Ancestry

Skillet Maine Ranch employs a selective culling process. Heifer calves must have excellent style, growth and disposition to be considered for replacement cows. Calves and cows are ranked based on the 205-day adjusted weaning weights of the calves. Adjusted weaning weights for most “keeper heifers” range from 500 to 600 pounds  Heifers of lower weight are culled, along with their mothers.

Yearling heifers must breed to calve at age 24 months or younger. Cows two years and above must produce and raise a good calf at least every 12 months. Skillet Maine Ranch cows are healthy and reliable breeders, with docile temperaments. Cows with bad attitudes or bad udders quickly earn a one way trip to town. Repeated calving problems produce that same result.. Cows that raise calves on the low end of the weaning weight list soon belong to someone else.

Every animal is assigned a four digit number at birth and retains that number as long as we own them.  The first two numbers indicate the birth year. The last two indicate the birth order for that year. Calves are ear tagged as soon as they can be caught. A second tag identifying the sire is placed in the other ear so that visitors will be able to easily tell age and parentage at a glance.