Cattleman's Newsletter

Ted E. Slanker, Jr. is publisher and editor of the Cattleman's Newsletter for the Red River Valley Cattleman's Association. The letter's primary focus is profitability. Of course management techniques are the key to profitability. So various management approaches are discussed and compared. The emphasis is on managing cow/calf operations without hay and feed supplements, using rotational grazing, developing salad-mix pastures, improving genetics, properly using EPDs, better health programs, marketing programs and alliances, retained ownership, the planting and growing of winter stocker pastures, the advantages of the 45-day breeding season, handling cattle via lanes without dogs and horses, banding bulls rather than cutting bulls, fencing off pools, and the list seems endless.

Ted is a student of the cattle business with more than 25 years of experience. In spite of his experience, he claims he's learning more now than ever before . . . and he's the first to admit he learned a lot over the years the hard way. Ted bought his first Polled Hereford bull in 1974 and soon after became a serious Polled Hereford breeder. Now he and his wife, Chris, raise bulls on their 640-acre ranch in northeast Texas where they practice what they preach. They run their cows without hay and supplements other than mineral. They raise bulls and replacement heifers the same way! They have a 45-day breeding season with their open heifers competing side by side with the mature cows from the day the bulls are turned out.

Genetically, Ted's a stickler. He wants his bull's EPDs to rank in the top half of the Polled Hereford breed for every trait. Ted says his goal is, "Total, trouble-free, profitable performance."

Ted's writing style is politically incorrect. He's famous for being a maverick's maverick, and his thoughts come across crystal clear. Sensitive cattlemen can be offended by his direct approach, especially when he trashes widely accepted management practices as being unprofitable and damaging to the industry and the producer. He also holds the mirror up for folks so they can see how their attitudes inhibit their ability to accept change. This too can be quite upsetting for the folks who, as Ted says, "...know it all."

The Cattleman's Newsletter is not meant for the weak of heart or the sensitive type since it's geared for profits, not lifestyle. Although, when it comes to lifestyle, Ted says, "It takes profits along with contented cows to make the cattle business a very pleasant lifestyle."

Since Ted knows he "doesn't know it all," most of the Cattleman's Newsletters have guest articles from specialists and top cattlemen from across the country. The topics covered span the gamut of producer needs.

The Cattleman's Newsletter's usual format is 12-pages on 8.5" x 11" paper, printed in black and white with 10-point type. It is only available in a pdf file format. Files will vary in size from about 500,000 up to one million bytes. Therefore, it will take a few minutes to pull down an issue. When the pdf versions of the Cattleman's Newsletter are printed with the Adobe Acrobat Reader the newsletters will look just like the original versions with tables, charts, and pictures.

Every issue of the Cattleman's Newsletter addresses management techniques that impact an operator's bottom line. And new issues continuously refer back to previous studies, consequently, back issues are a valuable resource for understanding references made in new issues. That is why back issues are available for sale in "packages" or as individual letters. Future issues can be purchased at a discount with a 12-issue subscription.

So, say "Yes!" to profits. Sign up now for the Cattleman's Newsletter and learn how others are lowering their production costs while they're increasing their pounds of beef raised per acre.