Living the Ranch Life

Living the Ranch Life

10 Ways the Wiese Family Raises Better Beef

By Darcy Dougherty Maulsby, Photos by Joseph L. Murphy

If you’re driving across Highway 141 in western Iowa, you’ll spot a large sign for Wiese & Sons “Good Doin’ Bulls” just east of Manning. If you wonder what that means, the Wiese family is happy to explain, even though they’re extra busy this time of year.

“Spring is our Super Bowl,” says Chance Wiese, 29, who runs the business with his parents, Dave and Diana, and his younger brother Shayne, 27.

Shayne Wiese is the fifth generation raising Hereford cattle.

The family works around-the-clock during the spring calving season. “It’s a team effort,” says Chance, who works until 1 a.m. or so before Shayne takes over through the night. Then everyone meets up around 8 a.m. to do chores and discuss jobs for the day, from cleaning the cattle bedding to selling Hereford bulls.

What makes these ‘good doin’ Hereford bulls so valuable? “Herefords roamed the range when the American West was settled,” Shayne says. “They are hardy, docile, adaptable, easy keepers that can handle the coldest of the cold and hottest of the hot weather.”

Herefords are known for their superior efficiency, which means they require less feed than other breeds to grow and produce exceptional beef.

Herefords produce tender, flavorful beef. Here are 10 things the Wiese family prioritizes to produce the best beef possible:

1. Honoring a proud heritage. The Wiese Hereford tradition spans five generations. In 1894, Ed Wiese purchased his first Hereford bull near Guthrie Center. By 1904, he settled near Manning, where he grew his farming operation. In 1912, he and his son Lester began raising registered Hereford cattle and started Ed Wiese and Son. When Lester’s sons, Gene and Sam, joined the operation in 1948, the family changed the business name to Wiese & Sons. After Gene’s son Dave joined the Wiese partnership in 1982, he and his wife Diana raised their three boys on the ranch. All three sons work in the cattle industry today. “Chance and I are so thankful to be part of this family business,” Shayne says. “Its success is a testament to the hard work and vision of generations who went before us.”

2. Working together. The Wiese boys grew up helping their parents and grandparents with chores, doctoring calves and handling other farm jobs. “At the time, I didn’t realize how unique it was to get to work with your family,” says Shayne, an Iowa State University graduate. “I appreciate working with my family every day.”

3. Focusing on genetic improvement. Shayne evaluates genetics and develops breeding plans to maintain the highest quality within Wiese & Sons’ herd. Herefords are known for their superior efficiency, which means they require less feed than other breeds to grow and produce exceptional beef. Chefs are taking note. “Some restaurants now only offer Certified Hereford Beef,” Chance says.

4. Moving beyond monocultures. The Wiese family raises corn and soybeans, which they feed to their cattle. They also grow an array of forages, including alfalfa, sorghum, sudangrass, millet and other grasses. “We bale our own hay,” Chance adds.

5. Helping other cattle producers. While Wiese & Sons sells bulls to buyers in Missouri and beyond, most customers come from Iowa. The Wiese family also enjoys hosting college interns. “We like to help Iowa cattle producers succeed,” Shayne says.

Rudy, a purebred Border Collie, helps herd purebred Hereford cattle and their newborn calves.

6. Caring for the land. The Wiese boys learned a lot from their grandfather Gene Wiese who was inducted into the Iowa Hereford, Iowa Cattlemen’s and American Hereford Halls of Fame. “Grandpa always told us, ‘Take care of the land,’” Shayne says. This includes rotational grazing, where pastures are divided into paddocks so cattle can be moved periodically to avoid overgrazing. The Wiese family also seeds cover crops on their row crop acres. These plants grow into the late fall and in the early spring before corn and soybeans fill the fields. “Cover crops help capture carbon, control soil erosion and add valuable organic matter that improves the soil,” Chance says. “Cover crops also provide good grazing for our cattle.”

7. Protecting the environment. Cattle are ruminants, which means they are masters at upcycling fiber from grasslands into nutritious protein. “Ruminants, like buffalo, were grazing these lands long before cattle were here,” Chance notes. Gaseous emissions that cattle produce break down in the atmosphere much faster than emissions from cars or airplanes, he adds. “I invite people to tour our ranch and see how cows help improve the environment.”

8. Using technology to farm smarter. Modern cattle ranching relies on genomic DNA tests and other sophisticated technology to produce high-quality beef. “A lot of science, data and good management practices go into this business,” Shayne says.

Since 1912, members of the Wiese family have been raising registered Hereford cattle near Manning.

9. Telling Wiese & Sons’ story. Chance is the driving force behind the Wiese & Sons website (wieseandsons.com), which includes a virtual ranch tour. He also handles social media posts on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. “We want to give a ‘boots on the ground’ perspective of what daily life is like here and showcase the beauty of rural Iowa,” Chance says.

10. Looking to the future. Respecting the past while maintaining a forward-thinking mindset is essential to Wiese & Sons’ success, Chance says. “We want to put things in a good position for the sixth generation.”