Lenth Herefords

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Postville, IA
Lenth Herefords

Lenth Herefords is a family operation raising registered Herefords to provide quality cattle for pur A combination of A.I.

Lenth Herefords originally started in the late 1960’s by Elden & Bea Lenth, and son Doug. They built a seedstock business selling breeding bulls and females in Iowa, surrounding states, and across the country. Today, Lenth Herefords is operated by Doug and wife Marilyn, along with partners Duane & Mindy Rose, Tanner & Alissa, who operate '4R Herefords'. Jointly, the operation is made up of a regis

tered herd of approx. 85 winter/spring calvers and 30 fall calving cows. and natural service breeding is used, to produce a line of cattle that are efficient, economical, and can meet the needs of an ever-changing industry. Breeding stock are sold to a combination of commercial cattlemen, purebred Hereford operations, as well as to youth for 4-H, FFA, or Junior Show projects. Cattle are sold via Private Treaty sales year-round, and early reservations are taken where the cattle can be locked in, but continue to be fed and developed by the Lenth’s until the new owner is ready to take delivery. The Lenths were named the 2018 Iowa Seedstock Producer of the Year by the Iowa Beef Breeds Council. Visitors and callers are ALWAYS welcomed!

05/15/2026

This past week the rest of the cow-calf pairs were turned out into pastures, as well as more of the open heifers being bred for earlier calving next year. Some of the grass looks great - some really needs a drink of water and consistent warmth to keep ahead of the cows. For some of the snapshots I took this week, I took a different approach, trying to portray the "calf's perspective and angle" - what they see at their level. Everything does take on a different viewpoint from six feet in the air, versus just a couple feet off the ground. I had a little fun with those shots. Also - a couple of shots from a Mother's day weekend 'get-away' delivering bulls in Minnesota, and stopping at my son & daughter-in-law's house, spending a day with them and the grand-daughters.

05/04/2026

"Pasture turnout" is the cow/calf version of "Christmas"! This week we were able to send the first groups of pairs, fall cows, and spring bred heifers out into pastures. While the grass is looking great in some places, these really chilly evenings lately are holding up the early growth enough that we don't want to over-populate each pasture too early where they catch up to the growth. So, a phased-in approach works out best to let the grass get a good head-start, AND coordinate the turnouts with sorting, hauling (in some cases), bull turnouts, and all of the timing involved. The ones that DID get turned out this week are LOVING it! The cows are loving this new grass and looking for anything they can find to rub off those winter haircoats; and the calves are exploring these new wide open spaces and the new things like creeks, waterways, and electric fences.

04/27/2026

The grass is getting longer and greener, and hopefully we will be starting to turn out onto pastures in the next week or two. In spite of some equipment breakdowns, Doug did get our oats seeded this week, along with seeding down another small field for additional pasture grazing later this summer and moving forward. I've continued to work on getting fences ready for the cattle after the winter weather. I was asked last week "what needs to be done" to get fences ready again in the spring? Around here, it means fixing broken and tangled wires, re-setting broken or bent posts, moving downed trees and branches on fences, repairing washed out culverts and creek crossings, and making sure all electric fencers are working with nothing shorting them out. Also, nature has a way of eroding the creek beds over the winter and spring rains in ways that mean diverting fences and creek crossings due to washouts and banks giving way. Just all a 'part of the job', but necessary to have secure fences before turning the cattle out. Creeks can be great natural water source for cattle, but they can also be a 'pain' when it comes to fencing. It's amazing how I can be working in pastures the past few days, and the "girls" are bellering at me, wondering when I'm going to let them out - they know what's coming!

04/21/2026

One more group of calves really coming along... Yesterday, I stopped in to see our largest partner's cows & calves, the Rose's at 4R Herefords. The calves are really looking great and were enjoying a sunny, dry day. Momma's are probably as anxious to get out on our green pastures as we are to GET them out there, and hopefully we're only a couple weeks away from that. (IF I can get all the fences checked and ready for turnout!) In the mean-time, several of their cows have already been A.I.'d and two herd bulls, Shane and Lakota, are already hanging out with them. Keep the cycle going!

