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losophy that any cow that could not raise a calf — be it her fault or the fault of Mother Nature — the cow was culled.

“They are supposed to be disease resistant, really resilient and raise a calve in some of the toughest environments, so if she doesn’t wean a calf, she is gone,” Jimmie said.

In the commercial herd, which is about 110 head, Jimmie said their heifer customers appreciate the quality of the Beefmaster-cross heifers.

“I had a load to go Kansas last week,” he said. “I even have a market for the crossbred bulls.”

Cows receive few inputs, other than minerals, grass and hay, which they produce on the farm or is grown locally. The herds will receive an occasional treat of feed. Marilynn said heavily fed cattle tend to develop feet and fertility issues.

Initially, Marilynn and Jimmie leaned more toward a moderate frame, wide-bodied animal, which is more in line with the foundation breeding of Beefmasters. As the years went on and the breed evolved, a larger-framed Beefmaster developed, and the couple added a little more frame. They do not strictly follow either line but instead found a good mix.

“We want to raise the type of cattle people want,” Jimmie said. “We could chase that bigger frame and only buy those big cows and spend a ton of money feeding them, so we are going to do our thing.”

Calves are weaned at around 205 days and occasionally receive creep feed, usually a lowgrade commodity feed, prior to weaning. As they grow, they remain on a commodity mix. Cattle going to sales or futurities receive a higher-quality show ration the last 30 or 40 days to “slick them up.”

In addition to seedstock, Marilynn and Jimmie have a beef program, selling whole, halves and quarters. They processed close to 30 head last year, but they may reduce that number this year because of feed and processing costs.

Marilynn and Jimmie plan to continue building their registered herd, and maintain their commercial herd, which provides a steady income stream.

“I am really happy about how far we have come and with our cattle, and with Beefmasters,” Marilynn said, adding that they plan to continue to seek out genetic lines that work well for them in the Ozarks.”