I look in on a few internet discussion forums on a regular basis just to see what the status quo whiz kids are saying and thinking. In late February, one forum started a discussion on “Fly Control.” Really? In February? I can’t believe it! I usually don’t see much discussion on fly control until May and June – when it quickly becomes the hottest topic within the status quo beef industry. Of course, several members of this forum shared their favorite “toxic chemical” solution to the problem.
Step 9 of the Ten Steps to Double Your Profits states: “Use genetics to fix problems – instead of spending money on chemical, technical and mechanical solutions that won’t last. Parasite problems are a perfect example of this.”
Genetic parasite resistance is one of many areas in which Pharo Cattle Company has assumed the leadership position. We have been evaluating and scoring the bulls we sell for fly resistance for 12 years. The fall-born bulls in our upcoming Texas and Missouri bull sales were evaluated and scored for fly resistance last summer. The spring-born bulls were not evaluated for fly resistance because there are no flies in January.
You can use our unique Quick Sort program to identify the bulls with the best genetic fly resistance. In our Texas Bull Sale, for example, 45 out of 72 fall-born bulls have 4 and 5-star fly resistance. That’s 63%! In our Missouri Bull Sale, 117 out of 151 fall-born bulls have 4 and 5-star fly resistance. That is an impressive 77%!
Most of our cowherds have gone two decades without any chemical treatments for parasites. We have cooperative cowherds in a variety of environments from Minnesota to hot, humid, fescue country in Missouri and Mississippi and all the way to the high-plains desert. We also have cooperative herds from the southern plains of Texas all the way to the northern plains of Montana and North Dakota. NO ONE has as much bred-in parasite resistance as Pharo Cattle Company – because no one else has ever tried to select for genetic parasite resistance.