“Remember, prior planning prevents poor performance.” These were the words of a wise college accounting professor I was given the opportunity to learn many things from. At the beginning of the course’s first semester, I comprehended the scope of the quote to apply only to class materials and the importance of studying for exams. However, as the year progressed, I began to understand that the concept of prior planning encompassed far more than my accounting homework.

Today, as I continue to think about the significance of this saying, its importance in the cattle business becomes clear.  So oftentimes, in the hectic nature of our day to day activities at a cattle operation, future planning becomes tossed aside in lieu of more pressing tasks at hand. However, to ensure our future success, planning for the future is of utmost importance.

Do you know where you want your operation to be in the future? Today is the best day to set goals for tomorrow. Be proactive in making your operation even better than it is now. Learn more about a topic that could help improve your bottom line, try a new idea, the opportunities are endless. Today’s beef cattle market is the highest on record. How can you plan ahead to make sure your operation is profitable when markets become narrow?

• Establish an effective record keeping system. Incorporating a system that accurately records expenses and profits will be a valuable decision making tool. Decisions can be made with real world numbers, in turn helping to increase productivity and profitability.  Are your cattle performance records up to date? Do you have a performance record keeping system in place? If not, take the time to learn more about record keeping and to find a system that best meets your herd’s needs.
• Gain knowledge about industry trends and technology. Today’s fast paced, technology based world has not overlooked the cattle industry. Today, there are many products, innovations, and technology available that can help your herd and operation improve. Areas that technology continues to touch include: reproductive, feed efficiency, and herd health technology.

Oftentimes, looking to the future can be overwhelming; however, the task today will reap benefits over and over in tomorrow’s world. ­Agricultural producers have a multitude of resources available to help answer questions and provide educational materials. State extension services are a great place for producers looking for useful information. As you transition and prepare for the future, I hope you too will remember that “prior planning prevents poor performance.”