The work is tough, the views are stunning and Joe Vargas
wouldn’t change a thing
– he loves his cattle operation and his life on the range
Hayward – When Joe Vargas started in the cattle business he could barely pay his rent. He had to chop firewood to make ends meet. Other cattlemen bet he wouldn’t last two years. But 16 years later, nearly a decade after his wife, Kathy, joined the operation, business is better than ever.
“It’s been very good for the last three years,” Kathy says. “Having the Canadian border closed has helped us a lot.” The U.S. market has been closed to Canadian beef over mad cow disease worries, but a case in Texas hasn’t hurt the market. A wet spring helped the Vargas’s grass-fed cattle get fat.
“Right now is the best time. We’ve had a fantastic year because we had all this rain,” Joe says. “We’ve never had as big of a demand.”
Gilroy – In the cattle business, the cows you keep are more important than the ones you send off to market. Good, dependable breeding stock is essential for a strong herd. The Vargas’ will keep a bull for five breeding seasons. A good one can breed with 20 cows in a year. Older cows are replaced with heifers from the herd. Open cows – those without calves – go to the market, unless it’s a first-class heifer, then she’ll get another chance to produce a calf. And what makes a great heifer? “You’re looking for good confirmation,” Joe says. “Good udders, good legs, and a gentle disposition. Gentle is very important. That’s your foundation.”
“Good genetics, that’s the ticket in the cattle business,” Vargas said. “Always, always, always keep the best genes you can get. That’s the only way you’re going to get ahead and succeed.”
