Welcome to Shorthorn Select Embryos

The recent narrow genetic base of Heritage “Native” Shorthorns has been a huge problem because it has severely limited their genetic improvement. The creation of Shorthorn Select Semen in 2017 “moved the needle” and is providing new opportunities for both Heritage and Modern Shorthorn breeders. With the establishment of an IVF embryo division (Shorthorn Select Embryos), and merging it with Shorthorn Select Semen under Shorthorn Select Genetics, accessibility to a wider selection of Heritage Shorthorn genetics is being expanded. Now even the smallest Shorthorn herd will have an opportunity to acquire the best that Heritage Shorthorns have to offer.

With our access to many of the best Shorthorn bulls to ever exist in the breed, and utilizing the unique cow herd of Whispering Hills Farm, Shorthorn Select Embryos was able to produce a wide variety of rare Heritage Shorthorn embryos that were sold across the USA. After three years we have concluded our IVF embryo production for various reasons and will not be offering additional embryos for sale at this time. When the technology improves for the production of hormone free IVF embryos we will again consider producing embryos.

Genomics, and in many cases single trait EPD selection, has become all the rage in the cattle business. Thanks to the aforementioned trend, “Cookie Cutter” cattle are just around the corner as we have seen in the swine, chicken, turkey, and to a great extent the dairy industry. We believe the preservation and improvement of Heritage “Native” Shorthorns can play an important role in maintaining genetic diversity in the Shorthorn breed while providing alternatives for those Shorthorn breeders who are not caught up in the promotion of the latest “hot” show lines in the Shorthorn breed. Many Seedstock producers, by necessity, need to constantly promote their latest show winners in hopes that new breeders will buy into the hype. Rightly or wrongly this approach to the breeding of Shorthorns is short-sighted and a detriment to the serious breeding of Shorthorns.

We have spent the last 10 years assimilating information, improving our cow herd, and inventorying select Shorthorn bull semen all with the goal of changing the paradigm which the current Shorthorn herd model is based on, namely, not following the constantly promoted Show Shorthorn or Show Steer herd. Consistent long term improvements should be the goal in Shorthorn herds, rather than only embracing short term “payoffs” that can quickly lead to disaster as exemplified by the “belt buckle era” (extremely small & short-legged cattle) in the 1950’s, and then the 1980’s & 90’s “tall trend” (tall, leggy cattle). We have endeavored to provide both unique and useful Heritage “Native” Shorthorns which avoid either extreme, and which will improve any herd.

Our cow herd is the “secret sauce” in the production of Shorthorn Select Embryos. They live in a grass fed real world environment and have been selected to produce offspring that will work in a variety of Shorthorn breeding programs. Because we strive to have Shorthorn genetics that will work for everyone we place an enormous emphasis on temperament. Every cow that we use as a donor has a temperament that will fit with all management systems including the smaller producer/family who is unlikely to have the facilities to deal with “bad attitude cows”.