Primary Blog/Profitable Agriculture/Winter Calf Loss vs. Profitable Ranching

Monday, April 10, 2023

Winter Calf Loss vs. Profitable Ranching

10-20% calf losses in the Western US this winter is crazy. We can avoid that kind of risk and build wealth at the same time.

This winter, with its late, heavy, and still ongoing snow storms, has caused tremendous calf loss on ranches across the Western United States. Just two weeks ago I watched a news report out of Utah showing a 10- 20% loss of calves due to adverse winter conditions. That’s an insane amount of loss. As I visit with friends and family who are losing their calves, some just today in the storm that hit us yesterday, I keep asking myself “why are we still following this broken tradition?” There’s a better way! 

Just Call Us Rebels

Albert Einstein once famously quipped “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.” Too often in ranching we do things the way they’ve always been done, as if the methods handed down are so necessary that they must be followed in spite of yearly losses, and they must never be questioned or you could be labeled a ranching heretic. But your success matters to me, so I’m going to be a rebel. I'm going to risk questioning, and I’m going to risk you thinking I'm crazy for not doing the same old thing over and over again and getting the same broke and broken results. I'm going to risk being ridiculed for offering you a better way. I worry for my friends, I mourn their terrible losses this year with them, and I want to do more than just say words of sympathy. I want to offer another option that can work to prevent the kind of losses we’re seeing this winter.

Pounds-per-Acre Determine Profitability

Last week we hosted Kit Pharo, of Pharo Cattle Company, on our weekly, Profitable Regeneration Webinar. Kit is a ranching rebel, shaking up paradigms and proving with profits that having an open mind, being observant, and embracing good stewardship can lead to lasting changes on our ranches that save our calves, our bottom line, and ultimately our ranching way of life. He has taught for years that “Pounds-per-acre determines profit, not pounds-per-cow,” and he’s proven his claim over and over again on his own ranch, and on ranches that follow his counsel all over North and South America.

All About Efficiency

Measuring the profitability of beef production through pounds produced per acre provides insight into the efficiency of land use, and can help ranchers optimize their operations for maximum profitability. Production of pounds-per-acre can vary depending on factors such as climate, soil quality, and management practices. However, in general, ranchers aim to produce as many pounds of beef per acre as possible while still maintaining the health and well-being of their animals and the sustainability of their land.

Strategies to Improve Profitability

  • ​Utilizing rotational grazing practices to ensure that pastures are not overgrazed and can recover between grazing periods.
  • ​Selecting breeds of cattle that are well-adapted to the local environment and can thrive on the available forage.
  • ​Providing proper nutrition to the animals to support growth and productivity.
  • ​Minimizing the use of costly inputs, such as feed supplements and veterinary treatments, while still maintaining the health and productivity of the herd.
  • ​Managing the land in a sustainable manner to ensure its long-term productivity and health.

Profitable ranching is the only kind of ranching that will keep you on your land for years to come. By focusing on producing more pounds of beef per acre, you can increase profitability on your ranch while also promoting sustainable land use and animal welfare. This is Regenerative Ranching in a nutshell. If your ranch isn’t making a profit, you aren’t regenerative.


Sign up for our Profitable Ranching Webinars so you don’t miss the essential information you need for success.

See other posts like this one:

Saturday, April 08, 2023

Can a Family Farm be Profitable?

Thursday, April 06, 2023

Where Have All the Farmer’s Gone?

Wednesday, April 05, 2023

What is Good Farm Stewardship?

Tuesday, April 04, 2023

Can Regenerative Agriculture Feed the World?

Tuesday, April 04, 2023

Profitable Ranching is More than Marketing

Tuesday, March 28, 2023

Winter-Proofing Your Cow/Calf Operation

Tuesday, March 28, 2023

When Did Regenerative Agriculture Start?

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