Back in the early 1980's, our neighbors (Charlie & Joe Baird) began raising low input Tarentaise and Tarentaise Composite Cattle on forage alone, without supplemental grain or creep feed. Charlie & Joe developed many of their philosophies by closely following the Hatfield's High Desert Ranch / Oregon Country Beef "Fault Free" Composite program. After watching the Baird's Cattle for a few years, our family decided to start raising Tarentaise cattle. Most of our original Tarentaise genetics came from the Baird's Tarentaise herd and like the Baird's, we strive to raise our Tarentaise cattle in a virtually un-pampered, commercial setting. Our powerful, easy fleshing genetics caught the attention of Kit Pharo, who purchased a Tarentaise bull, Bluegrass Energizer, from our herd back in the mid 1990's. According to all the promotional material that we have seen, Bluegrass Energizer appears to have performed very well for Pharo Cattle Company. Bluegrass Energizer sired the highest gaining forage tested bull (Over 3 lbs. per day!!) in one of the Pharo Forage tests, according to a Pharo Sale Catalog. If you want low input cattle that are PROVEN to work in the toughest environments, including Kentucky high endophyte fescue pastures, then you need to try our composite genetics. Our cattle have been bred to excel in a commercial environment, on pasture & roughage, for 20+ years.
 J&K Paprika was one of the first Lowline X Tarentaise composite heifers that we bred and raised here at J & K Livestock. She was sired by a fullblood Lowline bull and she was born unassisted out of a first calf, Tarentaise heifer. Her actual birth weight was 52 lbs. and her dam actually calved 30 days earlier the following year!! J&K Paprika was only a few weeks old when this picture was taken and she is typical of the quality Lowline X Tarentaise composite cattle that we are striving to raise. J&K Paprika is currently raising a March 2008 bull calf. Her calf is an extremely fancy, 3/4 blood Lowline X 1/4 Tarentaise, who is already displaying showring potential at a very young age. |
 J&K SOUTHERN DELIGHT - Tarentaise X Angus females have been a long time favorite of low input, commercial beef producers, all over the United States. Tarentaise females (like the Tarentaise cow/calf pair pictured at the top of the page) are moderate framed, have picture perfect udders and produce rich milk that is high in butterfat content. Tarentaise also produce high quality carcasses. When you cross Tarentaise genetics with Lowline Angus Cattle, you end up with an animal that will excel in any commercial environment. These Lowline X Tarentaise heifers make great momma cows and they will raise extremely nice calves. Lowline X Tarentaise steers are making fans in the grass-finshed beef industry too, just ask Ron Skaggs in Illinois! J&K Southern Delight is currently owned by Brett Miller of Seneca, South Carolina. Thank you, Brett!! |
 |
Lowline bulls, and their Lowline sired offspring, performed very well during a 3 year study conducted by North Dakota State University - Dickinson Research Extension Center. The study concluded that not only do Lowline bulls offer superior "calving ease", Lowline sired calves perform very well in the feedlot & Lowline sired calves will also make money on the rail!
Please check back soon as we will be adding more information about our Lowline Composite Cattle!