Functional, successful, profitable
Steve and Pat Thoeny both grew up in ranching families, so it was in their blood from the beginning, but as the first generation to run the current business, Steve admits that the early days weren’t easy. After years of partnering with the former ranch owner and keeping back what heifers were left after the bills were paid, the Thoenys built a foundation solid enough to take on themselves.
The couple has been feeding cattle since 1986, and the following year AI technology became an important component of their business plan.
“We didn’t start with a set of straight black cows,” Steve admits. “Ours was a bunch of anything and everything so I started thinking if we are going to get them all the same, if you want a set of black cows, we should start AIing.”
Identifying the best Angus genetics to keep in the herd was a high priority. “I think we kept every AI heifer calf we ever got,” Steve shares. “We figured they should have some genetics in them that we can keep and breed.”
After several years of selling cattle on the live market through Chappell Feedlot, owner-manager Tom Williams approached Steve with some advice on profitability. The rancher still remembers the coaching towards quality-based marketing well.
“He said we had good black cattle and said we should grid them to make more money,” Steve recalls
The lessons of that business transition still resonate today.
“Everybody that raises cows and calves ought to have to feed a load of their own steers and then they would know,” says Steve. “Are they worth a cent less than the neighbor’s, or are they worth a dime more than the neighbor’s? Most ranchers don’t know. ”
The high number of Choice and CAB-qualifying cattle that the Thoeny Ranch has sold over the years have certainly added black ink to their bottom line. Hard work and perseverance are the foundation of a functional ranching business, but Steve and Pat are a great example of how technology and information can turn functional into full-blown successful.
~Kara
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