13 minute read
Schrag 605 - Tradition and Today by Cam Fagerhaug
SCHRAG Family The MAY/JUNE/JULY 2021
102
Steeped in high reputation and history, the Schrag Family's involvement in the beef industry made its original mark over a century ago. Based in southeastern South Dakota, the Schrag name is most often paired with Shorthorn. For over 50 years, the four generations before him, and now Cory himself and wife Melissa, play host to "The Family Event Sale", held every October. Showcasing over 100 years of genetic selection and showring success, their Shorthorn program is highly regarded across the nation. However, this forward moving family always held a broader vision for what their knowledge and expertise could offer the cattle industry.
Both South Dakota State University alumni and no strangers to seedstock, Cory and Melissa (Bush) Schrag met in their college days at the North American International Livestock Exposition (NAILE). Both were already deeply rooted within their respective junior cattle breed associations. At the time, Cory was president of the American Junior Shorthorn Association and Melissa was Miss American Angus. Melissa, whose own family operates Bush Angus in Britton, S.D., was also on the National Junior Angus Board during her time as a junior member.
With genetic progression always on the mind, Cory attended the National Embryo Transfer School after his graduation at SDSU and studied under Dr. Peter Elsdon. This education gave Cory the knowledge to conventionally flush donors and transfer embryos. Together, the couple forged their own path as entrepreneurs, and began Dakota Transfers, a full-service ET center, in 1999. All the while the young couple continued to pursue their part in Schrag Shorthorn Farms, now Schrag 605, and raise their children within the industry that provided so much for them. 2008 brought a generational shift for the family. The unexpected passing of Cory's father, Doug, prompted Cory and Melissa's decision to move their young family back to the home place and continue on with the exceptional Shorthorn herd his father had assembled. This move meant scaling back on their homegrown businesses, but it also planted the seed for future opportunities.
As their kids' show careers began to take priority, Cory and Melissa decided their children, daughter Sammi and son Jaxon, should have their own "niche" in the operation. "We wanted our kids to have their own breed, one not tied to the heritage of the Schrags. We also didn't want them to compete with our customers in the showring. Maines were an obvious direction to go, we'd already incorporated Maine-influence genetics into our Shorthorn Plus program, so it was a great addition we made to our genetic line up about 5 years ago," explains Melissa.
Another added bonus to becoming official Maine-Anjou members was the welcoming attitude the breed encompasses. "It felt like home to us at our first Junior National. The other exhibitors, breeders and the AMAA staff feel like a tight knit community. We are so impressed with the association's character – from the junior exhibitors all the way to the commercial programs in place," Melissa shares.
Cory comments, "We've had some great conversations about the crossbreeding advantages and programs that the Maine breed offers with both Josh Cribbs and DJ Folkerts, they've had great insight for us and are also open to our own ideas as well."
While the Maine-Anjou division belongs to the Schrag kids, it's not off limits to their customer base. Soon enough, several typical Shorthorn patrons began asking what they had in the offering for MaineAnjou genetics. "We have great customers that have spread their wings right along with us and are the reason why our Maine project has become what it is. We are really lucky in that respect," Melissa points out.
While their own seedstock and show cattle program was plenty rewarding, the always entrepreneurs hadn't displaced their passion for customer service on the provider side of things. Through the years an opportunity for a blossoming business would arise, but never seemed the right fit for their family. Until the spring of 2016. "Being seedstock producers ourselves, we'd felt a need for a bull stud and ET center in this area for a long time. The timing finally felt right and after over twenty years of brainstorming what we envisioned as an ideal collection center, we were ready to set things into motion," Cory states.
A key component in the startup success for the Schrag's vision of 605 Sires + Donors, was the assistance of friend and industry great, John Weston. At the time Weston managed Western Sire Sources in Gordon, Neb. "John was one of the good ones," Melissa expresses. An expert in managing highend facilities, Weston understood how to properly care for livestock undergoing collection and was instrumental in drawing an outline for the Schrag's new business endeavor. "I gave John a jingle and he was more than willing to help us. Without his guidance this facility would not be possible," Cory adds.
By February of 2017 the state of the art facility, located just down the road from their cattle headquarters near Marion, S.D., was open for business. From the drive thru drop off and load out for bulls and donors, to a knowledgeable staff, to the most advanced technologies and safe handling procedures, their business boomed in its first year.
The facility can host more than 100 bulls in peak spring collection season. This high volume of traffic prompted the business to create their own in-house computer program to establish better customer communication. The system allows a customer to log in on 605's website to view bull and donor progress, jump/collection schedules, units froze or shipped, current inventory and even an online semen sales to allow customers to promote their genetics through 605.
