Sustainable Stock: Reviving Legacy Genetics
Sustainable Stock: Reviving Legacy Genetics
Podcast Description
Sustainable Stock: Reviving Legacy Genetics is a podcast dedicated to exploring the power and potential of traditional cattle genetics while celebrating the ranchers who are bringing these practices back to life. Hosted by Patrick Powers, this podcast connects the past with the present, showcasing the resilience, efficiency, and fertility of the cattle breeds that helped build strong herds in the 1960s and '70s.Each episode features in-depth conversations with ranchers and breeders who are rediscovering and preserving the cattlemen practices that have stood the test of time. These ranchers are committed to using common-sense methods that focus on what truly works, blending the wisdom of the past with modern solutions for sustainable ranching in today’s world.At its core, Sustainable Stock is about returning to the fundamentals—embracing practical, time-tested approaches that prioritize what’s best for the land, livestock, and the rancher. We honor the heritage of ranching and are passionate about creating a future that’s rooted in both tradition and sustainability. Whether you’re passionate about heritage genetics, the future of ranching, or simply interested in the story behind the herd, this podcast is for you.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast focuses on legacy cattle genetics, sustainable ranching practices, and the challenges facing modern ranchers. Episodes include topics like the formation of Bos Sires with Grant Vassberg and the historical significance of the Droughtmaster breed shared by John Atkinson, emphasizing the integration of time-tested methods with contemporary solutions for better land and livestock management.
Sustainable Stock: Reviving Legacy Genetics is a podcast dedicated to exploring the power and potential of traditional cattle genetics while celebrating the ranchers who are bringing these practices back to life. Hosted by Patrick Powers, this podcast connects the past with the present, showcasing the resilience, efficiency, and fertility of the cattle breeds that helped build strong herds in the 1960s and ’70s.
Each episode features in-depth conversations with ranchers and breeders who are rediscovering and preserving the cattlemen practices that have stood the test of time. These ranchers are committed to using common-sense methods that focus on what truly works, blending the wisdom of the past with modern solutions for sustainable ranching in today’s world.
At its core, Sustainable Stock is about returning to the fundamentals—embracing practical, time-tested approaches that prioritize what’s best for the land, livestock, and the rancher. We honor the heritage of ranching and are passionate about creating a future that’s rooted in both tradition and sustainability. Whether you’re passionate about heritage genetics, the future of ranching, or simply interested in the story behind the herd, this podcast is for you.
Episode 20: Preserving a Legacy with Watt Casey Jr. of Casey Beefmasters
What does it take to build cattle that pay their way without props? We sat down with Watt Matthews Casey Jr. of Casey Beefmasters to trace a 77-year line of selection grounded in the Six Essentials—fertility, weight, conformation, hardiness, milk, and disposition—and a ruthless commitment to real-world performance. From a closed herd since 1967 to breeding seasons as short as 25 days, Watt explains how discipline, data, and respect for nature create cattle that thrive on grass, breed on time, and stay gentle under pressure.
We walk through the origin story tied to Tom Lasater, the politics of early breed associations, and why multi-sire breeding keeps the focus on herd-level outcomes over pedigree hype. Watt details his selection program: culling light bulls at weaning, measuring testicles early and again at yearling, and requiring calves to gentle to hand. Scanning is done on forage, not feed, yielding honest IMF and ribeye insights that surprise technicians used to “puffed-up” numbers. The results show up where it matters—tight calving windows, repeat buyers, and cattle that ship well from Texas heat to Idaho winters.
Drought strategy, no-hay economics, and heterosis round out the playbook. In lean years, the ranch uses pellets strategically to preserve a closed herd that can’t be rebuilt at auction; in normal years, it’s grass and minerals, full stop. Customers see the “big pop” when unrelated genetics meet, capturing hybrid vigor bred under hard filters. Along the way, Watt shares global reach, candid customer quotes—“so gentle they’re a nuisance”—and a clear moral frame: be a good steward to cattle and land, measure honestly, and keep pressure where it counts.
If you care about functional efficiency, fertility, disposition, and grass-based genetics, this conversation is a masterclass in sustainable ranching. Listen, share with a friend who values real-world cattle, and leave a review to help more producers find the show.
Connect with Watt Casey and Casey Beefmasters:
Website: https://caseybeefmasters.com/home.php
Bos Sires: https://www.bossires.com/casey-beefmasters
Check out Bos Sires:
Website: https://www.bossires.com/
Bos Sires Catalog: International New Bos Sires Catalog (English)
Support the Podcast
We keep the main feed clean, but if you want the raw, unfiltered conversations, check out our second podcast Shooting the Bull on Patreon. If you like what we’re doing, that’s also the best place to show your support.
Join us on Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/bossirestalk
Disclaimer
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