Feature
By Andy Rest, NALF regional manager
“In the business of selling pounds” effectively reflects Greg
and Candie Stamp’s cattle business philosophy. Located
about 30 miles north of Billings, Montana just off US
Highway 87, Limousin genetics has played a major role in the
success of their commercial ranch operation since 2002.
Both South Dakota natives, Greg and Candie (pictured
below) first starting ranching on Greg’s family operation
located near Astoria, South Dakota. In 2001, the newlywed
couple used Angus bulls. The next year, Greg’s dad, who
had used some Limousin bulls, pointed them to Richard
and Russell Larson of nearby White, South Dakota.
“Limousin bulls breed on pounds. . . we like the way
they hold up and their longevity,” added Greg. The
couple said over the years they have noticed a definite
change for the better with disposition. “You can walk
up to the majority of our cows and scratch them in the
pasture,” mentioned Candie. They’ve also seen the breed
moderate frame score and increase maternal ability.
When it comes to selecting new additions to their bull battery,
it’s a team effort between Greg and Candie. “Greg is the number
and EPD guy, while I want to view the bulls in person to see
how they travel and how much muscle they have,” she stated.
Greg further explained he looks at a combination of the
calving ease direct EPD, the animal’s actual birth weight
along with weaning and yearling weight data. Another
important factor in their buying decision, he added, is the
ultrasound data. He likes to have his bulls have at least an
inch of ribeye area per hundred pounds of body weight.
The Stamps also take into account the scrotal circumference
when selecting new herd sires. “We try and select bulls with
a minimum of 35 centimeters, feeling it’s important for
the age of puberty of our replacement heifers,” he said.
The following year, the Larson’s decided to disperse their
Limousin operation and suggested the Stamp’s contact
the Symens Brothers Limousin program in Amherst, South
Dakota. Since that time, Greg estimates they have bought
over 60 Limousin and Lim-Flex bulls from Symens Brothers.
“They’re great people to do business with, very down to earth,
and stand behind their product 100 percent,” said Candie.
28 | FEBRUARY 2019
The Stamps keep about 20-25 replacement heifers each
year. They’ve found most of their replacements come
out of the earlier born heifers. At weaning, they weigh
each calf along with her mother, so they know the
percentage of body weight each cow has weaned.
For the past two years, they’ve synchronized and AI bred
their Limousin replacement heifers to LFLC Checking Account
and then clean-upped with a Checking Account son. A select
group of Limousin cows the last two years have been AI bred