Without a doubt, the most important economic trait cow-calf producers should be selecting for is low maintenance energy requirements. Maintenance energy refers to the amount of energy (feed) required to keep the animal alive. Since this has a HUGE effect on fertility, stocking rate and lifetime production, it has a HUGE effect on profitability. Low-maintenance cows can produce much more for much less than status quo, high-maintenance cows.
We have always known how different Pharo Cattle Company™ genetics are from status quo genetics – but every now and then we need to present ample proof so you will believe us. We try to do that at least once every year.
The Angus Association has an EPD that allows us to compare the difference between animals for maintenance energy requirements. It is called $EN. I look at this EPD when I receive sire directories from the big-name AI companies. Their genetics are as status quo as you can get, because their genetics are present in most of North America’s cowherds.
When I looked at a big-name sire directory late last week, I found that 50% of their Angus bulls are in the Bottom 10% of the Angus breed for $EN. Let that sink in. None of their bulls are in the top 10%. In contrast, 100% of the Angus bulls in PCC’s 2025 AI Sire Directory are in the TOP 5% of the Angus breed for $EN – and 100% of the Angus bulls selling in our three spring bull sales are in the TOP 5% of the Angus breed for $EN! Pharo Cattle Company™ continues to be very different for all the right reasons!
Keep In Mind… Whether on the range or in a feedlot, NO growth and NO reproduction can take place until maintenance requirements have been met. The more feed required to meet maintenance requirements, the less profitable your animals are. PCC™ customers continue to be blown away by how different low-input PCC genetics are from the high-input status quo genetics they used to have.