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ML Cattle was started in 2004.
We began with a base group of Mark Donald / Line 1 pedigrees purchased from Mill Creek Ranch in Kansas which included several donor and embryo transfer females. Our first herdsire CJH 767 Advance 431
was one of the top five high selling Bulls purchased from the legendary Harland Herefords at their dispersal sale. We utilize
Artificial Insemination (AI), Expected Progency Differences (EPD's), Total Performance Records (TPR) and National Hereford
Feedout (formally known as the Genetic Outreach Program) as tools to continue genetic development. Mike was raised on a farm and ranch south of Abilene where the family has raised
cattle and sheep since 1886. Being a county agent in Texas, he developed a devotion to the gentle & efficient Hereford Breed
in part to the wonderful people he has met through 4-Her's showing Hereford cattle as their livestock projects.
LaReshia is a different story. She was raised in the custom harvesting business, then became a CPA and started her
own firm in 1998. Although they had horses growing up, cattle are a new adventure for her. LaReshia is Mike's partner and
is involved with every aspect of ML Cattle.
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Cattle are raised in the northwestern
corner of Texas Panhandle on over 3 sections of owned & leased short grass prairie consisting of predominately blue
grama, buffalo grass, and western wheatgrass. Our cowherd makes a living on native grass, in a dry southern plains environment, so
taking care of the range and the cattle go hand in hand. Management practices that benefit native grass production are implemented
seasonally. The nutritional requirements of cattle and the availability of that nutrition are continually monitored. With
that in mind we must have moderate framed, efficient & functionally sound (reproductively & structurally) cattle
to makeup the herd. We also have a considerable emphasis on pigmentation and udder quality. Individuals
that fall short in these areas are culled. We make extra efforts to insure all cattle are gentle and easy to handle, have
a complete herd health program, collect TPR on every individual and utilize performance, ultrasound and economic data to guide
genetics. A combination of utilizing genotypic and phenotypic strengths is a major focus in our breeding program.
Customer satisfaction is our main goal, so we utilize a variety of industry standard tools to represent the cattle on
what we know about them.
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