Redline Livestock

09/03/2026

What happens when we change the assumptions? That was really the point of last week's Cow Math.

We built two hypothetical 200-cow herds with different feed requirements, calving assistance, calf survival and cow longevity, and then asked one question:
How much additional weaning weight would the higher-input herd need to pay for those differences?

Under the assumptions we used, the answer was about 73 lb per calf. That doesn't mean every higher-performing herd needs 73 extra pounds. And it certainly doesn't mean smaller cows are automatically more profitable.

Your cattle may eat differently. Your assistance rate may be lower. Your bigger cows may last longer. Your calves may bring more per pound. Change any of those numbers and the answer changes.

That's the point of Cow Math.

Take the assumptions. Question them. Replace them with the numbers from your own herd.
Because I'm a lot less interested in telling people what kind of cattle they should raise than I am in getting us to ask whether our own numbers support why we're raising them that way.

Full video breakdown: August 28, 2026.

09/02/2026

09/01/2026

Aug 30 Week
Peas came off and the barley came down this week. Bout halfway through pulling bulls, which will finish up in the next few days.
Kids enjoyed their last sleepovers, and last few days at home, and today we sorted their gear to head back to school tomorrow. It was a great summer.

08/31/2026

We are finishing up our first Tool, over on The Forge!
Excited to share it with you soon!

Our first Forge Tool is almost ready. 👀

We’ve been working on this one for a while, and it’s getting close!

The Pasture Tracker was built for one pretty simple reason:
If you rent pasture, you should know what that ground is actually costing you.
>>Coming soon

08/29/2026

At different times our industry has seen significant pull towards big cows, that raise big calves.
Does that automatically mean that those cows earn more profit?

In this Cow Math example, we compare two 200-cow herds and account for more than weaning weight. Feed cost, calving assistance, calf survival and replacement cost all change the break-even point.

Under these assumptions, the higher-input herd needs to produce about 73 additional pounds on every calf, every year, just to break even.

Not to make more money. Just to cover what it took to produce those extra pounds.

That is the question worth asking: how many extra pounds does a calf need to produce before it pays for everything it took to get there?

08/27/2026

A bull can rank well across the breed and still perform differently once his genetics meet the realities of your operation.

Feed availability, weather, breeding pressure and culling standards all influence which cattle rise to the top. That is why we look beyond population rankings and ask what happened within the herd where the bull was developed.

EPDs help narrow the search. Herd type helps identify environmental fit. In-herd records show which genetics consistently delivered when cattle were given the same opportunities and faced the same pressure.

The outside data provides direction. The herd provides proof.

08/25/2026

Aug 24 week-
We are enjoying our last few weeks of summer! Some river floating, ranch rodeoing, cattle showing, dirt biking, cow checking, and equioment fixing happening. Peas are ready to come off, and its just about time to pull the bulls.

08/22/2026

Bull rankings are useful. But they don’t tell the whole story.

A bull that ranks well across a wide range of herds still has to prove he fits your environment.

Feed, weather, breeding pressure, culling standards and management all influence how genetics are expressed. That’s why in-herd data matters.

EPDs can help point you in the right direction. Your own records show you which genetics are actually paying you back under your conditions.

And that’s where it becomes Cow Math.

A few more daughters breeding early. A few fewer opens. Females lasting another year. A little more production from the same resources.

Those small advantages can repeat through hundreds of daughters and several generations.

The most important ranking isn’t just where a bull ranks across the industry. It’s where his genetics rank in your herd, under your pressure.

08/21/2026

3 Kids> 1 Farm

What's fair?

08/21/2026

Aug 17 Week
This week we were cleaning up the silage equipment, hauling manure out of the pens, fixing calving sheds and building gate posts. And a lot of cow checks.
Getting the combines ready, hauling bales home. While the kids were away showing their heifers in Bashaw.