Coverdale Angus
The Coverdale family’s first experience with Angus cattle came in 1958 when Bob and his father Marvin began using Angus bulls on their small commercial Hereford and Shorthorn based herds located in Noblesville, Indiana. The use of Angus genetics allowed them to obtain higher prices when marketing finished cattle. In 1962 Bob purchased his first registered females, Boyd Blackbird 269 and Tolan Blackcap BF4 from Boyd Angus of Greenfield, Indiana. Soon to follow were two more females of the same cow families purchased from Hurlocks in Noblesville. These registered cows were kept separate from the commercial herd on other rented pastures. Bob became a lifetime member of the American Angus Association in January of 1965. From there he continued to build the Angus herd through selections from several production sales throughout Indiana and the Indiana Breeder’s Futurity.
Bob rented Conner Prairie Farm in 1970 and started a 50/50 commercial herd with the landowner. Realizing the value of the Angus cow, this herd was started with small groups of females from local breeders and his own registered herd. The commercial herd utilized crossbreeding at first to optimize hybrid vigor and sell club
Pictured Left to Right;
Clint, Ron, Bob, and Garrett Coverdale
calves. However; when it was time to sell feeder calves, the calves from the registered herd were heavier than the crossbreds. Upon realizing this, the Coverdales began using their own registered bulls in the commercial herd and began marketing Angus bulls to local commercial cattlemen. Improvement and expansion of the Coverdale Angus herd continued as Bob’s son Ron went through his 4-H career. Ron added select cow families to the herd and began utilizing artificial insemination.
In 1994 Bob and Ron entered a partnership for both the crop production and cattle operation. The herd’s quality and numbers continued to grow as Ron’s sons Garrett and Clint went through their show careers. They continued to manage both a registered herd and a commercial herd until 2005. At this time the Coverdales were able to purchase the former Stewart Angus farm in Frankton, Indiana and make that facility the new home of Coverdale Angus.
Today Coverdale Angus is owned and operated by three generations, Bob, Ron, Garrett, and Clint. The herd consists of 100 registered Angus cows. Each year the family sells select bred females and show heifer prospects through production sales, while retaining approximately 20 replacement females and marketing a handful of bulls. The remainder of the calves are either sold as feeders or fed and marketed as freezer beef. Artificial insemination is still utilized on the farm, in addition to a growing embryo transfer program. The Coverdales are focused on producing cattle that can not only compete in the show ring, but also have the performance to work on pasture. The only way to accomplish this is with high quality cows making up the base of their herd. Therefore programs such as AHIR and Maternal Plus are applied to help identify those females.
The 4-H and Junior Angus Association programs have always been important to the Coverdale family. All three generations were ten year 4-H members with successful show careers. Ron, Garrett, and Clint all participated in various events through the Indiana Junior Angus Association. Ron served as Indiana Junior Association President and was a showmanship representative at the National Junior Angus Show.
Over the years Coverdale Angus has produced many prize winning animals including numerous champions at many levels. In 2009 the Coverdales exhibited the Grand Champion Bull at the Indiana Junior Angus Preview and Reserve Grand Champion Bull at the Indiana Open Angus Preview, C A Frankton 808. The same year Dylan Young purchased the Champion Angus Steer and eventual Grand Champion Steer of the Hamilton County Fair from the Coverdales. In fall of 2012 the opportunity arose for the Coverdales to purchase a semen interest in DDA Dameron Northern Light and introduce the influence of the Northern Miss cow family to their herd. Northern Light when on to be named the Reserve Grand Champion Bull at the North American and Grand Champion Bull at the National Western Stock Show. His service has been used extensively on the Coverdale cow herd. Also In 2012 Coverdale Angus led the Champion Angus and eventual Reserve Grand Champion Sale Heifer at the Hoosier Beef Congress. 2015 was a milestone year for the Coverdale family as they raised and exhibited C A Upcountry 421, the Grand Champion Bull of both the Indiana Open Angus Preview and the Indiana State Fair. The Coverdales are hopeful and optimistic that their show ring success will continue.
The Coverdale family strives to continue building on a tradition of excellence that goes back four generations in the cattle industry
