Angus Underground

Joe, Korbin, and Vince sit down to chat about the recent calving season, including the impact of drought on cattle operations and the challenges of maintaining healthy herds during tough conditions. They share insights into managing feed shortages, early calving issues, and the importance of mental health during these stressful times. The guys then focus on the topic of what makes a cow a donor and the careful considerations involved in choosing the right animals for breeding. They highlight what they’ve learned about managing genetics, selecting bulls, and navigating the complexities of embryo transfer programs.

Mentioned in this Episode:

MontanaRanchAngus.com

CreekInsure.com

SaleRing.live

BruinRanch.com

ShadyBrookAngusFarm.com

Facebook @AngusUnderground

Instagram @AngusUnderground

Contact [email protected] or call (406) 210-1366 if you are interested in becoming a sponsor for Angus Underground.

Quotes:

• “Even if it crashes and burns now, it was still worth it. And that’s just saying, you know, even if I go have a bad sale next year, it will still be worth it.” [1:39]
• “Everybody wants to know some secret sauce to these marketing keys about getting people there. And what I’ve found is if you’re able to show your passion with people, the people will find you who think like you, and they’ll show up.” [2:12]
• “I’m hopeful that a listener will hear this, and they will say, ‘You know what? Joe’s gone through that, and he’s had to sort through it, or he’s had friends go through it. And I’m not alone, because we don’t talk about mental health nearly enough in this ag business.” [11:57]
• “I’ll be the first one to tell you guys that I struggle with it every day. It’s one of those things that when you’re running cows and things aren’t going well, whenever it gets dry and I don’t have any grass and I don’t have any way to get any feed, and I don’t have hay, it gets tough. I just want everyone else to realize that they’re not alone in that. I’m sharing those same problems you are having.” [12:42]
• “I think a lot of times, if you had that mindset instead of, ‘Boy, how can I make her better?’ It’s more like, ‘How can I not screw this thing up? How can I make another one just like her?’” [43:08]

The full crew is back and here to celebrate their third anniversary! They share updates on their busy summers — from calving and crop work to family vacations. They then reflect on the podcast’s evolution, the valuable connections they’ve made with listeners, and the profound gratitude they feel for the overwhelming support that has sustained the show. Everyone agrees how the podcast experience has instilled lessons in humility, discipline, and maintaining perspective — so thank you, and here’s to the next three years ahead.

Mentioned in this Episode:

MontanaRanchAngus.com

BruinRanch.com

SaleRing.live

ShadyBrookAngusFarm.com

Facebook @AngusUnderground

Instagram @AngusUnderground

Contact [email protected] or call (406) 210-1366 if you are interested in becoming a sponsor for Angus Underground.

Quotes:

• “Perspective means everything when it comes to forming an opinion.” [1:07:16]
• “To be able to actually see that on this podcast we have made people’s lives easier and solved a problem for someone means a lot to me. It’s absolutely my favorite part.” [1:18:44]

This week, David welcomes Darris Meitler of Meitler Cattle in Lucas, KS and Brent Lonker of Lonker Cattle in Fresno, CA. They dive into the principles for selecting cattle for functional efficiency, as taught by Dr. Jan Bonsma, a renowned animal scientist from South Africa. Darris and Brent share insights on Bonsma’s approach to evaluating cattle based on visual indicators of hormonal balance and adaptability, and how these principles can be applied to improve herd productivity and longevity.

Mentioned in this Episode:

MontanaRanchAngus.com

Facebook @AngusUnderground

Instagram @AngusUnderground

Contact [email protected] or call (406) 210-1366 if you are interested in becoming a sponsor for Angus Underground.

MeitlerCattle.com

The Bonsma All_Breeds Cattle Group

Quotes:

• “Three of my favorite things — wine, beef, and the fine art of breeding cattle.” [1:44]
• “The great cattlemen are already breeding Bonsma-type cattle, they just don’t realize it.” [3:00]
• “If you want to breed great cattle, it basically consists of three equal parts of observation, management, and science.” [29:57]
• “Your cow herds are no better than the mothers of the bulls you’re using, and so that should tell you exactly where you’re at.” — Brent [32:43]
• “If you apply the principles and you’re making those close decisions, the percentages are going to increase in your favor.” — Brent [1:26:03]

Dallas Woltemath, Advisor to ZWT Ranch, joins David and Vince to discuss the most influential cows in Angus breed history. The trio recaps a list of the top cows based on their own personal experience and input from the Angus community on social media. They discuss phenotypes, maternal lines, and their impact on shaping the modern Angus breed.

Mentioned in this Episode:

MontanaRanchAngus.com

BruinRanch.com

ShadyBrookAngusFarm.com

Facebook @AngusUnderground

Instagram @AngusUnderground

Contact [email protected] or call (406) 210-1366 if you are interested in becoming a sponsor for Angus Underground.

CreekInsure.com

ZWT Ranch

Quotes:

• “It was interesting to see the common ground that a lot of people landed on and then get some ideas of cows that maybe you wouldn’t have thought of right off the top of your head.” — Dallas [4:40]
• “She was an impressive beast, for sure.”

David welcomes veterinarian Dr. Beth Blevins of All Creatures Mobile Veterinary Clinic and Rafter E Angus in Ronan, MT. They discuss the challenges of managing outbreaks like rotavirus and the importance of testing for diseases such as BVD and Johne’s disease. Dr. Beth gives her expert advice on prevention strategies, biosecurity measures, and the latest developments in cattle health management.

Mentioned in this Episode:

MontanaRanchAngus.com

BruinRanch.com

ShadyBrookAngusFarm.com

Facebook @AngusUnderground

Instagram @AngusUnderground

Contact [email protected] or call (406) 210-1366 if you are interested in becoming a sponsor for Angus Underground.

