Our History
After an extensive survey of the purebred industry by their office lasting more than two years, the Aberan Herd of Edgehill was established by Ray A. Graham, Jr. and Ray A. Graham, III in 1956, for the sole purpose of producing Superior Angus of uniform quality type. The results of the survey showed that the Aberdeen Angus breed was by far the best and the most outstanding of all the breeds of beef cattle.
Mr. Graham, Jr. is the son of the late R. A. Graham, Sr., well known automotive manufacturer and investment banker. Mr. Graham's interest in Angus cattle and in the breed itself, is enthusiastic and progressive and today the Aberan Herd is building a program of breeding practices that will contribute and add to the greatness and success of the Angus Industry in the long run.
The Name
The Setting
The Origin
In the beginning, Mr. Graham realized that the knowledge and advice of recognized experts was not only desirable but necessary if he was to build the herd he desired through a sound scientific breeding program. For this reason, in 1956 Mr. Les Leachman was retained as consulting herdsman. Mr. Leachman personally supervised and assisted in the selection of the foundation herd.
Careful selection of only the best females of superior bloodlines and conformation along with the breeding of internationally famous herd sires was to produce calves and heifers rarely equaled and never surpassed.
The third step in the Aberan building program was the selection of a herd sire. In 1957, there was but one choice, the great and famous progeny tested O'Bardoliermere, 1953 International Grand Champion, who proved his ability by siring the 1955 International Grand Champion. With such an illustrious beginning there could be but one final answer, an outstanding Angus herd that would be a credit to the entire industry.
But the building program for the Grahams was only beginning: Soil and conservation specialists worked untiringly to assure the best pasture planting with more than adequate irrigation facilities. Today, the Edgehill pastures are second to none.
Gallery
See Edgehill Farm's present and past on our Gallery page, featuring images from our 60+ year history.
The Quality
Continuing the program of scientific breeding, the Aberan Herd was enrolled in the Virginia Beef Cattle Performance Testing Program with all calves, weighed, graded and indexed their first year and on through the yearling year to produce accurate records of the progress being made. Next the Aberan Herd was officially classified by the American Angus Association and has—almost since its inception—been a Federal accredited T. B. free herd and a certified brucellosis free herd.
The scientific breeding program of the Aberan Herd has always been of prime importance, for it is the feeling at Edgehill that the end objective can be accomplished by only the mating of carefully selected progeny tested sires to females of superior individuality and bloodlines.
In early 1959, it was obvious that the Aberan Herd had grown to such proportions that it was now desirable to add a Junior Herd Sire. The bull chosen could not be just average, he must be outstanding if the overall breeding program were to continue. So in February of that same year, the Grahams purchased the 1959 Supreme Scottish Perth Champion, Elevate of Eastfield—one of the most outstanding bulls of his generation. Elevate of Eastfield brought the largest price ever paid for a Perth Champion.
It has been stated that the potential of a bull of his caliber on the Aberdeen Angus breed in America is immeasurable. Elevate of Eastfield’s bloodlines have produced the Breed Champion Steer at Edinburgh and Supreme Champion Steer at Smithfield, England-1957, and Grand and Supreme Champion, Perth-1959. Professor Herman Purdy, Judge of the 1959 Perth Show had this to say:
When Elevate of Eastfield walked into the show ring at Perth, I immediately realized that I was looking at one of the most outstanding individuals I had ever seen. He was growthy, well balanced, and very straight in his lines. I especially liked the thickness over his crops, back and loin. He was especially long, level, and meaty in his rump, and very heavy in his hindquarter.
As you looked at him from a distance, you realized he was very correct on his feet and legs and very deep in his rear flank.
When Elevate came into the ring the second time for Champion I liked him even more than I had when he won his class.
I saw the 1959 Perth Champion in July, just a few weeks after he had arrived at his new home, and I was very pleased with his development, and liked him even more than I had at Perth.
The Next Chapter
In August of 1959, with the acquisition of an outstanding sire of the caliber of Elevate of Eastfield, Aberan increased the number of its brood cows by purchasing 40 top foundation females from the famous Meadow Lane Farm of North Salem, N. Y. Here once again was proof of the original objective of the owners of the Aberan Herd: Scientifically breeding, superior Angus of uniform quality type.
The death of the senior herd sire, O'Bardoliermere, in 1959 did not find the Aberan Herd unprepared to meet the need. With Elevate of Eastfield as the new Senior Herd Sire, Mr. Graham had already prepared for the new Junior Herd Sire, a product of the breeding program at Edgehill and a son of O'Bardoliermere: Aberan 0. B. 2. Many competent judges felt that the offspring already sired by Aberan 0. B. 2, if anything, are superior to those of O'Bardoliermere. At any rate, the Aberan Herd was assured of a Junior Herd Sire that was every bit as great as his illustrious father O'Bardoliermere, because the bloodlines running through him had produced the last 11 International Grand Champion Bulls, the last 6 International Grand Champion Cows, and the 1959 International Grand Champion Steer.
Beyond Competitions
While that may seem to be the ultimate achievement in a fine Angus herd, it was only the beginning at Edgehill, for while the goal of uniform quality type has been achieved, we are constantly striving to ever improve and increase the amount of lean red meat (Edible Protein). Brother and sister carcasses are followed through slaughter and rigorously evaluated. Because, as Mr. Graham said, “what good is a high rate of gain if it’s due to fat, bone, belly, or brisket instead of red meat?”
Aberan is breeding the kind of animals that will produce a 1000 pound red-meated calf between twelve and fifteen months of age of a uniform quality type that will compete with the best in both the Purebred Show Classes and the Interbreed Carcass contests. By using Performance Testing in close conjunction with carcass Evaluation, more edible protein per pound per square inch can be developed.
Some outstanding examples of our scientific breeding program will be available for sale at private treaty soon. Every animal so offered is a direct result of this planned breeding program. They are and will be true champions in their own right. As the Aberan Herd grows and as our goals are accomplished, it will be our continued desire to share this scientific approach with the Purebred Breeders and Beef Cattle Industry everywhere. Our animals, sold to other herds will help carry on this tradition and produce accordingly.
This should explain what Aberan Angus means when we says we are “Scientifically Breeding Superior Angus,” and what we are striving to accomplish: Namely the improvement of those qualities that have made the Angus Breed the greatest in the past in order to add to and continue its success in the future.
This is the Aberan Story—come see it in action and working anytime. You will be most welcome.
