PRICKLY PEAR SIMMENTAL RANCH - Prickly Pear Simmentals

Dear Friends;
I’m real excited about finally being in the new sale barn, even if it still needs finishing. Like Troy stated, its been a
trying year, but we’re being rewarded with record prices. The difference between October and now is even amazing.
If you look at inventories and exports, it should hold or get better for quite a while. I took a 770 lb cull
heifer to market last week and she brought over a thousand dollars! It’s too bad our inputs in some areas have
gone up more than the cattle.
This young, powerful cowherd impresses us more every year. The heifers in the sale are the best set of heifers we
have ever offered and wait till you see the bulls!
Troy has again done a fabulous job with these calves. Like my father, he lives and breathes to build a better cow
herd. Troy has been collecting carcass and genetic data and is ahead of the curve on genetic defects and testing
for BVD, etc. He knows the cow herd better than I do now and has been doing all the paperwork, the sire selections
and the breeding. With his Angus background Troy knows the best of both breeds and can really help if
you need some ideas on where to take your herd and how to improve it. If you haven’t seen our cow herd lately
you should stop by and take a look sometime... you’re always welcome.
Speaking of the best of both breeds, as you know heterosis will give you more pounds at weaning and more average
daily gain. But, did you know the greatest advantage to crossbreeding is an increase in overall cowherd production
due to the maternal heterosis. The crossbred cow is 20 to 30 percent more productive in her lifetime due
to increased longevity, increased efficiency, puberty at a younger age, calf survival rate and increased rate of gain.
I want to thank all those loyal customers who’ve been with us for many years and look forward to meeting those
who will give us a chance to earn their trust and the opportunity to put our program to work for you.
Gary Burnham
Prickly Pear Simmental Ranch
PS. We will have a conference call again this year, so get a hold of us if you can’t make it.
directionS to the ranch
from north on i-15: cedar st. exit. turn left (overpass). Go to light. turn left (n) at light (Washington st. —
helicopter display). turn right at 2nd light (custer ave.). it changes into canyon Ferry rd. ranch is right before the
bridge. drive another 3/4 mile to sale barn. if you come to a stop light east of costco you've gone too far.
from South on i-15: take cedar st. exit to stoplight. Go straight thru light (Washington st. — helicopter). turn
right at 2nd light (custer ave.). the road changes into canyon Ferry rd. ranch is right before the bridge. drive
another 3/4 mile to sale barn. if you come to a stop light east of costco you've gone too far.
from the east on uS 12: at west end of east Helena, turn right on Wylie dr. (exxon Gas station). turn left on
canyon Ferry rd. (1st stop light) Go 1/4 mile to the sale barn.
from the West on uS 12: turn left (n) at 3rd light (Henderson). turn right (e) at stop sign (custer ave.). drive
east thru lights and over i-15. ranch is right before the bridge on prickly pear creek. drive another 3/4 mile to sale
barn.
Henderson
Fairgrounds
custer ave. custer ave.
downtown
us 12
main st.
cedar
montana ave.
capitol
i-15
Washington
i-15
costco
N
Helena airport
old airport rd.
york rd.
canyon Ferry road
ppSr - 3/4 mi. -
main
ranch
us 12
Sale
Site
Wylie dr.
e. Helena