Herd Quitter™ Blog
Buyer Beware –
There are a few bull marketers who are trying to mimic what Pharo Cattle Company says and does. We have no problem with that – but we encourage buyers to beware. I’m sure these bull marketers do some things right – but no one even comes...
The Diet Factor –
In last week’s PCC Update, Tim Goodnight said, “Without discounting the importance of body condition at calving, I think it is important to understand that the plane of gain an animal is experiencing is equally – if not more important. Research shows that...
PCC Star Ratings –
In addition to EPDs, weights, ratios and ultrasound data, Pharo Cattle Company provides star ratings for the following traits on our sale bulls. A 5-star rating is the best – with 3-star being about average. Disposition Calving Ease Cow Longevity Udder...
No Grass –
In early January, I gave a ranch tour to a couple from Alberta, Canada. They had been to a Ranching for Profit school in Colorado Springs. When I showed them the cowherd, they said, “This is the first grass we have seen since we left Colorado...
How to Identify the Best Cows –
How can you identify the most efficient and most profitable cows in a cowherd? The answer is so simple most people miss it. The most efficient and profitable cows in an unpampered cowherd will always be the oldest cows. These are cows that have done everything...
Late Weaning –
Following last week’s PCC Update, we received several questions about late weaning and why we choose to leave calves on their mothers over the winter. For starters, it’s natural. In nature, there is no herdsman to wean the offspring. In fact, when a doe gives...
First and Foremost –
When purchasing bulls, the most important factor to consider is the program behind the bulls. Bulls that were produced in a program that aligns with your long-term goals are worth a whole lot more than bulls coming out of a program that does not align with your...
Letter to the Editor –
The following is a portion of a letter to the editor I found in a popular beef magazine a couple of years ago. It is in reference to getting young cows bred back with their second and third calves. I think it speaks volumes about what has been going on with most...
Change the Cow – NOT the Environment –
Cows must fit their environment to stay in production. Common sense tells us it is much easier, as well as much more profitable, to change the cow to fit the environment than it is to artificially change the environment to fit the cow. Your environment can only...
Be Honest with Yourself –
If you are a cow-calf producer, I encourage you to be honest with yourself when you answer the following two questions. Were you profitable in 2019? If you were profitable, would you be able to prosper with that level of profitability year after year after year? ...