Growth mindset: Producer seeks improvement in cattle operation

Benjamin Herrold
May 4, 2024
May 4, 2024

Facebook
Twitter
Bluesky
WhatsApp
SMS
Email
Print
Save

In his career in the cattle business, Ted Cunningham enjoys the continual pursuit of getting better and learning more about how to raise good cattle.

kAmw6 H@C<D H:E9 2 G2C:6EJ @7 A6@A=6 :? 56G6=@A:?8 42EE=6[ 2?5 :E :D 2? @AA@CEF?:EJ E@ E2=< 23@FE H92E 92D H@C<65 H6== 2?5 E@ 962C DE@C:6D 7C@> =@?8E:>6 42EE=6 AC@5F46CD]k^Am

kAm“%9:D 8:G6D >6 2 F?:BF6 @AA@CEF?:EJ[” 96 D2JD] “x 4FDE@> 56G6=@A 42EE=6 7@C 2 H9@=6 9@DE @7 A6@A=6]”k^Am

Ted Cunningham2 — Photo courtesy Missouri Beef Industry Council

kAmrF??:?892> C2:D6D 42EE=6 :? s6?E r@F?EJ[ |:DD@FC:] %96C6 2C6 5:776C6?E 2DA64ED @7 9:D @A6C2E:@?[ :?4=F5:?8 56G6=@A:?8 3F==D 7@C }6H s2J v6?6E:4D[ 2D H6== 2D 4@@C5:?2E:?8 D2=6D 2?5 >2C<6E:?8 7@C E96 4@>A2?J] w6 2=D@ 92D 2 4FDE@> DE@4<6C 2?5 324<8C@F?5 7665:?8 @A6C2E:@?]k^Am

kAm“~FC 4@C6 3FD:?6DD :D 3F:=E 2C@F?5 E96 4FDE@> 42EE=6 7665:?8 2?5 56G6=@A>6?E 2DA64E[” rF??:?892> D2JD]k^Am

kAmw6 2=D@ H@C<D H:E9 D665DE@4< AC@5F46CD E@ 56G6=@A 86?6E:4D[ 2?5 96 2?5 9:D D@?D 3FJ D@>6 96:76CD 2?5 92G6 2 4@H\42=7 96C5]k^Am

kAm“s:G6CD:7:42E:@?’D 366? 8@@5 7@C FD[” rF??:?892> D2JD]k^Am

kAmw:D H:76[ pD9=66[ :D 2 G6E6C:?2C:2? 2?5 rF??:?892> D2JD 96C 6IA6CE:D6 :D 2 G2=F23=6 A2CE @7 E96:C @A6C2E:@?]k^Am

kAm“x =62? @? 96C AC6EEJ 92C5 7@C E96 2?:>2= 962=E9 D:56[” 96 D2JD]k^Am

kAmu@C 3F== 56G6=@A>6?E[ rF??:?892> D2JD E96 23:=:EJ E@ >62DFC6 2?5 >2?286 7665 :?E2<6 92D 366? 2 <6J E@ DF446DD]k^Am

kAm“(6 56G6=@A 3F==D D=@H=J[ >2<:?8 DFC6 7@@E BF2=:EJ :D 2D 8@@5 2D H6 42? >2<6 :E[” 96 D2JD]k^Am

kAmv6?6E:4D 2?5 92G:?8 8@2=D :? >:?5 2C6 2=D@ 4CF4:2=[ 2?5 rF??:?892> D2JD H92E A6@A=6 AC:@C:E:K6 42? 36 5:776C6?E]k^Am

People are also reading…

Strong El Niño expected to bring moisture to Plains
Soybean harvest in full swing, some begin cutting corn
Studies continue into rising rates of cancer
Freezer on the fritz sends stress level to boiling
The PCV2 landscape has changed. Is your protection keeping up?
Family celebrates legacy of women farmers
A veterinarian’s perspective on failed execution of Tennessee woman
What’s in our water? An engineer’s perspective on groundwater, soil health and future generations
Wet fall causes issues with soybean seed quality
‘Policy hasn’t kept up with public demand,’ leader says
When you pass on, what do you pass down?
Grocery stores bring so much more than food to communities they serve
Pork leader talks national policy, local impact
October heat shuts down beet harvest for fear of spoilage
Energy abounds in Auburn FFA Chapter

kAm“(6 D6CG6 2 H:56 C2?86 @7 4FDE@>6CD[” 96 D2JD]k^Am

kAmxE 42? 36 2 492==6?86 E@ 56G6=@A “2== @7 E96 23@G6” 3F==D[ 3FE E96C6 2C6 5:776C6?E AC:@C:E:6D E@ 4@?D:56C[ 96 D2JD]k^Am

