David, Korbin, and Vince kick off the week discussing a letter from listener Dave Cummins, an Angus breeder from County Longford, Ireland, on the topic of how this selection for extreme birth weight is actually having unintended consequences. They then welcome guest Justin Morrison, owner of Brooking Angus Ranch in Radville, Saskatchewan. Justin talks about cow families and what made his passion for the Blacks over the Reds, and walks us through assembling Brooking Angus Ranch, including how soon he was able to create cash flow by selling bulls and females. Justin talks about being an early adopter of the internet sales technology, and how an awesome presentation matters. Towards the end of the episode, Justin talks about Brooking’s unique program for juniors, and how he balances biological type, function, and productivity in cattle seed stock production.

Mentioned in this Episode:

Montana Ranch

Rafter 5M Land & Cattle

Bruin Ranch

Facebook @AngusUnderground

Instagram @AngusUnderground

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

GingerHillAngus.com

Insuremybull.com

Brooking Angus Ranch

Quotes:

• “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket with this birthweight deal, because you will breed yourself into a problem.”
• “We keep seeing generation after generation of these negative birth weights being stacked up, and we can all see the wreck that’s coming.”
• “We truly enjoy trying to achieve something and have had some success building some security for our family.”
• “That’s why we should encourage Junior showing. It’s teaching these kids responsibility, skills, and teaching them discipline.”

Learn more about our sponsor, Montana Ranch, by visiting MontanaRanchAngus.com.

The guys are happy to have Vince back this week, and together they welcome guests Mallory Pappas and Conner Bridwell of Bridwell Angus Ranch in Montague, CA. Mallory and Conner first talk a little about their addiction to Angus cattle and the audience they serve, then Mallory and Conner have a ton of great insight on the importance of consistency, how they got into the whole AI process, and the value of growing your network. Mallory and Conner share some highlights from their latest trip to Montana, and how they knew certain cows were a fit for their ranch. They touch upon the importance of seeing the cows in person, and a few of the many cool plans that came up in conversation during their 15-hour trip back from Montana.

Mentioned in this Episode:

Montana Ranch

Rafter 5M Land & Cattle

Bruin Ranch

Facebook @AngusUnderground

Instagram @AngusUnderground

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

GingerHillAngus.com

Insuremybull.com

BirchCreekAngus.com

Bridwell Angus Ranch

Quotes:

• “The more unique you get in your program goals and objectives, the more you'll be rewarded in the future.”
• For us, growing our network has just been more out of necessity, because there’s nobody around us as far as our families that have ever had any involvement in purebred genetics.”
• “Any of the information that we can get from someone that has been in the business has been really crucial to us being able to make any sort of decision in our cattle.”
• “That's kind of been the theme of everywhere that we go is we're just asking people what's worked for them.”
• “There's nothing better than going and seeing them in person.”
• “The buyers don't care about the pedigree, they care about a consistent good-looking set of calves.”

Learn more about our sponsor, Montana Ranch, by visiting MontanaRanchAngus.com.

The episode kicks off with Joe celebrating a whale of a good bull sale, and then he, David, and Korbin talk about their definition of what “balanced” means to them and discuss why you shouldn’t be a seed stock breeder if you are a failed commercial producer. The conversation then turns to the importance of staying true to the cow family, and the naming of calves. They then discuss a listener question about contemporary groups — what they are and how you use them — and end the show talking about the importance of being accurate and representative of your environment, and trying your best to not lose touch with the commercial world.

Mentioned in this Episode:

Montana Ranch

Rafter 5M Land & Cattle

Bruin Ranch

Facebook @AngusUnderground

Instagram @AngusUnderground

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

InsureMyBull.com

MontanaRanchAngus.com

UpchurchBrothers.com 

Quotes:

• “Now I get excited by looking at the list of who the repeat buyers are.”
• “I think we undersell the value of what being balanced means and what middle of the road means to the commercial customer.”
• “A lot of the things that you see out there that are extreme on the high end are so unattainable.”
• “When you lose touch with the commercial world, you start hacking off the bottom of a measuring stick!”

Learn more about our sponsor, Montana Ranch, by visiting MontanaRanchAngus.com.

