Our farm is located in Gilmer, Texas.  Gilmer is about two hours East of Dallas, Texas.  We are stationed on about 50 acres of bermuda pastures and pine forests.  We began raising crossbred cattle about 15 years ago.  Shortly after, we began purchasing beefmaster cattle to add to our crossbred herd.  We soon realized the great benefits of beefmaster cattle and started phasing out our crossbred herd and purchasing more high Quality beefmasters.  About 5 years ago we started to emphasize on producing show quality stock.  With the popularity of cattle shows, we knew this was a wise choice.  Now, we feel that we have come a long way from our beginnings.  Our cattle get better every year and the future looks very bright.

When we analyze our calves for sell we ask ourselves, "Would we be proud to sell this calf to someone?"  If the answer is no the animal will go straight to the sale barn for whatever the going price is.  This way, we can associate our name with Quality cattle. 
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The "Tripod Theory" to Quality Cattle: Good cattle are easy to come by if you have three factors met.  If any of these three are lacking, Quality is unattainable.

    1. Genetics- Anything your animal does or ever will do is controlled by their genes.  There is no "Maybe one day they will change."  Genetic codes are written in stone and cannot be changed.  If you buy an animal with good genetics the next two factors are possible.  Bad genetics hinders you from the start and you can never beat them.  

    2. Nutrition- Feed controls a ton of things in a live animal from health all the way to breeding.  If you don't have a good nutrition program, you will not have healthy cattle, your repro rates will fall, and it won't be easy to make any profit.  As some people say, it takes money to make money.  Put a little more effort into a feeding program and you will be astounded by the difference in your cattle.

    3. Management- With genetics and nutrition in place you must use good management practices to seal the deal.  Things such as vaccination programs, cattle handling techniques, good fences, and minimizing stressors can make or break your cattle.  These "little things" should not be overlooked because they are extremely important.

With these three things, you can have Quality cattle.  Not having just one will halt your cattle from improving.  Here are some life lessons I've learned from working with cattle.

• Skinny cattle do not breed
• If momma was no good and daddy was no good, baby is no good
• Good Cattle + Good Prices = Lifelong Customers and Friends
• Spend the extra $2 per head for vaccinations, it will save you money ten fold
• Just because she was nice before calving doesn't mean you can pet the baby
• "Pet" bulls can be friendly but one day they might harm you
• Keep your fence up, it will keep your cattle off of major highways
• No one ever considers predator control until they lose a calf
• "Flighty" cattle lose you money and cause lots of cursing
• Don't beat a show cow and not expect to catch a hoof later
• Cattle can sense fear
• Make sure you use a low birth wt bull on heifers
• Cattle can do fine on grass and some minerals
• Fat cattle breed back quicker, have growthier calves, and make more money
• Showing cattle can be a family hobby

 


Viramontes Beefmasters
Gilmer, Texas
(903)734-5553