Mothering ability is a key trait for profitable cow-calf production in a range environment.  First-calf heifers and cows that come from genetics that have been selected to calve on their own with minimal intervention require less labor and are more likely to wean a calf in a range environment than cows that require help with delivery or help encouraging a calf to start nursing.  There are few things more frustrating than a cow that won’t mother her calf or refuses to allow her calf to nurse.

Ed and Linda Ingo and their family own and operate a cow-calf operation in a challenging environment on the western slope of Colorado.  The Ingos have been purchasing Lasater Beefmasterâ genetics for over 20 years.  They run cattle on grazing permits, which translates into big country for the cattle to cover.   They made a comment about the mothering ability of their Beefmaster influenced cows that drove home this point.  “Our Beefmaster influenced cows are just smarter.  They show superior maternal instincts, more vigor at calving and a better awareness of their calves out on the range.”

Tom Lasater began his career as a commercial cow-calf producer.  His focus was on producing cattle that would turn a profit in a range environment.

As a result, mothering ability was at the foundation of selection criteria for Lasater Beefmasterâ genetics.  Cows that did not get the job done on their own did not stay in the herd.  We have continued to hold to that philosophy of management.  We still believe that a cow needs to do the job on her own without help from us.  Cows that fail to wean a calf in our program are automatically culled from the herd, no excuses, no exceptions.

If you find that your cowherd is requiring more time and labor than you would like, we encourage you to stop in and visit.  We would be pleased to show you the cowherd and visit more about your program and our philosophy of cattle breeding.  Perhaps an infusion of Lasater Beefmasterâ genetics would assist you in achieving your goals of reducing the frustration, labor and input costs that are currently associated with the cowherd.

If you take a snap shot view of the last 50 years, it is interesting to observe cattle breeding trends and the traits that have been generally selected for by cattle breeders during each time period.  In the 50’s and early 60’s it was for small-framed cattle.  In the early 70’s and on into the 80’s the frame race was on and the emphasis was on lean beef.  In the 90’s through the present time, the focus has been on carcass quality traits.  With the rise to prominence of branded products, in particular of Certified Angus Beef, we have been and still are in the black craze phase.

The black craze phase is continuing to influence breeding decisions today. Several breeds that could easily change the hide color of their cattle to black have done so with at least a portion of the breed.  This emphasis on changing hide color to black has been done in an effort to try to receive a premium in the market place.  Unfortunately, color has seemingly been the primary trait of focus rather than selecting for traits that actually effect production costs, product quality and producer profitability. 

In each of the production phases the industry has been through, and with the current black craze phase, cattle breeders have been seeking to meet a market demand.  In an effort to meet this market demand, many cattle producers have emphasized selection for single traits such as color that have relatively minimal impact on true profitable beef production in a range environment.  This single trait selection emphasis on color has often been done at the sacrifice of other traits such as the Six Essential traits of disposition, fertility, weight, conformation, hardiness and milk production. These are the traits that truly have tremendous affects on production costs and profitability for the cow-calf producer.

It is important to remember that the majority of the breeds of cattle that we have in the United States today originally came from unique climatic regions of the world and were selected for specific traits based on the needs and lifestyles of the people there.  As a result, we have breeds of cattle today that were originally bred in extremely different climates and designed for specific purposes. When one looks at the vast climate differences that are present in the United States, it is not only acceptable, but also necessary that we have distinct and different types of breeds of cattle.  The type of cattle that best performs in the environment of Whitefish, Montana will be different from the type of cattle that will be best adapted to the environment at Okeechobee, Florida. While one might be able to take cattle from Okeechobee, Florida to Whitefish, Montana or vice versa and have them survive, the environments are so different that neither group of adapted cattle will perform as well as they would in their original environment without significant assistance and supplementation.

Cattle that perform the best in a specific climatic environment will be from those breeds and breeders who have selected for productive traits in a similar type environment.  Taking a trait, such as a black hide color, and forcing it into a breeding program in a climate where a black hide is actually a disadvantage to cattle performance is at best questionable. Changing hide color to black, in the short term, may result in cattle that are more appealing to a certain group of buyers.  However, it will not automatically change the quality of product that animal produces.  Selecting for carcass traits based on their economic importance when combined with the Six Essential traits, is a genetically superior plan as it is highly doubtful one will ever ask a waiter for “a black hide, cooked medium rare.”

There are numerous examples of how a fresh pair of eyes or a different perspective challenged the status quo and, as a result has changed the way a product is made or improved upon a process.  One example of a process people do every day is peel bananas.  The majority of people in the United States peel a banana from the stem end first, while holding onto the black round end.  Why do the majority of people peel the banana this way?  Why don’t they peel the banana from the black end first? 

Peeling a banana from the black round end while holding onto the stem is really much easier.  The peel at the black end is easier to split and open than the peel at the stem end.  The stem also provides a nice handle, similar to the stick of a Popsicle, for holding onto the banana as you peel and eat it.  Even though this different way to peel and eat a banana seems better, most people in the United States will likely continue to peel the banana from the stem end, as that is the way they learned to do it.  Peeling a banana a different way will never cross their mind.

While this is a simple example, it also

points out that many times there is a better way to do things than the current

 accepted way. However, because we “already know how to do it,” we often fail to even consider that as a possibility.  As a result, the opportunity for improvement or betterment is often missed.

Tom Lasater was a life long learner. Whether it was seeing the economic utility of docile cattle, and deciding to gentle his wild herd in the 1930’s, moving his herd 1000 miles north in the 1950’s where his cattle would have to adapt to a new environment, changing his entire herd from spring to fall calving in 1960, or discontinuing the use of all pesticides in 1969, he was continually examining his environment, operation and breeding program to find a better way.  Tom Lasater was willing to challenge the current status quo and accepted way of doing things.  The breed of cattle and program that he developed continue to be an example of his leadership today.

It takes time and effort to step back, ask the hard questions and carefully examine what we do and why we do it.  While this can be a challenging and difficult task, the benefit from taking a fresh look and discovering a new idea or better way can be both profitable and life changing.