Shane Bedwell, COO and Director of Breed Development for the American Hereford Association, catches up with Western agriculture and lifestyle reporter Kirbe Schnoor at the National Western Stock Show in Denver. They talk about the importance of the NWSS as the kick off to stock season and the future of the Hereford breed.
“Our breeders are doing a fantastic job, I think, of creating a Hereford animal, a beef animal, that suits the commercial cattleman,” Bedwell says. “They’ve made so many great advancements in genetic gain and progress. We’ve seen great reduction in birth weights, improvements in weaning weights and yearling weights, but also in product merit. But I think a hallmark of our breed is the docility piece, and the foot and leg piece, that we haven’t lost while creating genetic gain. And so we have a great product that can work in making great females and feeder cattle for the commercial cattleman.”
As for the National Western Stock Show: “It’s the Super Bowl of Livestock Shows, and it’s so important to our breed,” Bedwell says. “It’s where our breeders come to market their best and showcase their best genetics that they’ve put together over the last few years, and you really kind of get an idea of where the breed’s going.”