Hello All:

The Ichthys Cattle Enterprise 10^th annual bull and bred heifer sale will be held Saturday, March 14 at our farm in Webster County near Guide Rock NE. We will be offering dozens of coming two year old bulls and bred heifers set to calve in May/June. We are trying to think of ways to celebrate the 10^th year on our own. Any ideas? One of my thoughts is to give every child in attendance who is 10 years old and younger a dollar for every year of age. Our family attended the 10^th bull sale at Pharo Cattle Company and they offered a $10 bill to every 10 year-old at the sale. Robert was the only one there who collected the cash…he was VERY pleased! Robert is 25 now…time doesn’t just pass…it speeds up!

Genetics or Pressure? Every seedstock producer has their genetics come from some other seedstock producer. Our genetics comes primarily from Ohlde Cattle Company and Pharo Cattle Company. If you are interested in their genetics I invite you to consider our offering. Our “uniqueness” in the industry would be in bull development. We apply pressure to our cattle like no other seedstock producer I am aware. We don’t feed the bulls and heifers we develop. They must graze. They must stay on their mommas through their first winter grazing low-quality crop residues. They explode come spring grass turnout. They don’t get treated or pampered, they get better, get placed in the beef program or die. Our problems NEVER become your seedstock. Some people test for Tenet; we make certain our cattle are docile because you can’t have high-headed cattle and tenderness. You can sort out all problems (and promote solutions) without props, supplements, tests, treatments, etc. by using your eyes and common sense. Are you putting up with a fence jumper? Are you putting up with crazy? Are you forgiving an open female? You’re part of the problem if you let a problem persist. ICE starts with top of the mountain grazing genetics then sorts them with pressure. The result is refined…and should give you many years of profitable service.

How Much is a Bull Worth? When we started out as Cooperative Producers for PCC in 2004 I remember DREAMING that our bulls would average $2500 in the sale. As CPs we would get half of that revenue, $1250 for a 400-500 lb. weaned calf…LOTTERY!!! By the time we ended our relationship with PCC  in 2017 our bulls were averaging around $7000…tops in the sale. Oh how foolish I was to think that kind of success would continue!!!

A quick Google of the above question yields varied search results: 4 to 5 times the value of a weaned steer calf, 2 to 2.5 times the value of a finished fat steer. If EITHER of those were true it would prove how SIGNIFICANTLY under market ICE bulls sell for, and have sold for the first 9 years. This is not a complaint, not meant to be anyway, it is a point for me to consider. It is more clear than ever that the bull business is built on reputation, trust, customer service, quality, customer success and many other aspects that take time to develop. Have we not had enough time? Idk, but I blame me and my marketing, not the bulls.

Our bulls produce top of the line replacement heifers and incredible beef, both grain and grass finished. We know this because of personal experience and, more importantly, customer feedback.  We know what we offer is top shelf and our customers testify to that truth. We market every bull and heifer that doesn’t make the cut as seedstock as beef. Our beef sales have exploded and we are averaging $5000-$6000 per head per fattened animal. We have nearly 40 whole beef to ship to California sometime this spring. Last year we had to buy calves from our customers to meet demand. It is much easier to sell beef than bulls! I’ve long said it would be FAR easier to sell 1000 bred heifers than 50 bulls. I’ve never had to deal with an unsatisfied beef customer talking down our product. Overwhelmingly, our bull customers are most-amazing to deal with…a few aren’t satisfied…and we try to make it right.

Base Prices: Given all the above and the current prices in the cattle market I have decided to set the base price of our bulls at $5000 and $4000 for the heifers. If one of our bulls sells for $5000 it will sell for at least a 50% discount compared to other seedstock producers. I am constantly asking myself why I try to sell bulls when I can sell beef? I obviously can’t require anyone to purchase bulls, or beef for that matter…but why buck the easier, more profitable road? Several customers ask us not to discontinue selling bulls. I appreciate that! Doesn’t everyone appreciate being appreciated? I don’t intend to quit developing seedstock anytime soon…and I hope the kids want to take this over someday. I actually think every seedstock producer should sell beef also, the ultimate confirmation of their product. EPDs, genealogies, bloodlines and pedigrees and the like are all helpful tools…but do they pass the plate test?

Life is hard…harder when you’re stupid.

Don’t consider exercise a hate crime.

The pants say yoga but the butt says McDonalds.

Pain is a teacher that pleasure never will and can’t be.

The gates of hell are open night and day, smooth the descent and easy the way. Virgil

Under capitalism man exploits man, under socialism it’s vice versa.

Obedience opens doors ambition never will.

When you print more money the rich get richer and the poor get farther behind because the assets (owned by the rich) go up in value but the costs of consumables (bought by everyone, especially the poor) go up too. Poor is the natural state of man, not prosperity. Prosperity comes from doing, poverty from not doing. Don’t ask why someone is poor, ask why someone is prosperous.  

Philippians 4:13  ^“I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” Paul didn’t write this in the context of getting a great job, accomplishing a major task, making a lot of money, winning a game or of any “grand” thing in life. He wrote in the context of enduring suffering. He could suffer well because Christ was his strength (it frankly doesn’t take much strength to endure abundance). I personally don’t suffer well…is it because I’m so blessed? How absurd am I…