Over the last few weeks we have been interviewed by journalists as well as being asked about our journey so far by the many new potential clients and interested people that we have been fortunate to be introduced to. It’s funny how paths cross and where life takes you and where referrals come from – including, in our case, subcontractors who were on site when we were renovating our 1930’s farm homestead a couple of years ago to chit chat at the dentists to name but a couple of ways clients have found us in additional to the traditional farming avenues!
The one thing that seems to stand out in all the feedback we have received from everyone is the “attention to detail” as well as the “adherence to best industry practice” not only in our cattle but in our whole farming enterprise – which in the word of you, the clients, is evident the minute you drive into the farm. When asked how we achieved all of this in such a short period, the common thread in our answers has been that we “started small”.
Often we have big dreams
BUT big action plan lists too ………..and they fall by the way side as we get overwhelmed by trying to do too much at once.
We try to run before we can walk.
We bite off more than we can chew.
There’s nothing wrong with dreaming big.
In-fact on the contrary, I believe that the only way to dream is to dream BIG!
However the dream is one thing and the implementation is another.
When it comes to implementation I have found that “bite size is best’.
Whilst we now have over 200 breeders on the farm; we started the stud with only 20 breeders! With a small number we could concentrate on developing facilities and procedures that worked for our cattle on our farm. Once we had the procedure in place and the ‘practice’ down pat it was easy to increase the numbers. We carried this philosophy over into all our farming practices.
Last spring our joining program consisted of:
– flushing 2 donor cows and 2 donor heifers
– AI’ing 40 heifers using a synchronization program and heat detection with option of resynchronizing for a second round incase of poor result in first round
– AI’ing 2 mobs of 40 heifers using a synchronization program and heat detection with option of resynchronizing for a second round incase of poor result in first round
– ET synchronization program for 30 recipient cows
Like building blocks, over the first couple of years each of these activities were carried out individually and the procedures drawn up as we learnt from our experiences so that when it came time to implement more than one procedure at a time, the building –to continue with this metaphor- didn’t topple over as each of the individual building blocks was complete in itself. If we had have tried to implement a full program like this in our first couple of years on the farm, it would have been overwhelming and probably not successful. However with procedures in place and practice under our belt with small numbers, it was a breeze.
So my secret to success is DREAM BIG but when it comes to implementation START SMALL.
Here’s my top five tips:
- Practice with a small number
- Stay in your comfort zone
- Ask for help
- Delegate
- Take time out #thepowerofthepause
We invite you to join the Cattle Conversation and this week share your secrets to success – what have you learnt that could benefit others ?
Sharing our stories helps us grow.
