The End of an Era: Saying Goodbye to Rainmaker

Last week we had to make a tough decision.

But first, let me take you back to where it started.

It was 2019. Marc and I had just moved back home to take over the cattle operation. We had invested in more cattle and needed herd bulls to match the growth. After visiting several small seedstock operations nearby, we found two bulls we liked at a small farm in Alabama.

On October 28, 2019, we purchased HF Rainmaker 871 for $2,500 from Haynes Farms. That’s considered inexpensive for a bull, especially compared to what we pay now, around $8,000 for a solid replacement. But at the time, it was all we could afford. He was the first bull Marc and I ever bought together.

(Photos from the day purchase Rainmaker in Oct. of 2019)

We were still new to the industry then, learning about EPDs, conformation, and pedigrees as we went. Rainmaker’s numbers on paper weren’t impressive, but what really mattered was how he performed in the pasture. He was dependable well built herd bull.

Over the next six years he sired well over 200 calves here at Lily Hill Farm. Many of those calves went on to supply beef for our direct-to-consumer program.

Commercial herd bulls usually work for about four breeding seasons before age, injury, or fertility issues start to show. Each bull is responsible for covering roughly 25 to 35 cows every year, and that workload takes a toll. Rainmaker gave us six full breeding seasons, which is more than most, and he stayed sound the entire time.

He outworked and outlasted eleven younger, higher-dollar bulls we brought in after him. 

But this summer his age began to show. We probably could have pushed him through one more breeding season, but from a business standpoint we couldn’t justify the risk of keeping an aging bull in the rotation. In another world where we had more processing slots, we would have processed him ourselves. Unfortunately that wasn’t an option this time due to limited processing slots, so we took him to our local sale barn. The funds from his sale will be used to invest in a new younger bull to take his place. 

(Last several days with him)

It was the end of an era for our operation.

Many of Rainmaker’s progeny have fed our customers, and now he will go on to feed the American people, not through our own beef program but through the traditional beef supply chain.

Rainmaker wasn’t just an animal. He represented the start of our journey.

Thank you, Rainmaker. You were a good one.