05/29/2026
There’s an old saying I heard as a young person from an old preacher back in the day. You could say it was his signature phrase: “Good, better, best! Never let it rest, till the good gets better and the better gets best!”
I have always loved the saying and have tried to apply it in many areas of my life. Never in a million years did I think I would be applying it as a small cattle rancher. In fact, never in a million years did I ever think I would have a small cattle operation, but here we are! 🤣
Over the last 7 years of this journey, this phrase has really hit home! There are so many aspects of ranching where good is good enough, but improving the genetics in our herd over time has become a passion. We haven’t arrived yet. Honestly, I don’t know that you can ever feel as if “you’ve arrived”. However, always striving for improvement is the goal.
At our place, we’re constantly asking: Is this bull or this cow just “good”? Or can we make the next generation better? Because in the cattle business, genetics are the ultimate gift you give your future self (and your bank account). A little improvement in weaning weights, better mothering ability, stronger udder attachments, more milk capacity, better depth, etc.…. might not show up in one generation… but over a few years? That’s when the magic happens.
We’ve been quietly upgrading our herd by being pickier with our bull selections, culling the ones who don’t pull their weight. Nothing fancy — just steady, intentional progress. Good gets better. Better gets best. And the calves keep getting chunkier and easier to raise.
If you’re running cattle (big or small), don’t sleep on genetics. You don’t have to go full mad scientist with EPDs and DNA testing… though those tools are pretty cool. Sometimes it’s as simple as keeping the best heifers.
What about y’all? Are you constantly trying to raise the bar on your herd, or are you more of a “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” type? Drop your philosophy below 👇
*Edit* The cow pictured is not of our breeding though I wish I could take credit for her. We were fortunate enough to find her last year and snatched her up because she is exactly what we are trying to produce. 😍
