Page 22 - MWC 8-20-20s

The Midwest Cattleman · August 20, 2020 · P22
SAFEGUARD YOUR RANCH WITH THE RIGHT BULLS
Making the best breeding decisions in a high-stakes business.
While many aspects of life
have gotten complicated in
recent weeks, time – and food
production – march on. Cow-
calf producers are making
breeding decisions this spring
while navigating the realities
of distraught cattle markets.
To avoid costly mistakes, they
need the best information pos-
sible. Producers like Missou-
ri’s Chuck Miller rely on data
from the American Simmen-
tal Association. “The Associa-
tion gives us so many tools in
terms of evaluative abilities,”
Miller says. “In doing that,
we can utilize those efficien-
cies to make better cattle, and
then also to transfer that to
our customers and, really, to
up their bottom line as much
as possible.”
As registered seedstock
producers, Chuck and his
wife, Christi, raise SimAngus
TM in the picturesque Ozark
hills near Olean. Christi says “You can't do things over- sell at local sale barns by the
bull purchases made now night. We've got to make de- pound, so they had to produce
have lasting effects on their cisions that look down the pounds of beef. That's where
herd – and those of their cus- road. Simmental helps us be I could show them that even
tomers – for years to come. progressive but also helps starting with these half-blood
Data provide confidence and us to make those decisions bulls, that’s attainable.” Year-
security, for now and later. that are sound,” Christi says. after-year, he’s seen repeat
“We're not fly-by-the-night, customers return to buy bulls
by-the-seat-of-our-pants deci- that are profitable. And, every
sion-makers. We can make a year, they show up more ed-
decision that is looking a year ucated than the last. “Every
or two calf seasons down the year when we sell bulls and
road.” females, we pull DNA off
The Millers are equally as them and we catalog that and
committed to their commer- give that to our customers,”
cial customers’ bottom lines he says.
as they are to their own. By Once calves are ready to
utilizing tools like Herdbook, sell, Rydeen and Miller point
they ensure the animals they commercial cattlemen to the
keep in the herd are more IGS Feeder ProfitCalcula-
productive and, ultimately, tor™, a tool by International
more profitable. “We utilize Genetic Solutions that helps
Herdbook in terms of our data to place a more accurate value
management and data collec- on their calves and ensure
tion. We believe in building they have the best opportu-
a strong database so that we nity when they go to market.
make our data that goes out “The Feeder Profit Calculator
to our customers more mean- allows us to put some tan-
ingful,” Chuck adds. “In the gible value on the animals
SimAngus business, we can themselves,” Miller says. “We
take advantage of heterosis have a general idea, typical-
and pass that advantage on ly most cattlemen do, as to
to our customers.” the value of the animals. But
In northwestern Minneso- this actually gives some spe-
ta, Paul Rydeen tells a similar cific information that we can
story. He says Simmental has use to market our animals.”
been a game-changer, allow- Ranchers wanting to learn
ing him to pair growth with more can visit simmental.org
maternal traits. “We believe or contact the Association at
that the maternal traits that 406-587-4531
Simmental offers are prob-
ably as much value as any,
and the gain that they have,”
Rydeen says. “My customers