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 fleshing ability, 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’s genetics are from status quo genetics – but every now and then we want to present ample proof so you will believe us. We try to do that once every year or two.
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 AI sire directories from the big-name AI companies. Their genetics are as status quo as you can get, because their genetics are present in nearly all of North America’s cowherds.
When I looked at three big-name AI sire directories last week, I found that over 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 2026 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! We continue to be very different for all the right reasons!
Keep In Mind… NO growth and NO reproduction can take place until maintenance requirements have been met. PCC customers continue to be blown away by how different our low-input genetics are from the high-input, status quo genetics they used to have.