A good friend of mine introduced me to Bart Carmichael about five years ago. Bart, his wife Shannon and I have become good friends over the intervening years.
They have really dug into the Genetic and Epi-Genetic side of Wedge Tent Black Angus ever since our first meeting. The PHENOTYPIC expression of his genetics have improved steadily with each generation.
He has been able to develop what you will see in his CATALOG and at the sale as close to “as nature would do it” type of program that I have come across. What do I mean by that? He started on an Epi-Genetic program four years ago to more completely express in his calves the genetics that were already in his herd. Getting the minerals in and the neighbors toxins out has resulted in better glandular function and better phenotypic expression.
Why does Phenotype matter? If you have tall cows with a raised tail process (this comes from EPD’s for growth) then you have cows that are less fertile than they could be. Fertility and reproduction are opposite ends of the fertility teeter-totter.
40% of the profit on the ranch is from a cow that has a calf every year. Wedge Tent bulls can help breed increased fertility back into your herd.
30% of the profit s the cost to keep a cow for a year. “Some cows eat twice as much as others.” Bulls that come from a family of big-bellied cows will deliver female offspring with a low-cost advantage.