Since Day one my breeding
philosophy has been the same. It costs less to feed 1 cow that produces a good
calf as it does to feed 10 cows that produce average calves. In short, it
costs as much to feed a good cow as it does a bad one. The difference is what
you make on the calves. I would rather have a cow with good temperament than
allot of color. She is easier to handle, stresses less and I enjoy her more.
I buy cows that I enjoy and
have the potential to produce champions. Then I evaluate each cow and buy the
best semen I can for that individual. I don't believe that one bull is
so perfect he can benefit every cow he is bred to. Yes, there are good bulls,
but I don't see the point in buying my cows to fit the bull, rather I buy my
bulls to fit the cows. In this way, each calf is the best that it could have
been for each breeding.
Every calf is placed on feed
that will help it developed not into a meat animal, but into a long term
performance, or breeding animal. Fast growth is not as important to me as long
term use. My money says a cow that produces a calf for 18-20yrs is more
valuable than a cow that grows fast and is done at the age of 9 or 10. This is
equally as true for a steer you spend 2yrs growing, 5yrs training and 2 yrs
enjoying before their knees blow out. I want to use that steer for 10+ years
or more. This is why my feeding program works on joints, and tissue growth
rather than a fast blow out.
When I started in Longhorns My
cows were placing in the top of their classes right from the start. My first
cow also won Grand champion Produce of dam twice before I sold her. Her off
spring also won year end grand champion awards in the ITLA. This sounds all
fine and good as far as confirmation goes, but what about the rest?
Temperament? trainability? Over all use as riding and draft animals? The proof
they say is in the pudding. So far we have an excellent record for producing
both Champions in the show ring and trust worthy and sound riding animals.
Just as rodeo folks know that
you can breed the buck into cattle, here at One Sky Ranch I have worked to
breed the buck out. This makes them easier to train for the first time riding
steer owner and trainer. My calves don't kick, even when spooked. This doesn't
mean they don't buck and play in the pasture. It does mean they don't kick in
the pens.
Now Im planning our 2008
breeding. Due to my life changes Im looking at things differently. Where I
once wanted huge riding animals, Im now looking at more manageable sizes in my
cattle. Im looking at what I can handle at the age of 50, 60 and beyond. How
can I continue to train, and enjoy my cattle? What will make them worth
feeding and keeping while I mature in my life? The answer is Miniature Cattle.
Yes, I know everyone is looking at this Miniature Cattle thing as the next Pot
Belly pig fiasco. To be honest, I do to in a way. We have all these baby
boomers who are now moving to acreages and wanting to have a few animals that
are easy to manage. I can relate to this idea. Manageable... Oh yes.. What
happens when the baby boomers get to old to care for all those miniature
cattle they bought? The market then gets flooded in about 15-20yrs from now. I
do see it coming. What I also see is quality of life. Something growing older
has taught me. Not everything is about a dollar. Sometimes you just have to do
what makes you happy. Smaller cattle will make me happy. Im no longer riding
like I used to. I can no longer man handle the larger cattle like I did. I
don't want to deal with AI and calling the guy to do it, hoping he has picked
up my semen, hoping he has time to make it out before the cows go out of heat.
I don't want to do that any more. This is not a business decision, its a life
decision. The Longhorn cows I have now are pretty small as far as Longhorns
and cattle in general go. I have chosen to put a Dexter Bull on my Longhorn
Cow Wado for a 2009 calf.
Whether it is a huge quality
Longhorn, or a well bred miniature that you can trust is bred how I say it is
(no black pasture breeding here) One Sky Ranch will always fit your quality
Longhorn, and performance cattle needs.
Our Breeding Program
