Herd Quitter™ Blog
The Real World
We spend a lot of time talking about working on the business, about planning and marketing. The goal is to get people to look at options on paper that make the most financial sense. Maybe selling 6-weight calves in October isn’t the best financial plan? Maybe selling...
A Cowboy Hat and a Dream
NOTE: This article is somewhat of a follow up to my previous Business or Hobby and Small Producers articles. It was originally shared in September of 2016. However, I have made several revisions. I am fortunate enough to know several very successful cattlemen who...
The PBR Finals
Deanna and I spent last Saturday and Sunday at the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) Finals in Fort Worth, Texas. Deanna’s sisters Donna and Debbie and Debbie’s husband Ron went with us. We always have a great time – no matter where we are. As I said last week,...
Small Producers
This article is a follow up to last week’s "Business or Hobby" article. It was first shared in January of 2022 in response to a question I had been asked by a relatively new subscriber in Arkansas. He asked, “What would be your recommendations for a small producer -...
Business or Hobby
When most people think of cattle ranches, they think of wide-open spaces in the arid west where several hundred cows have thousands of acres to roam about. Those ranches exist – but they are not the norm. They probably never were the norm. The size of the average...
Is Average Good Enough?
In commodity agriculture, average is breakeven at best. Below average producers are losing money. The only way they can stay in business is to subsidize the farm or ranch with outside income. At that point, the business becomes a hobby. Above average producers, on the...
Competition
Sam Altman had a good piece of advice in the Farnam Street blog this week: “I think one thing that is a really important thing to strive for is being internally driven, being driven to compete with yourself, not with other people. If you compete with other people, you...
There is a Difference!
I put together several groups of replacement heifers last year with the goal of selling them as bred heifers. I made sure to buy reputable heifers as I didn’t want to deal with all the issues of sale barn cattle. I put together over 400 heifers and planned to expose...
Wasted Time
According to my cowboy calculations, I waste 30 to 40 hours every year waiting on hot water. In ten years, I can spend as much as 400 hours waiting on hot water. In addition to wasting time, I am wasting water. I guess I could use cold water – but I much prefer to...
Competitive Advantage
No matter what business you’re in, having a competitive advantage is a good thing. It is often the difference between mere survival and amazing success. There’s no reason you cannot have a competitive advantage – if you want one. Who wouldn’t want one? There are three...