The 605 entity also deals Umbarger Show Feed, Vitaferm Nutrition and Sullivan Supply products, making their center an even more convenient stop just 30 miles from Sioux Falls, S.D. These products also play a pivotal role in keeping the cattle under their care in top shape. "It can be a balancing act keeping these animals in good collection condition," Melissa explains. "While the trend is to have bulls fleshy and deep for presentation, that's not necessarily ideal to get these bulls to jump. They need to be athletic
SCHRAG 605
enough to do that two times a week. But we also understand these cattle are on display for their owners. We have people walking through the barns nearly every day to check out who we have here – that's why we use products we believe in. Proper nutrition is key to semen viability and ideal breeding condition."
In 2018, 605 became a satellite center for Trans Ova Genetics. "Any ET work they can do in Sioux Center, we can do here," Cory explains. Every two weeks, Trans Ova comes to perform IVF collections and conventional ET flushes. The business has their own recips as well as access to Sioux Center's recip herd. By collaborating with Trans Ova on several fronts the business has also added sexed semen capabilities and a few exciting research trials to their list of accolades.
The ability to collect fresh semen and utilize it in fresh IVF collections also broadened the genetic pool for producers working with the Schrags. "One of our favorite projects was collecting a bull whose semen wasn't freezing well and using it in a fresh IVF collection from a female that wouldn't breed. We took what seemed like the impossible and made that producer's idea a reality. Without our facility's capabilities, those genetics wouldn't have been possible," shares Cory. "We love following our client's success," adds Melissa, "Follow up is so important to us. We've been on the consumer side of things a lot longer than that of the provider. We've used our experiences to gather and gain knowledge to make our business better for the customer. It's fun to scroll through social media or flip through a magazine and know we helped create a particular animal."
While their company is relatively new, their customer base is loyal, providing them with the opportunity to already be collecting bulls that were the product of their labors. "We are so proud we have some really well-known sires in here and penned next to them are their sons ready to collect too. Some of those bulls were produced by semen or embryos collected here."
That full circle effect isn't just found in the oil field pipe paddocks where herd sires are housed, it can be found in the mechanics of the collection facility as well. While a staff of eight helps to keep the ball rolling at the business, Cory and Melissa continue to take a hands on approach to the operations. Cory can be found about anywhere on the place, from donor and recip prep to working one on one with clients to suit their needs. He and Cory Thomsen, their Client Success Manager, work to facilitate what each animal/ customer needs. "It's great to have Cory (Thomsen) on board. He spends a lot of time on the road while we are here at the office. He takes the reins in procuring relationships with clients, spending a lot of time traveling to bull sales and other events that offer the opportunity to visit with folks," Cory points out.
Melissa is an integral part in what sets the bar at 605 in terms of semen analysis and their quest to provide customers with a quality product. As Quality Control Manager she oversees and inspects the semen collected through their CASA computer system. "I might be fussier than some when it comes to quality, but it's so important to us that we are collecting and producing the highest level we can. " With the CASA program's capabilities, the business is able to observe semen concentration, motility and record any abnormalities or dead cells. This information is saved in a video clip and placed into each bull's file to track their progression. "We are also lucky to have Katie Mehlhaf on staff as our Office Manager," adds
Melissa. "She does a tremendous job and handles all shipping, billing, and does her best to keep both of our Cory's organized."
Four years since its beginning, 605 is one of the most respected cattle reproductive centers in the nation and continues to add to their infrastructure. "Sammi graduates from SDSU this spring and plans to return fulltime as our Advertising and Marketing Specialist. Her and Cory (Thomsen) have already completed several social media projects. It always helps to have another set of eyes and perspective. Having our daughter join this team is really exciting for us."
While Sammi's show career has come to a close, her active involvement in both Shorthorn, Chi and Maine-Anjou junior associations are what lead her to pursue a degree in Ag Communications. While the Maine-Anjou breed was new to her five years ago, she dove in and was awarded the Reserve Herdsman Scholarship in 2020 at the junior national.
Jaxon is just completing high school this spring, but has already taken charge on planned matings and genetic selections for both the Maine and Shorthorn female batteries at the farm. His future plans include majoring in Animal Science at SDSU in the fall, and eventually returning home to the operation. "You can usually find Jaxon researching pedigrees and it's always interesting to overhear the match up discussions between Cory Thomsen and him. It's a great feeling to know our kids are just as passionate about this industry as we are," both Cory and Melissa describe.
