Vice President Outlook

This is a great time to be in the cattle business, and a great time to have Shorthorn genetics in this business. The demand for our product is reaching new heights, and we now have a never before experienced opportunity to rise to unimaginable levels.

We as cow-calf producers in the current beef industry have more leverage, due to the constricted cow herd, than we have had for over a decade. At present, the nation has not yet begun to repopulate the cow herd, and heifer slaughter prevents large runs of replacement females from being developed. The cowcalf sector will continue to see high profit levels past the next thirty-six months according to most economists. Prices received for every category have gained new highs across the country, bringing more total dollars back to the cow-calf producer.

This is happening at the same time our breed is seeing increased use within cow herds that had not utilized Shorthorn genetics for years, decades, and sometimes generations. The last several years have recorded more Shorthorn bulls transferred than each respective year prior; 2023 will be bigger yet. Also, the demand for Shorthorn and Shorthorn-influenced heifers has been outstanding. Cow-calf producers across the country are searching for runs of similar made Shorthorn females to place in their respective cowherds. In 2023, more Shorthorn cattle will have been sold to non-members than have been sold in a very long time.

This past spring I logged just shy of 18,000 miles delivering Shorthorn bulls and heifers. I have been able to get on to more farms and ranches than any other year. I met cattlemen and women, and sometimes their neighbors, that are excited to see their new Shorthorn genetics out working. The conversations are similar, no matter the area code. They are excited to have Shorthorns address specific issues in the cowherds to ultimately drive more profit. They are ready to make a big, positive change in their respective cow herds and they are choosing Shorthorns to make that advancement.

This added demand for Shorthorn genetics is multi-faceted. Soon, many of us will be making the annual pilgrimage to the National Junior Shorthorn Show (NJSS) and Youth Conference. The entries indicate that the 2023 event in Des Moines, Iowa, will be the largest to date. Shorthorn and Shorthorn Plus heifers are being chosen by families across the country at an increasing rate. The NJSS has been in the national spotlight for a long time and continues to attract new members into our breed. A great number of herds have been built with the purchase of a new heifer for a junior project, and this program continues to grow.

What does this mean for us as Shorthorn producers? An opportunity is available for us to take hold. Our genetic treasure is being actively sought by cattlemen and women from every corner of the country. We are being chosen, and we need to respond. We respond by making the cattle better than ever before and understanding exactly our customers’ demands and needs. As breeders, we need to utilize all of the tools and technologies available to document and ensure our next generation is more relevant than the last. We must promote and market these genetics with renewed excitement and fervor.

We have a great product. Some of the most astute cattleman in the country have discovered this, and utilize Shorthorn genetics in their systems. They are choosing Shorthorn to address traits like longevity, temperament, growth, yield, marbling, calf vigor and many more.

We have at our disposal, through the American Shorthorn Association, a great set of tools to help. Entering all of your performance information and having it analyzed through the IGS system is critical. The inclusion of DNA into our EPD profile has been a game changer as well. It is mind-boggling how accurately our predictors work when they are backed by complete and proper contemporary groups.

As a breed, we are being watched, and we are being chosen. As the industry navigates the next 36 months of repopulation, let us make them pick Shorthorn. In order for the beef industry to meet the demands of our ultimate consumer, all beef producers will have to make the cattle better. The beef consumer demands a safe, sustainable, product that is flavorful and nutritious. The staff and previous boards of the American Shorthorn Association have worked tirelessly to help document how Shorthorn genetics help satisfy these criterions. As breeders, now is the time to aggressively pursue new opportunities and markets. Let us challenge each other to reach out to new markets, and new users of Shorthorn genetics.