May/June 2024 - American Beef Producer Magazine

Rancho Deluxe

This Patent Pending design is the largest portable corral on wheels ever built. 22’ long panels, 6’ tall. 600-800 head capacity, all of which has a total weight under 15,000lbs. With multiple gates, spring latches, multiple pen capabilities for sorting.

Rawhide Processor

by John McDonald

• Pull on highway at speed limit.

• Fits through any gate your pickup will.

• Stable on uneven terrain.

• Permanent sheeted adjustable alley.

• Transport wheels are permanent, no sliding off the axles and rolling out of the way.

• Wheels on each panel and electric over hydraulic jack eliminates lifting— saves time.

• Frame gates for sorting.

EXPERIENCE VIRTUALLY SILENT

EFFORTLESS CAT TLE HANDLING.

TRUST IN HYDRAULICS TO GET THE JOB DONE RIGHT.

CABIN FEVER

With Spring in the air, Derek & I felt the urge to get on the road again. For a few years now, I’ve made the habit of heading to Florida for some sunshine, warmth, golf, and time with family in February or early March. Derek and I decided a while ago that we would also need to make some ranch visits in that area. My dog Frodo is still acting like a puppy even though he’s a senior citizen, so driving was a necessity. One early morning flight and a fresh coating of a recent snowstorm made it much easier to leave for warmer temperatures. Plus, I got out just in time as a late March snowstorm was expecting to dump in Minnesota the next day. It was a close call, and we made it out alive and ahead of the storm. I figured 3-4 hours of driving would be a good stopping point for our first trip of the year to get us into the groove. Deppe Angus was our first stop on the way down south, with hopes of reaching Nashville that evening.

Waverly, Iowa

www.DeppeAngus.com

Turning valuable cropland into pasture doesn’t happen that often in Iowa. A love and passion for raising cattle caused Dennis Deppe to seed down and fence in the row crop land on his wife’s family farm near Waverly, Iowa, to start building the

SPRING TOUR

3,600 MILES IN 7 DAYS

Deppe herd. They started with a handful of Angus cows.

Dennis taught ag education classes and advised FFA members for 27 years, 26 of which are in nearby Hudson, and growing his herd from that modest beginning keeps him and his wife, Jennifer, connected to agriculture and youth. Deppe spent his high school years judging livestock, studying pedigrees, and, of course, the data from the Midland Bull Test, which laid the foundation of what he later set out to accomplish. Now approaching 50, he’s spent nearly half his life developing and refining those genetics. Since they weren’t living in cow country, he built relationships with others and formed co-op herds in Eastern Iowa and Northeast Missouri.

A turning point came in 2012 when he sent 3 bulls to Midland. “I didn’t know any other consigners or potential buyers,” Dennis said about his first visit. However, he did find a

familiar face, Joe Nelson, from the nearby Lanesboro Livestock Auction. Joe introduced him to others, and year after year, he added more people he knew to his list. The first few years were challenging because potential buyers were unfamiliar with their program or the type and kind of cattle Deppe was producing. “Now, when we go out, it’s like a reunion,” he says. He talked about the friends he’s made from all over the country and other top programs against which their bulls are tested. That gives him a baseline of where their cowherd's at. The opportunity to showcase his program provided Deppe the platform to share his genetics with top breeders and ranchers from other parts of the country. Bringing a uniform, consistent set of bulls year after year has developed a strong reputation of quality among those who attend. This year, Joe Goggins of Vermillion Ranch landed on their Champion Junior bull entry, raised by high school senior Alec Gotto, son of Chad & Carrie Gotto, who raised bulls with Deppe Angus.

The Deppes had been selling at the Iowa Cattlemen’s Performance Test Bull sale since 1999, when they grew a loyal following and a customer base of local buyers. As he continued with both (Iowa Cattlemen & Midland Bull Test), the reputation of Circle D and word of mouth got around.

With more relationships developed and strong, consistent results, repeat customers find Deppe’s pen of bulls at Midland every year. Deppe slowly grew the cow herd numbers to meet the growing demand from repeat customers and supply new buyers with their genetics. By 2016, they had entered around 60 head into the Iowa performance bull test station sites. Everyone agreed it was time to start having a production sale where buyers could see the large selection of top-end genetics and make it easier for customers to purchase in volume. It also opened the opportunity to share a sampling of the cow base. That word continues to grow as “You need to buy a Deppe Bull” is heard over and over by some of his customers talking to other buyers. In this past production sale, they offered age-advantage bulls for the first time. “Finding the right partner for that fall calving herd took some time,” Dennis said. Identifying the feed efficiencies of cow families and reducing his feed cost has helped bolster those figures and his herd. Derek and I could see the results of his work as we walked through the pasture of those more mature bulls.

