Ranchonomics

Long before Steve Teichert developed his own approach to cattle genetics and nutrition, his family was learning what it took to make a living in the rugged country of Idaho and Wyoming. In Part 1 of this Ranchonomics Stories conversation, John Haskell sits down with Steve, a fourth-generation cattleman, to trace his family's journey from German immigrant Adolph Teichert arriving at Ellis Island to establishing a ranching operation in Cokeville, Wyoming. Steve shares stories of his great-grandfather homesteading in Idaho, his grandfather building a cattle herd during the Great Depression, and the hard work that shaped the family's approach to ranching.Steve also explains how generations of observation and practical experience helped his family develop cattle that could thrive in the challenging environments of Idaho and Wyoming. From selecting for fertility and efficient production to crossing breeds, managing nutrition, and learning when cows need extra feed, he describes the lessons passed down from his grandfather and father. He also reflects on how his own experiments with cattle genetics, supplements, and mineral nutrition have helped him continue improving the herd over a lifetime in the business.Make sure to hit subscribe/follow so you never miss an episode!In this episode, we cover:How the Teichert family journeyed from Ellis Island to Idaho and eventually Cokeville, WyomingHow Steve's grandfather built a cattle herd through dairying, homesteading, and hard workWhy practical, low-input cattle were essential in the family's rugged ranching environmentHow generations of crossbreeding and selection shaped the family's cattleWhat Steve learned about fertility, nutrition, and knowing when cows need extra feedWhy cattle performance and profitability matter more than popular trends in breedingHow Steve's long-term experiments with minerals and supplements continue to shape his approachConnect with Ranch Right:Subscribe on YouTube Follow on Instagram @ranchrightllc Follow on Facebook Check out the websiteCheck out all of our past webinars hereResources & Links:Book a Free Discovery Call to Learn More Ranching for Profit Ranching.FYI Wally Olson, Olson Ranch LLCMentioned in this episode:Come with your questions. Leave with a plan. The Ranch Right Conference is February 15–18, 2027 in Orange Beach, Alabama, with keynote speaker Dr. David Kohl. Click below to register by January 10th at:Conference

What happens when the government tries to solve a cattle market problem that the market may already be correcting? In this episode of Ranchonomics, John Haskell is joined by lifelong cattlemen Wally Olson and Monty Nail to discuss proposals for government incentives to encourage heifer retention. Both guests argue that high cattle prices are already giving producers a strong incentive to breed and retain heifers, and that additional government intervention could encourage overproduction and create a glut of cattle in the years ahead.Wally and Monty explain how cattle productivity, heavier slaughter weights, and beef from dairy cattle have helped maintain beef production even as the U.S. cow herd has declined. They also discuss how market signals guide their own buying, breeding, and selling decisions, why timing matters throughout the cattle cycle, and how ranchers can build better businesses by studying the market and making disciplined decisions rather than relying on government assistance.Make sure to hit subscribe/follow so you never miss an episode!In this episode, we cover:Why Wally and Monty oppose government incentives for heifer retentionHow heavier cattle and beef from dairy cattle help maintain beef production with fewer cowsWhy high prices can lead to oversupply and lower prices down the roadHow the price spread between heifer calves and bred heifers creates opportunitiesWhy drought can limit heifer retention despite strong market incentivesHow market signals help ranchers make smarter buying and selling decisionsWhy persistence, daily market analysis, and good timing matter in building a cattle businessConnect with Wally:Check out his websiteConnect with Ranch Right:Subscribe on YouTube Follow on Instagram @ranchrightllc Follow on Facebook Check out the websiteCheck out all of our past webinars hereResources & Links:Book a Free Discovery Call to Learn More Ranching for Profit Ranching.FYI Wally Olson, Olson Ranch LLCMentioned in this episode:Come with your questions. Leave with a plan. The Ranch Right Conference is February 15–18, 2027 in Orange Beach, Alabama, with keynote speaker Dr. David Kohl. Click below to register by January 10th at:Conference

What does it take to build a successful ranch from scratch when you start with borrowed money and a pickup truck as collateral? In this episode of Ranchonomics Stories, John Haskell and Wally Olson sit down with Monty Nail to trace his journey from buying his first load of cattle as a high school senior in 1979 to building a diversified cattle operation and acquiring his own ranch land. Monty shares how he balanced outside jobs in ranch management, welding, horseshoeing, and equine dentistry while steadily growing his cattle business, eventually expanding into cow-calf production, yearlings, heifer development, and registered cattle.Monty also discusses the financial decisions, relationships, and hard lessons that helped him build the operation over nearly five decades. From managing debt and working with a banker who understands the cattle business to making buying and selling decisions around market cycles, protecting grass for drought, and developing reliable custom grazing partnerships, he explains what it takes to keep growing through the ups and downs. For young ranchers starting with limited resources, Monty and Wally emphasize the importance of persistence, delayed gratification, learning from experienced operators, and building a business that can support the next generation.Make sure to hit subscribe/follow so you never miss an episode! In this episode, we cover:How Monty bought his first load of cattle in 1979 with 100% financing and his pickup truck potentially serving as collateralHow outside jobs helped support his family while he steadily built his cattle operationWhy Monty waited about 30 years in the cattle business before buying ranch real estate, and how he approached the risks of taking on land debtHow he uses market cycles to balance yearlings and cow-calf production while managing equity and cash flowWhy maintaining extra grass, planning for drought, and knowing operating costs help protect the business through difficult yearsWhat makes a good banking relationship and how to evaluate custom grazing partners before putting cattle in their careWhy young ranchers need persistence, delayed gratification, and guidance from people who have built lasting businessesConnect with Ranch Right:Subscribe on YouTube Follow on Instagram @ranchrightllc Follow on Facebook Check out the website Check out all of our past webinars hereResources & Links:Book a Free Discovery Call to Learn More Ranching for Profit Ranching.FYI Wally Olson, Olson Ranch LLC Mentioned in this episode:Come with your questions. Leave with a plan. The Ranch Right Conference is February 15–18, 2027 in Orange Beach, Alabama, with keynote speaker Dr. David Kohl. Click below to register by January 10th at:Conference

