Do you think The Bullvine is too controversial? Would you prefer to read just more of the same old fence sitting that everyone else is content to put out? A week back, I had a conversation with a general manager of one of the major artificial insemination companies about The Bullvine. As we have known each other for over 20 years, it was a candid conversation and he was bringing to my attention that, while he thought The Bullvine was great, there were many misconceptions about us out there. With that in mind, I figured it is time to set the record straight.
Not All Our Content Is Meant To Cause a Stir
Yes many of our articles such as Has Photo Enhancement Gone Too Far?, Holstein vs. Jersey: Which Breed Is More Profitable? and Are You Ready For Genetically Modified Cattle? have breeders talking. There have also been many articles that are much more for educational purposes. Good examples of these are Top 10 Questions to Ask Before You Sign That A.I. Contract, Charting the Right Course at Seagull Bay Dairy and one of my favorites Cristy Nurse: From Show Ring Beauty to World Class Rower who will be representing Canada as part of the women’s 8’s rowing team at the upcoming summer Olympics.
At The Bullvine, we want to express all sides of the story. That is why there is more than one writer here at The Bullvine, each with a very distinct perspective on the industry. I (Andrew Hunt) typically write the pieces that are strongly opinionated and Karen Hunt does the educational and breeder profile pieces. You will notice that the articles that I write never include others in my opinion. They are very much my commentary and do not reflect that of others, sometimes not even that of the editor of this magazine. Karen, on the other hand, uses her gift for writing and years of experience in the dairy cattle industry (check out our about us sections for more) to bring a fresh viewpoint to many of the challenges facing breeders today.
We Do Not Hate Big AI Companies
There seems to be a misconception that we hate all the large AI companies and play to the small organizations. That could not be farther from the truth. Over the years, we have been fortunate to build strong relationships with many of the people that make this industry great. Remember that my brother is the COO of one of the largest AI organizations and that our editor was the information director for the Canadian Association of Animal Breeders for many years. We don’t hate big AI, we just don’t cater to them either.
This is how we are different. Instead of just kissing up to whoever pays us the most money, we feel that we would like to keep our integrity and tell it as we see it. We do not expect everyone to agree with what we are saying. Heck, I would be upset if they did. Rather we want to give all dairy breeders the opportunity to hear a fresh perspective and provide a forum for them to share their own comments.
That is why you see comments from the likes of Ron Flatness and representatives from the smaller AI organizations. It’s not because we agree 100% with everything they say. Rather we feel that everyone should be allowed to express their opinion. In fact, if you read many of the comments on articles, you will actually see that we have disagreed with these people many times and that we also predict that, unless they can get lean and mean, none of these companies will be around in the end.
The Bullvine Bottom Line
For the few who are afraid to do an interview with us because they think we are too political it’s time to man up. This industry was not formed by those who did not have the horns to take a stand. The future is led, not by those who play it safe, but rather by those who are willing to put it all on the line. Thank you to all those that have been very gracious in interviewing with us. I am sure if you asked any of these people, they would tell you how easy it was and about the great feedback that they have received because of doing the interview. So take the Bullvine by the horns and honk if you’re not afraid!
Thanks for the mention..,,I always try to be nice.., but the truth is not always sweet.
Keep up the good work ..Andrew!