18
FINK 5168 OF 1392 FA
Calved: 8/31/15
Reg#: 18503356
Tattoo: 5168
Sitz Traveler 8180
Actual Scrotal: 41 cm
SAV Final Answer 0035
SAV Emulous 8145
SAV Net Worth 4200
Fink Miss 1392 8379 NW
Fink 8379 6535 IF
For 36 years our program has generally been built on proven sires. Slower?
Yes! With AI and daily updated EPDs, it’s easy to move fast and be behind in
the long run! We don’t want our customers behind. After the hype is gone,
proven bulls will help you with consistency and a solid cowherd.
59
CED
BW
WW
YW
SC
CEM
Milk
+13
-.6
+54
+92
+2.00
+13
+25
CW
Marb
RE
Fat
$EN
$W
$B
+25
+.84
+.27
+.070
+2.33
+65.71
+101.03
FINK 5238 of 0853 FA
Calved: 9/3/15
Reg#: 18503988
[DDP]
Tattoo: 5238
Sitz Traveler 8180
Actual Scrotal: 37.5 cm
SAV Final Answer 0035
SAV Emulous 8145
Nichols Extra K205
Fink Miss 0853 517 K205
VAF Miss 517 3305 RT
Final Answer produced semen until he died at 14 years of age. Another part
of the Fink program is bull fertility. We refrain from using bulls that we know
are poor semen producers and later maturing. This has been our policy for
many years. Cowmaker here!
60
CED
BW
WW
YW
SC
CEM
Milk
+7
+1.2
+47
+89
+1.41
+10
+25
CW
Marb
RE
Fat
$EN
$W
$B
+28
+.55
+.40
+.076
-6.08
+43.63
+91.69
Heifer Bull
Heifer Bull
FINK 5183 of 1603 FA
Calved: 9/1/15
Reg#: 18503963
Tattoo: 5183
Sitz Traveler 8180
Actual Scrotal: 36 cm
SAV Final Answer 0035
SAV Emulous 8145
Leachman Right Time
Barretts Miss 1603 4168 RT
Finks Miss 4168 8130 5204
CED
BW
WW
YW
SC
CEM
Milk
+13
-1.4
+43
+74
+.04
+12
+20
CW
Marb
RE
Fat
$EN
$W
$B
+14
+.61
+.02
+.059
+12.69
+48.51
+72.86
63
FINK 5184 of 1603 FA
Calved: 9/8/15
Reg#: 18503964
Tattoo: 5184
Actual Scrotal: 36.5 cm
CED
BW
WW
YW
SC
CEM
Milk
+7
-.6
+45
+77
+.81
+9
+24
CW
Marb
RE
Fat
$EN
$W
$B
+19
+.41
-.07
+.072
+2.89
+49.96
+68.36
62
Brothers out of embryos we bought several years ago. The grandam of these
bulls produced many high-selling bulls and females for us years ago. Combin-
ing Right Time only solidified this mating. The cow business is made up of
these kind of bulls and the replacements they leave.
FINK 5182 of 1603 FA
Calved: 9/2/15
Reg#: 18503962
Tattoo: 5182
Actual Scrotal: 37.5 cm
CED
BW
WW
YW
SC
CEM
Milk
+9
-.8
+49
+86
+.70
+10
+24
CW
Marb
RE
Fat
$EN
$W
$B
+18
+.48
-.09
+.099
+.64
+54.24
+67.46
61
Heifer Bull
Heifer Bull
Heifer Bull
Bumping the Wall
Per-animal production may be approaching the
limits of beef cattle’s ability, while straining outer
limits of the industry’s economic model.
Cracks Are Beginning to Show in the Beef System
Beef cattle’s biologic and physiological system is beginning to
show strain.
In pastures and feedyards, Field sees more foot and leg prob-
lems, abnormalities like scissor-claw that he never saw before.
He adds that similar issues occur in the swine and poultry in-
dustries.
“What I worry about: we haven’t made dramatic improve-
ments in reproduction in any species without increasing in-
puts,” Field says. “Our production has required us to put more
into the system. That works as long as inputs are cheap. What
happens when interest rates increase to 10% to 15%?”
The answer discovered in recent years is that increased pro-
duction could not overcome the increase in production costs.
Even without considering biologic or physiologic constraints,
continuous increases in per-animal production, in the name of
sustainability, proved to be economically unsustainable.
“From a pure profit perspective, at what point in time does
one more pound of production not return value?” Field
wonders.
Ironically, the industry’s penchant for balanced, multi-trait
selection for traits of economic importance has steered the
industry successfully toward its singular goal of increased pro-
duction per animal, a collective single-trait approach.
“In business, one of the key management responsibilities is
managing polarities, the decisions that are short-term in na-
ture and the choices that are long-term,” Field explains. “If I
focus on a single trait long enough, it will have consequences.
What are the system limits? What are the short-term gains
and will they yield long-term benefit? As an industry, I think
we need to pick up our heads and look.”
“Nature limits us all of the time,” Field says. “We can’t be
afraid of those limits but we have to be respectful of them.
Once you cross that threshold you have a world-class wreck on
your hands.”