The Deppe Angus production sale is held on the last Friday in February.

Manchester, TN www.McBrideAngus.com

Driving from Iowa to Tennessee was a pretty long drive. We should have brought some heifers and saved McBride’s the trip, but we’re a few decades late. Matthew McBride didn’t grow up with cattle; as the McBride children (Matthew, Andrew, and Stephen) were growing up, they lived primarily in the suburbs and eventually on a small farm with sheep. Parents Mark & Carol both came from ag backgrounds and knew they wanted to bring all of their kids up with agricultural opportunities. Mark was FFA president in the 80s, Matthew was as well, and Stephen was also FFA President and served as National vice president to top it off. Summer trips and Christmas were usually spent back at Carol’s family farm in Iowa, and that is precisely where Matthew got bitten by the cow bug. Watching his cousins being able to grow up with cows and farm life was what led him to start

wanting some cattle. Matthew showed sheep from 5th to 12th grade and cows from 10th grade. After years of bugging his parents for some cows, they gave in and bought some pigs. Matthew wouldn’t let the cow idea go, so the following year, they purchased two heifers from Carol’s brother in Iowa, and the year after, they added ten cow-calf pairs (during Matthew’s junior year), which was the beginning of McBride Angus.

Matthew’s desire for cows was muted as he knew the cattle weren’t going to be a career, so he kept that desire at bay after high school and throughout college. But he envisioned eventually having some cattle in his retirement years. Following college, he got married and went on to be successful in selling insurance. He moved up the corporate ladder rather quickly, and at barely 30 years old, he felt he had reached the pinnacle of that career. So, new goals and dreams appeared, and the realization of his retirement plan of farming full-time meant he needed to buy some land at least to get started. His mom called him one day to tell him that Mark was going out to work some cattle and he could use some help. Realizing that working cattle with his dad would take him away from Amanda, he needed to find something to help her understand what he was working for, so the young couple started buying their own cows. At least then, they had a vested interest in things. Over the next 5 years, they grew their own herd. Once they started breeding, they found themselves “with animals that were “probably better than they knew what to do with.” So, they searched for consignment sales. His first bull was the highest grossing out of 100 for sale that year,

and that’s what pushed him into the seedstock business. Barely 30 years old, he left the insurance business in 2017 and made the decision to be on the farm full-time. By then, they had 50 mama cows between them. That was a pipe dream, but he took it as an opportunity his dad had presented. But with that, they needed a lot more cattle to make it work, so they continued to acquire and rent land. From 2017 to 2020, every day was different on the farm. A new piece of equipment, a new piece of land, or a new animal arrived nearly daily. The farm had little peace, as they were constantly growing. In 2020, they had their first annual production sale. Mark was always behind him and able to help and acquire, but Matt would have to make this operation sustainable. He tried very hard, but was always nervous about one bad decision or one bad natural disaster that would force him to go back to insurance. In February of 2021, Mark and Matthew sat down and looked at the financials of the farm, how much debt they had acquired, mainly in assets, and that Mark wanted to retire by the time he was 63 – so Matthew had 3 years to make it sustainable. They had also begun selling freezer beef to local consumers and developed a good relationship with the owner of a nearby slaughterhouse. Within months, the owner approached Matthew about buying the business. Realizing that for him to be sustainable, he depended on his dad’s help or selling beef. He had no desire to go into the meat packing business, but the owner said to him one day that if he didn’t buy it, he would risk losing his kill dates to someone else, and he could be out of business. So in May of 2021, at 34 years old, Matthew and Amanda bought the largest USDA-inspected meat

processing plant in Tennessee.

I believe there’s a specific destiny for all of us, not so much in coincidence. Honestly, I didn’t know much about the McBrides other than what they had on their website. They were on our way and seemed like a decent place to stop on our second day. Once we got acquainted with Mark, he informed us that when people get sick of living in Nashville, they move to Murfreesboro, and when that gets too big, they move further out to Manchester. Hence, more houses and new developments encroaching on even more pastures.

