Hometown: Lebanon, Mo.
Family: Wife, Suzie Pollock
In Town: Darrell Pollock has been the Lebanon (Mo) Area Chamber of Commerce executive director for nearly 12 years. He oversees Chamber activities and works on business development and growth for the community.
Darrell is also in his second term as the Laclede County Western District Associate Commissioner. Before his service with the Chamber and the county, Darrell served Lebanon and Laclede County as a grocery store owner is nearly two decades and was in the Missouri House of Representatives for eight years.
In the Country: Darrell joined his late brother Danny Pollock and Danny’s father-in-law Quenton Donigan in raising registered Hereford many years ago. In the last three years, however, Darrell has transitioned into registered Angus and SimAngus.
“As I ended the Herefords, bought a black Angus bull and produced some great black baldie calves, and I had customers who would drive by and want those calves as soon as they were weaned. I have just enjoyed raising cattle. It’s a lot of work, but it’s rewarding work.”
Darrell has 22 cows that are primarily fall calvers, with the last of his spring calves hitting the ground at this time. Females are all bred through natural cover. Last year, Darrell reverted to his previous breed and used a registered Hereford on a few of his cows.
“I had all baldie calves in the fall,” Darrell said with a laugh. “I didn’t expect that, but there is a good market for those heifers.”
Darrell said his nephew, Tyler Pollock, is always there to help him, and his wife Suzie, who was raised on a Kentucky deer farm, also helps out.
Calves produced by his cowherd are marketed as either registered or commercial seedstock.
“Most of our sales are commercial,” Darrell said. “With the bulls, we have some looking for that paperwork for birthweights, weaning weights, and things like that. My cattle can be registered, but most people just like the quality of the cattle.”
Generally, Darrell does not retain any heifers.
“By the time I keep those heifers back and roll them into the herd, get them bred and have a calf, it takes forever,” he said. “If I had a larger operation, I could, but when you do what I do, that’s long term. I sell heifers to help others out with my heifers,”
Future plans: Darrell isn’t looking to expand his operation, but we would like to advance his genetics.
“I have a few this year that are 7-year-old and plus, and the market is pretty good this year on cows, so I want to turn them into some younger cows. If you can get in on those maternal genetics, and you can upgrade your herd,” he said. “I am always open to looking at opportunities as they come to improve and slow growth is good for me.”
