Hereford producers find significance in functional cattle
Peacefully grazing the gently sloping hills near Concordia, KS is what appears to be a typical herd of Hereford cattle. To the common eye they are nothing more than livestock, but to the Swenson family they are a cherished product of careful evaluation and strategy. Although humble in a pasture they are sought to be sound in form, efficiently functional and the result of generations of hard work and passion.It all began when Emil and Carl Swenson purchased their first Hereford females and established Swenson Brothers Herefords in 1934. From there, the operation grew and yearly production sales were held until the late 1980’s. “Back then, we were only selling two year old bulls, but the demand that year had buyers coming back to the farm after the sale to purchase yearlings, and from then on, we sold the bulk of our bulls by private treaty on the ranch,” said Richard Swenson. The family will celebrate 75 years in the Hereford business next year with many more to be continued on by Richard and Denise Swenson and their three sons; Ryan, Kevin and Ben.
The Swenson’s adopted the teachings of Dr. Jan Bonsma, a South African scientist who toured the U.S. and wrote the book “Man Must Measure”. As a researcher, Bonsma is internationally famed for his knowledge of the relationship of cattle to their environment and to each other. The book, which went out of print in 1983, outlines beef animal growth characteristics, environmental impacts and fertility, among other traits Bonsma taught the utilization of linear measurements of cattle to predict maternal function, growth and performance in various seminars and lectures.
“My dad attended a lecture and demonstration at K-State given by Dr. Bonsma, and was very impressed with his knowledge and understanding of function and fertility of cattle and how animals relate to their environment,” Richard Swenson said. “By studying an animal, he could easily visualize its functional efficiency and fertility.”
