Improving Genetics: Herring Angus Ranch provides top-tier seedstock to perform at high elevations

In 1937, Kal Herring’s dad and grandfather purchased a ranch north of Encampment. Thirty-five years later, in 1972, Kal bought land next to the original ranch and with the help of his wife Vicki, the family has continued raising cattle in Carbon County ever since. 

Strong seedstock operation

Kal explains Herring Angus Ranch is currently a seedstock operation – growing and selling both Angus and Black Simmental bulls for their annual sale. The Herring family got into raising Angus cattle when Kal was young and his father took an interest in the breed. 

“We continued raising Angus,” says Kal. “Then, about 25 years ago, we started breeding some Simmental lines into the herd and have stuck with it.”

“We run cows, and we are in the bull business. For the most part, we sell seedstock,” Kal continues, noting the operation also sells bred heifers as well. 

“Our sale is the fourth Saturday in April every year,” states Kal. “We have it right here on the ranch in Encampment.”

Focus on low PAP scores 

When it comes to standing out in a crowd of seedstock producers, Kal believes the intense dedication to raising cattle with low pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP) test scores at Herring Angus Ranch is what makes the operation unique. 

“We live at a very high elevation, and we know producers who run cattle at high elevations don’t want to buy a bull that isn’t PAP tested,” explains Kal. 

Although Kal acknowledges many producers are PAP testing in today’s day and age, he points out Herring Angus Ranch has been using the test since it first came out. Additionally, the operation also PAP tests their entire cowherd. 

“We don’t want to have cows in our herd with a high PAP score contributing to our genetics and for us to not know it,” Kal states. “Getting all of our females tested has really helped our whole scheme of things.” 

Accomplishments,
goals and advice

In addition to building a successful seedstock operation, Kal notes his family has found some success in the show barn in the past. 

“We have shown a lot of cattle at the National Western Stock Show over the years and have done quite well with it,” says Kal. “However, we haven’t done it for about 15 years. It takes a lot of work, and we just haven’t had the time.”

Today, Kal says the overarching goal at Herring Angus Ranch is passing the operation down to his children and grandchildren. 

“Our goal is really to keep the place in the family,” he states. 

When it comes to advice for younger generations and to young producers in general, Kal says, “When things get tough, it’s important to keep everything together and to take the good years with the bad. They usually balance out. Producers in the seedstock business need to know cattle well.” 

“There are all kinds of records out there these days, but it’s important to be able to simply recognize a good cow or bull, whether or not they have every record in the world backing them up,” he shares.

For more information on Herring Angus Ranch, visit Herring Angus Ranch on Facebook.

Hannah Bugas is a corresponding writer for the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.