A Cattle Business Focused on Faith and Youth
Built on the foundation of faith, Montford Cattle Services has found a way to share the good works and word of the Lord while simultaneously providing learning resources for the next generation of beef producers through a partnership with Tarleton State University and their own AI schools. This family-owned, Texas beef operation has a unique and service-driven story that goes to show we can all find purpose when we choose to use the talents the Lord gave us and listen to where he calls us.
Jarrod is the fifth generation to be raising cattle in his family and is excited about raising the sixth right now. While he grew up on an operation that solely raised beef cattle, his parents both came from small dairies and started with dairy cattle themselves. One aspect of raising dairy that they brought with them to the beef side was utilizing 100% artificial insemination to breed cows and eliminating the need for having a bull on the place. This is a management practice that continues to be an important part of the Montford operation today in combination with embryo transfer work.
Currently, Montford’s run a pasture-to-plate operation. They made this transition 5 years ago to have more control over the price they receive for their product and serve the growing Dallas-Fort Worth area. This direct-to-consumer beef business has a unique component as Montfords have a partnership with Tarleton State University to provide prime carcasses for students to harvest, judge and learn about. Because Montfords heavily focus on artificial insemination and embryo transfer, they can focus on the fertility of their herd while providing cattle that offer high-quality carcass characteristics for the university to use in classes. TSU has been processing Montford cattle since 2004, but this is the third year Montfords have worked with the university to get more prime carcasses in front of students. In this third year, 80% of their calves graded prime.
1988 is the year Montfords went 100% AI with their beef cattle. With this being their specialty, they made the decision to start what most would call an AI school. However, for the Montford family it is an opportunity to connect with youth about Christ. Montford went on a mission trip to Paraguay and during the trip, he was praying and asking God what he was supposed to do next to serve him when the idea for the AI school came to him. “I can go to your house and breed your cows. I can knock on your door and tell you about Jesus, but I can’t do either one unless you open the door.” Everything Montford does for the AI school is ministry-based from opening up with a word of prayer to bible studies. In the past 5 years, they have had around 800 students from 38 states and two countries attend their ministry-based AI school.
At the end of the day, Montford is grateful for what he gets to do in the beef industry and is excited about the technology and advancements that are entering the business, especially in the genetic space. Montford encourages cattle producers to get on the bus that is blazing trails and making advancements in the industry because it is going to be a fun ride.
