Midwest Livestock Service

Metzgers got caught at just the wrong time at the beginning of the 1980’s farm crisis. “We basically lost everything in the ‘80s. But Dad refused to do the debt write-off thing or declare bankruptcy. We were taught to be responsible for our actions. So, thus, everything was gone. It was tough on Dad and on us, too. We had to start over.”

Mark remembered, “The thing that sticks out in my mind most is April of 1985. We had three little kids aged 4 and under – and only $19 left between the two of us and we needed groceries. That’s how tough it was.” “We were waiting for my next paycheck,” Audrey said. What do you do when things get that bad? “There was no help from anybody and I didn't want any help,” Mark said. “You get up the next morning and just start putting one foot in front of the other. Take it a day at a time and trust in the Lord.” Audrey’s paychecks from McKennan were critical to keeping the family fed and helping keep alive the dream of living on the farm. Audrey has been a registered nurse with Avera for 40 years. Today she works as a phone triage nurse, similar to a phone-in “ask a nurse” service. Recently, she’s begun working from home part of the time. On days when it’s snowy, slippery and blustery, she’s happy to do phone triage safe and sound in Lester.

Joni and Scott Metzger with their children: Colin, Clara, Callie and Clayton. They moved into the farm house recently and Mark and Audrey moved to town.

RISING FROM THE RUINS

Rising from the ruins of the 1980’s farm crisis, Metzgers built a new generation of success, first in dairy and then in Angus cattle. According to Mark, “I slowly started piecing things together again. I always was good with dairy and that's where I went first.” He joked about a “very naïve” FHA officer who gave them a few dollars to start a dairy again in the mid-1980s. He succeeded in retrieving some of

Providing Feed and Vet Supplies for over 30 years. We also provide consulting services for feedlot cattle and cow calf pairs.

Check out our website at midwest-livestock.com to see the di erent vendors we carry. | Follow us on Facebook as well! Contact us at 712-477-2355 or at midwestl@alliancecom.net

The Mark and Audrey Metzger clan by family groups, left to right. Far left: Jessica, holding Freddy, and Gregg Metzger to her right plus Frances in the front. Joni standing behind Scott Metzger (kneeling) who is holding Clara with Clayton and Callie to the left and Colin to his right. Back center: Bailey and Matt Metzger. Front center: Mark and Audrey. Next in the back, Maggie with her husband Carlie Landegent (kneeling in front) next to their daughter Breezy. Far right: Abby and Steve Lindeen with their children Summer, Cody, Zachary, Mason and Luke. Inset: Matt and Bailey's daughter, Timber Ann, was born in November.

their former genetics. Identifying and using superior cattle genetics seems embedded in the family’s DNA. The Metzger family and purebred cattle trace back 100 years to when Mark’s grandfather, Fred Metzger Sr., had Polled Herefords. His first production sale was in 1923. That herd was dispersed during World War II when help was hard to find. Jersey dairy cattle were also brought onto the farm in the early 1920s. As an early believer in performance records, Fred Metzger’s Dairy Herd Improvement records date back to 1926. Fred, Jr. (Mark’s father) took an avid interest in the Registered Jerseys and developed one of the top herds in the Midwest. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Fred Jr. brought back beef cows, experimenting with Polled Herefords and then trying Simmentals. In 1973, he bought his first Registered Angus cows and quickly came to appreciate the breed’s maternal excellence.

After getting back on his feet financially, Mark built a herd of Registered Jerseys which had many top 10 finishers at the All-American Jersey Show and, in 1998, was recognized as the #2 Performance Type Index herd in the nation. They decided to leave the dairy business in 2014 when youngest son, Matt, left for college and it became harder to find labor.

Scott is carrying forward the family legacy of utilizing superior genetics. He’s a graduate of Iowa State University and a former employee at Trans Ova Genetics. On top of their breeding business, Scott also works full-time for Allflex Livestock Intelligence. Traditionally known as a livestock tag company, today Allflex is a leader in the development and delivery of data-driven solutions for animal identification, monitoring, farm management, and traceability.

GOOD LOOKING CATTLE THAT PERFORM

Lessons learned from the dairy business helped Metzgers develop a high-producing, good-uddered, good-looking herd of maternally excellent Angus cows. According to Mark, “Our goal at Brookdale Angus has always been to produce structurally correct performance cattle with the commercial man in mind.” The operation has a strong artificial insemination program