Why is it so hard to change, even when we know our current approach isn't working? In this episode, John Haskell explores why individuals and businesses struggle to adopt new behaviors and practices, even when those changes could lead to better results. He explains how we become comfortable with familiar ways of doing things, and why learning a new process often means temporarily performing worse before we get better. Whether you're changing your grazing management, improving your business practices, or learning a new skill, that uncomfortable middle stage is often where people give up too soon.John breaks down the four stages of competence, from not knowing what you don't know to becoming skilled enough that a process feels automatic. Drawing on examples from grazing management and jiu-jitsu, he explains why recognizing what you still need to learn is an important step toward improvement. He also shares lessons from Angela Duckworth's Grit, emphasizing why consistency, repeated effort, and endurance matter more than short-lived enthusiasm when you're working toward lasting change.Make sure to hit subscribe/follow so you never miss an episode! In this episode, I cover:The four stages of competence and how they shape the learning processWhy familiar behaviors can be comfortable even when they no longer serve your businessWhy performance can get worse before it gets better when you adopt a new processHow to distinguish between a new process that isn't working yet because you're still learning and one that genuinely isn't a good fitWhy people often abandon change during the uncomfortable middle stageHow consistency, effort, and endurance help turn new behaviors into lasting skillsWhy pushing through discomfort is essential to making meaningful changes in your ranch and businessConnect with Ranch Right:Subscribe on YouTube Follow on Instagram @ranchrightllc Follow on Facebook Check out the website Check out all of our past webinars hereResources & Links:Grit by Angela DuckworthBook a Free Discovery Call to Learn More Ranching for Profit Ranching.FYI Wally Olson, Olson Ranch LLC Mentioned in this episode:Come with your questions. Leave with a plan. The Ranch Right Conference is February 15–18, 2027 in Orange Beach, Alabama, with keynote speaker Dr. David Kohl. Click below to register by January 10th at:Conference

What does it take to build a farm and ranch business when you don't have much money to start with? In this Ranchonomics Stories episode, John Haskell and Wally Olson sit down with Greg and Ann Christiansen to look back at more than 40 years of marriage, ranching, farming, raising a family, and figuring things out along the way. From low-paying cowboy jobs and a growing family to renting their first farm ground and eventually buying land with little money down, Greg and Ann share the decisions, opportunities, and setbacks that shaped their operation.Their story includes plenty of hard lessons, from medical bills and financial mistakes to drought, livestock losses, and a cattle deal that went sideways. But it also shows how persistence, careful cash flow management, relationships, and taking opportunities when they appeared allowed Greg and Ann to keep building. They discuss how they acquired 400 acres without a down payment, why Ann's financial management was critical to the business, and how Greg began planning for succession years before he was ready to step away. Most importantly, they share why the difficult years tend to fade with time and why simply continuing to move forward can be one of the most important skills in ranching.Make sure to hit subscribe/follow so you never miss an episode!In this episode, we cover:How renting a house and 40 acres in 1990 gave them a foothold and allowed Greg to gradually build a livestock and farming operationHow Greg and Ann eventually bought 400 acres with no money down by combining Farm Credit and FSA financing and working with landowners willing to carry notesThe lessons they learned from drought, livestock losses, a failed cattle deal, and other setbacks that seemed devastating at the timeHow Ann's financial discipline and behind-the-scenes work helped keep the business moving forward while Greg focused on the physical operationWhy Greg began thinking about succession at age 55 and how Ranching for Profit helped him develop a path for Travis to eventually buy into the businessConnect with Greg & Ann:Follow on YoutubeCheck out their websiteEmail Greg at [email protected] with Ranch Right:Subscribe on YouTube Follow on Instagram @ranchrightllc Follow on Facebook Check out the websiteCheck out all of our past webinars hereResources & Links:Caitlyn TaussigDavid BrooksFrom Strength to Strength by Arthur C. BrooksBook a Free Discovery Call to Learn More Ranching for Profit Ranching.FYI Wally Olson, Olson Ranch LLCMentioned in this episode:Come with your questions. Leave with a plan. The Ranch Right Conference is February 15–18, 2027 in Orange Beach, Alabama, with keynote speaker Dr. David Kohl. Click below to register by January 10th at:Conference