July 15, 2024 • 44 mins
Kendall Whatley grew up on a seedstock outfit in central Georgia. She attended ABAC for her undergrad and UGA for her masters. She currently resides in Stephenville, TX, where she is a Regional Sales Manager for Vytelle and the owner/manager of Bar K Cattle Services. She was also recently named as one of the honorees of the Class of 2024 Cowgirl 30 Under 30! Listen in to this week's episode to hear about her journey and the incredible advice she has to give!
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(00:13):
Hurting her story is proudly sponsored by the
Florida Cattle
foundation.
The Florida Cattle foundation is dedicated to sustaining
a viable ranch industry in Florida through the
development of future leaders.
The foundation board is committed to raising and
distributing funds for a wide variety of projects
in the areas of research in the cattle
(00:35):
industry,
educational programs,
leadership development programs,
and the heritage in historical projects such as
the ranch exhibit,
housed at the Florida State Fair and their
signature event of the Florida Ranch Rodeo state
finals and heritage festival.
Hurting her story is also proudly sponsored by
mister Dale and missus Beth Carlton,
(00:57):
along with mister Doyle e Carlton the third
of Roman 3 ranches.
We thank them for their support and commitment
to a sustainable Florida by investing in future
generations.
Welcome back everybody. We are in Fort worth,
Texas today.
Mary Mark actually flew out here because we
(01:17):
decided since I'll be staying in Texas for
a little while longer that we should explore
around a little bit and interview some amazing
women from Texas.
So today, we have miss Kendall Wat with
Kendall tell us a little bit about yourself.
Yeah. So, my name is Kendall WII
was raised in Central, Georgia for the most
(01:38):
part. We moved to Georgia when I was
about 7 years old in the year 2000.
So I grew up about an hour and
a half south of Atlanta on a feeds
talk angus outfit.
I spent most of my childhood there.
And then really just kind of developed a
love for the cattle industry from that. I
really just soaked up as much of the
(01:58):
cattle and the ranch and the horses as
I possibly of liquid could.
I knew, from a young age that if
I wanted to learn something, I needed to
teach myself and so that has kind of
been the root of a lot of what
has driven me through my career is just
the drive in the fire to learn
and so it's really thankful for that upbringing
(02:18):
and just have spent every moment I can
since stand around the cow.
That's awesome.
So
how close did you say you were to
lay again? About an hour and a half
south. Okay? So was it a rural town
just right outside of... Atlanta or was it
pretty suburban, I guess?
I guess I kind of have a skewed
perception because I I hate to call something
(02:41):
rural,
But it... I...
For Fsa purposes, I guess you.
It is rural.
I wouldn't say we were a heavily,
agriculture community,
of course, we had cattle producers. And
I think the the highest,
you'll of highest crop, number 1 crop in
up County was, hey. I wanna say, but
(03:03):
I I may be wrong on that. But
I wouldn't say it was an agricultural commute,
but it what it was rural. Yeah. Definitely
what we did on the scale that we
did was an anomaly for the area and
for for Georgia for the movie start. Yeah.
Certainly a a different atmosphere than moving out
here. Yeah. So that's for sure. So how
did you end up in Texas?
(03:25):
So there's a lot of background to to
that, but I finished up my master's degree
last summer,
so I fit defended
my thesis
in June, and then officially graduated in August,
that I started the job that I have
now,
with Vital vitality in July. And so I
was kind of finishing grad school starting this
(03:46):
job at the same time. Mh. So with
my job, I cover. Everything in Texas East
of Ab
all the way kinda down to the border
and then the whole
states of Arkansas in Louisiana. Anna. So I
moved out here officially in September.
For the job. I kind of always knew
I wanted to move west, Anna but life
(04:06):
life circumstances and such,
allowed me to do it now, and I
I am I'm eternally grateful for the opportunity.
That's awesome I think you always make those
moves when it's right. Yes. For sure. Looking
back. It always makes sense when you did
something like that. We'll let's back up a
little bit and tell our listeners
including me because Gina knows you a little
(04:28):
bit better than I'm doing I've just met
you today. So I'm super excited to get
you night to know you more, but let's
back up a little bit and talk about
what you did your master's in. And then
tell our listeners what Mite tell he is
because sure, You know, not a lot of
people can like on what tell is and
what you do today. Yeah. So
I guess I should probably back up even
(04:48):
a little further than that to get some
context. But
I went to undergrad, At Back in South
Georgia.
Seattle.
I didn't... A... A bachelor's there, and, basically
to our spot agriculture, it was there equivalent.
My track anyway it was an equivalent of
an animal science degree. Mh. We were just
much more production based than science based. I
(05:11):
took a few extra science classes because of
some of my goals,
but really, that whole education was very hands
on very practical in the livestock production space,
just And so after Graduated. Sorry. I did
the same word. Oh, awesome. Yeah.
Yeah.
And so when I graduated,
I had done a couple of internships with
(05:33):
Zoe lettuce on their genomics side, so I
did the beef cattle genetic testing and so
I worked for them for a little while
after Tuition,
worked for an animal health distributor there in
South Georgia.
And then started working for myself. So I
started Bar cattle services.
In
right at the onset of the pandemic.
(05:53):
And so
being a,
business owner and running that by myself at
the onset of a pandemic like, I'm not
sure if that was the most wise decision,
but it was certainly a journey yeah the.
So
it was very much a learning experience. Like
so I did sale cattle photography lifestyle photography.
(06:13):
I still did some, genomic consulting mostly for
commercial producers that were looking at genetically to
ci He. Right. To make some breeding decisions
and stuff like that. I really, love the
genetics and breeding side of things as we'll
get into
seeing spent that time, and I was also
a rep for Abs global, so I sold
semen bread cows, that kind of stuff.
(06:33):
So very heavily involved. On the rep repo
and genetics side of things in my experience
up to this point.
And I knew that I had an,
deficit in nutrition. I did not know what
I needed. Know. And and the
the truth is that none of the stuff
we do on the rep side matters if
the nutrition not right. A hundred percent. So,
(06:54):
my plan had been to do a master's
in
nutrition and what I did specifically was forage.
So I went to University, Georgia. I was
at the Tip in campus, and so my
research really revolved around Be bermuda grass and
Alfalfa mixtures with a crab grass include. Engine
for grazing
and kind of the whole,
(07:14):
reason we were looking into it was options
for restoring poor stands alfalfa. Poor stands up
for bermuda to grass Yeah. In the coastal
plains.
The plan after that had been to do
a Phd
and kind of bring that rec crow in
attrition together and study fetal programming. Yeah. But
I really guess got burned out on school.
(07:34):
Did you go back to school until I
was 28
graduated when I was 30. So I... I,
the thought of being in school for 3
or 4 more years is just not happened.
Well, we can certainly under. And You know,
we'll go you for going back to school
after working all these. I still don't know
that it was the best idea to go
back to school As a grown up, but,
I'm thankful for the experience it's nonetheless. It
(07:56):
was
there was a lot of stuff going on
during that time in my life,
that it's
I'm thankful for the journey, but I would
not wanna repeat it. Yeah. And so Yeah.
It's it's definitely been a journey.
You you just mentioned, if you were going
to do your Phd, it would have been
dealing with fetal programming. Yeah. Let's let's explain
(08:18):
what that is. Our listeners. You might not
know what that is. Because I sure super
cool concept
to me. Yeah. So fetal programming makes it
sounds... Makes it sound much more fancy than
the concept really is it's just
nutrition during gestation and how that nutrition
affects fecal development.
And so
even as we look at, like, first trimester
(08:41):
or nutrition and and as those
con and Cr,
the pla tone
connections are forming together if the nutrition is
not there in the dam,
then
there's little finger like structures on those connection
that come together like Velcro.
And so if
the nutrition is not there, those velcro like
(09:02):
connections don't happen. And so even if her
good, say in second or third trimester.
That nutrition is not getting to the fe
us like it needs to. Right Because it
wasn't there in the beginning, or
vice versa,
if we're looking at nutrition in late gestation,
third trimester, which is when the majority of
the growth happens for that fe us. Right.
(09:23):
Lot people will target that is Yeah. Having
all that additional nutrition. Exactly. Perfect. But that's
interesting to hear you say it doesn't early
matter. If you don't give it at the
beginning. Well, it does that it does. But
yeah. You're not you're not getting the most
bang for you about there. We're we're setting
those cab up for a little bit of
failure if we're not
given that damn and nutrition she needs from
the start. Mh Real.
(09:43):
I know there's a lot of
or a hand good handful of mineral. Companies
right now going through kind of looking at
the data behind feeding that mineral
throughout pregnancy and following that cap through its
life to harvest and seeing the difference in
what that fuel programming can make all the
way through from kinda of,
passion plate. Oh, absolutely. Yeah. Yeah. I I
(10:06):
could talk about it all day. Yeah.
