#289 – Brett McCrae – Expanding a Profitable Farm & Ranch
Brett McCrae shares some of the major decisions he made in his farming career, including switching from a seedstock business model to a commercial cow/calf operation. He also explains how he set up his cropping enterprise to be portable, allowing him to take on land...
#289 – Brett McCrae – Expanding a Profitable Farm & Ranch
Brett McCrae shares some of the major decisions he made in his farming career, including switching from a seedstock business model to a commercial cow/calf operation. He also explains how he set up his cropping enterprise to be portable, allowing him to take on land opportunities that weren't in...
#156 – Drew Bruner – First Generation Rancher Story
Stories like Drew's are some of my favorites to share on this podcast! Drew didn't grow up on a family ranch, but over the last 15 years or so, he has built a successful grazing business. Now, he works on it full-time and has purchased several hundred acres in...
#155 – Gage Iverson – Grazing Through the Winter in Montana
Gage Iverson is a rancher who has successfully grazed his cowherd all winter long for several years in a row in an environment where many think it's not possible! Take a listen as we discuss his experience, what it has done to improve profitability, and his tips for...
#154 – Dallas Mount – How to Make Cows Profitable
For many, when they assess the economics of their cow/calf enterprise and observe the lack of profitability, their assumption is that the cow/calf business is not for them. Dallas shares that the average cow/calf producer is not profitable; however, top producers have...
#153 – Ryan Bruski – Trying it Out with 4,700 Stockers
Ryan and his family have decided to make the shift from cow/calf to stockers to improve the profitability of their Montana ranch, and they are jumping all in! He talks about the why, the how, and so much more in this conversation! Resources Mentioned: Dirt to Soil -...
#152 – Jesse Womack – Getting Paid for Good Management
Jesse and I discuss tips for managing many different obligations. We delve into his experience with TCU Ranch Management. However, most of our time is spent on his ranch enterprises, grazing management, and how he is being compensated for his management with carbon...
#151 – Trevor Burian – From $100,000 Loss to $39,000 Profit
Podcast Episode #151Episode #151 In Episode 101, we discussed Trevor's decision to transition from cow/calf to custom grazing. A year later, we catch up to explore how his inaugural year managing a large herd of stockers has unfolded. Before delving into the current...
#150 – Best of the First 150 Episodes
Podcast Episode #150Episode #150 For the 150th episode, I listened back to the top 5 episodes by the number of listens and clipped some of my favorite parts from those conversations. There is so much great content in each of these episodes! Top 5 Herd Quitter...
#149 – Chad Peterson – Stockers, Grazing, & Moving Ranches
Podcast Episode #149Episode #149 Chad Peterson boasts a wealth of experience in various grazing-based enterprises spanning multiple states. In our conversation, we delve into many of his learning experiences throughout the years and explore the reasons behind his...
#148 – Logan Mannix – Mannix Family Beef
Podcast Episode #148Episode #148 Logan Mannix, along with his father, uncles, and several cousins, runs Mannix Family Beef in Montana. They operate a diversified, large-scale, vertically integrated beef operation. Currently, they manage 1,250 cows, background calves,...
#147 – Amos Troester – Cover Cropping for Profit
Podcast Episode #147Episode #147 Amos and his wife, Tina, have a diversified business in Northeast Iowa where they crop farm, run livestock, sell cover crop seed, and offer custom seeding as a service. In this episode, we discuss how cover crops can be used on...
#146 – Matthew Menke – Transitioning to Profitable Ranching at Scale
Podcast Episode #146Episode #146 Matthew ranched like most people in his area, but after learning a little about low-input ranching and regenerative management and its potential to help improve production and profitability, he began to transition his cow herd and...
#145 – Sage Askin, Vannie Collins, Chris Baggot – Building a First Generation Ranch
Podcast Episode #145Episode #145 Many say that today it's impossible to become a full time farmer or rancher if you aren't born into it or marry into it. But I've got three past guests Sage Askin, Vannie Collins, and Christopher Baggot on who have each built from...
About the Ranching Returns Podcast
On this podcast, we talk to farmers and ranchers who are leading the industry in so many ways. We’ll discuss the various returns they get from ranching, including, of course, the significant financial returns, but also returns to their land resources and ultimately the amazing lifestyle. That might be the most important return ranching can offer!
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Breeding Philosophies
Several breeding philosophies address type and kind in the commercial cow-calf industry. All can be applied in multi-sire or single-sire mating. Crossbreeding with complementarity can optimize heterosis and performance, but it reduces predictability. Gains in weight, milk, and muscle often come with higher birth weights and temperament problems. Purebred breeding – especially like-to-like mating or strategic linebreeding – builds consistency and uniformity. The...