Don’t Be Afraid to Change By Toby Muller
This last week I got the chance to try some authentic Mexican food. My brother’s girlfriend is of Hispanic decent and I have told her several times that I would love to try some “real” Mexican food. My brother told me it was too spicy, and one or two of the ingredients were enough to make most people squirm, but what the heck, Tyler is a wuss when it comes to spicy stuff, and I spend about 50 % of my waking moments with my arm up a cows butt, so I wasn’t going to let some diced-up pig intestines scare me. The reward was great! The dish included tortillas, fresh crumbled cheese, and lots of meat (beef also) smothered by a spicy, rich sauce that made my face turn more than a little red. In the beef business, you better not be afraid to try new things
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Livestock Plus Inc.
September 2012
either. In today’s world competition is great, technology is rapidly changing, and margins can be very small. Nothing brings out the need for an open mind more than a drought year like the one we’re having now. Feed and water need to be micro-managed, new feed sources should be looked at and different management practices need to be considered. I’ve heard of all kinds of feed sources being looked at, several early weaning techniques discussed, and we’ve had a lot of calls to do early ultrasounds. Without some proactive thinking, 8 dollar corn and $200/ton hay can sink a ship in a hurry. Get those open cows off the feed bill while the kill cow prices are still high and get the calves off the cows to reduce their daily requirements. Then check into some alternative feed stuffs make your winter feed go farther. Do your homework and don’t go off the deep end but never quit trying to improve your system. - Toby