I
your part
told on.
Going back to
getting your master's degree. Well, I did you
decide to go back can get your masters
because that's something in that
I'm kind of debated on. So yeah. I
guess, hearing about it might help a lot
(10:27):
of other people to to. How much fun
was in between your bachelor's?
So I graduated,
with my bachelor's in 2016,
and then I started my masters in, the
summer of 20 21.
Alright. Okay. So I finished summer of 23.
I decided to go back the calls of
I wanted to keep learning. Yeah.
(10:50):
And the questions that I had
weren't necessarily questions I could dance answer. From
just experience. I needed to do research. Right.
And the questions that I was really asking
would have taken the ph hd to answer.
Mh. Right.
But like I said, the the school was
was just not happening any further. I needed
to get back to work. Yeah. But that
(11:12):
was really what drove me to go back
was, I had questions. I wanted answer answered,
and I I wanted to be able to
figure... Help figure them out myself. Yeah.
I'd I certainly don't think schools a necessity
for everybody.
I think that is 1 of the shortcomings
of the last couple of generation is that
we've tried to push people to go to
school when
(11:32):
school isn't designed for everybody. None. Just because
you're a smart kid doesn't mean you need
to go to college to be successful. For
sure.
So I really wade back and forth whether
or not it was worth it to go
back.
Now, I'm thankful. I did it. It's certainly
been a shift in my head
coming out of
South Georgia and studying improved pastures,
(11:55):
and moving to Texas immediately where everything is
negative faster and hardly any improved faster. So
it's definitely been a shift in my head
as far as that mis concerned.
But I'm certainly thankful for it. Yeah.
Did you feel like your experiences
and, like, all the jobs that you had
before coming into your masters really helped you
(12:17):
a lot more because you could hone in
on what exactly you wanted to do.
Yeah. I... I am thankful that I was
an not traditional student. In that sense, I
think it gave me a different perspective going
back back.
I think, you know, kids that wanna come
straight from bachelor's into their masters. You're certainly
saving some time. III
(12:37):
would never fault anybody for doing that. Yeah.
But I think the perspective you can gain
from getting out and working for a little
while, and then coming back. You really have
1, a sense of self,
but 2,
really an idea of what you want to
do with this. It's not just an option
of, well, I don't know what else to
do. So I'm just gonna get my masters.
Yeah. It's it's
(12:59):
really a yearning for saying. This is something
I'm really interested in, and I really wanna
do this. Right. You know and you can
contribute more in that way. It's not just,
like, you going through the motions. That's exactly
Something you're passionate about. Very much. So... Now
I... I can't necessarily speak for everybody for
a master's experience because I was going through
(13:21):
a divorce. I was going through,
I got divorced in,
the middle of my master's degree, so it
would have been April of 22.
And. So so 2 months after that, the
man that was like a grandfather to me
passed away, and then a month for 2,
the williams was 2 after that, my parents
divorce finalized.
(13:42):
So that was a,
rough couple of years
there.
So.
Yeah.
It was
it it was certainly a difficult time in
my life.
But it really
was an eye opener for me
because III
had people come to my side that I
(14:05):
hadn't had that experience from them before
necessarily. And so
it's given me a honing new per perspective
of friends that are there for life.
And especially,
I'm not gonna cry.
My siblings
perspective we were not super close growing up,
and I put a lot of that on
myself because I was hard on them, and
(14:26):
I shouldn't have been. I was their sister.
That was a big sister not their mom.
And so I I've taken accountability for that.
And
but
they
came to my side when they... And they
still don't know the the depth of the
things that was going through at the time.
Yeah. But they really showed up for me.
And so it has just
(14:46):
been
as hard as it was at the time.
The last 2 and a half years, I
am so thankful for the relationships that came
out of that.
In the industry and outside of industry. It
has changed me as a person.
No. I I feel like I can feel
relationships deeper now.
And it's it's given me
(15:08):
the freedom
to
have a new perspective on life entirely. I
mean, it was...
I I moved out here as a fairly
freshly divorced 30 year old,
moving to Texas by myself just man and
my dog starting over entirely. Yeah. And so
it has been just
the best ride.
(15:29):
I I could not be more thankful for
this time and my. Life. And I know
it feels a little bit late to me
to get started again,
but golly, I'd rather
I'd rather start getting a million times life
than have to settle
for a lot that I wasn't gonna be
happy with. Yeah. Absolutely.
So just super thankful for the perspective, and
(15:50):
and the opportunity
to do this.
I feel like we could sit here and
write the next biggest
country music
soul.
But. We joke all the time. There was...
I mean, there was a time
20 22, I had 2 or 3 really,
really close friends.
(16:10):
And in 20 22 and and going into
23.
There were just things that just kept happening
in and kept happening. And so
there was 2 or 3 friends that I
would con find in,
and it got to the point where they
were just like girl, what else? I mean,
we have enough for AAA full season set
drama. Yeah
(16:31):
but And you have to laugh at it.
I I laugh at everything now because you
you have to. You have you been able
to laugh at your circumstances.
Yeah. You came out.
Better on the other end. So Can look
back and be like, well, Yeah. It was
bad, But, like, was it really the. Yeah.
I was joking with my mom the other
day that
she said something about being tough and how
(16:52):
tough I was or something like that. And
I said,
you know, I would love to get to
the day where I don't have to wear
tough. Across my chest that, like, a badge
honor. Yeah. I Out... I year for the
day where that is not, like a staple
in who I have to be every single
day. Yeah. And put on a tough helmet.
(17:12):
But, you know, that may that may never
happen, and that's okay. Yeah.
But I think everybody
everybody deserves a little bit of time where
they can just breathe. Yes. But it it...
You have to laugh at it. You really
do. You have to. Because
you only have 1 life. Exactly. Wide dwell
and all Might as full sand everything. Yeah.
I don't wanna get to do it once.
(17:33):
Yeah. And that was 1 of the major
months gifts that I had,
leaving my grad program and moving out here
was that
I only get to live this life once
and
if long as me and my savior have
sorted it out.
Nobody else gets to tell me what to
do. That's on... That's the only person that
gets to do that as myself. My drop.
(17:54):
If I wanna change my mind,
if I wanna do something else,
if I'm not happy
As long as I'm not breaking commitments to
people, and I've talked to Jesus about it,
I have no rules. Yeah. There there are
no rules for Kindle.
Except for the ones I place on myself.
And so given myself of that freedom has
(18:16):
been a total game changer.
Yeah.
Wow I feel like married
gonna be a change person
yeah
Just the life 4 last times and the
5 seconds we sat down with.
What do you think you would want to
give
a piece of advice? Someone be signing. Their
(18:36):
ourselves in similar situation. Sure. So I think
there's kinda 2 parts to that.
The the first piece to that to me
as being a woman, and I can't speak
for the ag industry at large, but for
the cattle industry.
I think
the things have changed even said I started
my career in 2016.
Things have changed a lot since then. Mh.
(18:58):
In what way, I think we've gotten better.
As as an industry as at accepting people
that don't look like the norm.
And we know what the norm is. Yeah.
I it's same to say that as... Yeah.
We we... We... When you think of the
cattle industry or or really agriculture at large,
you think of middle aged white man. Yeah.
(19:19):
And that's just traditional and what it's been.
But I think I don't think there's any
anything wrong, and I think it's actually...
Fantastic that we see more diversity now because
there's nothing bad that can come from
outside perfect perspective.
And,
more
people looking at things. And how... You can't
(19:40):
improve if we're not bringing in outside perspectives
gives. Yeah. And so although we have gotten
better at that, it's certain the finest is
still certainly ongoing. And so my gives
recommendation to young women coming into this industry
is to not have a chip on your
shoulder about it. What I need for for
(20:01):
them to understand is that
we're not fighting for special treatment here. We
just want equal consideration. Yes. Yes.
No special truth
just equal consideration. Yes. And I think everybody
has to fight for that mutual respect. Yes.
On most sides
Exactly. And so I... All I ask for
(20:22):
some from from someone is to give me
the baseline respect that you would give anyone
else walking up to you.
I'll earn
I'll earn the special treatment. Yeah. Because I'll
work my ass off and I I will
work circles around most people, most men. Yeah
And so the the other respect will come.
And I think if if young women will
(20:43):
go into it with a mindset of being
willing to work your tail off.
And understanding that, yeah. You might have to
work a little bit harder than everybody else.
But 1, it's gonna make you a better
person.
And 2, you're gonna be thankful for the
perspective you gain from it.
So just go into it
knowing
and and and recognizing we don't need
(21:06):
special treatment we just ask for equal consideration.
Yeah. And I think that I'll take it...
