We've Got The County Covered
We've Got The County Covered
'Shipping Day' is the culmination of a full year's worth of sacrifice, dedication and hard work put in by Cattle producers everywhere. In an industry that requires a successful operator to be extremely proficient in a number of different skills, the complexities of the profession are easily overlooked by many. Big City folk certainly don't comprehend what is required to succeed in the industry in the 21st century. A successful operation requires a strong business acumen, a producer needs to excel in genetics, adaptation, have a keen set of veterinary skills and be able handle situations that they have no control of to succeed.
Today's cattle producers face daunting challenges never seen before - sky rocketing fuel costs, drastically increased supply costs and a market that can't seem to keep up with the demands being placed on operations. A cattle producer doesn't receive a salary, no hourly wage is negotiated. The only hope for a successful 'payday' is ensuring that the operation is run to its very best ability and hope for the best. After spending and spending the entire year maintaining the operation and producing the most desirable product they can, cattle producers finally see a return on their efforts at the end of 'Shipping Day'.
We reached out to a number of producers to get feedback on the day and what it means to their operation, and many were still busy getting the work done in true cattleman/cattlewoman style but were appreciative of the recognition. Colleen Raty, and her daughter Paige, are very much a part of the cattle industry in the area and took the time to share their thoughts. "During shipping ranchers send their calves to a feeder who finishes them out before they are distributed to the world," said Colleen.
For the Raty's specifically Colleen commented, "During shipping we put our whole years' work on a few trucks to West Point, Nebraska. We send our calves to a family farmer feeder, a business relationship that has spanned three generations for both the rancher and the feeder. My dad, Bud Boyce, began selling to the same family of feeders over 26 years ago; an affiliation that has continued with us and now our kids as well.
Producers don't get weekly or bi-weekly paychecks, they get one and it needs to cover the full years operation, "Shipping day marks the singular pay day a rancher gets each year, and we are always relieved to see them go. We always put our best into the calves and hope that they will be healthy and profitable for the feeder. Shipping day, like many other days throughout the year, takes a lot of hands and it is traditional in most ranching communities to implement a work exchange with all the neighbors in the area."
Colleen is also quick to note the help from many others as well, "The community bands together to help each other out and make sure the most important day of the year goes by without a hitch.
Come September, the neighbors start calling to coordinate shipping days to make sure everyone has sufficient help. For this reason, most of October is busy with an age-old tradition of neighbors helping neighbors.
On the flip side, the cattle producers often use the service of experienced cattle buyers to help ensure they get the most profitable deal for their operation. Locally Mark and Betty Billmayer of B & B Buyers have been serving the ranchers of our area for nearly five decades, "As cattle buyers we recognize that 'shipping day' is the biggest business day of the year for ranchers and we're always blessed to think they trust us with their product. We've been in the cattle buying business for almost 50 years," said Betty.
Mark and Betty work very hard in ensuring both the producer and feeder get the most out of their transaction, "We work to get the best price we can for the ranchers while satisfying our customers on the other end with good cattle. We've created relationships between the producers and feeders that have lasted thirty plus years. The people we sell to in other places in Montana, in feedlots in Minnesota, Iowa, or Wyoming obviously recognize what good quality cattle come from north central Montana. Good cattle and good people, we work with them all the time."
In today's cattle market so many things are out of the control of the producer, politicians in Washington, lobbyists, pandemics and trade wars have created so many new challenges for operations to have to overcome to just break even. To be successful in today's industry you can't just go to work every day. A successful producer has to love what they do and be 'all in' on making it work. Producers have to have a thick skin and a work ethic that goes far above and beyond the 9-5 job so many do. As a farm and ranching community everyone benefits when the producers do well, and we have the best access to the world's greatest beef, pork and lamb.
