Hello Shorthorn Friends,
It sure has been a cool spring. Our furnace was still coming on in the first few days of June. The calves didn’t seem to mind and are thriving out on pasture. Crops are in the ground and growing, we baled our wheat and wrapped it for haylage, the first cutting of hay is up, and breeding season is winding down.
Spring also brought some bad weather to our neighborhood. A tornado took out five big trees, our hay barn, and our power for a few days. Several neighbors lost or had damage to their barns or homes, and many 100-year-old maple trees were lost, changing the landscape that we’ve always known. Most importantly, people and animals were all declared safe. There is a lot of Shorthorn information we are sharing here, so read carefully and let us know if you have questions.
~~Tara Miller, President, MSBA
Membership Drive and Directory Reminder
Reminders and invites were sent out via email earlier in May for our membership drive and breed directory. For those preferring to receive information by mail, you are receiving membership and directory information with this newsletter. We are very excited about putting together the online directory that will be on our website. It will be a great way to showcase your farm, breeding program, or show string. We haven’t had an association directory in about 10 years, and we felt it was time to get one back into circulation. With Shorthorns being such a sought-after breed, we need to be the clearinghouse for those buying and selling. We plan to print a limited number of directories for each member to receive some. They will also be available at various events held throughout the year. Please contact us if you are interested in a directory ad or have any questions. We would like your commitment to advertise by July 1 and your ad copy/completed ad by July 15. Also, PLEASE don’t forget to PAY YOUR MEMBERSHIP! We now have a one-year or three-year membership option. I am very excited for the three-year option, so I don’t have to do it again until early 2028! There is a printable form and a fillable form on our website at michiganshorthorns.com.
State Fair Award Sponsors
If you are interested in sponsoring a Shorthorn award for the junior or open show at the Michigan State Fair, please contact Scott or Julie Fleming by June 30. Scott’s contact information is (989)615-1858 or smfleming12@gmail.com. Julie’s phone number is (989)615-1859. Champion banners are $40. This is a great way to support juniors and breeders representing our breed at the state fair and to advertise your farm. Show days are Friday, 8/29, for the youth show and Saturday, 8/30, for the open show. If you are planning to attend, the beef cattle shows start at 10 a.m. both days (based on the posted schedule). Shorthorns should show in the afternoon. It is a great venue to watch the shows and visit Shorthorn friends. It’s even air-conditioned! We hope to see you there!
Michigan Juniors heading to Grand Island, NE for the 2025 National Junior Shorthorn Show
Nine juniors are making the long trek to the National Junior Shorthorn Show, June 23rd – 28th in Grand Island, Nebraska. We wish them safe travels, a fun week, and success in their contests! The shows will be live-streamed if you want to watch, and you can find the link on the AJSA page on the ASA website or on the ASJA Facebook page. There will be a full MJSA report with results and sponsors in the next newsletter.
MSBA Sponsors MIShows
The 2025 show season marked the 10th year of the MI Shows Points program here in Michigan. This youth program tracks participation in junior shows around the State for youth who choose to participate and then
provides year-end awards in multiple divisions. It is only because of the generous sponsorship of organizations, farms, and individuals around Michigan that the MI Shows Committee is able to reward youth for their achievements in and out of the show ring! Michigan Shorthorn Breeders Association jumped on board in year one of this excellent program and has been a sponsor every year since! Thank you to all of the MSBA members for the continued support of this program!
Shorthorn and Shorthorn Plus divisions continue to be two of the largest divisions of steers and heifers represented in the MI Shows Program! Youth all over Michigan are choosing Shorthorn genetics to show and build their herds! The 2025 MI Shows Points Program year-end award program is scheduled for Saturday, June 28, at 2:00 p.m. at the MSU Pavilion. Feel free to attend the program and congratulate these youth on a great year!
Michigan Beef Expo
It’s never too early to make plans to participate in the Michigan Beef Expo. MSBA will be offering our members an opportunity to consign Shorthorn and Shorthorn-influenced cattle and/or genetic packages at the annual sale. The Beef Expo will be held February 20-22, 2026, at the MSU Pavilion. Plans are being made, and a call for consignments should be announced in early October. Consignment information is typically due approximately December 10. Interested but need more information? Feel free to contact Carla McLachlan at (517)242-2395.
Upcoming Events
· 2025 National Junior Shorthorn Show, June 21- 28, Grand Island, NE
· MSBA annual meeting & Shorthorn picnic, Saturday, August 9, at Narrow Brook Farms, Charlotte, MI. More info to follow.
· 2025 Michigan State Fair, August 28 – September 1, Suburban Collection Showcase, Novi, MI
Fall Sales – they will be here before we know it!
Heart of Michigan Tour, Labor Day Weekend, Lakeside Farms & Decker Farms with other local stops
Great Shorthorn Revival Sale, Little Cedar Cattle Company, Beaverton, MI, September 27
Hale Farms – TBA
Narrow Brook Shorthorns online sales – TBA