold in the winter, water is scarce and grass is sparse.  The Hereford proved his worth in Texas in the late 1800's and I believe the same kind of Hereford will produce just as well today as he did back then.  If my cattle can thrive in this environment, they can travel just about anywhere in the world and think they've gone to heaven.  Are they feedlot animals? No.  But I don't believe in feedlots, and I don't breed to accommodate them.

Fertility.  Definitely high on the list of desirable qualities.  Without fertility, you won't have much chance at profit. However, fertility must be combined with hardiness, or you won't be able to calve your cows without lots of special (and expensive) care.  My definition of fertility is the ability to breed up on range pasture in two months of exposure, every year.  Not that my cattle have attained that yet, but they will.  Or ELSE.

Conformation.  I value conformation, but not necessarily the same kind of conformation as the next Hereford breeder.  I want a thick boned cow, relatively wide set to her shoulder and a definitely wide hip, as deep a heart girth and flank as I can get and I wouldn't care if her legs were six inches long.  Each point I look for, or try to avoid, has a very definite reason WHY, and I explain my reasons in more detail here.  My purpose in conformation is to produce the highest percentage of the highest quality beef I can, on a frame that will survive the real world as long as possible (i.e. longevity).

Weight.  This is a good trait if you wish to raise beef, but it must be relative.  A 5,000 pound cow is going to have a very difficult time traversing the terrain around here, and is therefore not going to be very hardy or produce well.  Cattle of the size commonly seen today are all too often sore footed in these mountains, which diminishes their ranging ability, they lose weight and that equals loss of performance.  If their feet hurt at a springtime weight, why would they want to add more pounds over the summer?  I wouldn't.  So, I believe that weight must be placed on an adequate frame, and must not be too much for efficient foraging.  Also, a cow must be able to gain rapidly when the feed does become plentiful and good.  This is, in my opinion, the definition of hardiness.

Disposition.  I require my cows to have a level head on them.  I don't expect furry Einsteins, but I don't want hot blooded idiots, either.  Wild, crazy cows are dangerous, and I don't see how they protect their babies any better than a level headed cow who knows I am not the predator.  Not all my cows will eat out of my hand, but I know they will never charge me or any visitor I bring along with me.  While my cows may live on the last of the "open" range, there are still far more people around than there were 100 years ago, and I have to take that into consideration.  As far as my bulls,  have you ever seen a Hereford bucking bull at a rodeo?  Didn't think so.  You'll see Angus, Charolais, Brahmas, crossbreds of all kinds, but you'll never find a Hereford.  The fact that they are no fun in a rodeo means they'll be lots of fun in your back pasture: they're just too gentle.

Milking Ability.  This is a very common trait to list among beef cattle, especially Angus, and for the life of me, I can't figure out why.  A cow must produce enough milk to grow her baby to his fullest potential.  However, it is just not necessary to have a cow walking around with half her bag untouched because the baby can't eat it all.  If they put that much energy into milk, they won't be putting it into themselves to maintain condition enough to breed in a couple months.  And there goes your fertility.  I breed beef cattle, I don't run a dairy.