04/16/2026

Our latest delivery run this past Saturday took us to SE Iowa and into Illinois while delivering five more bulls. On our return home, we stopped by our newest partners, Steve & Elle Besler, just north of Monticello, Iowa. Some of you may remember that last fall we delivered 14 bred cows to them, that were selected from the heart of our herd, for them to start their 'Besler Herefords' herd. These 14 girls did a great job calving, and with Steve & Elle's oversight, they are raising 3 heifer calves and 11 bull calves. We are really impressed with the great care and management that they are providing - the cows, the calves, and their facilities all look great!! There's no doubt that they are also just as calm and quiet as you can hope for - attesting to the personal 'touch' they receive. This fall at weaning time, the heifers will be staying with the Besler's to become additions to their growing herd. The bull calves will be coming back to our home farm to continue to grow and be developed, and to be marketed with the rest of our 'Lenth Hereford' bulls.

04/11/2026

Here at home, between delivery runs, we had our first set of twins for this calving season yesterday. We typically have a few sets each year (had 4 sets last fall and expecting 4 sets of twins this fall), but this is our first set this spring. Ms Turquoise is just a first time momma, but she's doing great with them. We knew she was carrying twins, so have been on the watch for them and ready to help, if needed. The rest of the spring calves are enjoying the occasional sunny days, in between rains, and we are all looking forward to the greener pastures that these April showers will hopefully bring!

04/08/2026

This past weekend we started making delivery runs, with the first one headed southbound into Missouri. Our destination was our in-laws at Reynolds Herefords near Moberly, where we delivered four fall bred heifers, met another customer from south of St. Louis who picked up his new bull, and another new customer/friend from Arkansas met us to pick up his two new bulls. Doug teases me about packing "everything but the kitchen sink" when we travel, but he does the same when it comes to tools, jacks, spares of 'everything', etc. etc. Good thing too, since when we blew a tire on the trailer, we had what was needed to get it changed and back on the road in just 18 minutes! (He's speedy!) We even got to spend Saturday with Doug's sister Barb & husband Matt, visiting the Budweiser Clydesdale's breeding farm just an hour south of them. What a treat to have an enjoyable day actually relaxing, and spending quality family time! Hope everyone had an enjoyable 'Easter weekend' and was able to reflect on the reason for the holiday.

03/21/2026

The first day of spring was beautiful! Most of the snow has melted, there is mud all around, but it's that time of the year. Warmth, sunshine and calm winds created a nice day for the baby calves and their moms to enjoy. We weaned our fall calves this week, so they are not happy, but they are transitioning to their next chapter with the changing season.

03/08/2026

Semen testing day brings about as much anticipation as our preg checking days here at Lenth Herefords. As the bulls go through their breeding soundness exams, it's the 'moment of truth' showing whether they are mature enough, healthy and ready to fulfill their purposes as breeding bulls. Today was the day to check all of our bulls currently in inventory - not only those bulls already reserved, but those still available for sale and our herd bulls. Of the 50 tested today, all but one passed! The only one that didn't is only 10 months old right now, and is progressing well, but not mature enough to produce what was needed for a passing 'grade'. Thankfully, he was also one of only six bulls NOT already reserved! Thanks to everyone who pitched in and helped make today run smoothly so that we could get through them all! Thanks to Stacy Adam for a delicious, warm lunch; and to Clark Adam, Tanner Rose, Mindy Rose and Duane Rose for keeping everything staged and moving!

02/10/2026

Calving season has arrived, and here come the babies! Our partners, the Rose's, started calving right at the first of the year, and they have around 25 on the ground already. Our newest partners, the Besler's (who we delivered the 14 cows to back in October), have the majority of their cows calved out already. Both of them were having calves born during the bitter cold back in January, but they were prepared and kept everything going. We just had our first calf here this past weekend, after pushing the beginning of our calving season back a few weeks this year. The moms are doing an awesome job - the January babies are growing - and we're looking forward to welcoming LOTS more calves in the coming weeks.

Address

13690 130th Street
Postville, IA
52162

Telephone

(319) 269-3146

Website

http://www.LenthHerefords.com/

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