David, Joe, Korbin, and returning regular Vince Santini start the show talking about the things they do to help put together a catalog and how to help your customer get the most information without bloviating (too much). Then, they dive into the topic of bull development and discuss how to get bulls ready for sale including weight and weighing conditions, staying on top of the bull’s health, and why they have a zero-tolerance policy for aggression. They end the show emphasizing the need to treat others how you wish to be treated, both personally and professionally.

Mentioned in this Episode:

Montana Ranch

Rafter 5M Land & Cattle

Bruin Ranch

Facebook @AngusUnderground

Instagram @AngusUnderground

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

InsureMyBull.com 

MontanaRanchAngus.com

Shady Brook Angus Farm

Quotes:

• “Mother Nature provides the best sort that you can possibly put on those cattle and when you emerge on the other side you’re going to have a better herd from it.”
• “You have a very specific deadline, and there quite often is zero room for error.”
• “When a bull goes off feed, and I’m talking completely off feed, he’s not going to make my sale. I always say, “I have zero room for error.”
• “I urge all of you, all of you treat others as you would wish to be treated. It's that simple.”
• “It's about doing the right thing. And doing the right thing, it’s often the easiest and cheapest way to remedy the situation.”

Learn more about our sponsor, Montana Ranch, by visiting MontanaRanchAngus.com.

David, Joe, and Korbin welcome back Vince Santini and kick off the show with their definition of phenotype. They then dive into all the different roadmaps you could take when starting over and share their different perspectives on building a trusted network of people, risk management, assessing your competition, and what to do when you can’t afford the right cow. They give their advice for younger producers and pull out a few highlights from the recent interview with Larry Coleman.

Mentioned in this Episode:

Montana Ranch

Rafter 5M Land & Cattle

Bruin Ranch

Facebook @AngusUnderground

Instagram @AngusUnderground

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

Shady Brook Angus Farm

Quotes:

• “You do you, and the good cattle and people will come, but that’s really. really scary to do.”
• “In two years, you need to find a trusted network of people.”
• “Once you find this network, you’ll find that these people want you to be as successful as they are, and they try to get the right genetics in the right hands.”
• “I think that there’s a lot of opportunity and most of the people that you’re going to want to do business with care about your success as much as theirs.”
• “I never make money off you, I make money off the friends you send.”

Learn more about our sponsor, Montana Ranch, by visiting MontanaRanchAngus.com.

It’s a special one-year anniversary episode, as David, Joe, and Korbin give thanks to the listeners and reflect on how awesome this year has been. They recap last week’s episode with Vince from Shady Brook Farm and then go into a super fun episode with Larry Coleman and his lovely bride Dee, who shares a hilarious story of her first impression about Larry. The crew also talks with Jeremy Haag, who is a recent addition at Coleman. The conversation covers how Larry got into the Donna cow families and integrated cow families, why it’s important to study three generations of pedigrees on cattle, and his advice for young breeders. Larry gives his advice for young breeders, shines a light on Coleman’s future, and provides more context on those epic fishing pictures.

Mentioned in this Episode:

Montana Ranch

Rafter 5M Land & Cattle

Bruin Ranch

Facebook @AngusUnderground

Instagram @AngusUnderground

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

Coleman Angus

Quotes:

• “The main goal of everything that we’re doing here is to encourage independent thought. Encourage people to look beyond the sales reports.”
• “Look beyond the breed publications and just find out what works for you and your operation. And guess what, once you figure that out, once you master that, there’s going to be a whole client base that you never dreamed of that will be attracted to what you’re doing.”
• “That’s what we’re all about here. Just think for yourself.”
• “That’s the beauty of this business, and the Angus business. There’s a lot of different avenues and a wide variety that you can sell to.”
• “You need to believe in your product. You need to breed quality. You need to breed what makes you happy.”
• “Today, I definitely analyze pedigrees before I jump into something.”

Learn more about our sponsor, Montana Ranch, by visiting MontanaRanchAngus.com.

Vince Santini joins Joe and Korbin for a conversation all about ranch tours and how to make the best of your experience as both the host and the one taking the tour. They discuss having a plan in place of what it is you are there to see, and the importance of keeping an open mind when viewing how other people run their operations. As a host, they touch upon producing an experience that shows an authentic snapshot of your offerings, how to get over intimidation that comes with giving tours, and how to communicate with your guests in a way that matches their interest level.