1 step further and say that
the people and the girls that do go
into it, seeking that special treatment, hurt 1
the ones.
I do believe that.
And III think it's our job as as
(21:27):
women
go to pull them a aside and say,
hey, girl, This is not a good look.
For the rest of us. Yeah.
That goes across, you know, several points of
conversation there, whether, you know, you're you're pulling
a Christian aside to have that kind conversation,
with a fellow Christian, whether you're
well, that's a... Yeah. I mean, you you
(21:48):
have to... And it has to be done
in mutual respect across all of those platforms.
Yeah. Because if I'm if I'm approaching
another woman to say, hey, you know, I
don't really appreciate how you represented us
She is not gonna hear me if I
don't come to her out of respect and
love. Yes.
And so I think that has to be
(22:08):
approached in that way. Now,
if she doesn't receive that,
maybe it's time for a little more stern
words. Yeah. But I think
coming at people
with respect and love
has to be the the
intention from on the start. Yes. And I
think that's what people kinda struggle with or,
(22:30):
like, other women's struggle with is on a
lot of people
understand that, you know, sometimes we do have
to work our tail off a little more
to gain the same respect.
But
if you see someone who's not doing the
same thing who's, like, out there being like,
just a girl, it's a joke nowadays, but
some people genuinely go out seeking for that
(22:52):
special treatment. And when you come and come
fine in them and
you have their best interest in mind. They
think they're... You're just coming after them and
saying that they don't deserve a spot at
the table, and it's not that way at
all. Yeah. And so
coming out it with love like you said,
and respect really makes a difference. For sure.
(23:13):
Absolutely.
And the second half of that to me,
you're going back to your question of kind
of a an open ended, what kind of
advice would I have? For somebody in my
position other than just being a, a woman
in the cattle industry, the second half of
that for me,
is being in my thirties now in 31,
(23:34):
a single woman in the cattle industry kind
of starting over.
And as someone that wants to be able
to have a family,
but
at the same time,
I want to build something with somebody. I
don't want to be a background player. Yeah.
And so
I,
(23:54):
Har road post about this last week about
a certain football player speech, and
I didn't get very many. Nice message is
in the, messenger inbox about it. But
I think it's worth talking about in that.
I I am el insulated. I am so
happy for the women that
fond joy and find fulfillment
(24:16):
in being
a homemade and staying at home and and
raising their kids. And
and
that makes me so happy for them because
I think every single woman on this planet
deserves to have fulfillment in whatever way she
sees fit.
Yes. But that is not the path that
I have chosen or that I feel called
to and
(24:37):
it's hard, especially in our industry because that's
what a lot of them are looking for.
Yes. And so
being older too doesn't help
And so it's
it's definitely a challenge
to
keep praying for someone. That wants to grow
something together.
But in my mind,
(24:59):
the longer you wait this way it has
to be. And it's not it you have
to really
get to a point where you enjoy your
own company. Yeah. But I was joking with
my mom the other day and that
I like... I enjoy being alone. It's not
gonna man is is
fighting for my time with another man. He
has to he has to be better company
(25:21):
for myself than I am. Yes. And that's
hard to do. You know, That's what I
love. Of people because I've never, like, I've
never dated anyone, and I'm still pretty young
and... Well, I'm younger than you guys.
And so I still too old. You're also
laugh promise.
So I'm younger than you guys, and a
lot of people are like, really do you've
never dated anyone, and I'm like, I... Like,
(25:42):
I enjoy my own company. And you someone
doesn't add more to my life.
I don't want them in it. I'm so
proud of you for recognizing that at your
23?
Yes.
I am so proud of you for recognizing
that now.
Because when I was 20 3II
very much fell into, like, the whole my
(26:02):
biological time clock is ticking.
You know, I... I've got this all these
plans. I need these to this to happen
at this time this time this time and
this time. Right.
And it had I just slowed down and
said what do I actually want here?
I
I'm just am so proud of you for
recognizing that early,
(26:22):
and being able to say
if someone does not add to my life,
then it's not worth it. Mh. And and
say he goes for him. If you're not
an ad to his life Yeah. Then it's
not worth it it's not worth it for
either party. Yeah. And I think for me
the change in my mind came when I
really...
(26:43):
Accepted the fact that it's not my job
to change anybody else. It's my job to
see who they are, what they plan to
do with life and how they choose to
love
and see if that fits with me. Because
it's not necessarily if those if those things
don't line up with me that doesn't make
them a bad person. It just means that
we don't line up, and it's not my
(27:03):
job to change them. Yeah. Right. Not equally
exactly. And it's not at... You have to
really fight the urge to fall in love
with the idea of somebody versus the actual
person. Yes. I feel that's
I'm preaching to myself I promise. Yeah. But
(27:24):
I just so proud of you for for
recognizing that at 23 because I promise that
that will set you up for success. Thank
you for that.
Like to so sometimes but.
We're gonna take a quick break to hear
a word from 1 of our sponsors.
All Florida is an authentic
conservation group. Thanks They show up and speak
(27:46):
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To check out how you can get involved,
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dot 0RG.
Let's talk about what you do today with
(28:06):
Vital kelly, and I know you mentioned her
earlier that you had started your own business,
how do you do both at the same
time and how do you kinda tackle that?
Sure. So earlier I haven't gotten to do
a whole lot of my business since I
moved out here. It's just... I'm, I moved
at the beginning of sales season. And so
it's just kind of been a a continuation
(28:26):
there
coming out of sale season right now.
So haven't gotten to do much on that
end of things,
would love to get back in the taking
in ranch photos out here. So I have
a by listening is looking for that, hit
me up. You.
Yeah.
At, you can look me up on Instagram.
It's KENDALLSW.
(28:49):
Dot bar dot k, or you can just
look back on Facebook. It's kendall Wat. But
so currently, right now, I work for a
company called Vital kelly.
The regional sales manager, I think I mentioned
my territory earlier,
so Texas
East of,
Abi and then Arkansas, Louisiana. So I travel
quite a bit.
(29:10):
I live outside of S, Texas,
I have fallen in love with that area.
But I can kind of live anywhere in
my territory. So just really,
Given myself some time to feel out where
I wanna land. Mh. For sure. Yeah. But
I do love that area. So
traveled quite a bit, being the regional sales
manager. I
(29:31):
kinda of help manage the satellite locations that
are in my territory for us. I And
and then selling... Yep. So
we have,
the majority of our business is making Ivf
embryos. Mh. So we
do in vitro fertilization, we will come own
farm or go to our satellite locations and
people can haul their donor camel in to
(29:53):
those satellites,
and we will ask. So we'll ask the
o sites out of the follicles on those
donors o.
Take them back to our lab and then
fertilize them with whatever semen the customer has
asked us to do. And so we'll do
that fertilization the next day in the lab.
Grow those embryos for 678 days depending on,
(30:15):
when they're ready to be frozen or if
they're asking for a fresh transfer
and so
what I do is basically
encourage people to take their donors to our
satellites, or...
Try to schedule on farm
collections for the folks that have enough donors
for us to come straight to them. Yeah.
(30:36):
So still very much on the Rep pro
side of things,
get to still do a little bit of
consulting,
bringing that nutrition and rep pro back together.
That's 1 of the things that I love
most about my job.
I'd really do enjoy the Op days. Op
is what we call the collection dates. So
an of them pick. Mh.
So really enjoy those days when I can,
(30:57):
be on farm or be at the satellite
and help as much as I can.
And then the other part of our... Business
is that Vital kelly owns the...
Was the gross safe of feed efficiency system.
It's now called Vital tilly Since
but we can measure feed efficiency through
nodes or feed bunk that will measure feed
(31:18):
disappearance,
and we can also track weight gain in
the pin through an in pin weighing system,
and we're able to calculate feed efficiency that
way. And so the whole
kind of story
behind it is that
we want to be able to push sustainability
forward. And so if we can help customers
(31:38):
identify
animals with superior feed efficiency genetics and be
able to proliferate
that Dna
through the use of Ivf.
That's our ultimate to me goal.
And, of course, you don't have to have
a fee efficiency system
to be used us for your Ivf needs.
(31:58):
Right.
But what we're looking at is is kind
of the overall big picture there.
But my love really still stems down to
that, rep side of things. And so Yeah.
Most of my days are spent talking about
Embryos.
Yeah. Yeah. That's super cool. So do you
go to most of the Op if you
(32:21):
can?
I go to
I wouldn't say most of them,
most of the time I am
Have been traveling a lot this spring to...
So the Texas majors deal has been just
craziness
compared to what we're used to in the
Southeast as far as ship cattle. Right. So
been traveling back and forth a lot of
(32:41):
Texas majors earlier in the year.
And then sales season.
