ROBYN LYDICK

Staff Writer

Joyce and Erik Hansen think they have a special bull calf, and the judges at National Western agree.

The Hansens' 4-month-old Lowline Angus calf, High Plains Drifter, is a per­ centage reserve national champion for the Lowline breed at National Western. He is also part of a percentage grand champion pair with his 3-year-old mother, Miss Rocking Brenton. Percentage means the animals are less than either purebred or full blood. For cattle to be full blood, the animals' lines must trace to a herd bred in New South Wales, Australia beginning in 1929. Trangie Research Station, much like experimental farms and ranches in the cooperative extension service, was a development point for breeding down Scottish, Canadian and United States cattle. Although meat production and not a new breed was the intent of the cattlemen at Trangie, the crossbreeding did create cattle sufficiently different from the Angus. "I'm keeping him for breeding," said Erik Hansen, a Strasburg resident who has 10 Lowlines: eight cows, a bull and one he affectionately calls dinner. Miss Rocking Brenton, a half-breed, is Hansen's foundation cow. He bought her from the first national Lowline sale. in the United States last year at the stock show. This was her last year showing. "I liked the way she looked," he said. "I had her (bred) back to the Australian National Grand Champion bull. "Lowlines are ideal cattle for the dry Eastern Plains, Hansen said. "They are a highly efficient animal," he said. "They make phenomenal amounts of high-quality beef." Hansen describes the meat as smaller but thicker cuts with better marbling / than standard Angus. "Marbling is the flavor," he said. "Af­ ter hanging 25 days, this meat is fork- tender. "Markets in New York are paying $25 a pound for premium cuts. "The steaks aren't scrawny; they are much more appealing," he said, "and for the geriatric market, the cuts are ideal. A diner won't have to take home a doggie bag and eat on it for three days. There is far less waste. "Purebred Lowlines convert fodder to flesh at a 2:1 ratio. Percentages still have lower conversion ratios closer to 1:5. "What that means is the animal makes as much meat on half the feed," Hansen explained. Along with less forage and grain, the animals need less water. "This is the ideal cow for open range," Hansen said. "And we are feeling in­ creased pressure for using open range. "Hansen first saw Lowlines at an ex­ hibition at National Western in 1999. "I thought they were cute," he said. "They are great small acreage cattle. You can keep three or four on 40 acres. They are super efficient and they aren't gluttons. "Although he said Lowlines are smaller and lighter he admits the half-Lowline, Miss Rocking Brenton, is "the fattest cow I've got. "Typically, the bulls are shorter-legged with deeper bodies. The breed is natu­ rally polled, so dehorning is not an is­ sue. Docility is bred into the animals. SHOW DAY Erik Hansen has come a long way from his first 4-H show in 1968. He was 14 and living in Chino Valley, near Prescott, Ariz., and he was hooked. High Plains Drifter was trained eas­ ily, Hansen said. "Mostly the training was getting her (Miss Rocking Brenton) to remember her training, and she taught the calf. After the fifth time through, he had it down pat. "Preparing cattle for a show as strin­ gent as National Western takes months. The Hansens were washing the pair and trimming hooves for two months prior to the show. Show day began at 3:30 a.m., Jan. 21. "I did all the chores around here, then drove into town to feed and water them," he said. "We started bathing and fine tuning them. "The Hansens hired Ed Roth, a Byers resident for fitting the animals. To non- cattlepeople, that is a haircut. "Then you stand around with a shovel in your hand and move whatever hits the floor," Hansen said Armed with a pitchfork, shovel, spray bottle of water, and a roll of paper tow­ els to keep the Lowline pair's hooves clean, Erik, Joyce and handler Desiree Foote began the waiting game. At 4 p.m., more than 12 hours after the humans woke up, High Plains Drifter was called to the ring. Drifter was led in a circle, showed his stance, and was poked, prodded and in­ spected by the judge. Drifter placed sec­ ond in his age group and went on to be­ come reserve champion, losing out to a mature bull. Hansen will keep Drifter for breeding through Rocky Mountain Sire Services in Bennett. The cow-calf pair showed the same afternoon.