Mr Cattlemaster Blog

<p>This testimonial is from a phone conversation.&nbsp; I took some notes for accuracy.&nbsp; I realize it is not the same if I write it up.&nbsp; I asked her if she would type something up for me, and she declined.&nbsp; She stated that she wants to suppress the memories of what her family went through. Hi<a class="more-link" href="https://mrcattlemaster.com/2023/06/07/like-causes-like-results/">Continue reading <span class="screen-reader-text">&#8220;Like Causes = Like&nbsp

<p>I was planning on blogging again after school started, which was last week. I have all kinds of topics that I’d like to cover. This post was not on that list. This is going to be my rebuttal piece to “The Top Above and Beyond traits of a Farm Wife” that I read on Farmtalk<a class="more-link" href="https://mrcattlemaster.com/2016/08/23/traits-of-a-great-farm-spouse/">Continue reading <span class="screen-reader-text">&#8220;Traits of a Great Farm&nbsp;Spouse&#8221;</span></a

<p>Question 6. What cause do you care about and how have you supported your favorite charity? My wife and I strongly feel it is important to help kids. Roughly one in seven kids in our area does not have enough food to eat. Over the years we have helped with several fund drives to help<a class="more-link" href="https://mrcattlemaster.com/2016/04/22/agproud-q-6-charity/">Continue reading <span class="screen-reader-text">&#8220;Agproud Q. 6&nbsp;Charity&#8221;</span></a></p>

<p>Every year there are numerous articles about fly control. All of them revolve around using some kind of gimmick for control. Now it’s no mystery why these freebee publications will only write about gimmicks that siphon money out of the pockets of cattle producers. It helps them sell advertising space. They probably also don’t realize<a class="more-link" href="https://mrcattlemaster.com/2016/04/21/shoo-fly/">Continue reading <span class="screen-reader-text">&#8220;Shoo Fly&

<p>When my daughter was four she went through a phase where she was afraid of bugs. It didn’t matter what we said to her about bugs, she was terrified. At the time we also had what we called “Daddy’s Day”. On this day she’d spend most of the day with me, and all of it<a class="more-link" href="https://mrcattlemaster.com/2016/03/02/daddys-day-of-all-stars/">Continue reading <span class="screen-reader-text">&#8220;Daddy&#8217;s Day of All&nbsp;Stars&#8221;</span></a></p>

<p>Six or seven years ago I was asked to be part of an interview that included several other producers from around the country. The topic was focused on young producers and what our competitive advantage was due the region we each lived in. It was mostly they typical stuff you’d expect. One guy mentioned he<a class="more-link" href="https://mrcattlemaster.com/2016/02/16/my-sustainable-competitive-advantage/">Continue reading <span class="screen-reader-text">&#8220;My Sustaina

<p>The weather has been very challenging here to say the least. 2015 was the fourth wettest on record. Between Thanksgiving and New Years we’ve had close to a foot of rain. That just is not good since it doesn’t dry out that time of year. When that is coupled with temps that are 50 degrees<a class="more-link" href="https://mrcattlemaster.com/2016/01/19/light-the-furnace/">Continue reading <span class="screen-reader-text">&#8220;Light the Furnace&#8221;</span></a></p>

<p>My 529 plan was originally posted in March of 2013. In my example here, my daughter would have the original 5 head paid off at age 3.  As an update of how well this can work, my daughter has 8 head fully paid for and a few hundred dollars left over.  The cattle market has<a class="more-link" href="https://mrcattlemaster.com/2014/09/26/529-plan-updated/">Continue reading <span class="screen-reader-text">&#8220;529 Plan Updated&#8221;</span></a></p>

<p>Labor Day morning I woke up and gazed out the window sipping my coffee, when I thought back to four years ago.  That was the last time I’ve had even the smallest of injury.  As I’ve gotten older I take farm safety a bit more seriously.  Becoming a father has also made me more aware<a class="more-link" href="https://mrcattlemaster.com/2014/09/10/time-is-not-always-money-farm-safety/">Continue reading <span class="screen-reader-text">&#8220;Time is Not Always Money (Farm&nbs

