Rob Havard - Phepson Angus
At Phepson Angus, we breed pedigree, grass-fed, organic Aberdeen Angus cattle. In this post, I share my thoughts on a key principle that shapes how we operate our farm: profit per acre, and how it’s different from the more traditional “production per acre” mindset.
Moving Beyond Production at All Costs
For a long time, the agricultural industry has been fixated on production at all costs. This mindset was largely driven by subsidies, particularly during the post-war years when the priority was simply to produce as much food as possible. We were paid for producing more, regardless of whether that extra production was profitable. But as time has gone on, it’s become clear that this model isn’t sustainable.
In the current climate, profit per acre is the measure we should be focusing on. Simply put, it’s about how much profit you can generate from your land, not just how much you can produce. This shift in thinking is important because it acknowledges that producing more doesn’t always translate to greater profits if the cost of production outweighs the price received.
We can’t continue to operate on the assumption that more is always better. Instead, we need to look at how we can operate efficiently, using natural resources wisely, and ensuring that our farm can thrive year after year—without being reliant on fluctuating subsidies or high-risk, high-input systems.
The Risk Factor
Another critical element to consider in the farming equation is risk. In the cattle industry, especially when it comes to breeding, it’s easy to overlook the potential risks tied to high-input models. You’re looking at a system where you put a bull in, wait nine months for a calf, then wait another couple of years before you can sell the animal. During that time, costs can skyrocket, but the market price for your product can drop dramatically, especially in a commodity system.
That’s why it’s essential for us to focus on building predictable, sustainable profit streams that aren’t as vulnerable to market swings. Predictable profitability isn’t just about producing animals; it’s about ensuring that every step of the process—from breeding to sale—adds value without risking the financial stability of the farm.
Traits for Regenerative Beef Breeding
When it comes to regenerative beef breeding, the key traits we focus on are those that reduce the need for high input costs and make the cattle more resilient in a low-cost system.
First and foremost, fertility is crucial. It might seem simplistic, but...
The ability of a cow to produce a marketable calf every year is the most reliable predictor of profitability.
If you’re only getting 75 calves out of 100 cows, that’s a significant loss in potential income. You can’t make up for that through faster growth rates or other forms of production.
In addition to fertility, it’s essential that the cattle are well-adapted to the system and the environment. For us, this means cows that can easily maintain their body condition and meet their metabolic requirements without too much extra effort. If they’re stressed or pushed too hard, it can have detrimental effects on their health and fertility.
Structural soundness is another important trait. We focus on cows with good feet, proper udder structure, and overall physical robustness. The fewer times we need to handle the cattle for medical treatments, the lower the overall cost of production. When animals are built to be strong and healthy, they move more easily, and the risk of injuries and diseases decreases.
It’s about minimizing problems and ensuring that the cattle can operate as naturally as possible. A problem-free cow is one that requires fewer interventions and is more likely to thrive in a regenerative system.
Genetic Diversity: The Role of Pedigree Breeds
One of the cornerstones of regenerative agriculture is diversity—both in the ecosystem and within the livestock herd. However, in our breeding program, we focus on a system that maintains specific traits rather than broad genetic diversity. While wild herds, such as red deer, naturally introduce genetic diversity through competition, we use line breeding to concentrate positive traits within our cattle.
I realize that pedigree breeds like ours might not seem as genetically diverse at first glance, but the goal is to stabilize the positive characteristics we want to preserve. And while the system may not offer the same immediate diversity as nature’s way of doing things, it ensures that the cattle perform reliably.
Any questions? Please get in touch.
Our cows
Fertile
Maternal
Long lived
Large rumen capacity – excellent forage converters
Perfect udders
Strong feet and legs
Good temperament
PROFITABLE
Our bulls
Fertile
Long lived
Moderate frame size of high quality
Excellent forage converters
PROFITABLE
Testimonials
“After visiting Rob and seeing how he manages his grass and testing his genetics, I was very keen to purchase some of his cattle. I didn’t need to see them, I just put an order in of what I wanted, and Rob did the rest. It’s very reassuring when you find a breeder who really knows his cattle and can be trusted to send you exactly what you want. We will be purchasing more in the future.”
Geraint Powell
Nuffield Scholar
“We bought a bull from Phepson Angus as we wanted to shift our maternal line to a smaller more efficient cow, high fertility and easy calving. The bull we bought has delivered on everything we wanted. We will certainly be a repeat customer.”
Silas Hedley-Lawrence
FAI Farms
We bought 2 bulls from Rob because we wanted easy calving, fertile, hardy bulls. Very happy with initial results on 62 heifers with 100% in calf, 73% bred in the 1st cycle. Bulls didn't go lame or lose condition while working
Oliver Chedgey
2022 Organic Dairy Farmer of the Year
We have PHEPSON ANGUS bulls available from January 2025
Please get in touch if you would like more information about available bulls. We have sold out for the last 3 years so please get in touch early to secure your breeding bull.
Free Consultancy
We often get requests for consultancy on both grassland and cattle management in holistic management systems. While we do take on some advisory work in limited situations we do tend to try and sign-post to other advisers in the regenerative agriculture sector. However, ALL PHEPSON ANGUS CUSTOMERS receive a FREE consultation with their purchase and for our customers we are always available on the phone. So if you are interested in saving money through your grazing systems and would like to add some proven fertility genetics to your herd then get in touch.
Kaiser, Senior Herd Sire
Semen straws available for UK and International export.
Your opportunity to buy into our programme
Excellent producer of easy-calving, fertile, moderate females for grass production
Will reduce frame size while still maintaining commercial scale.
Extremely fertile Bull - producing over 1000 straws per jump on collection on several occasions (bulls usually produce 150 - 350 straw per jump)
Line bred 4 times to Champion Bull "Evesund of Dupplin" who was known as the "Great Fixer of Udders"
We find Kaiser will correct poor udder structure in the 1st cross/generation
Huge rumen capacity - weighs 1000kg in working clothes - 53 inches at the hip
Kaiser is the foundation of our maternal bull lines, and is now available to you
Semen straws and genetics available for UK and
International export.
Contact Rob or Lizzie for an order form.
Rob - 07973771832
Lizzie - 07799127066
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