Herd Quitter Blog

Eight Pounds of Sugar –

Johan Zietsman, a very astute rancher and consultant from Zimbabwe, said, "Grass-efficient animals will look like eight pounds of sugar in a 5-pound sack." We believe that to be a very accurate analogy. Grass-efficient animals will be moderate in height, with extreme...

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Bull to Cow Ratio

Recently, I have had several phone conversations with customers and potential customers about how many cows you should run with a bull during breeding season. As you might expect, there is a difference between what status quo bull producers recommend and what Pharo...

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Solar Bulls vs Diesel Bulls –

The status quo beef industry was built on cheap land, cheap fuel, cheap equipment and cheap labor. That era is over – and it ain’t coming back! This notion is strongly reinforced and supported by an article written by grazing guru Jim Gerrish in our Winter 2023...

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Wedge-Shaped Cows –

During my presentation in Beaver, Oklahoma, we branched off on a discussion of "wedge-shaped" cows. For many of our subscribers, this is old news. However, most cow-calf producers get a confused look on their face when we mention "wedge-shaped" cows.We returned home...

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Cold Weather… Increases Birth Weights –

For as long as I can remember, observant ranchers have noticed calves will have larger birth weights after a long and cold winter. This observation was confirmed by research conducted by the University of Nebraska back in the 1990s. Prolonged low temperatures and...

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Q and A –

Question: Why are your bulls able to cover more cows for more years than bulls coming out of other programs? I am also wondering how many cows you recommend putting with a bull. Answer: The fact that our bulls can cover more cows is a result of two things....

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Solar Bulls vs Diesel Bulls –

The current beef industry was built on cheap feed and cheap fuel. That era is over – and it ain’t coming back! In the last 50 years, fossil fuel-based expenses have risen four times faster than cattle prices. Consequently, a cow-calf producer’s net profit is quickly...

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Mom –

My mom, Shirley (Kimmel) Pharo, was born in a small adobe house on the edge of a small town in extreme Eastern Colorado. The date was October 6, 1929. That was just 23 days before the infamous Black Tuesday when all the stock markets crashed.Black Tuesday was the...

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Opportunities in Disguise –

You may not believe this, but there have always been more opportunities to advance during tough times than during good times. For example, more millionaires were made during the Great Depression of the 1930s than at any other time in history. While most people could...

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A Cow for All Seasons –

Is there such a thing as a cow for all seasons or a cow for all environments? Based on my 35 years of experience, I say, “Yes, there is a cow size and type that works best in all seasons, as well as in nearly all environments.” I realize this goes against popular...

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