Mark had imagined his own retirement with about 20 cows. Which is precisely what they had during those “muted years.”. Matthew’s passion for cattle is focused on genetics and reproduction. Once Matthew & Amanda got in with both feet, the genetics and the herd really took off, and “the production sales really got going,” Mark says. Matthew says that getting into the slaughter business was a way to keep the cows; in 2021, they were put into the black for the ranch. The vertical integration of buying the slaughterhouse brought up the bottom line for his cattle at home. From then on, every farm animal had a profitable destination. His workers at the plant can tell which carcasses are McBride Angus because of their

high marbling. However, Matthew believes he is in the meat packing business so he can continue farming. “It’s become a very rewarding way of life,” he says. Being able to realize your retirement dream and still being under 40 with a growing family of his own. His kids have known nothing but farm life, the life he had desired as a teen. He is no longer known to his Iowan family as the “Insurance people who have cows.” The McBrides have built many businesses along the road. Mark retired in December of 2023 at 63 years old. With Matthew, Amanda, and family close by, they can all witness the next generation already taking an interest in their operation. 9-year-old Meredith has 4 cows of her own that are shown, and she takes care of them herself. She has two bottle calves she takes care of, a dog, and two cats. Growing up, Matthew always felt like an outsider and didn’t get recognition from his grandparents. This past April (just after our visit), the McBride’s held their fourth annual production sale at the ranch, but the most rewarding part came at the end. A phone call from his 97-year-old grandfather back in Iowa: “I’m proud of you.”

Buchanan, GA

www.whitehawkbeefmakers.com

The Hedrick’s started in 1926 when Gary’s grandfather purchased his first Hereford female. Today, every animal here will trace back to two of his bulls. Their history is prevalent throughout the sale barn with so many pictures and awards from the current National Western & Cattlemen’s Congress to Gary’s grandfather in the 40s. He also has an impressive collection of Hereford World dating back to the mid-50s. It was amazing to see the differences (and some similarities) in the cattle from 70 years ago. Gary’s grandfather was pictured with a bull that looked at least a foot taller than him. In the 30s and 40s, everyone was after smaller framed cattle. Gary’s grandfather couldn’t afford the smaller ones, so he bought the larger

ones that no one else wanted at the time. Gary was born in '51, and his dad started managing a few different cattle operations back then. Most memorable for Gary was CMR in Mississippi, where Gary learned to show cattle and help his dad with daily chores. Gary said, “As long as Dad was managing other herds, they wouldn’t have any at home.” His grandfather dispersed his herd in '60, and Gary’s dad stopped working for CMR in '66.

White Hawk Ranch started in Mississippi in '85 with a silent partner, which was dissolved while they dispersed that herd in '91. During that time frame, White Hawk Ranch sold semen in 42 states and 9 foreign countries. Then the next year, Gary moved to Georgia and formed a construction company. He was quite successful in the construction business and was joined by his sons in building commercial property. The White Hawk Ranch, where we’re at today, was established in 2008. “My wife calls it a sickness,” Gary said. He’s clearly been around Herefords most of his life, but not all of it. Gary ran cattle and the construction business for a few years until his sons told him that “they didn’t need him standing over their shoulder all day, and he should find something else to do”. Gary was fine with spending more time with the cattle which had really grown in a short amount of time. He bought some cattle from Knoll Crest Farms & Ellis Beef cattle. Both used Felton genetics, and he started building his herd on what appealed to him. It wasn’t until later, after he started studying pedigrees, that they all had a DD prefix in their lineage which went back to his grandfather’s Diamond Dale herd.

Gary’s not slowing down with cattle or construction. While we’re driving around eyeing his herd, he points to the hilltop and says, “We’re

building a house on that hill, me and my wife.” That spot would put him in a prime location to keep an eye on most of the cattle, not that he needs to keep an eye on 'em too much. He’s got a few hired hands that do most of the labor, as Gary’s just not able to do that much anymore. He’s got 7 or 8 donkeys running around that keep the coyotes in check and a couple of pot-bellied pigs that also caught Derek’s attention. We’re not changing to “American Pig Producer,” I had to joke with him as he got back in the truck with us. The pigs were a product of a family member who bought them as pets. “The one was so small you could hold it in the palm of your hand,” Gary said. “They’re house broke too”, he added, “and now they run the pastures or hang out by the house. But they’ll come out at you and snort like a dog would bark, and won’t let you near the house until one of us comes out.”

