PRICKLY PEAR SIMMENTAL RANCH - Prickly Pear Simmentals

Dear Cattlemen,
I would like to say thanks to all of you who help to make our Made in Montana Sale a success
year after year.
After a year like 2011 it’s nice to look back and be glad it’s over. Last year was the most trying
year I’ve had in a long time. Whether it was calving in sub zero temperatures day after day or
trying not to get washed away in the spring floods and then watching it get too dry for the rest
of the year, or my unplanned 2 week vacation during AI breeding for a broken jaw! Despite all
of that we were rewarded with the highest cattle market ever seen and heaven knows we needed
it.
Here at Prickly Pear there have been a lot of changes around the ranch. We’re finally getting our
new sale barn done along with some of the new corrals. The cow herd is almost done growing
with lots of young cows doing the bulk of the work. The bulls seem to be getting more consistent
every year. This year the calves increased their 205 day weight by 40lbs over last year.
When you look over the bulls there are a few sire groups that I think really did an outstanding
job. RC Club King calves showed lots of muscle early on and continued to shine throughout the
test. SRS Textbook, our senior herd sire, has proven to be a great one for us. He’s a high calving
ease bull with a lot of growth. We calved Textbook’s first daughters last spring and they look to
be the right kind. The bull that has been the most consistent sire I’ve used in a long time is Sitz
Emblazon 9598. These calves do everything right from birth to feedlot, they’re the real deal.
As I look at what I’ve been able to do with the cow herd and daily operations here at Prickly
Pear all I can do is say thanks to the Burnham’s for having the patience and the willingness to try
new things. I think we’re really moving forward fast now. I would also like to thank all of our
buyers for sticking with us through these times of rebuilding the herd.
Sincerely,
Troy Wheeler
Cattle Manager