Long before Steve Teichert developed his own approach to cattle genetics and nutrition, his family was learning what it took to make a living in the rugged country of Idaho and Wyoming. In Part 1 of this Ranchonomics Stories conversation, John Haskell sits down with Steve, a fourth-generation cattleman, to trace his family's journey from German immigrant Adolph Teichert arriving at Ellis Island to establishing a ranching operation in Cokeville, Wyoming. Steve shares stories of his great-grandfather homesteading in Idaho, his grandfather building a cattle herd during the Great Depression, and the hard work that shaped the family's approach to ranching.

Steve also explains how generations of observation and practical experience helped his family develop cattle that could thrive in the challenging environments of Idaho and Wyoming. From selecting for fertility and efficient production to crossing breeds, managing nutrition, and learning when cows need extra feed, he describes the lessons passed down from his grandfather and father. He also reflects on how his own experiments with cattle genetics, supplements, and mineral nutrition have helped him continue improving the herd over a lifetime in the business.

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In this episode, we cover:

• How the Teichert family journeyed from Ellis Island to Idaho and eventually Cokeville, Wyoming
• How Steve's grandfather built a cattle herd through dairying, homesteading, and hard work
• Why practical, low-input cattle were essential in the family's rugged ranching environment
• How generations of crossbreeding and selection shaped the family's cattle
• What Steve learned about fertility, nutrition, and knowing when cows need extra feed
• Why cattle performance and profitability matter more than popular trends in breeding
• How Steve's long-term experiments with minerals and supplements continue to shape his approach

Connect with Ranch Right:

• Subscribe on YouTube
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• Check out the website
• Check out all of our past webinars here

Resources & Links:

• Book a Free Discovery Call to Learn More
• Ranching for Profit
• Ranching.FYI
• Wally Olson, Olson Ranch LLC

Mentioned in this episode:

Come with your questions. Leave with a plan. The Ranch Right Conference is February 15–18, 2027 in Orange Beach, Alabama, with keynote speaker Dr. David Kohl. Click below to register by January 10th at:

Conference

What happens when the government tries to solve a cattle market problem that the market may already be correcting? In this episode of Ranchonomics, John Haskell is joined by lifelong cattlemen Wally Olson and Monty Nail to discuss proposals for government incentives to encourage heifer retention. Both guests argue that high cattle prices are already giving producers a strong incentive to breed and retain heifers, and that additional government intervention could encourage overproduction and create a glut of cattle in the years ahead.

Wally and Monty explain how cattle productivity, heavier slaughter weights, and beef from dairy cattle have helped maintain beef production even as the U.S. cow herd has declined. They also discuss how market signals guide their own buying, breeding, and selling decisions, why timing matters throughout the cattle cycle, and how ranchers can build better businesses by studying the market and making disciplined decisions rather than relying on government assistance.

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In this episode, we cover:

• Why Wally and Monty oppose government incentives for heifer retention
• How heavier cattle and beef from dairy cattle help maintain beef production with fewer cows
• Why high prices can lead to oversupply and lower prices down the road
• How the price spread between heifer calves and bred heifers creates opportunities
• Why drought can limit heifer retention despite strong market incentives
• How market signals help ranchers make smarter buying and selling decisions
• Why persistence, daily market analysis, and good timing matter in building a cattle business

Connect with Wally:

• Check out his website

Connect with Ranch Right:

• Subscribe on YouTube
• Follow on Instagram @ranchrightllc
• Follow on Facebook
• Check out the website
• Check out all of our past webinars here

Resources & Links:

• Book a Free Discovery Call to Learn More
• Ranching for Profit
• Ranching.FYI
• Wally Olson, Olson Ranch LLC

Mentioned in this episode:

Come with your questions. Leave with a plan. The Ranch Right Conference is February 15–18, 2027 in Orange Beach, Alabama, with keynote speaker Dr. David Kohl. Click below to register by January 10th at:

Conference

What does it take to build a successful ranch from scratch when you start with borrowed money and a pickup truck as collateral? In this episode of Ranchonomics Stories, John Haskell and Wally Olson sit down with Monty Nail to trace his journey from buying his first load of cattle as a high school senior in 1979 to building a diversified cattle operation and acquiring his own ranch land. Monty shares how he balanced outside jobs in ranch management, welding, horseshoeing, and equine dentistry while steadily growing his cattle business, eventually expanding into cow-calf production, yearlings, heifer development, and registered cattle.

Monty also discusses the financial decisions, relationships, and hard lessons that helped him build the operation over nearly five decades. From managing debt and working with a banker who understands the cattle business to making buying and selling decisions around market cycles, protecting grass for drought, and developing reliable custom grazing partnerships, he explains what it takes to keep growing through the ups and downs. For young ranchers starting with limited resources, Monty and Wally emphasize the importance of persistence, delayed gratification, learning from experienced operators, and building a business that can support the next generation.

Make sure to hit subscribe/follow so you never miss an episode!

In this episode, we cover:

• How Monty bought his first load of cattle in 1979 with 100% financing and his pickup truck potentially serving as collateral
• How outside jobs helped support his family while he steadily built his cattle operation
• Why Monty waited about 30 years in the cattle business before buying ranch real estate, and how he approached the risks of taking on land debt
• How he uses market cycles to balance yearlings and cow-calf production while managing equity and cash flow
• Why maintaining extra grass, planning for drought, and knowing operating costs help protect the business through difficult years
• What makes a good banking relationship and how to evaluate custom grazing partners before putting cattle in their care
• Why young ranchers need persistence, delayed gratification, and guidance from people who have built lasting businesses

Connect with Ranch Right:

• Subscribe on YouTube
• Follow on Instagram @ranchrightllc
• Follow on Facebook
• Check out the website
• Check out all of our past webinars here

Resources & Links:

• Book a Free Discovery Call to Learn More
• Ranching for Profit
• Ranching.FYI
• Wally Olson, Olson Ranch LLC

Mentioned in this episode:

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