Myron Bahm has discovered the biggest challenge to running a successful purebred operation is, as he put it, “Marketing your cattle and getting them out there for people to see.” But, he is meeting that challenge, and is proud of the fact that he has had repeat customers, always a compliment to any business.
Myron and his wife, Valerie, are members of the Heart of America Gelbvieh Association. Myron is also serving on the board of the Four States Gelbvieh Association. The Bahms own White Oak Farms in Webster County near Rogersville, Mo. They have been raising purebred Gelbvieh cattle on their 75-acre farm for about four years. Previously, they had commercial cattle.
When Myron and Valerie decided to go with purebreds, he said they became interested in Gelbvieh because they saw the abilities Gelbvieh offers, as far as raising calves.
Myron sees a definite advantage with this breed of cattle. “In my opinion,” he said, “you can put less into them. You still raise a heavier calf with lower input costs. You can get a higher output with them, which is pretty important in today’s economy.”
With around 35 head of cattle, Myron explained, “The main reasons I prefer Gelbvieh are for temperament, milking ability and they have a lot of muscle. We have very, very few problems calving as well. They’re just a very good, all-around, all-purpose breed.” He also added, “They raise a heavier calf than a lot of the breeds we’ve had experience with.”
When selecting a cow, Myron looks for a good udder and good disposition. “I want them to raise a good calf. I want them to flesh easy, hold their weight easy and be an easy keeper. The main thing I’ve strived for is consistency throughout the herd.”
Myron has been using AI on his herd for the last three years. “The AI has advanced our program a lot,” Myron said. “It’s been a big help.” But now they are also using a bull. He said, “This is our first year for using a sire of our own, one of our own bulls.”
When it comes to selecting a bull, Myron looks for a well-rounded animal.
“I like a lot of muscle. I like a lot of length to a bull. Good feet are probably the most important thing on a bull, because he’s traveling and he has to cover a lot of ground. If you’re not AI-ing, he’s 50 percent of your herd. So in my opinion, good feet are a must.”
The Bahms raise and sell bulls. “We raise about 10 a year, depending on the year.” This past year they had mostly heifers, so they don’t have as many bulls. “We sell mostly to commercial producers for their bulls.”
Myron’s wife, Valerie, helps a lot around the farm. Looking toward the future, Myron said, “We’d like to be able to sell about 50 bulls a year. I’d like to get to the point where I could have my own production sale some day. It’s a lot of hard work, but I wouldn’t trade it. I’m pretty well obsessed with the purebred Gelbvieh business.”