That passion their kids hold gives Cory and Melissa the drive to continue on with both their own herd of cattle, Schrag 605 as well as 605 Sires + Donors. While juggling the two entities proves challenging at times, the couple says they surprisingly compliment each other. "A cattle operation is always fulltime, every day. We are grateful for the help of Blake Sweeter who does most of the daily care with our own cattle while Sammi and Jaxon are in school. The collection center is extremely demanding in the spring, but by the time our busy season winds down, it is time to start our Junior National prep. Once the summer show season winds down, we start preparing for our own production sale in October, and then the cycle continues," Melissa explains.
While schedules often appear hectic and the family must occasionally "divide and conquer", promoting several different breeds as well as a business, that once distant vision is now front and center for the Schrags. "The production side of the cattle industry is so rewarding and this collection center is something we'd always wanted to do. We can't express how much it means to us to be a small part of other folks' success – to be a part of their great ones. It's truly an honor," Cory conveys.
CHECK US OUT ON FACEBOOK
INDIANA MAINE-ANJOU ASSOCIATION
- STATE SHOWS - IMPORTANT UPDATES & MORE!
IndianaMaine-Anjou Association
PRESIDENT: Trae Simmons, Tipton, (765) 438-2312 VICE PRESIDENT: Jon Pettigrew, Columbia City, (260) 229-0917 SECRETARY: Kris & Stacy Banter, Eaton, (765) 499-1786 TREASURER: Nick Pruet, Dannville, (317) 407-8671 JUNIOR ADVISORS: Jamie & Jeremy Lowes, Greenfield, (317) 509-1261 or (317) 498-4801
Adult Membership $15 Remit payment to: INMAA, 2965 W. County Rd. 350 N, Danville, IN, 46122
PENNSYLVANIA
MAINE-ANJOUFind Us On Facebook Pennsylvania Maine-Anjou Association PRESIDENT - Dylan Giebner, Canton (814) 720-8676 VICE PRESIDENT - Jessica Manross, Cambridge Springs, (814) 573-1014 SECRETARY - Alane Giebner, Canton, (570) 529-3318
Upcoming Shows & National Meetings
Keystone International Livestock Expo - October 1-10, 2021 Pennsylvania Farm Show - January 2022 Paid junior members receive a free gift every year! Join the Association Adult Membership - $20 • Junior Membership - $10
Contact: Alane Giebner, (570) 529-3318 or amn5234@gmail.com
New This Year
Iowa State Fair to add a Maine Angus Open Female Show
- All females entered in this division must follow the American Maine-Anjou Association Maine Angus guidelines. Maine Angus bulls will show as MaineTainers.
IOWA MAINE-ANJOU ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS
PRESIDENT: Bryan Whaley, Eagle Grove, (515) 689-4929 VICE PRESIDENT: Beau Ebersole, Kellerton, (515) 971-8461 SECRETARY/TREASURER: Jim Opperman, Manning, (712) 653-3032 JUNIOR ADVISORS: Karen Loudon, Creston, (641) 344-2112 & Karen McCullough, Allerton, (641) 344-5548
Adult Membership $25 Remit payment to: IMAA, 10493 290th St., Manning, IA 51455
PRESIDENT - Brian Fox, Fort Morgan (970) 313-7224 VICE PRESIDENT - David Carlson, Julesburg, (970) 520-1467 SECRETARY/TREASURER - Paula Fox, Fort Morgan, (970) 313-7224
MEMBERSHIP FEES:
The annual membership fees are defined below and cover the calendar year from Jan. 1st to Dec. 31st.
• $20 per individual with a maximum fee of $40 per family. • A family is defined as a parent/guardian and any immediate minor under their care, through the age of 21 as of December 31st of that year. • Memberships must be paid prior to participation in Association sponsored events.
ACTIVITIES/INVOLVEMENT
- Online Auction Fundraiser - Give scholarships to RMMAA junior members. - Develop and organize field days. - Create publicity for the RMMAA at the National Western Stock Show. - Support the youth members attending the junior national show. - Donate prizes at livestock shows in Colorado & Wyoming on behalf of RMMAA.
Join Us! UPCOMING EVENTS National Junior Heifer Show - June 19-24, Chickasha, Okla. Nebraska State Fair - Thursday, September 2, Grand Island, Neb. Nebraska Cattlemens Classic - February 2022, Kearney, Neb.
President: Cory Miller - Vice President: Jeanette Lindstorm - Treasurer: Amber Miller - Junior Advisor: Stacy Kersten
JMG MISS SCARLETT 826F (BABS)
MANY TIME CHAMPION MAINE-ANJOU FEMALE FOR SARA RIMPEL
RIM HUNNYS MONEY 445H
CHAMPION MAINE-ANJOU FEMALE 2020 Texas State Show Shown by Barrett Howe Raised by Us!