So I didn't go... Get to go to
a lot of the Op this spring, like
I would have liked to. Yeah. But I
try to go to as many as I
can those are really the days that I
enjoy is
being to actually getting to actually be boots
on the ground instead of boots in my
truck. Yeah. Yeah.
(33:02):
And I think some listeners will be surprised
to hear how much science and research is
going into beef cattle production and just how
much science is is being done,
especially you talk about being sustainable and moving
forward because, you know, I know I don't
wanna be in a dead or here, but
we always
want to talk about, we gotta feed the
(33:24):
world. Mh. And we're only getting larger as
us of population and society,
and we're losing
a lot of land to be productive on.
So we have to be more productive on
less land.
Absolutely. And so it's
it's important to have all that science talk
that you're top
you're talking a lot of jargon.
(33:45):
Yeah. IIA hundred percent agree with you, And
I... I'm all for women in stem.
You're but I I think it's really important
for us to talk about because I think
by and large,
agriculture as a whole gets slumped into,
this very
backward thinking group of people. Yeah. Especially as
(34:05):
far as
society is concerned when they look at agriculture
at large, they don't... Think of us as
being science forward. Mh. Is. So I think
the narrative is changing. Yeah. For that, but
I I my hope is that moving forward,
and I I do think that that is
changing internally,
(34:25):
especially the retail industry.
We have
taken a big leap in accepting
technologies,
and and I speak more so from the
rep repo technologies of things.
But when I was an Abs rep in
Georgia, I think we we were working off
less than 3 percent of the cal producers
in Georgia, even used ai ai. Yeah.
(34:48):
Let alone did any sort of
not well Yeah. Sorry. Yeah.
Yeah.
Art... So... Yeah. Artificial ins elimination is the
Ai. It was written trying to, but less
than 3 percent of cattle producers in the
state of Georgia we're using Ai. Yeah. And
so,
we still have a Mountain to climb for
sure.
(35:08):
But I think mines are opening to the
need for technology in our space. Mh. Now,
I'm certainly not 1 of those people that...
Thinks you need to use every single piece
of technology available to you, just because we
can doesn't mean we should. Right. But
on the, embryo end of things, I think
that if we can
(35:29):
use the technology,
the the feed efficiency technology to be able
to proliferate those genetics
at a faster rate and and make animals
that are more efficient that can gain with
less, be I think that's the responsible thing
to do. And I think we've we've kind
of demon us this word sustainability because it
gets thrown around so much. But if you
(35:51):
really just look at the baseline for what
sustainability is is just making sure that future
generations
can still do what we do today.
Yes.
Continuing forward in perpetuity.
And so if we are not in pursuit
of that, what are we even doing? Mh.
Right.
And we had a past
(36:12):
episode a little while ago that with miss
Lynette at G, and she we talked about
sustainability. There. She mentioned, you have to be
profitable and gonna be sustainable. And so I
think
I'll I'll tie that back a little bit
to
be the ep that we pushed in the
industry, for instance, milk ability. And, you know,
(36:32):
we push this Ep
essentially,
in order to get all that milk. You
got feed feedback dane cow, A whole lot
more nutrition, in order to get her there.
And so, well, you're putting a whole lot
more in. So what you're saying essentially is
we're picking out
what we can feed less and get more
out of. Exactly.
(36:53):
You you absolutely And if you talk... To
Donald Brown for any amount of time. The
first thing he's gonna tell you is you
have to match your cattle to your environment.
On So I think that's step number 1
is identifying,
maybe this type cattle are not suited for
the weather in South Texas, or
maybe I shouldn't be taken ear cattle up
(37:17):
in the parts of the country where it
snows for 5 months. Yeah. So I I
think we have to use our brains when
it comes to that and not necessarily just
what we want to do there. I know
we we get set in our brains
type the cattle, we all have our favorites.
But Yeah. We have to use our brains
and in matching the cattle that we raised
to our environment.
(37:38):
But going further than that, You're exactly right.
You've gotta be able to take those Ep,
take that paper and also evaluate the animal.
Yes. You know, we can look at paper
all day long, and I'm an Ep p
girl. Don't get me wrong.
But if you cannot evaluate Cattle on the
Hoo,
you don't have any business evaluating cattle to
begin with. Mh. Because you cannot you cannot
(38:01):
evaluate an animal just based all those numbers
because that number is not gonna tell me
how he or she gets out and travels.
Yeah. They're not... That number is not gonna
tell me what their feet and legs structure
looks liking and what their herbs look like.
Right. And so I mean, even the example,
you used of milk. Like, we have to
match milk to
(38:21):
the availability of forage the availability of feed.
Yes. Because if you if you don't have
forage or feed available at the time of
year that she's gonna be heavy milk,
You're not getting you in your light? Exactly.
Yeah. Because she's gonna be taking every single
bit of resources she hasn't and putting it
to milk.
Well, what's happening when she's heavy milk. We're
(38:42):
asking her to get bread again. And rep
is gonna go to the very end of
things that that nutrition is gonna go to.
And so if she's a heavy milk and
cow,
she's got a calf side,
all of her nutrition go to her bag,
She's not you might not get a bread
back. And that's Ep and and really cattle
industry at large can change
(39:04):
so much.
But depending on where you live. I I
met a really, really awesome group of women
recently that were from all different parts of
the country. And so
ranging and cattle raising in in the different
parts of the country, it's just so fascinating
to me to talk about because everybody does
something
so different and different doesn't necessarily mean bad.
(39:25):
No. It just means you gotta figure out
something
a different way to do things just because
it matches like you said the environment. Yep.
So
going back to what you said about the
different women that you met, you were actually
in duct into the 20 24
Cow 30 under 30. Yeah.
(39:46):
Tell us what that's meant to you and
what that journey was like. That has been
such a rewarding experience.
They just pulled I mean, so it's put
on by Cal Magazine and Wrangler,
like, the title sponsors, and then we have
several sponsors after that that
really just sold us to death. And so
(40:08):
it has been
the biggest privilege to meet all of these
women that
are just incredible women. Yeah. That
play so many different roles in their lives
in their operations,
and they're all just making it work. I
mean,
I don't...
I'd I deal with a lot of impostor
syndrome. And so sitting in a room
(40:31):
of women
of this caliber
was just daunting to me because I I
did not feel qualified to be in that
room. Well, you totally but and I...
I think everybody has a sense of impostor
syndrome on some level. Yeah. Because everybody's doing
the best they can, but at the end
of the day, a lot people always wanna
do more and are looking to other people
(40:52):
to learn. So
that impossible our syndrome stays with you, but
I think it makes us better as people.
I agree with you. And it... The more
you... You know, I I felt that when
I first got in the room, but the
more I went around and spoke to all
these women.
There was not 1 single person in there
that ever made you feel less them. Yeah.
Ever.
And so I came away from that experience
(41:14):
with some really good friend, some that I
still talked to on a weekly basis. I
know we're only a couple months out of
it, but
it it has just been such a privilege
to meet women from across the country that
have such a passion for,
western lifestyle and then cattle industry or, however,
they, fit into that world. Yeah. And just
on a funny note, like,
(41:35):
I went into that being
very scared because I'm not a fashion girl,
and there's a lot of women
on that list that that's their job is
western fashion. Yeah. So it's kind of AAA
lot of it is a fashion show. So
I spent weeks, try to figure.
And it finally came together like, mh, maybe
(41:56):
3 days before. I think I took 2
dresses with to the hotel room and Decided
day of. Well,
you looked up. Thank you. But it was...
I think it's just funny how you work
yourself up, and your mind just gets so
anxious about things that you really don't need
to worry about. And at the end of
the day, the, like, they're just people too.
Exactly. And they're probably all freaking out over
(42:17):
the same thing. And we talked about that.
And everybody felt the same way coming into
that room that
you know, they they didn't feel qualified. But
I think leaving that day, all of us
had a sense of
acceptance.
From each other, and then we had a
lot of women that were from past classes
that came to the Gay this year. Oh...
(42:39):
Yeah. This I think I said they had
the largest turnout of past class members. Yeah.
To this 1. And so it meant a
lot to all of us to have
prior class members
come and support us. And so I got
to meet a lot of amazing women from,
classes preceding us and so
it has just been
(43:00):
the the biggest blessing and seeing my facing
calgary magazine still trips me out a little.
It it just has been
the greatest privilege.
Well,
congratulations. Thanks thanks.
Absolutely amazing. Thank you very much. It came
out. I was like, hey. I never her.
It's pretty cool.
(43:21):
Well, I'm speaking of privileges. It's been absolutely
privileged sit down with you today. Thank you
so much for coming and yeah with us.
Thank you y'all all for having me. I
appreciate it.
Well, we hope to see you again soon
some somewhere.
In
sometime. Something
Absolutely we will especially sit on me in
Texas a little bit longer. A little bit.
