Bred for Balance We blend the best science with good old-fashioned cow sense to create a balanced-trait genetic foundation designed to create more profit, not just increased revenue at the point of sale. This bred-in balance of traits prioritizes fertility, structural soundness, maternal productivity/function/efficiency and moderated-mature size in every animal while striking optimal and predictable levels of growth/performance and carcass merit. Fertility: The number one driver of a ranch’s profitability. Research indicates that fertility is exponentially more influential on profit than any other trait. Intense pressure is placed on the Montana Ranch herd with a strict 3 heat- cycle breeding season. Structural Soundness: Soundness starts from the ground up. Cattle must have the ability to travel and forage to be efficient. It’s no secret, every breed is grappling with an explosion of unsound hooves. Anything less than an sound hoof is unacceptable. Moderated-Mature Size: As cited by Dr. Rick Rasby of Univ. of Nebraska-Lincoln, there is an approximate 10% annual feed savings and a 10% stocking advantage for every 200 lb. decrease of mature weight of cows.
Maternal Productivity/ Function/Efficiency: The term Maternal simply boils down to a cow being able to predictably and consistently wean 50+% of her body weight with little human intervention. Easy-calving cows which get their newborn up and going, which have problem-free udders for their entire life and which are able to breed back and have a calf every 355-375 days are the standard. Growth/Performance: While most producers have selected bulls for increased growth, weaning weights in commercial cow-calf herds have remained static for the last twenty years. At the same time, mature weights have increased dramatically. Expression of these higher growth genetics is limited by available feed resources. Selection for higher growth than the environment can support only results in increased feed costs for the cow herd. By placing simultaneous downward pressure on mature size in combination with optimum levels of weaning and yearling growth, you can make gains in performance while maintaining or decreasing mature size. Carcass: Who doesn’t like a great steak? Marbling is not a dirty word with us if all of the key convenience and fundamental traits are bred in to the cow herd. The pursuit of extremes in carcass traits and the $Beef bio-economic index used by Angus breeders has, however, led to a proliferation of cattle unsuited for many cow-calf operations. With growth, carcass weight and lower fat figuring into the calculation, it’s easy to see how this index can have deleterious effects on making efficient cows
4
Nov. 8, 2025
bred for balance
Made with FlippingBook - Share PDF online