This October, our never ending 364 days a year search for outcross polled genetics brought us to the Magnolia Classic sale, Starkville, Mississippi. Traveling in and out of  3 airports, a four hour drive in a rented car, certainly had me wondering, just why am I doing this?

We arrivied at the Magnolia sales facility, where Betty and I were certainly made welcome by hosts Dr. and Mrs Davis and several of the consigners. Just seeing the impressive set of cattle on display -“WOW”. It sure did not take long for me to forget the day and a half travelling it took to getting there.

It all started with a phone call from Maurice Webb, a long time breeder of Fleckvieh genetics down south in Arkansas. I had met Maurice several years ago while attending a Dollar Diamond Fleckvieh sale. Several times a year Maurice and I, “simply put” talk Fleckvieh genetics.

Maurice had been talking to me about Willow Oaks Alda, a polled heifer he was consigning to the Magnolia Classic sale. The top side of her pedigree had outcross genetics for us, by time proven greats, Hafke, GPCC Heather, and Hackenberg and her polled genetics going back to South Africa. My first response was “send me a hair sample”. I needed a genomic profile on Alda to give us an additional selection tool to see if she had what it takes to make a difference here at Dora Lee.

Her genomic profile really got this old cowboy excited. Her RFI score (feed efficiency) was, shall I say, over the top. On scale of 1 to 10 with 1 being the very best and 10 not very good, Alda scored a 1 placing her among the very elite for feed efficiency for beef cattle here in North America.

The next order of business was to find a way to get to the Magnolia Classic sale and see for ourselves if she fit into our selection criteria to come to Dora Lee. The next step was to attempt to out bid a sale ring packed with Fleckvieh Breeders from south of the border. We were successful and she arrived here at her new home on Dec 4.

I am excited about the potential this young lady has to offer. However, Alda like any other additions here, will need to prove to us over and over again she has what it takes to once again raise the bar here at Dora Lee.

“Fullblood Fleckvieh Genetics at their Finest”