February 6, 2019
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more information contact:
Clint Mefford, director of communications
816-383-5143
Kansas Family Honored for Historic Angus Herd
April Valley Farms has been home to Angus cattle for more than 50 years.
Edmund Theis purchased his first Angus heifer near Atchison, Kansas, for a 4-H project. What started as a simple project would be the beginning of April Valley Farms.
When Edmund married his wife, Alice, he had already established a small herd of cattle they decided to relocate to Leavenworth, Kansas. This is where they established their registered Angus herd in 1960.
“I chose the Angus breed for a combination of reasons: one being the desire to start a high-quality beef herd with good fertility and maternal qualities,” Edmund said. “Another factor was as a child, I had more than my fair share of milking dairy cows.”
Edmund purchased his first registered Angus heifer from Andrew Corpestein. Some other early purchases were from the Leske herd in Junction City, Kansas, and Laflin Ranch in Olsburg, Kansas.
As the family grew, so did the herd. As Edmund’s four sons became actively involved with the herd, Artificial Insemination (AI) and Embryo Transfer (ET) were incorporated into their operation. In the beginning, their cattle were marketed through private treaty sales, but for the past 22 years, an annual production sale has been held.
Mark, Larry and Jerry, three of Edmund’s sons, manage April Valley Farms today, but Edmund is still involved with the herd that consists of 180 spring-calving cows and 190 fall calving cows.
The Theis family was recognized by the Kansas Angus Association this year as an honorary member. They also have had many show winning animals on a local, state and national level.
Visit www.angus.org for more information on the Historic Angus Herd Award and to view a list of awarded members since the program began in 1988.
— Written by Amber Wahlgren, Angus Communications
ANGUS MEANS BUSINESS. The American Angus Association® is the nation’s largest beef breed organization, serving more than 25,000 members across the United States and Canada. It provides programs and services to farmers, ranchers and others who rely on the power of Angus to produce quality genetics for the beef industry and quality beef for consumers.
For more information about Angus cattle and the American Angus Association’s programs and services, visit www.angus.org.
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