The problem with EPDs...

[usernametaken]

Our customer list grew through referrals from other
customers. Plus we have a listing on http://www.eatwild.com
and the localharvest site. We are not a big outfit; I
think the most steers we finished out and sold (beef)
in any one year was 15 or so. By the half, that is
30 families. However, as we have improved our genetics,
then we have more bull calves that qualify as breeding
stock---thus we have less beef to sell. We have
never spent any money on advertising; word-of-mouth
is the best advertising you could possibly get. Everyone
you meet(unless they are a vegetarian) is a potential
customer. We gave away quite a bit of ground beef in
1 lb packages in the early years; people are amazed
at the difference in taste, and even more so when they
cook a good steak. I would think a website is essential,
and a listing on places like local harvest,etc---plus a
nice color brochure, etc to send to inquiries. You must
be detail-oriented enough to keep a correct listing of
inquiries and email addresses. If your beef is good and
tender, you will have a waiting list within a couple of
years. You should start small and add a few animals to finish
out each year. It is not that hard, but it takes more land
in that your categories of animals(cow/calf, beef steers,
replacement heifers) should be in seperate groups with
the finishing animals getting the best forage.

Are you reasonably close to a larger metropolitan area ?

 

[OK Jeanne]

Our customer list grew through referrals from other
customers. Plus we have a listing on http://www.eatwild.com
and the localharvest site. We are not a big outfit; I
think the most steers we finished out and sold (beef)
in any one year was 15 or so. By the half, that is
30 families. However, as we have improved our genetics,
then we have more bull calves that qualify as breeding
stock---thus we have less beef to sell. We have
never spent any money on advertising; word-of-mouth
is the best advertising you could possibly get. Everyone
you meet(unless they are a vegetarian) is a potential
customer. We gave away quite a bit of ground beef in
1 lb packages in the early years; people are amazed
at the difference in taste, and even more so when they
cook a good steak. I would think a website is essential,
and a listing on places like local harvest,etc---plus a
nice color brochure, etc to send to inquiries. You must
be detail-oriented enough to keep a correct listing of
inquiries and email addresses. If your beef is good and
tender, you will have a waiting list within a couple of
years. You should start small and add a few animals to finish
out each year. It is not that hard, but it takes more land
in that your categories of animals(cow/calf, beef steers,
replacement heifers) should be in seperate groups with
the finishing animals getting the best forage.

Are you reasonably close to a larger metropolitan area ?

Not really. Lawton-Ft.Sill is about 100,000 population
counting the military. Many of our customers are from
the Okla city area and a couple from Tulsa. They drive
to Altus once a year to get their beef---about 3 hours
for the OKC people and close to 6 hour drive(one-way)
for the Tulsa people. We require that they go to the
butcher's place to pick up their order; don't have storage
facilities here on the farm for that much frozen beef.
Altus is about 60 miles from us, but well worth the extra
drive to get to a processor that is honest, competent,
and clean.

 

[MikeC]

The deviation from bull to bull worries me more than the deviation from the epd across the breed. Some are consistant breeders and some are all over the board.

That is because genes are passed to progeny in such a random fashion. That's the nature of the beast.

Just use the EPD's to assist you in decision making and they will help you narrow it down a bit.

That's all they are to be used for.