seven to 10 months and 500-600 pounds, and get

seven to 10 months and 500-600 pounds, and get them weaned.” “Preconditioned calves,” that is, those that have been weaned, wormed, vaccinated, and are ready to eat feed out of a trough, consistently fetch higher prices than those that are not.

It’s also important to recognize, Massie explained, that it is possible to show a loss on a federal income tax return farming “Schedule F” due to depreciation of cattle, equipment and buildings, but still have a positive cash flow that allows a farmer to continue to operate.

In his efforts to insulate the farm from market down turns, he focuses first on the spring sales where the demand for steers is always strong. Secondly, he concentrates on producing commercial heifers for sale, either bred or open, to other commercial breeders. Most of his cattle are Angus/Angus crosses. Like many county cattle breeders, he is particularly partial to “black baldies,” the AngusHereford hybrid noted for its outstanding vitality and vigor. “I would have more black baldies if I could find some good Hereford bulls,” Massie said, but his current stud force consists of five purebred Angus he purchased from Randall Updike’s Skyways Hill farm. They are used exclusively in field breeding operations.

Massies management system is founded on the fact that he maintains several small herds within the larger farm herd. By separating the cows and calves by age and condition, and into nurseries and maternity wards, he can more effectively manipulate feed quantity and quality for each group. He also makes sure that heifers approaching delivery are close to the house or barn in case medical intervention is needed.

Massie makes a practice of knowing each animal by sight. “Don’t have so many that you can’t keep them straight in your mind,” he advises. If you “depend on ear tags too much and rely on them, you don’t really look at the animal itself,” and can miss the first signs of illness or other problems.

His goal is to have a closed cow herd where he can focus on improving genetics and maintaining a good herd health program. He split his herd into spring calving and fall calving groups and is working to build up the size of the fall calving herd so that he will have more weaned calves for the spring sales. This also provides economy of operations in his stud force, permitting him to have fewer and better bulls.

“I agree with Dick McNear,” he said, referring to an earlier article featuring one of his friends* and neighbors. “The middle of the road type cattle are best. The Angus breed is now stressing muscling and easy keeping,” but for a long time, many animals were large and lanky, with narrow rearends.

“As an industry,” he said, “we have bred pampered cattle. The animals expect us to take care of them. I expect them to take care of themselves. After they are big enough, they are on their own.” Massie maintains meticulous records on each of his animals, noting routine veterinary care, birth date, weight, size, problems in delivery, etc. If a cow or bull does not produce as expected, it is culled from the herd and sold for meat. They are never passed off to another farmer. “Your reputation in the cattle business is everything,” Massie stated firmly. Massie also says he does not use hormones or implants for much the same reason.

“I’m very fortunate that my family was in the farming business,” he continued. “My goal is to use this farm and leave it in as good or better shape than when I got it. Our obligation is to take care of it... If you are good to the good land, it will be good to you.”