(43:41):
Yeah. We'll have to get mary and margaret
back out here. Yeah. We will. Oh, I
hope it's not a travel day like I
just have.
Can't make any promises.
Well, as always,
be lady legend.
Hurting her story is proudly sponsored by the
Florida Cattle
foundation.
The Florida Cattle foundation is dedicated to sustaining
a viable ranch industry in Florida through the
development of future leaders.
The foundation board is committed to raising and
distributing funds for a wide variety of projects
in the areas of research in the cattle
(00:35):
industry,
educational programs,
leadership development programs,
and the heritage in historical projects such as
the ranch exhibit,
housed at the Florida State Fair and their
signature event of the Florida Ranch Rodeo state
finals and heritage festival.
Hurting her story is also proudly sponsored by
mister Dale and missus Beth Carlton,
(00:57):
along with mister Doyle e Carlton the third
of Roman 3 ranches.
We thank them for their support and commitment
to a sustainable Florida by investing in future
generations.
Welcome back everybody. We are in Fort worth,
Texas today.
Mary Mark actually flew out here because we
(01:17):
decided since I'll be staying in Texas for
a little while longer that we should explore
around a little bit and interview some amazing
women from Texas.
So today, we have miss Kendall Wat with
Kendall tell us a little bit about yourself.
Yeah. So, my name is Kendall WII
was raised in Central, Georgia for the most
(01:38):
part. We moved to Georgia when I was
about 7 years old in the year 2000.
So I grew up about an hour and
a half south of Atlanta on a feeds
talk angus outfit.
I spent most of my childhood there.
And then really just kind of developed a
love for the cattle industry from that. I
really just soaked up as much of the
(01:58):
cattle and the ranch and the horses as
I possibly of liquid could.
I knew, from a young age that if
I wanted to learn something, I needed to
teach myself and so that has kind of
been the root of a lot of what
has driven me through my career is just
the drive in the fire to learn
and so it's really thankful for that upbringing
(02:18):
and just have spent every moment I can
since stand around the cow.
That's awesome.
So
how close did you say you were to
lay again? About an hour and a half
south. Okay? So was it a rural town
just right outside of... Atlanta or was it
pretty suburban, I guess?
I guess I kind of have a skewed
perception because I I hate to call something
(02:41):
rural,
But it... I...
For Fsa purposes, I guess you.
It is rural.
I wouldn't say we were a heavily,
agriculture community,
of course, we had cattle producers. And
I think the the highest,
you'll of highest crop, number 1 crop in
up County was, hey. I wanna say, but
(03:03):
I I may be wrong on that. But
I wouldn't say it was an agricultural commute,
but it what it was rural. Yeah. Definitely
what we did on the scale that we
did was an anomaly for the area and
for for Georgia for the movie start. Yeah.
Certainly a a different atmosphere than moving out
here. Yeah. So that's for sure. So how
did you end up in Texas?
(03:25):
So there's a lot of background to to
that, but I finished up my master's degree
last summer,
so I fit defended
my thesis
in June, and then officially graduated in August,
that I started the job that I have
now,
with Vital vitality in July. And so I
was kind of finishing grad school starting this
(03:46):
job at the same time. Mh. So with
my job, I cover. Everything in Texas East
of Ab
all the way kinda down to the border
and then the whole
states of Arkansas in Louisiana. Anna. So I
moved out here officially in September.
For the job. I kind of always knew
I wanted to move west, Anna but life
(04:06):
life circumstances and such,
allowed me to do it now, and I
I am I'm eternally grateful for the opportunity.
That's awesome I think you always make those
moves when it's right. Yes. For sure. Looking
back. It always makes sense when you did
something like that. We'll let's back up a
little bit and tell our listeners
including me because Gina knows you a little
(04:28):
bit better than I'm doing I've just met
you today. So I'm super excited to get
you night to know you more, but let's
back up a little bit and talk about
what you did your master's in. And then
tell our listeners what Mite tell he is
because sure, You know, not a lot of
people can like on what tell is and
what you do today. Yeah. So
I guess I should probably back up even
(04:48):
a little further than that to get some
context. But
I went to undergrad, At Back in South
Georgia.
Seattle.
I didn't... A... A bachelor's there, and, basically
to our spot agriculture, it was there equivalent.
My track anyway it was an equivalent of
an animal science degree. Mh. We were just
much more production based than science based. I
(05:11):
took a few extra science classes because of
some of my goals,
but really, that whole education was very hands
on very practical in the livestock production space,
just And so after Graduated. Sorry. I did
the same word. Oh, awesome. Yeah.
Yeah.
And so when I graduated,
I had done a couple of internships with
(05:33):
Zoe lettuce on their genomics side, so I
did the beef cattle genetic testing and so
I worked for them for a little while
after Tuition,
worked for an animal health distributor there in
South Georgia.
And then started working for myself. So I
started Bar cattle services.
In
right at the onset of the pandemic.
(05:53):
And so
being a,
business owner and running that by myself at
the onset of a pandemic like, I'm not
sure if that was the most wise decision,
but it was certainly a journey yeah the.
So
it was very much a learning experience. Like
so I did sale cattle photography lifestyle photography.
(06:13):
I still did some, genomic consulting mostly for
commercial producers that were looking at genetically to
ci He. Right. To make some breeding decisions
and stuff like that. I really, love the
genetics and breeding side of things as we'll
get into
seeing spent that time, and I was also
a rep for Abs global, so I sold
semen bread cows, that kind of stuff.
(06:33):
So very heavily involved. On the rep repo
and genetics side of things in my experience
up to this point.
And I knew that I had an,
deficit in nutrition. I did not know what
I needed. Know. And and the
the truth is that none of the stuff
we do on the rep side matters if
the nutrition not right. A hundred percent. So,
(06:54):
my plan had been to do a master's
in
nutrition and what I did specifically was forage.
So I went to University, Georgia. I was
at the Tip in campus, and so my
research really revolved around Be bermuda grass and
Alfalfa mixtures with a crab grass include. Engine
for grazing
and kind of the whole,
(07:14):
reason we were looking into it was options
for restoring poor stands alfalfa. Poor stands up
for bermuda to grass Yeah. In the coastal
plains.
The plan after that had been to do
a Phd
and kind of bring that rec crow in
attrition together and study fetal programming. Yeah. But
I really guess got burned out on school.
(07:34):
Did you go back to school until I
was 28
graduated when I was 30. So I... I,
the thought of being in school for 3
or 4 more years is just not happened.
Well, we can certainly under. And You know,
we'll go you for going back to school
after working all these. I still don't know
that it was the best idea to go
back to school As a grown up, but,
I'm thankful for the experience it's nonetheless. It
(07:56):
was
there was a lot of stuff going on
during that time in my life,
that it's
I'm thankful for the journey, but I would
not wanna repeat it. Yeah. And so Yeah.
It's it's definitely been a journey.
You you just mentioned, if you were going
to do your Phd, it would have been
dealing with fetal programming. Yeah. Let's let's explain
(08:18):
what that is. Our listeners. You might not
know what that is. Because I sure super
cool concept
to me. Yeah. So fetal programming makes it
sounds... Makes it sound much more fancy than
the concept really is it's just
nutrition during gestation and how that nutrition
affects fecal development.
And so
even as we look at, like, first trimester
(08:41):
or nutrition and and as those
con and Cr,
the pla tone
connections are forming together if the nutrition is
not there in the dam,
then
there's little finger like structures on those connection
that come together like Velcro.
And so if
the nutrition is not there, those velcro like
(09:02):
connections don't happen. And so even if her
good, say in second or third trimester.
That nutrition is not getting to the fe
us like it needs to. Right Because it
wasn't there in the beginning, or
vice versa,
if we're looking at nutrition in late gestation,
third trimester, which is when the majority of
the growth happens for that fe us. Right.
(09:23):
Lot people will target that is Yeah. Having
all that additional nutrition. Exactly. Perfect. But that's
interesting to hear you say it doesn't early
matter. If you don't give it at the
beginning. Well, it does that it does. But
yeah. You're not you're not getting the most
bang for you about there. We're we're setting
those cab up for a little bit of
failure if we're not
given that damn and nutrition she needs from
the start. Mh Real.
(09:43):
I know there's a lot of
or a hand good handful of mineral. Companies
right now going through kind of looking at
the data behind feeding that mineral
throughout pregnancy and following that cap through its
life to harvest and seeing the difference in
what that fuel programming can make all the
way through from kinda of,
passion plate. Oh, absolutely. Yeah. Yeah. I I
(10:06):
could talk about it all day. Yeah.
I
your part
told on.
Going back to
getting your master's degree. Well, I did you
decide to go back can get your masters
because that's something in that
I'm kind of debated on. So yeah. I
guess, hearing about it might help a lot
(10:27):
of other people to to. How much fun
was in between your bachelor's?