At one point, WHR was up over 800 head, but Gary has had to decrease lately because rental pastures are so expensive or nonexistent where they are. “Some of the smaller outfits sell out, and the new owners maybe want horses, or just not cattle,” he says. He’s at less than 500 head now, and they register about 300. A couple hundred are sold each year during three production sales. Bulls in February, primarily females with a few bulls in October, and his Memorial Day sale, which is a joint sale with Mead Cattle this year. Make sure to check their Ad on the back cover.

• All Solid R ail Fencing has a 20 year UV coating to prevent slivers, Colors available

• Show Fencing & Pasture fencing

• Cattle Panels & Continuous Fencing

• 1" & 1-1/4 Elec tric Fence Post UV Protec ted •13% Chrome Post for Head Locks & Feed R ail

• Guard R ail and Fiberglass posts.

• Lifetime warranty on our berglass produc ts from rusting and rotting.

Portable Tub, Alley, and Chute, manual chutes, hydraulic chutes, Free-Standing Panels, Windbreaks, Pipe, Sucker Rod, Guard Rail, Continuous Fence, Creosote Fence Posts, Heavy Duty Galvanized Gates, Corral panels, Feeder Panels, Self Feeders, Creep Feeders, Fenceline Bunks, Open Bunks, Maternity Pens, Bale Rings, Sheep/Goat Panels, Cattle Panels, and a wide variety of fencing supplies.

NATIONWIDE DELIVERY OR PICK UP AT OUR LOCATION NEAR PRESTON, MN

Washington, GA BarnettAngus.com

“We’ve got land and cattle, and that’s all. I’ve got everything anybody needs.”

– Marion Barnett, Jr.

After getting ourselves sorted on a rainy morning, Derek got his coffee, and I was on my 2nd Monster drink. Therefore, we were “awaker” and pulled into Barnett Angus’s offices. We found Chris and his son CJ in the open-air sale barn's offices. Chris came on as a herdsman in 2017, and he and Wilkes Barnett (owner) have been friends since childhood. Chris’s dad worked for Wilkes’ dad doing the same thing, so they’re each following in their fathers’ footsteps. CJ joined the Barnett Angus family in 2021. While Chris has a broad knowledge of the cattle industry, he is an old-school notebook guy. Thankfully, CJ brought his technological skill set into the program by taming the record-keeping chaos that goes hand in hand with large, registered operations, as well as spending countless hours trying to select elite genetics that will maximize both phenotypic and genomic potential for Barnett Angus and its customers. Wilkes is also in the construction business (I’m starting to see a trend) and has just about as many pieces of heavy equipment out on various jobs as his father had

of Angus cattle. The Barnetts have a rich history in the area, dating well before the Civil War, and I urge you to check their website if you’re interested in learning more.

Established by Wilkes’ grandfather in 1947, Barnett Angus produced bulls that were prized and desired, as well as cattlemen that were respected and honored. The generations before certainly laid the foundation, and in 2013, Wilkes started getting more heavily involved with the management of the Angus herd, and the building commenced, both figuratively and literally. Adjacent timberland began to be acquired and cleared. Utilizing downtime between construction projects and keeping that crew and equipment at work on the ranch has undoubtedly played a part in their expansion. Almost immediately upon arrival, I remarked to Derek, “This place reminds me of Montana Ranch,” indeed, it does. The hundreds of miles of black pipe fence probably made that connection, but it’s also very well-kept. With new pasture came more cows. Starting with the base cow herd of about 250 head and another 100 in commercial cattle, Chris was hired on as a herdsman in 2017, and in 2018 they started an embryo program which led to their first production sale in 2020. That first sale produced 56 registered bulls with an average of just over $5,000. Extensive AI and embryo work continued. Today, Chris says they have just finished putting in 400 embryos, AI’d another 300, and have over 900 cows to attend to.

Chris says that at the start, “Wilkes and I got together and built this from the ground up. They always had good cattle, so we didn’t go out and

buy a bunch of donors. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to change the cow base when it’s not broken. But we just kinda came up with some bulls that enhanced what we had.” Chris knows that “this” is not his, but he speaks and cares for it as if it is. I can observe throughout our travels and visits anywhere in the country, help is hard to find, let alone good help. Good help is practically nonexistent these days, and I think that’s a perfect qualification - to treat someone else’s business as your own. I don’t doubt that their fathers also felt the same way, respectively. Chris continues, “Wilkes just gave us free rein of that because he trusts us. What we’ve done, we could have bought a bunch of high-priced donors. But we’ve raised them mostly ourselves.”

