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Summer 2002 Newsletter |
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We select cattle to work for us, so we know they will work for you. |
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Bulls Developed on Native Range Why Two-Year-Old Range Developed Bulls? 1. Bulls that can gain, grow and effectively convert native forage to pounds of beef sire calves that will do the same. 2. Bulls that demonstrate fleshing-ability when developed on native range pass these traits on to their daughters, resulting in easy-keeping cows. 3. “Bulls with wheels.” Because the bulls have not been pushed for gain they will be sound on their feet and legs and able to cover big country. Range development will also enhance their longevity and adaptability to harsh environments. 4. True phenotypic differences can be seen when bulls have been developed on native range. This may not be true if bulls are over fed and fat. 5. Two-year-old bulls are able to handle a heavier workload than yearlings and should require less feed and care in their first year of service. How Lasater Beefmaster Bulls are DevelopedAt weaning the bulls are evaluated and any bull with an unacceptable weaning weight or faulty conformation is cut. This occurs in mid May. The bulls are then grown through the summer on native range with the only supplement being salt and mineral. In August, (on approximately their first birthday) yearling weights and scrotal measurements are taken. At this time, those bulls that are to be used as herd sires for the Lasater Ranch are selected. The rest of the bulls are turned back out and roughed through the fall and winter on cake and range. Hay is fed only when deep snow cover requires it. When spring comes, development on native range continues through the summer. In mid August weights, ultra sound and scrotal measurements are taken and the bulls are evaluated based on performance and confirmation. Those that are deemed to be acceptable are then eligible for our annual sale. Only the top half of bull crop makes it to this point. |
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Decathlete Cattle Breeding Perhaps one of the most difficult Olympic events is the decathlon. In this event, men from every country compete with one another to see who is the best all around athlete. The ability for an athlete to excel in one or even two events by no means qualifies him as the champion. It is the athlete who can combine the best overall performance in ten events that is given the gold medal. I think the following quote sums it up well. “The decathlete does not have to be exceptional in any one event to be the champion in the ten events. He must range from being at least adequate in his weak events to being outstanding in his stronger events. Because he must do well in three running, one hurdling, three jumping, and three throwing events he has inadequate chance to perfect and polish any one of the events. So he must compromise. And therein lies the nature of the decathlon. It is a compromise where concessions must be made in preparation for the sake of maximizing the total score.” Quote taken from the DECAthonUSA.org web site. The essence of this quote sums up the Lasater Beefmaster philosophy of cattle breeding. Our goal is to identify those individuals that have the best combination of the Six Essential traits. In selecting these individuals, we compromise. Often a bull that excels in one trait, for example growth, often fails to meet the minimum criteria we have set in another trait such as fertility or conformation. As a result that bull is disqualified from the elite “decathlete” position of being a herd sire. Our “decathlete champions” are often bulls that are not first in any one trait, however they rise to the top when the scores are summed for their possession of all the Six Essential traits. “Decathlete Cattle Breeding” requires compromise. Often times the bull or heifer that initially catches your eye or is your favorite on paper, fails in one of the other Six Essential criteria. The major benefit of “Decathlete Cattle Breeding” is that it allows you to avoid the pit falls associated with selecting cattle based only on one or two traits. For example, a female may have tremendous milking ability, but is unable to rebreed each year on native range. Here, the first time she misses she leaves the herd, regardless of her past success. As a result of continually culling out these individuals, we avoid propagating those genetics that may move you forward in the one trait, in this case milk production, but then move you backwards in others. We invite you to come by the ranch and view the results in progress of “Decathlete Cattle Breeding” since 1937. "Each of the Six Essentials is equally important to hitting the target of producing optimum cattle. Removing any one of the Six Essentials results in the animal's functional and production value being greatly diminished."