Mentioned in this Episode:

Montana Ranch

Rafter 5M Land & Cattle

Bruin Ranch

Facebook @AngusUnderground

Instagram @AngusUnderground

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

GeneBrokers.com

Shady Brook Angus Farms

Quotes:

• “Keeping things in perspective as to where you’re at is very important. Knowing that is the first step.”
• “Make sure to see what you want to see, but don’t be in a hurry.”
• “You know your cattle better than anyone. Make sure that the people see the ones they need to see.”
• “We get concerned about the marketability of tours, but I’ve actually switched it around to where I just want them to see my program, and I want them to get to know me.”

Learn more about our sponsor, Montana Ranch, by visiting MontanaRanchAngus.com.

The show starts off talking about calving in different seasons, and then some breaking news about the very first Bruin Hologram Calf being born! Then they dive into some topics as a continuation of last week: how to ensure customer satisfaction, and practicing just plain old good business. They give personal examples of how to make it right with your customers, what happens when you have to fire a customer, and why surrounding yourself with customers that get you on a personal level is so important.

Mentioned in this Episode:

Montana Ranch

Rafter 5M Land & Cattle

Bruin Ranch

Facebook @AngusUnderground

Instagram @AngusUnderground

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

GeneBrokers.com

Quotes:

• “Just do the right thing.”
• “What it comes down to is, I love these cows, and I love what I do and it's my most favorite thing in the world.”
• “The first one is standing behind your product and ensuring the satisfaction of your customer. It’s the most basic and good business item you can practice.”
• “If you surround yourself with customers that get you on a personal level and treat things the same way you are, they end up liking similar types of cattle, they have similar types of goals.”

Learn more about our sponsor, Montana Ranch, by visiting MontanaRanchAngus.com.

The crew kicks off the episode by giving a recap of the National Junior Show. They talk about what a great job was done by all, and how impressed they are with both the future leaders and the sacrifice given by the whole family. They then dive into a question posed by past guest George Chambers: where will you be, once you get where you are going? Each person gives their individual answer, and they talk as a group about what the herd will look like in management, customer profitability, and the overall vision for the future.

Mentioned in this Episode:

Montana Ranch

Rafter 5M Land & Cattle

Bruin Ranch

Facebook @AngusUnderground

Instagram @AngusUnderground

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

GeneBrokers.com

Quotes:

• “That's truly the role of a seed stock producer: to keep your customer relevant in the marketplace.”
• “I want my customers to be more profitable. I know that’s a real holistic view, but our commercial customers are our bread and butter.”
• “As a commercial producer, it’s so much easier because you’re not following genetic trends. You’re not trying to do anything.”

Learn more about our sponsor, Montana Ranch, by visiting MontanaRanchAngus.com.

As we know, the future is our youth, whether we are talking about our society, country, or even the American Angus Association. So this week, the crew is joined by three guests to talk about the National Junior Angus Association: Caitlyn Brandt, Director of Events and Junior Activities at AAA, Corbin Cowles who was the past director of NJAA, and Eric Schafer, Current Vice Chairman of the NJAA Board. The three guests fill us in on everything it means to be an NJAA member including the opportunities, community building, and scholarships, and a few of their personal favorite things about the organization. We learn a brief history of NJAA, what goes into the record books and award ceremonies, and how it can shape the future leaders of tomorrow.

Mentioned in this Episode:

Montana Ranch

Rafter 5M Land & Cattle

Bruin Ranch

Facebook @AngusUnderground

Instagram @AngusUnderground

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

GeneBrokers.com

National Junior Angus Association

Caitlyn Brandt — Director of Events and Junior Activities at American Angus Association (AAA)

Corbin Cowles — Past Director of National Junior Angus Association Board (NJAA) from Kentucky

Eric Schafer — Current Vice Chairman of NJAA Board from Illinois

Quotes:

• “I myself was a junior member at one time. I like to think that what I picked up as a junior member really set me up for success in my career and really taught me a lot of life lessons.” 
• “At the end of the day, it’s about fostering that next generation and being able to make them better leaders, better industry members, and better professionals.”
• “They are advocates for everyone else that they come in contact with.”
• “But I do have to admit the personal bias and say that I firmly believe the auctioneering contest is the best and my favorite.”

Learn more about our sponsor, Montana Ranch, by visiting MontanaRanchAngus.com.