Thornwood Major

[Woody]

Just wondered if there was a picture or any information floating around out there on this old boy.

 

[Gargan]

Copied from shorthornselectsemen.com:
"Thornwood Major is another Graham Land & Livestock bull that was used extensively in the 1970’s. He was a Red & White, polled bull. He combined muscling with scale, as breeders tried to move beyond the “belt buckle” debacle.  Another important aspect was longevity.  His dam, Thornwood Royal Dot, was flushed at 16 years of age.  Cows with this ability are absent is today’s show-obsessed Shorthorns"

 

[Shorthorn-Fed]

[quote author=Gargan Cows with this ability are absent is today’s show-obsessed Shorthorns"
[/quote]

Not that I don’t disagree but they are not truly absent. A few years ago this lady had a successful flush at 16 years old. Pictured at 15 or 16.
Photo credit to Hatfield Shorthorns

Russ

 

[sue]

Just wondered if there was a picture or any information floating around out there on this old boy.

Woody - drive over to Dick and Glenda's and ask them. They purchased Thornwood Major by direction of
Dr Harlan Ritchie of MSU. Used and promoted him for years, sold and showed offspring. However the real story to hear is the dollars that breeders like JAF, Wexvale and HUB's / HHKA spent to paper dual shorthorns in the 70's . You spent more to bring this influence into the breed. I spoke with Mrs Gustason of Wexvale years ago about dual as she admired the extra work Dick did as a board member to help make the changes needed. In fact Wexvale stacked pedigrees too like HUBS.
Several hundred dollars to paper bulls and females with dual influence until the board passed the vote.
HUBs would buy loads of Wexvale polled bulls for the bull customers in the west. HUBs preferred horned cattle but would fill bull  buyers orders requesting polled. One of those Wexvale bulls landed in the ELBEE herd too.
Any way - thornwood major sold as a 8 or 9 year old for several thousand. I cant spoil it- you live in Itahca too- go and visit Dick & Glenda.

 

[oakview]

If you use Major, rest assured the calves will be colorful.  Lazy D in Missouri ended up with him and he did a good job there.  I always thought, of the Graham bulls, the Columbus calves were the most stylish, the Clarks were the growthiest, and the Spiros were the easiest calving.  The Majors were somewhere in the mix, too.  Glad to hear Dick is still around.  A very interesting, and opinionated, character. 

 

[Woody]

Sue, I was just there this weekend breeding Jim and Kerry’s cows for them. We bred 2 heifers and 1 cow to Major. That was my first time in 20 years using ampules, very different process than what I’m used to.
I just wanted to get some different opinions on the old bull out of curiosity.

Thanks.

 

[oakview]

Anyone out there have Major or Columbus semen they want to sell?

 

[Woody]

I know where there is 120 amps of Major. I’m sure some could be purchased