Quick Mill Farms
Bill Vandermolen and Family

My life with the Hereford breed began when I was a child, in the early 1960's. My father had 80 acres near Myrtle Creek, Oregon, milked a few diary cows for the milk and cream, and had a small herd of commercial beef cows. About a half mile down the road a neighbor had a nice herd of 30-40 registered Polled Herefords. Our commercial cattle were pretty fair milkers, raised good calves but in comparison, these Herefords were magnificent. They were big, dark, long-bodied, thick-topped, heavy muscled females that every spring brought forth a batch of frisky little white-faced calves. Watching those calves on my way to and from school was the best part of my day.

When I was in the eighth grade, my father sold the old farm and bought a 90-acre dairy in Tillamook, Oregon. Even though the focus of the farm was dairy my interest continued to be beef and the Hereford breed. I bought the Holstein bull caves, steered and fed them out and used the profits to buy my first registered Polled Hereford heifer. More followed, but my developing herd was short-lived.

My first registered Polled Hereford heifer. (1970)

While I was in the service my father decided to retire. The ranch was sold as were my cattle, which helped pay for my college. It was sad but the story doesn't end there.

Twelve years later I had a good job, was married and so my wife and I began looking for a ranch of our own. My wife's name, Schnell, means "quick" or "hurry" in German. My name, Vandermolen, means "from the mill." In 1989 this combination created the farm Quick Mill Farms (QMF).

We started with a few commercial cattle but soon returned to the Hereford breed with the goal of having a registered herd; however, we were shocked to see what had happened to the breed. The cattle were in many cases thinner, more angular, and had more frame than many of my father's old dairy cattle. What had happened to the broad, thick-topped, heavy muscled cattle, for which the Hereford breed had been famous? We almost turned to another breed but chose to build a Hereford herd strong in traits important to the commercial producer as well as to the breed itself.

Hereford cattle have always been known for their great mothering ability, docile nature, metabolic efficiency (feed efficiency and easy fleshing) and high marbling. The ability to raise a high quality beefy calf with premium carcass traits was why we stayed with the Hereford breed. This is what we were looking for in the first cattle we bought for the herd, which was difficult since the breed had changed so much. It took some serious searching to find what we wanted and two-years later we had a herd of about 25 head of mostly polled, good milking, super uddered Hereford cows.

From this foundation we have built by measuring performance, annually culling the bottom 25% each year, replacing the culls with QMF heifers (and an occasional premium outside heifer or cow), and breeding through artificial insemination (AI). This technique steadily improved the quality of the QMF herd.

Choosing the correct AI bulls was confusing and difficult at first since not every bull has a full set of information available for evaluation; therefore, we have searched out and been guided by like-minded performance breeders whose advice and bloodlines have influenced and improved the QMF breeding program. QMF's most consistent results have come from using proven older bulls that have high accuracy data to back up their performance.

In 1994 QMF took two significant steps to improve the performance and quality of the herd. First, we started using ultrasound to evaluate the carcass traits of the entire herd. Initially, the entire herd was ultra sounded (two consecutive years); currently, QMF ultra sounds the yearlings each spring. The ultra sound data is more than a marketing tool, this information is part of the performance used to determine herd culling as well as for preparing breeding plans for next years calves.

Second, QMF began an aggressive embryo transplant program. The first embryos used were purchased from high quality donors in other programs. The last 4 years QMF has flushed the best 1 to 3 cows of its own herd each year. This has produced some of QMF's best replacement heifers.

With the milk and fertility already in our herd, two bloodlines have worked well to combine performance and carcass traits. The first is MSU Optimum Z03 and the second is the Prospector bloodline.

QMF first started using Z03 AI in 1994. His progeny performed remarkably well, usually at or near the top of the calf crop. We were so impressed that QMF has used Z03, or some of his progeny, every year since and have several of his daughters in the herd. In 1998 Doug Gerber offered to sell possession of Z03 and we happily accepted bringing MSU Optimum Z03 to Quick Mill Farms as its' main breeding bull. Z03 was initially famous as a 2-time National Grand Champion. Later, it was the performance and show ring success of his progeny that continued his fame. Today, in addition to still seeing his progeny perform well nationally, his carcass traits are adding new interest to his bloodline. Large rib eye, low back fat, and low rump fat all combined with better than average marbling and superior performance makes him one of the bulls with the highest retail yield product in the breed. Bulls like Z03 come along once in a lifetime and QMF is very proud to have him as a cornerstone in our program.

MSU Optimum Z03

Additionally, QMF's breeding program was improved when Blue Jacket Herefords dispersed their Prospector herd in 1998. John Gage was a thorough, careful breeder, so QMF was fortunate to acquire six of his best cows when he retired. These easy fleshing, easy doing, fertile Prospector cows are matching extremely well with Z03 and his progeny.

Today, QMF has a performance herd of quality females strong in milk, fertility, and with exceptional udders. Upon this foundation we will continue to build relying on frequent performance and ultrasound testing for culling and developing a sound-breeding plan. QMF uses embryo transplant to make the most of our very best cows. We still use artificial insemination from the occasional bull around the country but only if there is sound data to back up performance and ultrasound claims. Combining this with using the best of our young bulls each year we are seeing steady improvement in the cowherd as well each successive calf crop.

QMF always wanted beef cattle to be beef cattle. QMF strives for herd bulls that show muscular phenotype with good carcass traits and have the genetics to pass it on to their progeny. Our cows, the mothers of herd bulls, need to carry a beefy carcass, yet have good udders that milk to raise big calves under tough forage conditions. Feed efficiency, good mothering, docile nature, premium carcass traits, and number one consumer choice is the legacy of the Hereford breed. As we look at Herefords today we believe QMF Herefords live up to this legacy.

A wise friend of ours once said that seeing beautiful Herefords grazing out on a green pasture under a clear blue sky was one of the most beautiful sights he had ever seen. We agree. Welcome to Quick Mill Farms.

PS. I owe a note of special thanks to Gary Witherspoon for all his advice and friendship. We met when I bought my first Optimum semen in 1993. I was impressed with his knowledge of the breed, the quality of his cattle, and what Z03 was producing. I have visited his ranch many times, saw many of his cattle before they became champions, and was particularly amazed at the weaning performance of bulls like Decathlete, Fortress, and Elixir on nothing more than pasture and their mother's milk. His Z03 daughters, like 9301, 9401, and 9525 have been tremendous performers and Gary knew I appreciated these cattle. When Z03 became available he helped to arrange the purchase. Optimum is now producing a new crop of premium foundation females and my herd is stronger for it. Our goal has always been to produce superior beef cattle for the commercial cattleman that can also stand up to the competition in any show ring. Gary's breeding goals are similar to ours and using his bloodlines have helped us to reach this goal.

Thanks again, Bill & Quick Mill Farms.