When cattle prices climb to levels few of us have ever seen, the dollar value of a single load can quietly double, or even triple. And while most ranchers wouldn’t dream of driving uninsured, many are still hauling cattle with cargo coverage that hasn’t been updated in years. Are your cattle covered?

In this episode, Julie Davidson of High Country Coverage Consulting returns to walk us through the real risks and the practical steps every rancher should take before cattle hit the road. From radius limits and VIN-specific coverage to knowing who’s responsible when a neighbor hauls your calves, this is a timely conversation for a high-price market.

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In this episode, we cover:

• Why standard $100,000 cargo policies are now dangerously insufficient when calves can be worth $250k–$400k per load
• Who is responsible for coverage, depending on whether you haul, the buyer hires the trucks, or a neighbor does you a favor
• How cargo policies actually work: VIN-specific coverage, trailer listings, radius limits, and why “one policy for the ranch” isn’t enough
• What happens when there’s an accident, including how loss values are calculated and why injured cattle require special evaluation
• Key exclusions, especially the fact that loss of market price is not covered
• Practical steps to update coverage as markets rise and fall, so you’re protected without overspending

Connect with Julie:

• Send her an email at juliedavidsonhccc@gmail.com

Connect with Ranch Right:

• Meet the Ranch Right team
• Subscribe on YouTube
• Follow on Instagram @ranchrightllc
• Follow on Facebook
• Check out the website

Resources & Links:

• Book a Free Discovery Call to Learn More
• Ranching for Profit
• Ranching.FYI
• Wally Olson, Olson Ranch LLC
• Check out all of our past webinars here

Mentioned in this episode:

Join us for the 2026 Ranch Right Retreat, February 16th-19th in Orange Beach, Alabama. Space is limited, so click the link below to grab your seat now.

Ranch Right Retreat

Buying cattle in a high market can feel intimidating, but as Wally Olson reminds us, the price doesn’t matter nearly as much as the relationship. In this episode, John and Wally dig into how to buy cattle the right way, why you always need to sell before you buy, and how understanding the value of gain, weight classes, and local market culture helps you make confident, profitable decisions no matter where the market sits.

Wally draws on decades of experience as a rancher, marketer, and educator to break down practical buying strategies, from barn cards to understanding how geography, humidity, forage quality, and reputation all shape performance and price. John and Wally walk through real-world examples, common pitfalls, and why good marketing, not good luck, is what drives long-term profitability.

Make sure to hit subscribe/follow so you never miss an episode!

In this episode, we cover:

• Why you should always sell before you buy, and how that drives cash flow and clarity
• How to evaluate cattle across weight classes, age classes, and pregnancy status using the value of gain
• Building a dependable barn card and running the numbers to know exactly what you can pay
• How geography, humidity, forage quality, and local culture affect buying decisions and animal performance
• When to use an order buyer, how to work well with one, and why reputation matters in both directions
• Smarter strategies for packaging cattle, contracting, and marketing in high-price environments

Connect with Wally:

• Check out his website

Connect with Ranch Right:

• Subscribe on YouTube
• Follow on Instagram @ranchrightllc
• Follow on Facebook
• Check out the website
• Check out all of our past webinars here

Resources & Links:

• Value Of Gain
• Book a Free Discovery Call to Learn More
• Ranching for Profit
• Ranching.FYI
• Wally Olson, Olson Ranch LLC

Mentioned in this episode:

At Ranch Right, we build financial systems that make sense for real ranch operations — bookkeeping, reporting, and strategy that actually work. Make this the year you stop guessing and start managing with clarity. Click the link below to learn more.

New Year's Resolution

It’s open-enrollment season, and if you’re sorting through health insurance options, you’re not alone. In this episode, John sits down with insurance expert Julie Davidson to walk through what ranch families need to know before choosing a Marketplace plan, from how subsidies actually work to what those deductibles and out-of-pocket numbers really mean.

Julie breaks down why your modified adjusted gross income is the key number that drives your subsidy, why calling to enroll is almost always better than doing it online, and what to watch for if you’re choosing between work-provided coverage and Marketplace options. John and Julie also talk through real-world considerations like prescription costs, family deductibles, HSA-eligible plans, and why Medicaid isn’t always the safety net folks assume it is.

Make sure to hit subscribe/follow so you never miss an episode!

In this episode, we cover:

• How open enrollment works and why your modified adjusted gross income drives your subsidy
• The pros and cons of Marketplace options vs. employer plans, and when to call instead of enrolling online
• How to think about deductibles, out-of-pocket maximums, HSAs, and choosing the right level of coverage
• What to watch for with prescription costs, plus tools like GoodRx
• Why insurance should be viewed as risk protection, not a prepaid health plan
• How to avoid surprise bills and tax-time subsidies gone wrong

Connect with Julie:

• Send her an email at juliedavidsonhccc@gmail.com

Connect with Ranch Right:

• HealthCare.gov
• GoodRx
• Healthpilot
• Subscribe on YouTube
• Follow on Instagram @ranchrightllc
• Follow on Facebook
• Check out the website

Resources & Links:

• Book a Free Discovery Call to Learn More
• Ranching for Profit
• Ranching.FYI
• Wally Olson, Olson Ranch LLC