As a cattleman and the father of four daughters, Mark Templeton remembers many remarks over the years about whether he and his wife would “try again for a boy” so they’d have help on the ranch.

The American Simmental Association presented the Golden Book Award to Hart Simmentals of Frederick, South Dakota, at the ASA’s Fall Focus event Aug. 26 in Denver. Recipients of the Golden Book Award are recognized for being lifelong promoters of the Simmental breed.

The October podcast goes to Denver, Colorado, for the Red Angus annual conference where David Cooper interviews Rick Funston and Jordan Shockley. Funston, a reproductive physiologist with University of Nebraska – Lincoln, explains numerous factors toward efficiency in repro rates, heifer selection and reproductive success. 

Adding females to a sale can be a big decision for a producer. The type of sale, where to focus marketing efforts and how to stay relevant in an ever-evolving business all play into the decision.

“Male sexed semen is an opportunity to capture value,” said Kansas State University's Ken Odde, who also helps manage a family cow-calf ranch in South Dakota. “The opportunity’s greater when the price spread between steers and heifers is significant.”