IN THE MAINE RING WITH
The 70s was a decade of taking chances in the beef industry. Like most other breeders, Gilcroft Farms at Demorestville, Ontario started out with a mixed herd of around 100 head of commercial cattle. Calving around 40 cows and feeding their own steers out. Gilcroft Farms used Charolais or Simmental bulls and kept any cow that could raise a decent calf. The opportunity to AI to Maine-Anjou became a game-changer for the farm and it started a lifelong interest in MaineAnjou for the Gilbert family. We caught up with Ron Gilbert, son of Keith
MAINE MAIL | VOL. 11 ISSUE 1
and Theo to learn more about their operation.
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Why fullbloods? What draws Gilcroft Farms to raise them? In 1974, we AI bred a few cows to Maine-Anjou. When
that became the base of our fullblood herd. We still
the calves came, they were big, fast-gaining and
have some of those genetics in our herd today. Now,
docile. About four years later we purchased our first
about half our herd is fullblood and the other half is
fullblood Maine-Anjou bulls. At the time we were using
high percentage red and white purebreds. So to
a program called ROP, where we weighed calves at
answer the question in short, we raise fullbloods for
birth, weaning and yearling. The records soon showed
their docility, frame size and easy fleshing ability along
we were getting much better gains at weaning as well
with their confirmation, structure soundness and
as yearlings. In the late 70s we purchased our first fullblood females
longevity. We have had cows in our herd up to 15years old still raising calves.
