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At the time of writing this, it has
already been an eventful September and it is only midway
through. From the big storm hitting Texas, to the train crash in
Southern California, the announcement of a female VP candidate
and my own personal loss of a loved one.
Keeping all of that in perspective often is difficult, but such
is life. So we must be able to take in these events, catalog,
decipher them and continue on.
The bull sale season here in
California is in full swing now, finishing up the current week
with prices for good bulls continuing to be strong. The reason I
mention good bulls is because those days of all the bulls you
sell at a high average are over. We Angus breeders are now
feeling what the other breeds have felt, with demand being not
nearly as strong or competitions for average bulls not there. I
am sure that some of you have come to this realization, as we
have, that we need to be more critical of our product. With the
cost of feed and fuel being high those bulls we feed for 8 to 16
months need to be worth the gamble. Feeder prices have been good
along with the demand for show steer prospects for the better
bulls you castrate often if you pencil out the return and there
is more profit less risk going the steer route. With that being
said, it is difficult to make that decision when you are defined
as seed stock producer. I know that every one has been singing
this tune for a while but it is time for those difficult
decisions again with 2008 fall calving underway.
As the bull market softens and you
may not want your cow herd to grow due to high feed costs,
remember there is still a market for top end show heifers and I
emphasize top end. Look into some of the consignment sales, sell
the really good ones and it can help your cash flow woes.
Remember to take as good of care of
those customers as you can, by helping in every way you are
able. Take advantage of the best and cheapest form of
advertising we have, word of mouth! The people that purchase
these females talk to each other and see who is getting the
support. This kind of commitment helps build a strong customer
base and perpetuates your share of the market. Increasing the
value of all of our product.
On a personal level be sure to
always take time out of your busy schedule to spend time with
folk’s whether they are your loved ones or acquaintances. One
never knows what can happen or when it can happen, you certainly
don’t want say “If I only would have!”
After originally drafting this
editorial the fragility of life becomes even more apparent when
I learned of the loss of Frank Ward’s younger brother Fred in an
auto accident related to his ranching activities. My heart feels
for him and his families as do those of you that know Frank or
knew Fred.
Thanks for your attention and I
look forward to seeing you this fall somewhere.
Best Wishes,
Jim Vietheer
WSAA Director
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