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American Hereford Association News
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Lessons from BIF. “There are no shortcuts in the genetics business,” explained Jim Pullen of Pullen Family Farms during the recent Beef Improvement Federation Research Symposium.
“Creating competitive genetic progress is not a high tech, difficult to understand formula. It is created by disciplined data collection on a large scale, accurate ranking of animals, selecting and retaining the best and culling based on data. There are no secrets in the genetics business,” says Jim Pillen of Pillen Family Farms in Columbus, Nebraska. “What differentiates suppliers is the discipline of implementing the fundamentals. Championship teams master the fundamentals and execute them every play. The same is true in a genetic program and one must believe this and stay focused. It is the fundamentals that create the opportunity for applying technology when it makes sense to do so. Not implementing the fundamentals 100 percent of the time results in second place, at best.”
Pillen shared insights at the recent Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) Research Symposium in Des Moines. His presentation title: Lessons in Genetics from the Pork Industry. Pillen, a veterinarian, began farming with his father in 1983, a 60 sow farm. A decade later, he formed Pillen Family Farms. In 2003 Pillen purchased a swine genetics supplier, currently known as DNA Genetics. It is the second largest genetic supplier in the United States and Canada and the only family owned, producer
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owned pig genetics supplier.
Pillen’s genetics are at the forefront of the industry wide transition toward using Duroc sires. He estimates Duroc lines produce more than 80 percent of all market pigs; more than half of those stem from Pillen genetics. As recently as 2003, Duroc lines represented about 30 percent of pork production in the U.S. and Canada.
“Just remember, the best pig wins, keep it simple, but do what it takes, and keep looking ahead to stay in front,” Pillen says.
Most recently, Pillen Family Farms became a partner in WholeStone Farms pork processing plant in Fremont, Neb., which completes the final piece of vertical integration for the business.
“Producing food for the world is the noblest of professions,” Pillen says. “At a time when so much of what we believe in and do every day appears to be under attack, it is important that we persevere, educate, and continue to produce food in a sustainable manner. Being involved in packing, production, and genetics has been humbling, but also has given us a unique and comprehensive viewpoint to leverage and create value for the industry. At no time in our history of producing food have we produced so much abundance, with so small of input.”
More than 400 beef producers, academia, and industry representatives attended this year’s BIF Research Symposium. Another 250 registered to participate online. Participants from 14 countries participated virtually.
Look for more details about lessons shared at BIF in the August issue of Hereford World.
For more information, visit www.bifconference.com/bif2021/ Proceedings/02-Pillen.pdf.
About the American Hereford Association. The AHA, with headquarters in Kansas City, Mo., is one of the largest U.S. beef breed associations. The notfor-profit organization, along with its subsidiaries — Certified Hereford Beef (CHB) LLC, Hereford Publications Inc. (HPI), and American Beef Records Association (ABRA) — provides programs and services for its members and their customers while promoting the Hereford breed and supporting education, youth, and research. For more information about the Association, visit www.Hereford.org. 4B FARMS, LLC Shelby, NC
Bryson, Wren, Beau, Belle, Bonnie & Bennet Westbrook 980-230-4868 • brysonw@thewestbrookco.com
Check out the North Carolina Hereford Advantage
at www.nchereford.com
McCOY CATTLE FARM Cove City, NC Myron & Charlie McCoy 252-229-4602 mccoycattlefarms@gmail.com
4K RANCH Nelson, VA Rick & Linda Kern 919-272-6124 4kranch@bellsouth.net
AWC CATTLE COMPANY Winston-Salem, NC Andie & Wes Carpenter 336-970-1655 • jcarpenter@alphagraphics.com www.windmillacresfarms.com
MITCHEM’S FARM 3C Vale, NC Wayne, Crystal, Regan & Jordan Mitchem 704-472-4369 mitchemsfarm@bellsouth.net
NORTH PINO LAND & CATTLE COMPANY Mocksville, NC Kevin Robinson 336-940-2547 • kevrob1@aol.com
BLINSON POLLED HEREFORDS Lenoir, NC Keith & Peggy Blinson - 828-310-4526 Bryan & Beth Blinson - 919-422-9108
DOUBLE J FARM Traphill, NC • Earlysville, VA
John Wheeler 910-489-0024 • doublejfarmllc@yahoo.com www.doublejfarmllc.com
TAYLOR’S MILL FARM Zebulon, NC
J. Brent Creech 919-801-7561 tmfherefords@icloud.com
TERRACE FARM Lexington, NC Jim, Linda & Chad Davis 336-247-1554 jgdavis101@yahoo.com
FIVE J’S BEEF & CATTLE COMPANY Clayton, NC
Jody & Angela Standley
Kim Prestwood (Manager) • 828-320-7317 - Kim
jodystandley@gmail.com
TRIPLETT POLLED HEREFORDS Statesville, NC
GRASSY CREEK FARM Bullock, NC
Scott, Pam, Hailee, Lillee & Elizabeth Bissett 919-482-1176 Bissettsp1@gmail.com
W&A HEREFORDS Providence, NC
George, Tammy, William, & Andy Ward 434-251-3637 waherefordfarm@comcast.net
HEREFORD HILLS Greensboro, NC Bill Kirkman III 336-382-9635 ST Genetics Representative
LOOKABILL FAMILY LIVESTOCK Lexington, NC
Reggie, Patty, Tyler & Noah Lookabill 336-240-2142 rlookabill6015@gmail.com
Myron McCoy
NCHA Secretary/Treasurer 252-637-4995 nchereford@yahoo.com www.nchereford.com
