Even-Handed Breeding
In today’s industry, with record prices and America’s cow herd at an all-time low, it is easy to get caught up with the dollars of the feed industry in mind, but forget about your cows at home. What we mean by that is, we feel it is important to keep the cow first. Yes, it is wise to maximize gains and carcass quality, but not at the expense of your cows heading down a direction that leads to failure through hard doing cattle. It is just as important now as ever to breed for balance in cattle traits through selective matings for improvement and combining hybrid vigor to help you achieve your goals quickly. Even-handed breeding is a deliberate selection of cattle to breed to produce a balanced set of traits, and avoiding the extremes in any single trait. We all know single trait selection can lead to holes in other places. For example, if we are too terminal in our matings, referring to growth and carcass, often, we have females that require too much feed to get through the winter, and they have a harder time breeding back. On the contrary, a herd that is only selected through maternal traits often leads to money left on the table in terms of gain and pounds harvested on the rail. We know that we have quite a few customers who need a bull to do it all and be balanced. We strive to produce a majority of our bulls this way. Look for the G+ bulls throughout the catalog. These bulls are the ones that are the most balanced, that can keep birthweights in check but still maximize growth and carcass traits. Even-handed breeding ensures that no single trait is overemphasized, producing cattle that are versatile and well-suited to diverse production systems. This balance reduces risk associated with environmental limitations or market shifts. Healthier, more adaptable cattle require fewer inputs. We also know we have customers looking for more maternal lines and/or terminal lines. It is extremely important to know your goals and the type of cattle it takes to achieve them. If you are looking to add more performance and growth to a cow herd that you feel needs it, look for the ATM bulls. These bulls can complement a maternal herd and help achieve more pounds and gain. If you are looking for more maternal lines to produce superior females, then look for the G+ or ACE bulls to help produce the goal. The biggest way to ensure success in the cattle business is to know your cows and have a plan and a direction. Buy the bull to complement your cows. We feel it is important not to get caught up in the latest trend and to breed good functional cattle that fit your environment. Our job as a seedstock breeder is to offer several options to meet all of our customers’ needs. Please reach out to us, and allow us to help you achieve your goals. No operation is too big or too small, and our success strictly depends on our customers.
OUR SUCCESS DEPENDS UPON OUR CUSTOMERS’ SUCCESS.
2 | Gibbs Farms 2025
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