Board Commentary Service and Loyalty Go the Distance

by George Murdock, Area 1 Director

Years ago, I read a book entitled “Up the Organization” by Robert Townsend, whose mission was to propel AVIS forward as a competitor with Hertz. His theme was “We try harder.”

Not too long ago, CEO Tom Brink shared statistics defining the largest breeds in America. While black Angus is No. 1 and Hereford was No. 2, Red Angus is breathing down the neck of the Herefords.

Those knowledgeable in genetics would suggest that one of the great mysteries of the cattle industry is why everyone in America isn’t raising Red Angus in light of their excellent qualities. Superior genetics are the foundation, but they need to be supported by other factors to achieve success. I am old enough to remember driving across Montana and seeing endless herds of Herefords grazing alongside the highway. Somewhere along the way that scene changed.

Such a transition didn’t come about because of genetics alone. I harken back to my opening reference to AVIS and the practices which were promoted by Townsend – practices that are used by successful purebred breeders across the country and concepts that have been in place either consciously, or unconsciously, for years.

For the sake of narrowing the discussion, let’s focus on bull sales. Late each spring, as the results of those sales are tallied, average prices from one sale to the next reveal differences due to multiple factors.

Since we are talking about cars, I defer to my late friend Josh Dykes who built up the Nine Mile Ranch in a spectacular fashion. Although Josh, who went to college with my son, had been around cattle most of his life, it wasn’t until he founded the Nine Mile operation that things really took off.

The foundation for the Nine Mile operation was built when he sold off his interests in the car business. Josh brought a lot of lessons learned from his vehicle empire along with him when he became fully dedicated to raising cattle. It wasn’t just his