How-Mar Milking Shorthorns

How-Mar Milking Shorthorns is a Heritage Shorthorn cattle breeder in Unionville, IA, serving southern Iowa near Des Moines. With more than a decade of selective breeding experience, Marc Howe has built the program around breed standards. It holds membership in the American Milking Shorthorn Society and follows recommended health testing protocols to ensure genetic soundness. Marc Howe raises cattle on rotational pastures, emphasizing low-stress handling and early socialization to support steady growth and temperament.

Breeding stock calve in well-ventilated barns with individual pens, giving calves a safe start under close supervision. Many of the farm’s offspring have placed in dairy classes at regional fairs, reflecting consistent milk production and structural soundness. With attention to pasture management and balanced nutrition, How-Mar Milking Shorthorns maintains a herd that highlights the adaptability and dairy traits of the Heritage Shorthorn breed. The herd benefits from a mixed-grass pasture system that promotes natural grazing behaviors and seasonal calving schedules.