The Cow/Calf Business

At Hammonds Land & Cattle, we honor our rich ranching heritage by practicing sustainable land stewardship and prioritizing quality cattle production. Our commitment ensures the health of the land and the prosperity of our cattle for future generations. Our father, Ronald Hammonds enjoyed the "Black Baldy" calves; which is the product you receive when you cross a black Angus cow with a red Hereford bull.

The black Angus cows crossed with red Hereford bulls are one of the most popular and time-tested combinations in the cattle industry and offer multiple benefits:

• Higher Weaning Weights – Thanks to hybrid vigor, Black Baldy calves grow faster and safely reach heavier weights at weaning, giving them an economic advantage at sale time.
• Excellent Maternal Instincts—Hereford genes produce strong mothering abilities, which result in better calf survival rates as well as improved milk production for future generations.
• Market Appeal—Black Baldy calves are highly desirable in the beef industry. Their classic black body and white face stand out in the marketplace.
• Docile Temperament – The gentle nature of the Hereford breed helps create cattle that are easier to handle, making daily management safer and less stressful.
• Adaptability & Hardiness – Black Baldy cattle thrive in diverse environments, combining the high carcass quality of Angus with the resilience of Hereford.

Bull selection should be a combination of visual evaluation and expected progeny difference (EPD) data. A deep understanding of EPDs can help you determine which bull is best for your operation. Before making sire selections, I encourage you to ask yourself, "What are my operation's goals?" and select your next herd sires with your operation goals in mind. You should buy the bulls you need and not the bulls you want. We prioritize strong genetics, sustainable grazing, fertility, easy-keeping, docility scores, and productivity in our cows.

Whenever we identify a superior bull-cow combination, we make sure to give the bull calf time to develop. Giving a bull calf time to develop is a critical strategy to ensure the animal reaches its genetic potential before being used for breeding or sold.

Based on best practices for developing high-potential bulls, here are our key considerations and steps:

1. Evaluation Timing

• At Weaning (6-9 Months): Evaluate potential early; many breeders wait until weaning to make final decisions on which calves to keep as herd sires.
• Yearling (12-15 Months): This is the most common time to select herd bulls and perform a Breeding Soundness Exam (BSE).
• 2-Year-Old (20-24 Months): Allows for maximum growth, structure, and assessment of breeding soundness before heavy service.

  2. Development & Nutrition 

• Moderate Growth: We grow out young bulls at a moderate rate rather than a high-gain rate, as overfeeding can lead to excessive scrotal fat, lowering semen quality.
• Forage-Based: A high-roughage diet helps ensure bulls are fit, not just fat, and prepared to travel and work. We believe a bull should be raised on the same forage they are expected to perform on. Every bull buyer has that story of buying a gorgeous-looking bull only to get him home to watch his muscle deflate away on an all-grass diet.   
• Exercise: Provide adequate space for young bulls to exercise to strengthen leg soundness and prevent lameness, ideally in a partially surfaced lot to manage mud. The true pasture sire should be very mobile in the pasture. His job is to check every cow/heifer daily to ensure production stays on schedule. 

 3. The Breeding Soundness Exam (BSE): We perform a BSE for each bull by our veterinarian about 3–5 weeks prior to the intended turnout. This evaluates: 

• Scrotal Circumference: Larger circumference indicates earlier puberty and better sperm production.
• Semen Quality: Ensuring a minimum of 30% motility and 70% normal morphology.
• Physical Soundness: Checking feet, legs, and overall conformation

Check out our Bull Leasing page for more information and availabilities. 

At Hammonds Land & Cattle, we prioritize strong genetics, sustainable grazing, and ethical cattle management to produce healthy, productive, and profitable calves. Whether you're looking for replacement heifers, feeder calves, or breeding stock, we've got what you need. 

Contact us today to learn more about our cow/calf operation and available cattle!