• Our bulls…

    …have become an increasingly important part of our operation…not only joining herds from Canada to Louisiana but as leased sires to smaller farms that can’t justify a full-time bull. Right now we have eight bulls at work for Thistle Hill…and a dozen more in the development stage.  Our bull pen is still headed by Highwayman, sired by the English bull Millennium Falcon.  The dam was from the Goldings herd of the legendary cattleman Ivan Rowe.  Ivan gave us the pick of his herd and smiled a rare smile when we selected Norah.  It was the only pedigree that he had carried in his pocket.  Ivan judged many breeds in his…

  • Back in the bull pen…

    …and oblivious to his achievements in the pasture…is TDA35.  This young bull has sired this year’s heifer candidates. The son of Goldings Norah by Ashott Barton Falcon..TDA 35 has an outstanding background on paper. This is his first real test. David

  • Waiting for the jury…

    …well actually TDA35 is waiting for his first Thistle Hill calves…due in a few months.  We’ve loaned him out to neighbors in the past who had just a few cows. 35 is the result of a mating between two great traditional Devon herds…Goldings in Cornwall and Ashott Barton in Sometset.  Church was pleased with the results our neighbors got.  If we like his Thistle Hill calves we’ll consider whether to promote him to cover the main herd later this year. What looks good on paper doesn’t always turn out in the real world. David