So I graduated,
with my bachelor's in 2016,
and then I started my masters in, the
summer of 20 21.
Alright. Okay. So I finished summer of 23.
I decided to go back the calls of
I wanted to keep learning. Yeah.
(10:50):
And the questions that I had
weren't necessarily questions I could dance answer. From
just experience. I needed to do research. Right.
And the questions that I was really asking
would have taken the ph hd to answer.
Mh. Right.
But like I said, the the school was
was just not happening any further. I needed
to get back to work. Yeah. But that
(11:12):
was really what drove me to go back
was, I had questions. I wanted answer answered,
and I I wanted to be able to
figure... Help figure them out myself. Yeah.
I'd I certainly don't think schools a necessity
for everybody.
I think that is 1 of the shortcomings
of the last couple of generation is that
we've tried to push people to go to
school when
(11:32):
school isn't designed for everybody. None. Just because
you're a smart kid doesn't mean you need
to go to college to be successful. For
sure.
So I really wade back and forth whether
or not it was worth it to go
back.
Now, I'm thankful. I did it. It's certainly
been a shift in my head
coming out of
South Georgia and studying improved pastures,
(11:55):
and moving to Texas immediately where everything is
negative faster and hardly any improved faster. So
it's definitely been a shift in my head
as far as that mis concerned.
But I'm certainly thankful for it. Yeah.
Did you feel like your experiences
and, like, all the jobs that you had
before coming into your masters really helped you
(12:17):
a lot more because you could hone in
on what exactly you wanted to do.
Yeah. I... I am thankful that I was
an not traditional student. In that sense, I
think it gave me a different perspective going
back back.
I think, you know, kids that wanna come
straight from bachelor's into their masters. You're certainly
saving some time. III
(12:37):
would never fault anybody for doing that. Yeah.
But I think the perspective you can gain
from getting out and working for a little
while, and then coming back. You really have
1, a sense of self,
but 2,
really an idea of what you want to
do with this. It's not just an option
of, well, I don't know what else to
do. So I'm just gonna get my masters.
Yeah. It's it's
(12:59):
really a yearning for saying. This is something
I'm really interested in, and I really wanna
do this. Right. You know and you can
contribute more in that way. It's not just,
like, you going through the motions. That's exactly
Something you're passionate about. Very much. So... Now
I... I can't necessarily speak for everybody for
a master's experience because I was going through
(13:21):
a divorce. I was going through,
I got divorced in,
the middle of my master's degree, so it
would have been April of 22.
And. So so 2 months after that, the
man that was like a grandfather to me
passed away, and then a month for 2,
the williams was 2 after that, my parents
divorce finalized.
(13:42):
So that was a,
rough couple of years
there.
So.
Yeah.
It was
it it was certainly a difficult time in
my life.
But it really
was an eye opener for me
because III
had people come to my side that I
(14:05):
hadn't had that experience from them before
necessarily. And so
it's given me a honing new per perspective
of friends that are there for life.
And especially,
I'm not gonna cry.
My siblings
perspective we were not super close growing up,
and I put a lot of that on
myself because I was hard on them, and
(14:26):
I shouldn't have been. I was their sister.
That was a big sister not their mom.
And so I I've taken accountability for that.
And
but
they
came to my side when they... And they
still don't know the the depth of the
things that was going through at the time.
Yeah. But they really showed up for me.
And so it has just
(14:46):
been
as hard as it was at the time.
The last 2 and a half years, I
am so thankful for the relationships that came
out of that.
In the industry and outside of industry. It
has changed me as a person.
No. I I feel like I can feel
relationships deeper now.
And it's it's given me
(15:08):
the freedom
to
have a new perspective on life entirely. I
mean, it was...
I I moved out here as a fairly
freshly divorced 30 year old,
moving to Texas by myself just man and
my dog starting over entirely. Yeah. And so
it has been just
the best ride.
(15:29):
I I could not be more thankful for
this time and my. Life. And I know
it feels a little bit late to me
to get started again,
but golly, I'd rather
I'd rather start getting a million times life
than have to settle
for a lot that I wasn't gonna be
happy with. Yeah. Absolutely.
So just super thankful for the perspective, and
(15:50):
and the opportunity
to do this.
I feel like we could sit here and
write the next biggest
country music
soul.
But. We joke all the time. There was...
I mean, there was a time
20 22, I had 2 or 3 really,
really close friends.
(16:10):
And in 20 22 and and going into
23.
There were just things that just kept happening
in and kept happening. And so
there was 2 or 3 friends that I
would con find in,
and it got to the point where they
were just like girl, what else? I mean,
we have enough for AAA full season set
drama. Yeah
(16:31):
but And you have to laugh at it.
I I laugh at everything now because you
you have to. You have you been able
to laugh at your circumstances.
Yeah. You came out.
Better on the other end. So Can look
back and be like, well, Yeah. It was
bad, But, like, was it really the. Yeah.
I was joking with my mom the other
day that
she said something about being tough and how
(16:52):
tough I was or something like that. And
I said,
you know, I would love to get to
the day where I don't have to wear
tough. Across my chest that, like, a badge
honor. Yeah. I Out... I year for the
day where that is not, like a staple
in who I have to be every single
day. Yeah. And put on a tough helmet.
(17:12):
But, you know, that may that may never
happen, and that's okay. Yeah.
But I think everybody
everybody deserves a little bit of time where
they can just breathe. Yes. But it it...
You have to laugh at it. You really
do. You have to. Because
you only have 1 life. Exactly. Wide dwell
and all Might as full sand everything. Yeah.
I don't wanna get to do it once.
(17:33):
Yeah. And that was 1 of the major
months gifts that I had,
leaving my grad program and moving out here
was that
I only get to live this life once
and
if long as me and my savior have
sorted it out.
Nobody else gets to tell me what to
do. That's on... That's the only person that
gets to do that as myself. My drop.
(17:54):
If I wanna change my mind,
if I wanna do something else,
if I'm not happy
As long as I'm not breaking commitments to
people, and I've talked to Jesus about it,
I have no rules. Yeah. There there are
no rules for Kindle.
Except for the ones I place on myself.
And so given myself of that freedom has
(18:16):
been a total game changer.
Yeah.
Wow I feel like married
gonna be a change person
yeah
Just the life 4 last times and the
5 seconds we sat down with.
What do you think you would want to
give
a piece of advice? Someone be signing. Their
(18:36):
ourselves in similar situation. Sure. So I think
there's kinda 2 parts to that.
The the first piece to that to me
as being a woman, and I can't speak
for the ag industry at large, but for
the cattle industry.
I think
the things have changed even said I started
my career in 2016.
Things have changed a lot since then. Mh.
(18:58):
In what way, I think we've gotten better.
As as an industry as at accepting people
that don't look like the norm.
And we know what the norm is. Yeah.
I it's same to say that as... Yeah.
We we... We... When you think of the
cattle industry or or really agriculture at large,
you think of middle aged white man. Yeah.
(19:19):
And that's just traditional and what it's been.
But I think I don't think there's any
anything wrong, and I think it's actually...
Fantastic that we see more diversity now because
there's nothing bad that can come from
outside perfect perspective.
And,
more
people looking at things. And how... You can't
(19:40):
improve if we're not bringing in outside perspectives
gives. Yeah. And so although we have gotten
better at that, it's certain the finest is
still certainly ongoing. And so my gives
recommendation to young women coming into this industry
is to not have a chip on your
shoulder about it. What I need for for
(20:01):
them to understand is that
we're not fighting for special treatment here. We
just want equal consideration. Yes. Yes.
No special truth
just equal consideration. Yes. And I think everybody
has to fight for that mutual respect. Yes.
On most sides
Exactly. And so I... All I ask for
(20:22):
some from from someone is to give me
the baseline respect that you would give anyone
else walking up to you.
I'll earn
I'll earn the special treatment. Yeah. Because I'll
work my ass off and I I will
work circles around most people, most men. Yeah
And so the the other respect will come.
And I think if if young women will
(20:43):
go into it with a mindset of being
willing to work your tail off.
And understanding that, yeah. You might have to
work a little bit harder than everybody else.
But 1, it's gonna make you a better
person.
And 2, you're gonna be thankful for the
perspective you gain from it.
So just go into it
knowing
and and and recognizing we don't need
(21:06):
special treatment we just ask for equal consideration.
Yeah. And I think that I'll take it...
1 step further and say that
the people and the girls that do go
into it, seeking that special treatment, hurt 1
the ones.
I do believe that.
And III think it's our job as as
(21:27):
women
go to pull them a aside and say,
hey, girl, This is not a good look.
For the rest of us. Yeah.
