WELCOME AND USUAL MUSINGS
It’s been a long and cold winter and it’s a good thing that feed is cheaper because we have sure used a lot of
it. I am glad that we are seeing signs that spring is just around the corner and grass is on the way.
One can’t argue that the cattle market has moved into new territory, but I can’t help but wonder how long
it will last and really how profitable we all are with production costs at their current level. I have no doubt
that the ones that survive in the end, will still have to be low cost producers. The world around us is changing
, like it or not, and in the end the beef industry will not only have to be sustainable but will have to be able to
compete with other high quality protein sources in the market. My biggest concern for us right now is that at
some point we will move past the price level that the consumer is willing to buy our product. There is no
doubt that consumers prefer the taste of beef, it all comes down to whether or not they can afford the taste
of beef.
To that end we must continue efforts to provide our product more efficiently. Everything from grazing
systems, genetics, carcass improvement and feed efficiency along with improved feeding and harvest systems
can all play a part in beef becoming more competitive with other protein sources.
The set of bulls offered this spring have all jumped through the normal hoops here at Green Springs in order
to be here in the sale. They are bulls that we are convinced can move the industry toward those goals. All the
bulls have been through the Growsafe system and have RFI data available on them. While some suppliers talk
of bulls with some RFI data available or DNA marker profiles available, these bulls all have RFI data that is third
party verified and as accurate, or more accurate than any available any where.
These bulls have all been PI tested and Trich tested as well as passed our normal breeding soundness
exams. This assures you that you can enter the breeding season with no worries and no surprises.
As always the bulls have been tested on a forage based ration designed to make them express their genetic
differences without getting them overly conditioned. So many seed stock providers now days tout strictly
forage developed bulls but then either don’t show you any performance data or try to make you believe that
the bulls gained three or four pounds a day on forage alone. These bulls are fed a silage based, 54 to 56 meg
ration for 112 day then slowed down and hardened up before the sale. They typically average .25 inches of
backfat at the end of the test and are fed just hard enough to gain and express their potential carcass traits.
This offering not only includes our normal group of outstanding Angus and Simmental bulls but also a really
nice set of Gelbvieh and Balancer bulls from several progressive Missouri breeders that are sure to please.
We also have a nice group of black Braunvieh bulls that sure merit your attention. These young bulls all have
the genetic makeup and data packages that can take your cow herd in the right direction. With feeder cattle
at $2.00, how much is a really good bull worth?
We also are offering a really nice set of working age commercial cows, all bred to Green Springs
performance tested bulls and ready to go to work on your ranch. If need good aged cows, bred right, you need
to look at these.
As always we are here to help in any way we can. If you need to look at these cattle before the sale give us a
call. We are more than happy to tell you everything we know.
Thanks for your consideration,
Kent, Kathy, Cole and the Crew at GSBT