<p>Ever since I was a little kid all I wanted to do was farm and raise cattle.  Everything seemed so simple back then.  Just grow up and do what you want to.  We all had that dream.  When you get older, and especially when you have a kid, things get real. In the last year<a class="more-link" href="https://mrcattlemaster.com/2013/03/11/cattle-529-plan/">Continue reading <span class="screen-reader-text">&#8220;Cattle 529 Plan&#8221;</span></a></p>

<p>I do not pay very  much attention to cycles.  I will admit they do exist.  I see market cycles within the week, the month, a six month period, and even the year and beyond.  The thing is due to the way I market cattle the cycles do not matter at all to me.  Before I<a class="more-link" href="https://mrcattlemaster.com/2012/12/11/cycles/">Continue reading <span class="screen-reader-text">&#8220;Cycles&#8221;</span></a></p>

<p>I’m not really sure how it happened, but I get quite a few people contact me for advice.  Not just about cattle either.  I have a few that are chronic callers.  They call me A LOT, and never do anything.  They never buy any cattle to get started.  They never pull the trigger to start<a class="more-link" href="https://mrcattlemaster.com/2012/11/29/action/">Continue reading <span class="screen-reader-text">&#8220;Action&#8221;</span></a></p>

<p>Last week I gave a speech about the economic impact an operation like mine has.  I went through some old pictures from when I started feeding cattle.  It really brought back some old memories.   It brought up a couple questions.  One, why did my girlfriend go through all that with me, and then agree to<a class="more-link" href="https://mrcattlemaster.com/2012/08/14/let-it-burn/">Continue reading <span class="screen-reader-text">&#8220;Let It Burn&#8221;</span></a></p>

<p>It almost never seems to fail.  I talk to a ton of people who want to start their own business.  And as you could guess most of them are people wanting to get into raising cattle.  So many of them fall into a category that I call “Rope Skippers” Rope Skippers talk like they are<a class="more-link" href="https://mrcattlemaster.com/2012/06/27/rope-skippers/">Continue reading <span class="screen-reader-text">&#8220;Rope Skippers&#8221;</span></a></p>

<p>BSE made the news again.  I have a different view point of it than most people.  Past experience tends to shape how we view things.  Everyone else seems to be a bit shaken by it, while I kind of embrace it and laugh about it.  My Facebook status right now is “We have 140 breeds<a class="more-link" href="https://mrcattlemaster.com/2012/04/25/mad-cow-distractions-beginning-cattlemen/">Continue reading <span class="screen-reader-text">&#8220;Mad Cow = Distractions= Beginning&

<p>Now let’s think logically for a minute.  I live in reality so I see no need to worry about what the price MIGHT have been.  I can’t read cards, palms or stars so I just deal with what I have at the time The only reason I can think of to have the demand conversation<a class="more-link" href="https://mrcattlemaster.com/2012/02/08/supply-and-demand-3-of-3/">Continue reading <span class="screen-reader-text">&#8220;Supply and Demand 3 of&nbsp;3&#8221;</span></a></p>

<p>Remember this was written half a year ago, when you get to the part of cattle prices.  After this blog was posted last summer the author of the article I wrote this piece in response to made some flattering insults directed at me.  He even insulted my ability to be a father.  I was asked<a class="more-link" href="https://mrcattlemaster.com/2012/02/07/supply-and-demand-2-of-3-unedited/">Continue reading <span class="screen-reader-text">&#8220;Supply and Demand 2 of 3&nbsp;(

<p>This series was origionaly posted on Cattle Call in early summer 2011.  It is very important cattle producers grasp this.  NCBA edited some stuff out of the origional I submitted to them.  Part 1 is more of an intro, part 2 is where the good stuff is &nbsp; Supply and demand is a natural law. <a class="more-link" href="https://mrcattlemaster.com/2012/02/06/supply-and-demand-1of-3unedited/">Continue reading <span class="screen-reader-text">&#8220;Supply and Demand 1of&nbsp;