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Imagine being able to scan a barcode on a package of steaks at the grocery store and access indisputable data for the entire life cycle of the animal – from conception to change in ownership, vaccines and processing.

The use of game cameras in a cattle operation is not a new idea. Many producers have implemented some type of camera system to monitor their herd, check for predators or to cut down on time spent driving around checking fence. Most would agree a camera system is a useful tool, but pictures are just the beginning.

In the first article in this two-part series, I focused on the leadership, parenting and mentoring required by parents from birth of their children to the time they do or do not return to the ranch or farm business.

Many ranchers struggle to remain profitable. After all, cattle are an agricultural commodity, so prices fluctuate based on national or global supply and demand. While these prices naturally fluctuate, the cost of fuel and equipment tends to steadily rise over time.

Whether we are watching an NCBA Cattlemen to Cattlemen episode covering a successful commercial operation or reading about a well-established, multigenerational seedstock operation, one management practice seems to be a common thread for success: culling.

The financial success of your operation depends on one day of the year. We ask a cow to gestate for nine months, lactate for seven months and recover from calving in 45 days to maintain one calf per calendar year.