That goes across, you know, several points of
conversation there, whether, you know, you're you're pulling
a Christian aside to have that kind conversation,
with a fellow Christian, whether you're
well, that's a... Yeah. I mean, you you
(21:48):
have to... And it has to be done
in mutual respect across all of those platforms.
Yeah. Because if I'm if I'm approaching
another woman to say, hey, you know, I
don't really appreciate how you represented us
She is not gonna hear me if I
don't come to her out of respect and
love. Yes.
And so I think that has to be
(22:08):
approached in that way. Now,
if she doesn't receive that,
maybe it's time for a little more stern
words. Yeah. But I think
coming at people
with respect and love
has to be the the
intention from on the start. Yes. And I
think that's what people kinda struggle with or,
(22:30):
like, other women's struggle with is on a
lot of people
understand that, you know, sometimes we do have
to work our tail off a little more
to gain the same respect.
But
if you see someone who's not doing the
same thing who's, like, out there being like,
just a girl, it's a joke nowadays, but
some people genuinely go out seeking for that
(22:52):
special treatment. And when you come and come
fine in them and
you have their best interest in mind. They
think they're... You're just coming after them and
saying that they don't deserve a spot at
the table, and it's not that way at
all. Yeah. And so
coming out it with love like you said,
and respect really makes a difference. For sure.
(23:13):
Absolutely.
And the second half of that to me,
you're going back to your question of kind
of a an open ended, what kind of
advice would I have? For somebody in my
position other than just being a, a woman
in the cattle industry, the second half of
that for me,
is being in my thirties now in 31,
(23:34):
a single woman in the cattle industry kind
of starting over.
And as someone that wants to be able
to have a family,
but
at the same time,
I want to build something with somebody. I
don't want to be a background player. Yeah.
And so
I,
(23:54):
Har road post about this last week about
a certain football player speech, and
I didn't get very many. Nice message is
in the, messenger inbox about it. But
I think it's worth talking about in that.
I I am el insulated. I am so
happy for the women that
fond joy and find fulfillment
(24:16):
in being
a homemade and staying at home and and
raising their kids. And
and
that makes me so happy for them because
I think every single woman on this planet
deserves to have fulfillment in whatever way she
sees fit.
Yes. But that is not the path that
I have chosen or that I feel called
to and
(24:37):
it's hard, especially in our industry because that's
what a lot of them are looking for.
Yes. And so
being older too doesn't help
And so it's
it's definitely a challenge
to
keep praying for someone. That wants to grow
something together.
But in my mind,
(24:59):
the longer you wait this way it has
to be. And it's not it you have
to really
get to a point where you enjoy your
own company. Yeah. But I was joking with
my mom the other day and that
I like... I enjoy being alone. It's not
gonna man is is
fighting for my time with another man. He
has to he has to be better company
(25:21):
for myself than I am. Yes. And that's
hard to do. You know, That's what I
love. Of people because I've never, like, I've
never dated anyone, and I'm still pretty young
and... Well, I'm younger than you guys.
And so I still too old. You're also
laugh promise.
So I'm younger than you guys, and a
lot of people are like, really do you've
never dated anyone, and I'm like, I... Like,
(25:42):
I enjoy my own company. And you someone
doesn't add more to my life.
I don't want them in it. I'm so
proud of you for recognizing that at your
23?
Yes.
I am so proud of you for recognizing
that now.
Because when I was 20 3II
very much fell into, like, the whole my
(26:02):
biological time clock is ticking.
You know, I... I've got this all these
plans. I need these to this to happen
at this time this time this time and
this time. Right.
And it had I just slowed down and
said what do I actually want here?
I
I'm just am so proud of you for
recognizing that early,
(26:22):
and being able to say
if someone does not add to my life,
then it's not worth it. Mh. And and
say he goes for him. If you're not
an ad to his life Yeah. Then it's
not worth it it's not worth it for
either party. Yeah. And I think for me
the change in my mind came when I
really...
(26:43):
Accepted the fact that it's not my job
to change anybody else. It's my job to
see who they are, what they plan to
do with life and how they choose to
love
and see if that fits with me. Because
it's not necessarily if those if those things
don't line up with me that doesn't make
them a bad person. It just means that
we don't line up, and it's not my
(27:03):
job to change them. Yeah. Right. Not equally
exactly. And it's not at... You have to
really fight the urge to fall in love
with the idea of somebody versus the actual
person. Yes. I feel that's
I'm preaching to myself I promise. Yeah. But
(27:24):
I just so proud of you for for
recognizing that at 23 because I promise that
that will set you up for success. Thank
you for that.
Like to so sometimes but.
We're gonna take a quick break to hear
a word from 1 of our sponsors.
All Florida is an authentic
conservation group. Thanks They show up and speak
(27:46):
on behalf of the things we all care
about. Woods, water, wildlife and our way of
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To check out how you can get involved,
visit all FLA
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dot 0RG.
Let's talk about what you do today with
(28:06):
Vital kelly, and I know you mentioned her
earlier that you had started your own business,
how do you do both at the same
time and how do you kinda tackle that?
Sure. So earlier I haven't gotten to do
a whole lot of my business since I
moved out here. It's just... I'm, I moved
at the beginning of sales season. And so
it's just kind of been a a continuation
(28:26):
there
coming out of sale season right now.
So haven't gotten to do much on that
end of things,
would love to get back in the taking
in ranch photos out here. So I have
a by listening is looking for that, hit
me up. You.
Yeah.
At, you can look me up on Instagram.
It's KENDALLSW.
(28:49):
Dot bar dot k, or you can just
look back on Facebook. It's kendall Wat. But
so currently, right now, I work for a
company called Vital kelly.
The regional sales manager, I think I mentioned
my territory earlier,
so Texas
East of,
Abi and then Arkansas, Louisiana. So I travel
quite a bit.
(29:10):
I live outside of S, Texas,
I have fallen in love with that area.
But I can kind of live anywhere in
my territory. So just really,
Given myself some time to feel out where
I wanna land. Mh. For sure. Yeah. But
I do love that area. So
traveled quite a bit, being the regional sales
manager. I
(29:31):
kinda of help manage the satellite locations that
are in my territory for us. I And
and then selling... Yep. So
we have,
the majority of our business is making Ivf
embryos. Mh. So we
do in vitro fertilization, we will come own
farm or go to our satellite locations and
people can haul their donor camel in to
(29:53):
those satellites,
and we will ask. So we'll ask the
o sites out of the follicles on those
donors o.
Take them back to our lab and then
fertilize them with whatever semen the customer has
asked us to do. And so we'll do
that fertilization the next day in the lab.
Grow those embryos for 678 days depending on,
(30:15):
when they're ready to be frozen or if
they're asking for a fresh transfer
and so
what I do is basically
encourage people to take their donors to our
satellites, or...
Try to schedule on farm
collections for the folks that have enough donors
for us to come straight to them. Yeah.
(30:36):
So still very much on the Rep pro
side of things,
get to still do a little bit of
consulting,
bringing that nutrition and rep pro back together.
That's 1 of the things that I love
most about my job.
I'd really do enjoy the Op days. Op
is what we call the collection dates. So
an of them pick. Mh.
So really enjoy those days when I can,
(30:57):
be on farm or be at the satellite
and help as much as I can.
And then the other part of our... Business
is that Vital kelly owns the...
Was the gross safe of feed efficiency system.
It's now called Vital tilly Since
but we can measure feed efficiency through
nodes or feed bunk that will measure feed
(31:18):
disappearance,
and we can also track weight gain in
the pin through an in pin weighing system,
and we're able to calculate feed efficiency that
way. And so the whole
kind of story
behind it is that
we want to be able to push sustainability
forward. And so if we can help customers
(31:38):
identify
animals with superior feed efficiency genetics and be
able to proliferate
that Dna
through the use of Ivf.
That's our ultimate to me goal.
And, of course, you don't have to have
a fee efficiency system
to be used us for your Ivf needs.
(31:58):
Right.
But what we're looking at is is kind
of the overall big picture there.
But my love really still stems down to
that, rep side of things. And so Yeah.
Most of my days are spent talking about
Embryos.
Yeah. Yeah. That's super cool. So do you
go to most of the Op if you
(32:21):
can?
I go to
I wouldn't say most of them,
most of the time I am
Have been traveling a lot this spring to...
So the Texas majors deal has been just
craziness
compared to what we're used to in the
Southeast as far as ship cattle. Right. So
been traveling back and forth a lot of
(32:41):
Texas majors earlier in the year.
And then sales season.
So I didn't go... Get to go to
a lot of the Op this spring, like
I would have liked to. Yeah. But I
try to go to as many as I
can those are really the days that I
enjoy is
being to actually getting to actually be boots
on the ground instead of boots in my
truck. Yeah. Yeah.
