FB-Maines 94,
It is unfortunate that over the past 30+ years the percentage of Maine breeders that focus on producing seedstock for the commercial industry has decreased, while the percentage of Maine breeders that have emphasized pretty cattle for the show ring has increased. There are some Maine breeders that are producing very functional cattle that really compliment British based cow herds very well. A few that come to mind are Nagels in SD, Holdens in IA, and Forkners in MO.
Over the years I think the Maine-Anjou association hasn't done enough to promote the value of Maine cattle for commercial operations, so consequently, many serious commercial producers now think of the Maine-Anjou breed only as a show breed. I find it interesting that even in many of the commercially focused brochures and magazines that the Maine association has published, emphasizing the benefits of using Maine bulls on commercial cows, several of the pictures still are of show cattle rather than of thick-made Maine bulls in their working clothes in a pasture.