Feng Mountain looked up. Giant heating lamps hung high from the barn’s ceiling, like little suns releasing a constant stream of heat.
Inside the pens, sturdy-looking cattle stood or lay about. So were leisurely chewing their feed, while others seed to be resting with their eyes closed.
Under the lights, their coats had a glossy sheen, a clear sign that they were living quite comfortably in the barn.
"Mr. Feng, here at Horned Ranch, we currently raise three breeds of cattle: Angus, Hereford, and Simntal."
As he spoke, Tucson walked over to a pen and stopped. He pointed inside, where seven or eight black, hornless cattle were quietly eating their feed. "These are Angus cattle, one of the finest beef cattle breeds in the world and the main breed at Horned Ranch."
"Angus beef is tender and juicy with even marbling, so it’s very popular on the market. They’re a dium-sized breed. Bulls can reach 700 to 1,000 kilograms, while cows weigh 500 to 600 kilograms. They grow quickly and are highly cold-resistant, able to adapt to Alaska’s cold climate."
’So these are Angus cattle!’
The roasted pri rib and brisket he’d eaten at the restaurant yesterday, the waiter had said, ca from Angus cattle.
It was thirty US dollars a pound.
’A single one of these massive animals is like walking US dollars.’
Feng Mountain studied the Angus cattle in the pen. If he introduced this breed to the Crown Territory, not only would it solve the camp’s at supply issues, but he might also earn a considerable inco by selling the beef.
After that, Tucson led the group to the next pen.
Inside was a herd of large, red-and-white cattle. They were noticeably a size smaller than the Angus, with a more compact build.
This breed also seed much more docile. As soon as Tucson approached the fence, the herd showed no signs of panic or fear. Instead, they ambled over as if greeting a familiar face, and a few even stretched out their necks to gently sniff the hem of his clothes.
Seeing this, Tucson smiled and lightly patted one of the cow’s heads before turning to Feng Mountain and the others to explain.
"These are Hereford Beef Cattle. They have a gentle temperant and are easy to manage. They’re an early-maturing breed, and their at quality is also excellent. The texture is great, making them very popular with consurs."
"Plus, they adapt well to the environnt and are fully capable of surviving the harsh natural conditions in Alaska."
After introducing the Hereford, Tucson led them down the corridor to the very back of the heated barn.
In the pen there was a herd of even more robust, spotted cattle. Their patterned coats were intricate and stood out sharply under the lights.
"This is Horned Farm’s last breed, the Simntal Beef Cattle. This is a dual-purpose breed, used for both milk and at. At farms in Alaska, it’s primarily raised for beef production. It grows fast, has a high at yield, and fattened bulls can have a dressing percentage of around 65%."
Tucson paused for a mont before continuing his introduction.
"At the sa ti, they are also quite adaptable and fairly cold-resistant. Furthermore, they have good maternal instincts and high reproductive performance, providing a stable source of new calves for the farm’s beef operation."
After introducing all three breeds, Tucson summarized.
"Basically, most ranches in Alaska raise these three breeds of beef cattle. Each year, the livestock association helps formulate breeding plans based on market feedback and adjusts the number of cattle raised to ensure they can better et the needs of the market and their own developnt."
"If I were to raise them in the Far North Tundra, which breed of beef cattle would be more suitable?" Feng Mountain had been mulling this question over while looking at the three breeds, and now he humbly posed it to Tucson.
’The Far North Tundra?’
’Raising beef cattle?’
’Buddy, were you sent by Santa Claus to pull my leg?’
’That godforsaken place, the Far North Tundra? In a climate dozens of degrees below zero, you want to get into livestock farming?’
’A pipe dream.’
If it weren’t for Jeff standing right there with them, Tucson would have thought Feng Mountain was drunk on bootleg liquor.
But Tucson was experienced, after all. After a mont of thought, he answered tactfully.
"Mr. Feng, if you plan on raising livestock in the Far North Region, I would recomnd an indoor farming model, similar to a factory farm. This would allow for more precise control. You could create a suitable growing environnt for the cattle with temperature control, ventilation, and lighting systems."
"However, building such a farm would require a very large investnt. In addition to the infrastructure, given the environnt in the Far North Region, you would also need to purchase massive quantities of feed to et the nutritional needs of the livestock at different stages of growth."
"This kind of investnt would be in the hundreds of millions, at a minimum, with no guarantee of paying off, so..."
Although Tucson didn’t say the rest out loud, everyone present understood his underlying aning.
He was essentially saying that starting a livestock operation in the Far North Tundra was too risky, too expensive, and had a minimal chance of success. It was a thoroughly unprofitable venture.
But Feng Mountain acted as if he hadn’t understood the deeper aning behind Tucson’s words. He just smiled, waved his hand dismissively, and asked again, "So, which breed of beef cattle is the most suitable?"
Soone nearby couldn’t help but curse inwardly.
’Is this guy crazy?’
’Tucson made it so clear, and he’s still hung up on which breed is more suitable.’
’Investing hundreds of millions to raise cattle in that godforsaken part of the Far North Tundra is a complete and utter waste of money.’
Seeing Feng Mountain’s persistence, Tucson shook his head helplessly and had no choice but to continue.
"In terms of beef quality, the top recomndation is definitely Angus. With its delicious flavor and distinct marbling, it’s the aristocrat of beef cattle. The only drawback is that Angus cattle grow slowly; they take about 30 months to be ready for market."
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