Hello All:

As I stated in our last update we believe we offer the cattle industry a unique choice for seedstock. I explained that we are fortunate to have access to some of the best grazing genetics in the world through Ohlde Cattle Company and Pharo Cattle Company. We know of no other seedstock producer who has access to these genetics to the depth and breadth that we do. For 13 years we leased PCC-owned Black and Red Angus and composite cows, purchased a PCC cooperator’s Hereford herd, and then saved their heifers which are now predominantly our cow herd. For the past 3 years we have been breeding these cows to OCC Black and Red Angus, composite and Hereford semen. The results have been extraordinary.

Genetics are crucial to anyone wanting to build a profitable cow herd, they are the foundation of what any herdbuilder is trying to accomplish in their program. However, they aren’t the only factor that makes good seedstock. Though a line of genetics may be strong there are individual animals in every line that should not become seedstock. In my opinion a seedstock producer must put their cattle through the crucible of a system that sorts out problems. It is our system that I want to describe in this update.

I typically begin the description of our cattle system by starting at calving in May. This time I will begin where the calendar does, Jan. 1. In January our cows will be grazing cornstalks with their May-June calves at their side. Our cattle will graze cornstalks as pairs for about 5 months of the year. As always, and for all of our classes of seedstock cattle, the only ingredients that go into them is grazing forage, water, mineral and salt. We believe it is important for the calves to stay on their mommas to learn how to graze cornstalks. This also keeps us from having to find another place for the calves during the winter. Cornstalks are a low protein, high lignin source of forage that put pressure on our cattle. Our cows must maintain enough condition to produce some milk and retain their pregnancy through the winter then calve and breed back the next summer. Our calves don’t grow fast on cornstalks but must gain enough to be eligible to become seedstock the next summer. The cornstalks separate the “cans” from the “can’ts!  Cows that don’t pass this test will come up open the next fall and be culled. Calves that don’t pass this test will fall out of the program because either they won’t do well as a bull or won’t breed the next summer as a heifer. The cows and calves are all asked to endure bitter cold, blustery winds and excel on cornstalks only. Lick tub companies and the like exist because cows “must” have supplemental protein while on cornstalks in the winter. Tell me, what other seedstock producer is developing their bull calves, and replacement heifers, on only cornstalks and a little momma’s milk during their first winter?!? What cows are made to nurse a calf on only cornstalks? Or even made to run on stalks with no protein? Embarrassingly, I did buy into the lick tub propaganda several years ago when we were starting with PCC. The cows got so fat I was afraid they were going to have problems because their body condition was too high (we didn’t keep the calves on then). By the way, you can accomplish the same thing as lick tubs by feeding alfalfa or protein pellets or some other form of protein. You MUST ask your seedstock producer how they develop their bulls to determine if they have been propped up with supplements. I think you will find that they universally have been. Alfalfa or any high protein hay is a supplement if it is used because the cattle can’t make it on good grass hay. Most breeding bulls are “tested” by seeing how much they can eat whether it be grain or hay or some other supplement. When I was in school a test was a challenging thing, we truly test our bulls.

Back to our calendar: We will fence-line wean the calves sometime in February or March and separate the bulls from the heifers at that time. The cows and calves (separately) will go to stockpiled pasture in March or April. Calving begins in May and typically goes through June. In mid-July we bring all of the pairs home to prepare for the A.I. project, typically the first week of August. After the project we separate the herd into four breeding groups (Black/Red Angus, Herefords and composites) for clean-up and they go back to pasture. We aim to get them on stalks as soon as possible after our first corn field is harvested, usually early October. The replacement heifers run with the cow herd after the A.I. project. After preg. checking everything in November/December we sort off the bred heifers to graze corn stalks and/or cover crop residue until the sale in March.

Once we wean the calves (Feb./Mar.) the bulls are separated and graze cornstalks until their summer grass is ready. We regularly plant a cover crop mix for supplemental grazing during the summer and for stockpiled grazing in the winter. We typically let all the bulls stay intact until our first major cull in mid-summer. This initial cull is followed by several more culls all the way up until the bulls get a lot tag for the sale. Every bull that is culled, or heifer that ends up open, goes into our grass or grain fed beef development program. Cows that come up open are culled, no exceptions. Cows with below average udders or other problems either go to town or become cows to produce the beef we sell.

That is a picture of what we do with our cattle herd year-round. We aim to keep it simple but it never seems to be, it’s certainly not easy. We realize every operation is different and not all can do what we do, especially because they don’t have access to corn stalks. I would call our corn stalks a competitive advantage not only because they are relatively inexpensive but because our cattle can thrive on a relatively inexpensive, poor-quality grazing forage. The cows (and calves) that can’t make it in these conditions become beef and the ones that do make it become excellent seedstock that thrive on grazing forage, typically for many years.

Please ask questions if you have them. I’m including more pictures from our in-house photographer Ashley. These aren’t so much about the animals as they are about the beauty of where we do what we do while having bulls out on stalks in the fall.

Grace to you all.

Lanny