Rafter N Ranch, Inc

Pedigree & Performance

 WHAT IS IT WORTH?

 As we further enter the exciting Rodeo Bred and Bucking Cattle Business I look around and see cattle prices climbing as the demand swells. We contact “For Sale” advertisers about their cattle and the first question we ask is “Are they registered”? The usual response is “No” with a definitive reason following, “I never had the money to play the game”, fifty dollars is not much money to “Play the game”, or “We been hauling and raising bucking bulls for years and we 110% guarantee our breeding”, and we all know to trust cattle traders. The discussion ensues about how Buckers.com sold heifers for $3,500.00, how the Fabulous Female Sale brought record dollars for cows, and how the yearling bulls brought in excess of $10,000.00 at the Texas Breeders Classic in Glen Rose. We have all agreed the overall Rodeo Cattle market is good. The seller then generally states he needs to have $1,500.00 a round for his heifers. We, the customer, have to sadly decline the purchase of these heifers at this price because the heifers do not have a written pedigree, Registration with the ABBI. Basically and sadly these heifers now become common commercial cattle, as far as accurate knowledge of pedigree, which affects the price, are concerned. We simply do not purchase any non-pedigreed cattle; it is a bad business decision to do so.

According to Webster’s dictionary the word “Register” means official list, to set down formally or to record in writing. If you do not have a standard practice of recording and transferring your cattle to your customers, we the customer, will seek out someone else to purchase from. The Registration Certificate unequivocally guarantees the genetics and holds us as your customer for a longer period of time, not to mention the continued marketing of your program from offspring accomplishments. Customer loyalty, satisfaction and retention of business are the key elements.

 IS SHORT TERM GAIN WORTH LONG TERM LOSS?

We need to depend on the national breed association, American Bucking Bull, Inc., ABBI, to maintain the official pedigree records and to help us promote the genetics we are raising. It is a must to financially support this organization for it to continue its’ duties to the membership. If you believe in your seedstock concept and are using Rodeo Genetics in your Marketing Program, I encourage you to demonstrate your beliefs to your customers. Meet the demands of the ever-increasing number of Rodeo Cattle buyers requesting, if not demanding, a bit of history of performance before they will purchase a set of yearlings. As source verification takes a stronger hold in the industry, genetic data on sires and dams will be very important in marketing the offspring. In other words, specification buying will make the transfer of pedigree a very important item. Randy Bernard, PBR Chief Executive Officer, stated, “I believe that ABBI will revolutionize the bucking bull industry for breeders and stock contractors.”

 COST OF PEDIGREE VERIFICATION

Can we afford to financially support the national breed association?

Let’s look at the following analysis:

Membership in the national breed association, American Bucking Bull, Inc., as a Breeder is a $125.00 per year investment. Blood Kits (kit includes card, needle, & appropriate paperwork) at $2.00 each. Registration (includes DNA testing) until December 31, 2004 is $48.00 per head, regardless of sex or age. So, now we have $125.00 per year and $50.00 per head for our total investment. According to the United States Agricultural Department, USDA, most farms and ranches contain less than 200 acres and run approximately 30 head.

Using these numbers we can now figure our investment of pedigree verification at  $1625.00 per year for the average cattle operation. For this example lets sell every calf this year, all heifer calves, and since we are now registered we can sell at our choice of ABBI approved sales. Several quality pedigreed heifers sold for $2,500.00 plus at the Bucker’s event in Stephenville, which would bring our total sales volume to $75,000.00 for the year. I think everyone will agree the investment in our business product that we are all so proud of has paid dividends two fold, extra $60,000.00 on our deposit slips to the bank. I can only imagine if we had a bull calf or two to win a futurity and/or sell at the Texas Breeders Classic Futurity and Sale for an extra $20,000.00, what a time in Las Vegas for the PBR Finals that would create.  As I am sure we will all agree, supporting the national breed association ABBI benefits all of the members instead of costing the breeders to “Play the Game”, “who’d a thunk it?”

Furthermore, someday, you may want to buy back some females or someday you may want to buy back some offspring. When that someday becomes reality, the original registration certificate is the whole key to success. We are all selling something long term, a potential program if you will, not just a single animal. Invest in your future as a Rodeo Cattle and Bucking Bull Breeder by supporting the national breed association, American Bucking Bull, Inc., ABBI. We are not a shareholder or on the Board of Director for the ABBI, but you can bet your sweet ass we are, and will continue to be, a dedicated member and appreciate all of the hard work our association does for us, at no further cost to the members.

Gary A. Nordling    Rafter N Ranch, Inc.    Brownwood, Texas

This Article was Published in "The Professional Bull Rider's" Magazine