Want to know more of what’s on our mind?
Check out our blog, the Bowman Banter.

The BSG-prefixed Shorthorn means something to the people in the greater beef industry.

We believe that the modern Shorthorn-cross female is what the greater beef industry is presently looking for. The composite cow has many advantages over any straight bred cow. Breed complementarity and heterosis cannot be achieved with a straight bred, no matter how well she ranks within her given purebred population. It is well proven that composite females provide more fertility and longevity to a cow/calf operation. Stayability, a trait our herd excels at, is the single most important economic trait for cow/calf producers as it calls for a lower replacement rate. Modern Shorthorn cows are now more moderate for mature size on average than both Angus and Hereford, meaning lower maintenance and reduced replacement costs according to data reported by the USDA Meat Animal Research Center. This is further evidence that modern Shorthorns are providing a great option for maternal crossbreeding.

Whether you are looking to add the whole suite of complimentary maternal traits of superior Shorthorn genetics to your registered herd or are wanting to increase the productivity and longevity of your commercial operation, BSG-prefixed bulls and females offer the full gamut of excellence that today’s industry needs more than ever. We breed cattle with our customer’s profit as our #1 target.

If you have any questions about the BSG herd please feel free to call us or stop by for a tour of our program.

Sustainable. Effective. Efficient.
Environmentally Friendly Seedstock

The pressure is on, like it or not, to seek out fresher, more sustainable, modern cattle, for the business of beef. But in order for any enterprise to be sustainable, they must first be profitable. In order to be profitable, the cattle enterprise must first be effective, then efficient. Knowing this, the incorporation of responsibly designed whole life-cycle economic selection indexes, like $Durham is imperative to long term success. Until we can practically measure intake on grasslands, and methane outputs in the atmosphere, we are all liable in doing what we can to make a more efficient beef cow. She must breed earlier in her life, calve on her own, raise a biologically balanced calf for optimal growth and moderate mature size who can lay down marbling easier and faster with fewer days on feed. Further, she must do this repeatedly year after year and produce daughters than can do it better in their generation. The good news is that this is ALL captured in the $Durham Index. So why not be effective at spending fewer dollars on the front end, reaping higher paydays on the back end, and be more efficient with it than you were last year? BSG sires are all selected based on $Durham and the cow herd is culled on a low value.

Building and Marketing Sustainable Seedstock:

Bull & Heifer Development Methodology
We recognize that if less emphasis is put on body condition of yearling bulls and females at the time of sale, breeding animals can be grown out to increase performance, fertility, and longevity. We prefer to grow future seedstock on a high-fiber, zero-starch (no corn) diet in order to not mask flaws or give the wrong perception of fleshing ability.

Our next generation of breeding animals are grown slowly matching an optimal growth curve, not maximum weight gain. Generally, our customers do not need bulls or replacement heifers until May or later in the summer, therefore we aren’t trying to push animals to be over conditioned by 12 months of age.

Creep Feeding
We try not to creep feed the calves while still on the cows. While some never have to put out a creep feeder, generally their pastures are bigger with less grazing pressure, or a lower stocking rate. If a creep feeder goes out to the pasture is most generally due to a dry summer or Phil is about to wean the calves. Creep feeds are most generally the same as the growing diets for the weaned seedstock, primarily soybean hulls.