For more than 30 years, the mission of Kester Herefords, of Clearwater, has been to produce a quality herd

According to Cody Kester, the family's foray into the Hereford industry began when his dad, Bill, rented farm ground and had an opportunity to purchase a few cows.

"Granddad always had Hereford cattle when dad was growing up," Kester said. "He was looking for something with an easy temperment, especially with five kids running around, so jumping back into Herefords was the right fit."

Growing up, the Kester kids would assist with the growing herd, learning about responsibility and other lifelong lessons.

Even on game day.

"Right after school, before basketball games, there were always 15 to 20 minutes of chores to complete. Looking back on it, it was a good deal, keeping your kids on the straight and narrow," Kester added, with a laugh.

Now, Cody and his fiance, Katie Weinrich, and his brother, Tyler and his wife, Lindsey, oversee the day-to-day operations.

Preparations have been underway since the beginning of the year for Kester Herefords' annual sale, where 50 bulls, 40 heifers and 20 F1 baldy heifers will be auctioned, on March 7, at Atkinson Livestock Market.

Kester Herefords tries to attend a major show each year. In the past, they have attended the stock show in Denver. For the past two years, they have exhibited cattle in Oklahoma City.

"Right after we get back from Oklahoma City, it's go time," Kester said.

Before the cattle head to market, there's a lot of behind-the-scenes work to be done.

Kester said the bulls go through the shoot at least five to eight times, "Whether it's semen tests, ultrasounding, clipping and torch or tagging."

"If they're handled right - Herefords are docile cattle - they'll flow through. If you're a good steward of cattle, they're easy to handle," he said.

Once bulls and heifers are selected for the auction, each needs to be photographed and videotaped, the sale catalog assembled and semen checked.

"There's not a free weekend from the time Christmas rolls around until after the bull sale," Kester said.

Each year, the Kester brothers select which animals they will retain as purebred breeding stock.

"Everything we retain, post culling, we will offer on our sale. Any heifer, that we haven't culled and sold as a commercial feeder calf or heifer, will be sold on our sale."

Cody attended a week-long training, in 2012, at Kansas State University, where he learned how to extract, freeze and implant embroyos.

It's been a big part of the Kester Hereford program, "to replicate and duplicate the top end of our genetics, to produce better cattle, faster," according to Cody. "We've artificially inseminated cattle for a long time, but the embroyo technology was new."

Kesters run a spring and fall herd and trying to synchronize AI, to utilize elite genetics used throughout the industry.

"In any given year, we'll use between five and eight herd sires," Kester said.

Cattle from the Clearwater location will be available, Sunday, March 6 in Atkinson, for individuals interested in viewing the herd prior to the sale.

Kester said the auction draws from a multi-state area, especially with the implementation of online auction capabilities.

"We've sold cattle in Colorado, Texas and Oklahoma. Our network reaches far. It's one thing we strive to do," Kester said. "We're always continuing to expand. You'll stumble across our cattle and genetics throughout the Midwest."

In 2019, a Kester bull, Ragnar, sold at auction for $19,000.

During a Feb. 19 open house and preview, at the Clearwater farm, several of Cody's nieces and nephews were present, at home in the barn.

Kester said, one day, the younger generation will assume operation of Kester Herefords.

"Nobody gets rich doing it," he said. "It's more of a lifestyle."