CreekInsure.com

All Creatures Mobile Clinic

Rafter E Angus

Quotes:

• “It’s a roll of the dice when you test, but I think as a seed stock producer, we have an obligation.”
• “If we’re selling cattle to others to use in a breeding operation, whether it’s commercial, or whether it’s purebred, we have an obligation to make sure that these cattle are free of these infectious diseases.”

Joe, Vince, and Korbin celebrate the peak of summer, discussing preferred times and methods for cattle shows and favorite warm-weather activities with their herds. They then talk about the nuances of working alongside family, acknowledging both the rewards and challenges that can come with it. They talk about the importance of fostering family-like relationships with employees and the value of letting kids learn from their own mistakes.

Mentioned in this Episode:

MontanaRanchAngus.com 

BruinRanch.com

ShadyBrookAngusFarm.com

Facebook @AngusUnderground

Instagram @AngusUnderground

Contact [email protected] or call (406) 210-1366 if you are interested in becoming a sponsor for Angus Underground.

Quotes:

• “You show your banker your grass in the morning and your cows in the evening.” [4:26]
• “Commercial cattlemen don’t want a lot out of the cattle. They just want them to do what you say they will do.” [7:23]
• “Investing in our kids is super important.” [11:50]

David is joined by return guest, Dave Mullins. Dave is the former Angus Association Regional Manager, Consultant for leading Angus herds throughout the county, livestock auctioneer, and founder of the online sales platform SaleRing.Live. Dave first shares the latest at SaleRing and why he’s optimistic about the future of the Angus industry. He and David then discuss building a successful business through your culture, network, and branding.

Mentioned in this Episode:

MontanaRanchAngus.com

ShadyBrookAngus Farm.com

Facebook @AngusUnderground

Instagram @AngusUnderground

Contact [email protected] or call (406) 210-1366 if you are interested in becoming a sponsor for Angus Underground.

SaleRing.Live

CreekInsure.com

Quotes:

• “In a world where they struggle and people say good help is hard to find, I’ve been blessed.” — Dave [6:59]
• “Believe in what you want to do, even when it may not be the most popular. That’s okay. Own your lane.” — Dave [23:40]
• “Branding is the art of differentiation.” — David Brier [29:10]
• “It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it.” — Warren Buffett [29:16]
• You have to let people know who you are, and what you are.” — David [32:06]
• “From a professional standpoint, the greatest blessing I have and will ever receive is the friendships and network that I have accumulated over the last 25 years across this country. Period.” — Dave [36:15]
• “There's nothing that will pay dividends like your network.” — Dave [38:29]

It’s a fun week this week as the crew covers the upcoming American Angus Association sire evaluation update. Then they dive into different approaches for wintering cattle, grazing management, and vaccination practices across climates. The guys also talk through their preparation process for moving cattle to pasture as the season changes. During the “Grumpy Old Men” segment, the guys question what the main obligation is for customers in the industry.

Mentioned in this Episode:

MontanaRanchAngus.com

ShadyBrookAngus Farm.com

Facebook @AngusUnderground

Instagram @AngusUnderground

Contact [email protected] or call (406) 210-1366 if you are interested in becoming a sponsor for Angus Underground.

Quotes:

• “It’s amazing to me how different I would run things if I didn’t have to catch these cows all the time.” [36:13]
• “The more information I can have, the better on these cows.” [53:01]
• “If you are a young fellow wanting to get established in this business, the last thing you want is a bad reputation for being a slow payer, or a no payer!” [1:13:14]

This week, the crew first welcomes Kylie Sherrill from Central Life Sciences, who joins to discuss Altosid IGR feed-through supplement for controlling horn flies in cattle and how producers can integrate it into their mineral programs. They then get into the valuable resources of time, and their tips and tricks for time management, including documenting everything in a calendar and scheduling important projects. They also touch on the challenges of multitasking, their biggest time drains, and the beauty of keeping things simple and doing what works best for your operation.

Mentioned in this Episode:

MontanaRanchAngus.com

ShadyBrookAngus Farm.com

Facebook @AngusUnderground

Instagram @AngusUnderground

Contact [email protected] or call (406) 210-1366 if you are interested in becoming a sponsor for Angus Underground.

CreekInsure.com

AltosidIGR.com

Quotes:

• “Genetic potential and the realistic ability to express those things are two completely different things.” [24:32]
• “What's the most valuable resource of your life? Time. You can’t make more of it.” [50:12]

David welcomes Jake Phillips from Australia, who shares his experience learning about the U.S. beef cattle industry through an extensive sponsored trip. Jake details his five-week trip across the U.S., including visits to renowned seedstock operations, universities, cattle conferences, and more. He and David talk about the importance of networking, lessons learned in operation culture and character, and the reminder that often the quality of the cattle is really correlated to the quality of the people.

Mentioned in this Episode:

MontanaRanchAngus.com

ShadyBrookAngus Farm.com

Facebook @AngusUnderground

Instagram @AngusUnderground

Contact [email protected] or call (406) 210-1366 if you are interested in becoming a sponsor for Angus Underground.

SaleRing.live

Jake Phillips

Angus Australia

Quotes:

• “It's about bringing people together.” — Jake [23:11]
• “We really need to be playing at the highest quality. It doesn't matter if it's grapes, oranges, beef, or lamb, and that really starts with the people. The people growing it, producing it, and then marketing it.” — Jake [34:33]
• “The question I had was, is it possible for a first generation seedstock operation to happen in one generation?” — Jake [35:50]
• “Quite often the quality of the cattle is really correlated to the quality of the people.” [1:22:21]