Robert Kindrick, Springfield, Missouri
Robert Kindrick, Springfield, Missouri has been named a recipient of the 1982 AMDO Distinguished Dairy Cattle Breeder Award. Bob, as he is generally known, is associated with his brothers, Bill and Clarence (Buzz) in operation of the well known Kindrick Brothers Milking Shorthorns. Currently the herd of 52 milking cows have a rolling herd average of 11,948 pounds of milk and 429 pounds of fat.
Robert Kindrick was born May 4, 1912 at Elwood, Missouri-a small town near Springfield. He attended Southwest Missouri State University for two years. His father had a dairy herd of mixed breeding including Jerseys and Durhams. In 1935 the Kindrick Brothers founded their Milking Shorthorn herd. They adopted the prefix “Elwood” for their registered cattle and today the name Elwood is synonymous with good cattle of the breed. The herd has been on DHI test since 1948 as well as the American Milking Shorthorn Society official test. The herd has been officially classified for type on a regular basis since 1953.
Cattle from the Kindrick herd have won recognition for production and good conformation through the years. Breeders from 13 states purchased cattle at the Kindrick’s reduction sale in 1979. One of their home-bred bulls Elwood S. V. Promise has a USDA Predicted Difference of plus 1,112 pounds of milk, plus 34 pounds of fat and plus $130. A Kindrick bred cow, sired by Elwood S. V. Promise, was grand and senior champion at the 1980 National Milking Shorthorn Show held in Harrisburg, PA. The 1981 national Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion were Kindrick bred cows. The top-selling female at the 1980 National Shorthorn sale, held April 19 in Springfield, MO, was a two-year-old consigned by Kindrick Brothers. This past year Kindricks added three more 100,000-pound-cow awards to their collection of 10 such production awards. One of their cows was selected Meritorious Brood Cow in 1975, an honor reserved for matrons of the breed who have produced outstanding progeny. And, in 1978 Kindricks were named Progressive Breeder for increasing their herd average 1,000 lbs. over the previous year. Eight All-American or Reserve All-American Animals have come from the Kindrick herd. They have exhibited cattle for over 30 years at the Ozark Empire Fair, Springfield and have too many ribbons and championships to list.
The Kindrick family dairy operation is located on a 320-acre farm west of Springfield. Bob and Bill do most of the milking and chores. Buzz, his wife and daughter help out as needed. Through the years Bob has emerged as the representative for the family in breed affairs, though he is not an outspoken individual.
Bob is serving his second term on the American Milking Shorthorn Society Board as well as chairing two committees: The Grade Up Committee and the Journal, Public Relations and Field Work Committee. He is also a member of the AMSS Executive Committee, and he has served his state association as president and secretary.
His service commitments involve the general dairy industry as well. He is serving a second term as director of the South Division Board of Mid-America Dairymen and he served several years on the Greene County DHIA Board.
The community benefits from Bob’s Activities. He has attended the same country church, Elwood United Methodist, since he was a small boy and served 25 years there as Sunday school superintendent. The last 15 years he has taught an adult Sunday school class. He also served several years on his township’s ASC committee.
Perhaps the greatest contribution of the Kindrick family to the dairy industry and to their breed has been their concern that young people who come to their farm looking for 4-H or FFA projects go away with animals that will provide a good start for each young owner. The Kindrick family, and most especially Bob because he is the most visible of the family in breed activities, is admired and respected by breeders of Milking Shorthorns and other breeds as well. The example he sets at shows, breed functions and dairy meetings is an asset to the Milking Shorthorn breed and the dairy industry.