Robert F. Thomson, Jr.

Robert F. Thomson, Jr., nationally known breeder of registered Holstein-Friesian Cattle, Springfield, Missouri has been awarded the 1980 Distinguished Dairy Cattle Breeder Award. The award is bestowed annually by the Association of Missouri Dairy Organizations, to recognize outstanding achievements in dairy cattle breeding. The award was presented as a part of the Missouri Dairymen’s Institute program March 20-22 at Columbia. Mr. Thomson was presented a handsome plaque and given a citation. His picture will be hung in the Dairy Hall of Honors, Eckles Hall, UMC.

Starting pretty much from scratch Bob Thomson, Jr. has, through sound breeding practices and good management, produced one of the outstanding Holstein herds in the nation. He was born and reared on his father’s dairy farm near Springfield, Missouri. After graduating from the Greenwood High School, Springfield, he attended the Missouri College of Agriculture for two years. He chose to take courses largely in dairy husbandry with emphasis on breeding and herd management. He returned to the home farm and worked with his father’s herd. He had only one goal-to be a good dairy farmer and a successful dairy cattle breeder.

In 1937 he selected two heifers from his father herd. There were the foundation of his present herd. By 1950 he owned 12 cows and three heifers. He moved to his own farm, near his father’s place, and established his own herd and operations. That same year (1950) he married his wife Marianna. She and Bob have been a great team, raising five children and developing the herd as well as carrying on the 200 acres in crops to provide silage, hay and pasture for farming operations. There are 320 acres in the farm with the herd.

The Thomson herd prefix is Robthom. The herd consists of 266 registered Holsteins, with 125 milking cows and the balance heifers and bulls. The herd has been on DHI and official DHIR test for production for 30 consecutive years. For the past five years the average has been over 19,000 pounds of milk and 670 to 730 pounds of butterfat per cow. The present average for 95 cows is 20,249 pounds of milk, 730 pounds of butterfat. The herd has received the Holstein-Friesian Association of America, Progressive Breeder Award for 24 consecutive years.

Robthom farm is known as a herd that combines high production and outstanding type. The 1979 Official Classification shows 15 Excellent, 59 Very Good, 36 Good plus and 4 Good animals in the milking herd. The type trait score for the herd is 106.6, meaning 6.6 points above the breed average, making it one of the high herds in the nation for desirable conformation.

Many great brood cows including numerous Gold Medal winners have been bred and developed. One of these, Robthom Bess Segis heads two, five generation Gold medal Dam Groups of the Holstein breed. Many cows have been sold to breeders throughout the United States and some animals have been sold for export. Bulls have been sold to many AI business. Robthom has a waiting list of bull stud buyers for young bull calves out of the good cow families and by well proved AI sires.

Mr. Thomson says “That my bulls have worked so well for others is probably the highlight of my years of breeding Holstein cattle” also, “A memorable part of my work is that have been able to develop 34 Gold Medal Dams – 31 of my own breeding and three were my foundation cows.” Bob further relates “I have been fortunate in having an exceptionally good foundation animal. Two later additions were also outstanding brood cows.

Mr. Thomson is active in dairy affairs and has served as: President, Missouri Holstein-Friesian Association and the S.W. Missouri District Holstein Association; as delegate to the National Holstein Convention. He received the Ford Foundation Farm Efficiency Award in Dairy for 1970 and has also been honored with the Missouri DHI Efficient Dairy Production Award.

The Thomson family in addition to Bob and Marianna consists of their children; son Mark, who is now associated in the herd operation, and daughters Carol, Nancy, Janice and Mary. The herd has always been, and continues to be, a family operation. Few breeders have set a goal and attained it terms of superior home-bred cattle, raised a fine family, and attained national recognition and respect equal to that of Bob Thomson, Jr.