(33:02):
And I think some listeners will be surprised
to hear how much science and research is
going into beef cattle production and just how
much science is is being done,
especially you talk about being sustainable and moving
forward because, you know, I know I don't
wanna be in a dead or here, but
we always
want to talk about, we gotta feed the
(33:24):
world. Mh. And we're only getting larger as
us of population and society,
and we're losing
a lot of land to be productive on.
So we have to be more productive on
less land.
Absolutely. And so it's
it's important to have all that science talk
that you're top
you're talking a lot of jargon.
(33:45):
Yeah. IIA hundred percent agree with you, And
I... I'm all for women in stem.
You're but I I think it's really important
for us to talk about because I think
by and large,
agriculture as a whole gets slumped into,
this very
backward thinking group of people. Yeah. Especially as
(34:05):
far as
society is concerned when they look at agriculture
at large, they don't... Think of us as
being science forward. Mh. Is. So I think
the narrative is changing. Yeah. For that, but
I I my hope is that moving forward,
and I I do think that that is
changing internally,
(34:25):
especially the retail industry.
We have
taken a big leap in accepting
technologies,
and and I speak more so from the
rep repo technologies of things.
But when I was an Abs rep in
Georgia, I think we we were working off
less than 3 percent of the cal producers
in Georgia, even used ai ai. Yeah.
(34:48):
Let alone did any sort of
not well Yeah. Sorry. Yeah.
Yeah.
Art... So... Yeah. Artificial ins elimination is the
Ai. It was written trying to, but less
than 3 percent of cattle producers in the
state of Georgia we're using Ai. Yeah. And
so,
we still have a Mountain to climb for
sure.
(35:08):
But I think mines are opening to the
need for technology in our space. Mh. Now,
I'm certainly not 1 of those people that...
Thinks you need to use every single piece
of technology available to you, just because we
can doesn't mean we should. Right. But
on the, embryo end of things, I think
that if we can
(35:29):
use the technology,
the the feed efficiency technology to be able
to proliferate those genetics
at a faster rate and and make animals
that are more efficient that can gain with
less, be I think that's the responsible thing
to do. And I think we've we've kind
of demon us this word sustainability because it
gets thrown around so much. But if you
(35:51):
really just look at the baseline for what
sustainability is is just making sure that future
generations
can still do what we do today.
Yes.
Continuing forward in perpetuity.
And so if we are not in pursuit
of that, what are we even doing? Mh.
Right.
And we had a past
(36:12):
episode a little while ago that with miss
Lynette at G, and she we talked about
sustainability. There. She mentioned, you have to be
profitable and gonna be sustainable. And so I
think
I'll I'll tie that back a little bit
to
be the ep that we pushed in the
industry, for instance, milk ability. And, you know,
(36:32):
we push this Ep
essentially,
in order to get all that milk. You
got feed feedback dane cow, A whole lot
more nutrition, in order to get her there.
And so, well, you're putting a whole lot
more in. So what you're saying essentially is
we're picking out
what we can feed less and get more
out of. Exactly.
(36:53):
You you absolutely And if you talk... To
Donald Brown for any amount of time. The
first thing he's gonna tell you is you
have to match your cattle to your environment.
On So I think that's step number 1
is identifying,
maybe this type cattle are not suited for
the weather in South Texas, or
maybe I shouldn't be taken ear cattle up
(37:17):
in the parts of the country where it
snows for 5 months. Yeah. So I I
think we have to use our brains when
it comes to that and not necessarily just
what we want to do there. I know
we we get set in our brains
type the cattle, we all have our favorites.
But Yeah. We have to use our brains
and in matching the cattle that we raised
to our environment.
(37:38):
But going further than that, You're exactly right.
You've gotta be able to take those Ep,
take that paper and also evaluate the animal.
Yes. You know, we can look at paper
all day long, and I'm an Ep p
girl. Don't get me wrong.
But if you cannot evaluate Cattle on the
Hoo,
you don't have any business evaluating cattle to
begin with. Mh. Because you cannot you cannot
(38:01):
evaluate an animal just based all those numbers
because that number is not gonna tell me
how he or she gets out and travels.
Yeah. They're not... That number is not gonna
tell me what their feet and legs structure
looks liking and what their herbs look like.
Right. And so I mean, even the example,
you used of milk. Like, we have to
match milk to
(38:21):
the availability of forage the availability of feed.
Yes. Because if you if you don't have
forage or feed available at the time of
year that she's gonna be heavy milk,
You're not getting you in your light? Exactly.
Yeah. Because she's gonna be taking every single
bit of resources she hasn't and putting it
to milk.
Well, what's happening when she's heavy milk. We're
(38:42):
asking her to get bread again. And rep
is gonna go to the very end of
things that that nutrition is gonna go to.
And so if she's a heavy milk and
cow,
she's got a calf side,
all of her nutrition go to her bag,
She's not you might not get a bread
back. And that's Ep and and really cattle
industry at large can change
(39:04):
so much.
But depending on where you live. I I
met a really, really awesome group of women
recently that were from all different parts of
the country. And so
ranging and cattle raising in in the different
parts of the country, it's just so fascinating
to me to talk about because everybody does
something
so different and different doesn't necessarily mean bad.
(39:25):
No. It just means you gotta figure out
something
a different way to do things just because
it matches like you said the environment. Yep.
So
going back to what you said about the
different women that you met, you were actually
in duct into the 20 24
Cow 30 under 30. Yeah.
(39:46):
Tell us what that's meant to you and
what that journey was like. That has been
such a rewarding experience.
They just pulled I mean, so it's put
on by Cal Magazine and Wrangler,
like, the title sponsors, and then we have
several sponsors after that that
really just sold us to death. And so
(40:08):
it has been
the biggest privilege to meet all of these
women that
are just incredible women. Yeah. That
play so many different roles in their lives
in their operations,
and they're all just making it work. I
mean,
I don't...
I'd I deal with a lot of impostor
syndrome. And so sitting in a room
(40:31):
of women
of this caliber
was just daunting to me because I I
did not feel qualified to be in that
room. Well, you totally but and I...
I think everybody has a sense of impostor
syndrome on some level. Yeah. Because everybody's doing
the best they can, but at the end
of the day, a lot people always wanna
do more and are looking to other people
(40:52):
to learn. So
that impossible our syndrome stays with you, but
I think it makes us better as people.
I agree with you. And it... The more
you... You know, I I felt that when
I first got in the room, but the
more I went around and spoke to all
these women.
There was not 1 single person in there
that ever made you feel less them. Yeah.
Ever.
And so I came away from that experience
(41:14):
with some really good friend, some that I
still talked to on a weekly basis. I
know we're only a couple months out of
it, but
it it has just been such a privilege
to meet women from across the country that
have such a passion for,
western lifestyle and then cattle industry or, however,
they, fit into that world. Yeah. And just
on a funny note, like,
(41:35):
I went into that being
very scared because I'm not a fashion girl,
and there's a lot of women
on that list that that's their job is
western fashion. Yeah. So it's kind of AAA
lot of it is a fashion show. So
I spent weeks, try to figure.
And it finally came together like, mh, maybe
(41:56):
3 days before. I think I took 2
dresses with to the hotel room and Decided
day of. Well,
you looked up. Thank you. But it was...
I think it's just funny how you work
yourself up, and your mind just gets so
anxious about things that you really don't need
to worry about. And at the end of
the day, the, like, they're just people too.
Exactly. And they're probably all freaking out over
(42:17):
the same thing. And we talked about that.
And everybody felt the same way coming into
that room that
you know, they they didn't feel qualified. But
I think leaving that day, all of us
had a sense of
acceptance.
From each other, and then we had a
lot of women that were from past classes
that came to the Gay this year. Oh...
(42:39):
Yeah. This I think I said they had
the largest turnout of past class members. Yeah.
To this 1. And so it meant a
lot to all of us to have
prior class members
come and support us. And so I got
to meet a lot of amazing women from,
classes preceding us and so
it has just been
(43:00):
the the biggest blessing and seeing my facing
calgary magazine still trips me out a little.
It it just has been
the greatest privilege.
Well,
congratulations. Thanks thanks.
Absolutely amazing. Thank you very much. It came
out. I was like, hey. I never her.
It's pretty cool.
(43:21):
Well, I'm speaking of privileges. It's been absolutely
privileged sit down with you today. Thank you
so much for coming and yeah with us.
Thank you y'all all for having me. I
appreciate it.
Well, we hope to see you again soon
some somewhere.
In
sometime. Something
Absolutely we will especially sit on me in
Texas a little bit longer. A little bit.
(43:41):
Yeah. We'll have to get mary and margaret
back out here. Yeah. We will. Oh, I
hope it's not a travel day like I
just have.
Can't make any promises.
Well, as always,
be lady legend.
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