"Cattle breeding is a relatively simple endeavor. The only difficult part is to keep it simple". Mr. Tom Lasater |
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The Philosophies Behind Lasater Beefmaster Bulls
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Lasater BeefmasterField Day and SaleSeptember 10 & 11, 2002Schedule of EventsSeptember 10: Field DayCattle will be available for viewing and ranch tours will be given. 2:00 P.M. Dr. Jim Sanders of Texas A&M University will speak on “Beefmaster genetics, womb to tomb.” Wendell Schronk, executive vice president of BBU will provide an update on the Nolan Ryan Certified Tender Beef program. Please come join us for lunch at 12:00 noon and for dinner that evening at the Lasater Ranch headquarters. September 11: Sale 90 two-year-old range developed bulls and retired herd sires will be offered at auction at 10:00 A.M. Lunch will be served following the sale. 50 Lasater Beefmaster Three-In-Ones, Pairs and Bred Cows will be offered at private treaty during the field day and sale on a first come, first served basis. |
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WHO IS WORKING FOR WHOM? Are you working for your cows, or are your cows working for you? This fundamental question is critical to over all ranch profitability, and needs to be examined objectively. Am I working for my cows, or are my cows working for me? To often it is the opposite of what it should be. The rancher is the one working for the cows. This working for the cows can occur when cows are fed excessive harvested feed, given second and third chances, or are generally not required to work in the environment they are in with minimal assistance. At the Lasater Ranch, we have the following requirements for heifers entering into the Foundation Herd, as well as for cows staying in the herd. 1. Replacement heifers are grown and developed on native range with minimum feed inputs, they must conceive at 14-16 months of age, calve as two-year-olds and rebreed on native range. 2. All females, including heifers, must conceive in a 45 day breeding season and wean an acceptable calf every year, no slack, no exceptions. If for any reason a cow does not wean an acceptable calf, she is culled from the Foundation Herd. These requirements are simple. However, when you examine what these requirements mean in order for a cow to enter into or stay in production, you appreciate even more those heifers and cows that can make it. What are the effects of these requirements within the Lasater Ranch herd? 1. Rapid turn over of genetics. Each year we replace approximately 30% of our cowherd with replacement heifers. This is currently being done with relatively little growth in overall herd size. Only heifers and cows that work stay. 2. Cows that can conceive, calve and wean an acceptable calf year after year in this environment pass on their genetics. Those that do not are removed. “I was shocked on my first visit to the Lasater Ranch. There was no machinery; there were no fancy improvements. There were only grass and cattle. Lots of grass and productive cattle.” Harry Cope Missouri |
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Lasater Beefmasterâ Genetics Work from the Ranch to the Rail! A group of 1,204 steers from the same ranch, weaned at the same time, were managed, fed and harvested under similar conditions. All steers were electronically identified in order to track performance from the ranch to the rail. Closeouts on the cattle occurred during 2001. The group included 511 head of Beefmaster steers (sired by Lasater Beefmasterâ bulls) with the balance of the 1,204 steers being purebred or crossbred. The purebred steers consisted of three different breeds being evaluated on the ranch. The crossbred steers consisted of a two breed cross. When the cattle were harvested and the information analyzed, the Beefmaster steers lead the group in overall profitability, netting $15.53 more per head due to performance in the feedyard and carcass merit on the rail. The 511 Beefmaster steers had a cost of gain of $49.91, a feed conversion of 5.92, graded 70.3% Choice or better, with 59% being Yield Grades 1 or 2. The 693 other steers from the 3 different breeds, as well as the crossbred steers in the group had a cost of gain of $51.07, a feed conversion of 6.05, graded 69.33% Choice or better, with 68% being Yield Grades 1 or 2. Furthermore, when total net profitability was analyzed, including costs associated with producing each group of steers prior to leaving the ranch, the Beefmaster steers returned on average $28.13 more per head than their contemporaries from the three other breeds and crossbreds. In summary, Lasater Beefmasterâ genetics WORK. They are not only functional and productive, but most importantly, they are PROFITABLE. They work on the ranch, in the feedyard and on the rail. Please contact us if you would like to receive a catalog for our upcoming field day and sale! |