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Quaker Hill Farm Named Virginia BCIA 2006 Outstanding Seedstock Producer of the Year
Livestock Update, April 2006
Dr. Scott Greiner, Ph.D. Extension Animal Scientist, Beef, VA Tech
Virginia BCIA is proud to present the 2006 Virginia Outstanding Seedstock Producer Award to Quaker Hill Farm of Louisa, VA. Quaker Hill Farm is the 4th generation home of the Rosson family which includes Charles S. Rosson, Lee C. Rosson and Charles A. Rosson.
The Quaker Hill herd presently consists of 400 cows which include registered Angus, Hereford, Limousin, and Simmental as well as commercial and composite SimAngus cows. The Rossons manage 60 day fall and spring calving seasons. Embryo transfer and artificial insemination are used extensively to accelerate their genetic program. The farm sells approximately 75 to 100 bulls per year through the BCIA Bull Test, cooperator agreements and on-farm private treaty sales.
The family farm has maintained it's commitment to commercial cattle production. The purebred cattle exist to make the commercial herd more profitable. Selection is based on finding bulls that defy genetic antagonisms by producing profitable cows and superior performance at end-user venues.
Since 1957, the Rossons have been lifetime members of the American Angus Association. In the late 1950's Quaker Hill management sought opportunities in diverse genetic pools by crossbreeding a predominant Hereford herd to Angus bulls. In the 1980's continental breed genetics were introduced to accelerate progeny growth rate of commercial calves and participate in the increased demand in the national market for purebred Limousin cattle. After the Limousin dispersal in the early 1990's, Quaker Hill committed capital to begin a registered Angus program by purchasing cows from Ankony Angus in Minatare, Nebraska. From the beginning, Quaker Hill has been committed to strict performance standards and used extensive artificial insemination to the top bulls in the Angus breed. Through extensive research efforts, Quaker Hill has identified and sampled numerous young sires which have gone on to be foundation sires within the Angus breed. A landmark opportunity came in the late 1990's from the purchase of the historic Charles Wampler and Sons Performance Sunny Slope Herd in its entirety. The Rosson Family has built a very successful, nationally recognized purebred Angus operation from the great foundation entrusted to them through the purchase of this herd. Like the Wampler's success earlier, Quaker Hill has been very competitive in the VA BCIA Culpeper Central Test Station, either having the top indexing or top sale order bull four of the last six years. Two Quaker Hill bulls currently hold the record as the top selling Angus bulls in the history of the Culpeper Test Station. Both went on to be leased by major AI Bull Studs. Currently seven of Quaker Hill's herd sires are leased to major AI organizations. The success enjoyed by Quaker Hill is due to adhering to sound genetic and business principles, along with being committed to producing products that perform as expected.