With the rain finally diminishing, we were able to get out and walk around. Only a small portion of that 900-head herd is around the sale barn, and after viewing those, it was back in the car to more pastureland. In 2016, Wilkes purchased the Wilkins farm from the University of Georgia and renamed it Max Ranch after his son Maximus. This purchase now brings the total to just

over 7500 acres and is spread between two counties. More black pipe fencing surrounds all of the pastures, and we were told that one guy (from the construction crew) sanded and painted each one by hand. After that, I’m assuming that he developed a severe case of carpal tunnel and was never to be heard from again. But no, he just went back to construction. The Max Ranch allows us to look at what will be offered in this year’s sale, as well as bulls for private treaty. It was good for me they had them separated, Both groups were remarkably well uniformed. This also shows us that they live up to what Wilkes had mentioned in his sale catalog: “We pride ourselves in raising two-year-old bulls that, I believe, can stand up against anyone in the country.” Last year's sales saw 97 registered bulls that averaged over $7,000. Chris says they expect 120 registered bulls this coming November and will have sons from GB Fireball 672, S Architect 9501, Baldridge Goalkeeper G01, GAR Dual Threat, Quantum, and Kansas.

The growth continues in construction at the ranches as well. There’s an 1800s-era two-story house that was recently purchased and moved nearby, and we’re told it has some history with George Washington. Not sure what the plan is with that, but it is certainly an exemplary piece from that era that attracts contemplation in this landscape. Hopefully, that’s an omen for the Iconic sons to stand out as well. Work has also started on building a rodeo arena, which Wilkes was hoping to have ready for the sale in November. There’s also a beef store named "Bar 47" in the same building as the construction business, selling directly to consumers or via their website.

Mead Cattle Enterprises – Midville, GA

www.MeadCattle.com

Featured on the front cover of this issue

“Ya gotta believe”

We made an additional stop today following Gary Hedrick's (White Hawk Ranch) recommendation. Tommy Mead was highly recommended as another place to visit, and it worked out as we were due to drive right by him anyway. There are a lot of rural areas in Georgia, and as we approached Mead Cattle, I remarked to Derek that we were finally on a dirt road for the first time this entire trip. That would also hold true for the remainder, as everyone was on pavement. Tommy’s driveway is completely tree-lined, which provides a perfect canopy as we approach the ranch. A very small house doubles as a focal point and a storage shed. The small house “is the center for everything around here, and my daddy turned it into a storage shed for every kind of bolt,” Tommy tells us.

Tommy’s family raised commercial Hereford herds, so when 4-H required papers, that was pretty much the beginning of the registered business and the start of Mead Cattle Co. “A 4-H project that got out of hand,” Tommy says. He finished his first show in 1977 dead last and was determined to make this work. “It was never easy,” Tommy says. “When Dad and I owned some cows together, he kept a little book, and I had to pay him back for my half. He didn’t buy our first vehicle for me or my sisters. You got a job, and you paid your own way.” Tommy spent his younger years working for others, getting sale cattle ready, clipping bulls, working some rings, and making a lot of contacts that paid off over time. He recalls sitting down with a sales manager one evening. That manager said to Tommy, “There’s no way to make a living in the purebred cattle business. It’s just for those who already have money”. Later in life, that man

worked for Tommy for quite a while. Most importantly, during that time of working odd jobs for others to get by, he developed relationships with his clients, who would return later as customers.

We spent an hour or two driving around pastures and looking over his herd. It’s easy to see by looking over the mix of Herefords, Red Angus, and composites why he has such a strong reputation for having good cow families with problem-free bulls. He had been contemplating getting some (Red Angus), and his wife, Valerie, had as well. The opportunity came in 2017 to buy a small herd from someone he used to work their sale for years prior. He was dispersing and moving into assisted living, so some were timing and helpful. He explains, “We’re not trying to be the highest marbling, grow the biggest, or win the show. We’re just trying to do a lot of it really good.” This is Tommy’s sole source of income, so he pays close attention to every animal and detail. He’s confident that any animal will also do good for his customers. “I've got skin in the game,” Tommy says, “Makes it real for me because I sell that bull, and #1, he has to be efficient and work. Because if he doesn’t, we’re both out.” He continues, “It’s very seldom that someone comes and looks and doesn’t make a purchase once they see what I’ve got.” But, having a great bull or a great female is only the half of it. This is not just a cow business; it’s people. You can have a great cow, but if the buyer doesn’t like you, they will go somewhere else. I’ve never met a better group of people (as a whole) than cattle people. He prices his private treaty with one price, “so when the customer comes, they only have to decide which one.” He goes on to tell us, “This is what I love to do; I don’t leave the house.” He also tells us, “That’s a bit of a shortfall because I don’t have anybody to leave. I can’t leave this place very long.”

