Pollard Farms of Waukomis, Okla., will donate the 2025 Angus Foundation Heifer Package in support of furthering education, youth and research. The heifer, Pollard Rita 4012 (AAA* 20875621), is a daughter of EXAR Cover the Bases 0819B and out of a productive, young two-year-old that is on her way to the donor pen; she stems from the PF W34 Rita 4139, a long-time donor in the Pollard program.

The heifer will sell at the National Angus Bull Sale on Jan. 10, at the 2025 Cattlemen’s Congress in Oklahoma City.

“I am honored to donate the Angus Foundation Heifer Package this year,” says Barry Pollard of Pollard Farms. “I think it is an excellent opportunity for me to offer a fine animal for sale to help raise money for the Angus Foundation and the junior program. The Angus Foundation plays an important role in our industry as it is our gateway to the youth. The Foundation is the vehicle to better themselves, to grow and to excel in our world. That is what it is all about, so I am happy to support it.”

Pollard Farms is owned by Pollard and his wife, Roxanne. Together they have five children and 10 grandchildren.

It is a huge honor to have Pollard Farms as donors of the 2025 Heifer Package. Dr. Pollard and Roxanne have been huge supporters of the Angus Foundation and advancing it’s mission.” — Jaclyn Boester, Angus Foundation executive director

Pollard says his passion for agriculture began in Hennessey, Okla., where he was raised, and where he worked alongside his father and family.

“Growing up, I always envisioned spending more time in agriculture,” he says. “All of my family are farmers and ranchers. I grew up showing animals and in agriculture. My upbringing was an important part of my life, and I loved that part of my life.”

Pollard always desired to return to agriculture but first he pursued a career outside of the industry. He attended Oklahoma State University and Oklahoma University to become a board-certified neurosurgeon. In 1982, Pollard moved to Enid, Okla., where he opened a medical practice.

“Moving to Enid for my practice allowed me to get back to an agriculture community and allowed me to raise my children in rural America,” Pollard says. “It was important to me as we started to think about raising a family that we raised them in agriculture.”

In 1992, the Pollards began building their Angus herd by purchasing several bred heifers and yearling females. Today, Pollard Farms has an extensive donor battery consisting of 30 elite donor cows, 400 performance females and calve out 400-500 spring and fall calves yearly. Pollard says their goal is to produce quality cattle that are complete both phenotypically and genotypically. They strive to produce bulls and females that will be profitable to purebred and commercial cattlemen by emphasizing marbling and $Values indexes. They also focus on maintaining a strong maternal base and a great phenotypic look across their progeny.  

“When Dr. Pollard mentioned he would be interested in donating the heifer package, it was a true testament of his unwavering commitment to the Angus breed and sustaining its future legacy,” Boester says. “Whether they are watching their grandchildren show cattle through youth involvement or helping advance the Angus breed through research projects, they are always willing to support in any way they can.”

The heifer package sale benefits the Angus Fund, which provides unrestricted funding for a variety of programs supported by the Angus Foundation including Beef Leaders Institute, the Leaders Engaged in Angus Development (LEAD) conference and Angus University. Again, the Angus Foundation Heifer Package will sell Friday, January 10, 2025, at the 86th National Angus Bull Sale during Cattlemen’s Congress. The sale will start at 2 p.m. at the Oklahoma State Fairgrounds in Oklahoma City.

For more information about the package, contact Boester at JBoester@Angus.org or visit the Angus Foundation website.