kAm“vC@HE9 4@?E:?F6D E@ 36 :>A@CE2?E[” rF??:?892> D2JD] “x7 E96J’C6 C6E2:?:?8 96:76CD[ E96J C62==J H2?E E@ 7@4FD @? >2E6C?2= 492C24E6C:DE:4D] … xE’D 92C56C E@ 7:?5 3F==D E92E 5@ H6== 7@C 3@E9]”k^Am

kAmw6 92D DA6?E 9:D =:76 =62C?:?8 23@FE H92E >2<6D 7@C 8@@5 42EE=6 AC@5F4E:@?[ 8C@H:?8 FA @? 2 5:G6CD:7:65 72C> 2?5 E96? H@C<:?8 2D 2 &?:G6CD:EJ @7 |:DD@FC: tIE6?D:@? =:G6DE@4< DA64:2=:DE 7@C `d J62CD] rF??:?892> 925 8C@H? 9:D 72C> 2?5 E9@F89E E96 492?46 E@ H@C< H:E9 }6H s2J v6?6E:4D H2D 2 8@@5 E:>6 E@ >2<6 E96 492?86]k^Am

kAm“x E9@F89E E92E H@F=5 36 2 F?:BF6 @AA@CEF?:EJ E@ H@C< :? D665DE@4< 3F== 56G6=@A>6?E[” 96 D2JD]k^Am

kAmrF??:?892> :D 2=H2JD >:?57F= @7 252AE:?8 9:D 2AAC@249 E@ E96 >2;@C:EJ 76D4F6 A2DEFC6D :? 9:D 2C62 @7 D@FE9\46?EC2= |:DD@FC:] %9:D :?G@=G6D >2?28:?8 8C2K:?8 2C@F?5 E96 DF>>6C 76D4F6 6?5@A9JE6 :DDF6D 2?5 =@@<:?8 E@ 5@ D@>6 72== 42=G:?8]k^Am

kAm“(6 42=G6 3@E9 D62D@?D[ 3@E9 DAC:?8 2?5 72==[” 96 D2JD] “x 92G6 2=H2JD =62?65 E@H2C5 E96 72== 42=G:?8] xE’D ;FDE 2 ?:46 E:>6 @7 J62C]”k^Am

kAmw6 D2JD 72== 42=G:?8 2=D@ >62?D 3C665:?8 4@HD :? }@G6>36C[ H9:49 H@C<D H6== :? 9:D 2C62[ H9:=6 3C665:?8 :? yF?6 7@C DAC:?8 42=G:?8 42? >62? 562=:?8 H:E9 962E 2?5 6?5@A9JE6 :DDF6D 5FC:?8 E92E :>A@CE2?E E:>6]k^Am

kAm%96 962E 2?5 5C@F89E 92G6 366? @?8@:?8 492==6?86D :? rF??:?892>’D 2C62]k^Am

kAm“(6 H6C6 2 =:EE=6 3:E 36EE6C E92? D@>6 7@=<D[” 96 D2JD] “(6 8@E D@>6 C2:? :? pF8FDE] qFE E96? :E H2D 6IEC6>6=J 5CJ 7C@> {23@C s2J @?] xE’D 366? 5CJ 2== H:?E6C] (6’C6 C62==J 5CJ 96C6]”k^Am

kAmrF??:?892> 4@?E:?F6D E@ 9@A6 7@C E96 36DE 2?5 D@>6 C2:?D E@ C6492C86 8C@F?5 >@:DEFC6 2?5 DFAA@CE 7@C286 8C@HE9]k^Am

kAmw6 2=D@ DE2JD :?G@=G65 :? E96 3C@256C 3667 :?5FDECJ[ D6CG:?8 @? E96 3@2C5 7@C E96 |:DD@FC: q667 x?5FDECJ r@F?4:=] w6 D2JD E96 @C82?:K2E:@? 2?5 E96 3667 4964<@77 H@C< E@ DFAA@CE 4@?DF>6C 56>2?5 7@C 3667[ 2>@?8 @E96C 677@CED]k^Am

kAm“%96 3667 4964<@77 :D :>A@CE2?E 7@C <66A:?8 3667 2E E96 46?E6C @7 E96 A=2E6[” rF??:?892> D2JD]k^Am

kAmu@C 2== 9:D 6IA6C:6?46D :? E96 42EE=6 3FD:?6DD[ rF??:?892> D2JD :? 255:E:@? E@ 36:?8 :?G@=G65 H:E9 56G6=@A:?8 2?5 7665:?8 42EE=6 2?5 D92C:?8 9:D 6IA6CE:D6[ 96 DE:== =:<6D E@ 36 “@? E96 =62C?:?8 D:56 @7 E9:?8D” 2D H6==]k^Am