A tip of the hat

By Ernest White | Submitted to Corner Post

In the beginning there was Elia. With the purchase of a single cow (Elia of South Oaks) and two of her daughters, Forrest Byergo laid the foundation on which his new Angus herd would be built in Barnard, Missouri. Clearly, it was a rock-solid foundation, as Byergo Angus is celebrating its 75th year in business.

With a focus on genetics and pasture-to-plate efficiency, Forrest aimed to produce the kind of beef cattle other cattlemen would want. From his foundational female, Forrest got Elia of Barnard, who produced 20 calves in 20 years before being entered into an embryo transfer program. Now that’s efficiency! One of her sons, Byergos Black Revolution 36 gained national acclaim, as a top AI sire.

Staying true to Forrest’s vision the third generation now manages the Byergo Angus herd that numbers over 700 head of cattle, and more than 80% trace back to the original cow!