Simple strategy

When the first 40 Angus heifers stepped out on the Nebraska Sandhills in 1961, the neighbors thought Jerry’s dad was a unicorn. Jerry admits it was hard being different through the ’60s and ’70s when the exotic European cattle made their splash. Through sheer stubbornness and leveraging every bit of their assets, they didn’t budge. 

“Now, I look at my counterparts who have other breeds and wonder how they overcome their obstacles and compete against the Angus cow,” Jerry says.  

His ideal cow is the one he doesn’t notice. It’s the female that calves unassisted, raises a big calf and gets bred at the same time every year. If that calf’s a female, then she should be replacement quality. Bull calves must have the traits to keep their bull customers generational and profitable. 

Preparing for breeding season, Jerry jots down pages of notes on potential bulls, then he and Gabriel compare strengths and weaknesses of each.Sharon exports custom reports from Angus Information Management Software (AIMS) comparing expected progeny differences (EPDs) and phenotypic scores. They also ask: What’s changing in the marketplace, and what direction do the cattle need to go?

“Not to sound too simplistic, but it all comes down to our commercial bull customer,” Jerry says.

“What traits each bull brings to the table that are ultimately going to make our commercial customers profitable.” 

It’s more than positioning the herd as maternal or terminal. 

“We think we can do both within the same line of cattle,” Gabriel adds. 

They pay attention to each of the EPDs and indexes offered through the American Angus Association, but evaluate some more than others. They also DNA test each calf for an added measure of trust. Their first focus is on the maternal side through calving ease direct (CED); then they look at growth via yearling weight. Finally, pressure is applied to the carcass through marbling, ribeye area and carcass weight. 

“The added trust that comes through EPDs and DNA tests probably makes it the most important technology we use,” Gabriel says. 

Each animal gets an electronic identification (eID) tag for quick and accurate records. Using available technology allows them to make faster progress and avoid mistakes, Jerry explains. 

“It validates what we’re doing, and even allows us to raise more beef per acre of grass,” he adds. 

It’s an imperative investment as the cost of doing business rises. Labor is arguably the biggest challenge, so choosing problem-free bulls is important. 

Customers first 

“For our customers’ calves to ultimately be profitable, they need to ring the bells and whistles that bring back greater bonuses by performing at a higher level to get off the commodity list and into premium territory,” Jerry says. 

The family operation puts the money where their mouth is through an available customer calf buy-back program and marketing finished cattle on a quality-based grid. But more often, Jed acts as broker to place groups of calves that match a feeder’s goals. 

He handpicks cattle based on whether the feedyard will sell them on a grid or by live weight. Through relationships with feedyards, Jed takes information back to his family and their customers for breeding and management decisions. 

“There’s undeniable pull-through demand for cattle genetically geared to make Certified Angus Beef ^®,” Jed says. “They demand a premium. If that premium’s on the feeder-cattle side, that guy sees it and he can take that premium and reinvest it to get even better.” 

M&M Feeders, Lexington, Neb., fills a lot of pens with Connealy genetics because co-owner and manager Daron Huyser knows what to expect. 

“They put more energy into intramuscular fat [marbling] than external backfat, so we don’t get discounted for yield grade 4s and 5s,” Huyser says. 

Consistently, truckloads average 50% Certified Angus Beef (CAB) and $100-per-head premiums. 

Knowing there’s a higher chance to earn a payback drives confidence and energy to make improvements at the ranch. If it was Connealy genetics that got them there, the same customers will be back the next time they need bulls or replacement females. 

“If we’re keeping those cattle profitable for our commercial customers, genetically we must be doing something right,” Jerry says. 

For getting that and a lot more right, Connealy Angus was recognized with the 2024 CAB Seedstock Commitment to Excellence award at the brand’s Annual Conference in September.