7 minute read
STAYING THE COURSE
by B. Lynn Gordon
photos courtesy Jindra Angus
Preserving a rich genetic line and producing sire leaders at Jindra Angus.
Twenty-five years ago, Roger Jindra made a decision that would embark his family into the Angus business to a depth no one would have imagined. Roger grew up on the farm with his parents, Edwin and Jean Jindra, near Clarkson, NE, feeding cattle and raising hogs. On August 7, 1971, Roger and Gayedene Jindra were married and began farming and feeding cattle on their own nearby in northeastern Nebraska and started expanding to support their family. Roger and Edwin were very selective about the cattle they fed and would travel often to northwestern South Dakota to find cattle with the right attributes to earn the most profit.
In the 80s, it was the black nosed Charolais cross calves that generally dominated in the feedlot. Although few and far between, there were a few times in their travels where Edwin and Roger stumbled upon some black-hided calves that were different. They had the attributes of a superior feeder calf without any crossbreeding. The Angus genetics in those type of cattle traced back to an established Angus breeder in northwestern South Dakota.
In the 90s, Roger’s son, Nick, was very interested in the cattle and enjoyed helping outside and traveling along to sales. At age 8, he was eager to start 4-H and after a few years, Roger decided commercial cows were not going to lead him in the right direction. They made a trip to South Dakota to further investigate the genetics the Jindras believed might have more potential to excel in all segments of the beef business. Those genetics traced back to Hoff Scotch Cap Angus, Bison, SD, owned by Doug and Molly Hoff. In 1994, Roger helped Nick purchase two heifers from Hoff Scotch Cap Angus. This became the root of his 4-H and FFA projects and what is now Jindra Angus.
PAST AND PRESENT
As the development of their Angus herd unfolded, the Hoff Scotch Cap breeding program was further infused through A.I and embryo transfer. Then, in 2006, the opportunity to further preserve and enhance the Scotch Cap influence arose. Hoff Scotch Cap Angus announced they were dispersing. Roger and Nick took advantage of this opportunity to purchase genetics from every prominent cow family offered in the dispersion sale. “Our plan was to continue to improve on these genetics while still maintaining the strong Scotch Cap bloodlines in our herd,” says Nick Jindra.
This acquisition made Jindra Angus unique. “Unlike many programs, our genetics are very concentrated. Outcrossing is the easiest way to get heterosis but then what’s next? When you do it, you have to accept the fact that the extra performance you gained will be harder to accomplish in the next generation.”
Jindras mission is to keep the attributes of the Scotch Cap herd intact. With this unified genetic foundation, he could build on the most desirable attributes of the cattle and allow his customers to be the ones to capitalize on the recovery of heterosis. “We want purity and solid genetics that are elite but also are able to go on and let customers get the easy addition of an extra pop in their calf crop.”
Nick and Lydia Jindra with daughter, Carrie, are prepared for an exciting future breeding Angus cattle.
Jindra Angus was off to a great start and continued to build the cow herd adding in quality genetics from many other successful and proven Angus programs across the country, to complement the Scotch Cap base. Jindra explains that keeping a gene pool that is fortified properly, works, but is more complex than most realize.
Jindra Contender, July 2015 son of Conneally Guinness.
Today, Nick and his wife, Lydia, work side-by-side in the management along with their young daughter, Carrie, to continue reach their goal. “Our goal is to produce functional, high-performance cattle that have the potential to increase profit in every sector of the beef industry,” says Jindra.
INDUSTRY INFLUENCE
Building from and focusing on the Scotch Cap base has allowed Jindra Angus to develop a cow herd and produce offspring that continue to create excitement and a following. In 2012, they purchased Connealy Guinness, a Connealy Freightliner grandson, who was a successful outcross. “Guinness offers an ideal phenotype that strongly expressed many key attributes important to this industry and that we value,” Jindra says.
The quality of young herd sires raised at Jindra Angus has not gone unnoticed by the leading bull sire companies. Jindra Double Vision, the top-selling and lead-off bull in their annual bull sale was selected by Genex as a feature sire. In Double Vision’s first calf crop, a powerful son, Jindra 3rd Dimension, was born and purchased by Semex USA to serve in their Angus sire line-up.
The recognition across the industry did not stop there. In 2015, top Jindra 3rd Dimension progeny were creating a buzz and an elite son, Jindra Acclaim, was purchased out of their annual bull sale by Macholan Angus, Linwood, NE, and Accelerated Genetics. Acclaim, as his name states, is gaining acclaim and doing so rightly. The American Angus Association recently reported Acclaim was sire of the third highest number of total registrations in 2019.
Jindra Blackbird Lassy 1111, dam of breed-leading sire, Jindra Aclaim, who traces back to Scotch Cap Angus genetics.
Each of these industry-leading sires was a member of Jindra Angus’s pen of bulls at the National Western Stock Show in their respective years. The ranch exhibits annually in Denver to allow ranchers and breeders from across the country to view a sampling of their genetics a month prior to their bull sale.
“It was a big accomplishment for us to have our genetics recognized at this level and to continue these genetics on from the original Scotch Cap breeding and follow the positive impact they are having on the breed.”
Jindra Angus tests their genetics not only from a breeding perspective but also by feeding many sire groups out in the feedlot, operated by Roger, which allows them to follow their genetics from conception to consumption.
FAMILY AND FRIENDS
Nick and Lydia are grateful for the success their cattle have had for their customers and the breed but acknowledge their personal commitment and dedication was instilled in them by their parents. “My father, Roger, and late mother, Gayedene, and my late grandparents, Edwin and Jean Jindra, are the reason we are here and have had the opportunities to formulate and enjoy success. We are so grateful for this life and opportunity. Our goal is to stay the course and endure the challenges.”
Jindra recalls the continued support and guidance he received from his dad and grandpa and starting the process in a time when a focused seedstock-based operation was not prevalent in northeast Nebraska. The entire Jindra family is there to help and support Lydia and Nick when needed especially during the busy and challenging times like sale days, calving, and during poor weather conditions.
In addition to family, the Jindras highly value the great people and network of friends they have developed across this vast cattle industry. “It’s really an amazing group of people we work with in this big agricultural world. Mother nature has a way of beating us down so hard all the time, and yet shine down graciously upon us in so many ways as well.”
It takes a family. Nick and Lydia’s extended family are always there to help when needed, and their help and support is much appreciated.
With an allegiance to the breed and a reputable gene pool, Jindra believes, “the commitment to these genetics is consistent over time and far more intricate than following fads or using popular sires.” Jindra Angus intends to stay the course and continue to produce the same battery of high-performance cattle.
learn more jindraangus.com
Angus breeders will have the opportunity to purchase genetics from Jindra Angus at their 20th Annual Production Sale, February 12, 2020, at the Bull Center near Clarkson, NE. They will offer over 175 bulls and 40 registered heifers.
