From the Winter 2001 issue of the Isa Informer

Living up to the legacy

Her name is Broussard 72929. It’s not a fancy name, and she’s not a particularly fancy cow. But if I had 1000 cows like this one, ranching would be simple and very profitable.72929 has basically doubled the life expectancy of a commercial cow in a calf-a-year program. She’s probably quadrupled the productive value of cows not having a calf each year. She’s lived through an extended drought, moved from Florida to Texas, and outlived many of her offspring. All the while she has quietly done just exactly what I need her to: breed in 60 days and have a calf each and every year.

In short, she has paid a monster dividend back to the ranch, not only in her 13 calves, but also by leaving her terrific longevity to the herd. So, how do we get these cows? They don’t happen by accident. It takes a dedicated breeding program with an intense selection for fertility.Beginning over 70 years ago, my grandfather gave us a set of ideas collectively known as the Lasater Philosophy. These provide us with a very simple blueprint for working with nature to generate maximum genetic improvement and economic benefit within our main asset, our cowherd.

The one simple rule that any cattleperson can employ is to demand that their cows have a calf every year, on schedule, in a short season. This gives us a host of benefits, like fertile bulls that are aggressive breeders, calves that mature early, and steers that hang the right-sized, tender carcass.A specific example of those benefits is 72929 and the great job she’s done for our herd.

I wanted to tell you this story because it gives you a glimpse into programs behind the cattle represented in the Beefmaster Female Fiesta. This will be a unique and unprecedented opportunity to acquire Foundation genetics from three of the largest and oldest Beefmaster herds in existence. And all three religiously practice the philosophy that gave birth to a wonderful cow like 72929.I look forward to seeing you at the Fiesta. Long live long-lived cows!

Lorenzo Lasater,
President

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