Tommy continues telling us about his family. His daughter and her family are due here this weekend, along with his grandson. “They stay at my mom’s place,” he says, “otherwise, it’s vacant.” (Referring to the house next to the “storage shed”.) Sadly, Tommy lost his mom in October of '20 and his wife Valerie suddenly, only two months later. I can tell that’s tough for him to talk about, but he goes on. “Valerie and I were partners, 100%; we woke together, worked all day together, and went to sleep together. She had an impact on this business; she was that people person.” Again, the people in this business are just amazing, and Tommy continued. “When she passed, some of my fellow board members and people all over the country had gotten to know her. Immediately, they set aside some money and started a scholarship for her, and they included my mother, too.” There is a Mead Family Memorial Scholarship for the Hereford Youth Foundation of America (HYFA).

Now in his 50’s, Tommy has some help from close neighbors who work for him: 1 part-time and one full-time. He’s also got 3 sisters, and being the youngest and the only boy, he was the only one who showed interest in the operation when they were younger. But they all love coming back “home” and helping out where they can. His daughter, Tommie, “Steps right in and helps too when she’s back here. She doesn’t miss a step.” Tommy and his grandson are looking forward to their visit.

“Ya gotta believe” – (it’s on the website).

When Tommy started showing in 4-H and came in last, his dad built him a showbox. “The thing has to weigh 500 pounds. It’s overkill, but that’s the way he was. It’s got these big iron wheels on it, and you can hear them coming when we go down the alleyways. I hand painted it, stencils, or something – MEAD Polled Herefords – Midville, GA - Ya gotta believe.” You gotta

believe in God, Ya gotta believe in yourself, and what you can do, Ya gotta believe in your family.” So, “Ya. Gotta believe” just stuck since 1978. It’s on his caps, his koozies; Tommie even has a tattoo. So it’s definitely sticking around. When Tommie herself started showing, she used that same showbox. Tommy described it as a Tank. He wasn’t a fan of it, “but she believes too,” he says. We believe in what we’re doing.

Tommy prides himself on representing the cattle the way they are. Some customers will have him pick out a bull and send it to them, and they have a lot of confidence in him that the cattle will be right and he’ll be fair with the transition. “When that bull goes out of here, he’s going to last a long time for that customer.” He says. “We’ve kinda built this foundation based on good functional cattle. Good utter, good feet, good attitude. The cattle do what we represent them to do, and they’re not inflated prices.”

Mead Cattle's annual sale, hosted along with White Hawk Ranch, is Memorial Day, May 27th. Check out their Ad on the back cover.

Rain overnight and a very good thunderstorm in the morning awoke both of us so it was going to be a soggy day. I had Derek check the circle G website and gather a little more information before we arrived. Started in 1970 by Jim & Gail Gresham, the first sale in 1979 was the “Western Canadian Progress sale.” In 1980, they began using an ET program. They moved to Adel, GA, in 2002 after purchasing Live Oak Plantation, which was used as a hunting preserve with a lodge, conference center, golf course, plus endless hunting and fishing opportunities. New pastures were carved out of the plantation pines...“Wait,” I said – “Did you say golf course?” 15 miles of fencing, a brand-new office, and a cattle facility were built from the ground up. In 2004, they held their first sale at their new facility. They had a registered herd dispersal in 2007. Derek replied, “Yeah, it looks like they have a golf course.” By then, I had forgotten anything he said before and after the golf course. Jim retired from insurance in 2015 and desired to rebuild a registered Angus herd with the goal of hav-

ing another production sale in 2020. So I borrowed this from their website because...well, GOLF...

Their primary goal at Circle G is to produce functional, correct cattle in phenotype and breed character, structurally sound and fertile. They're always trying to create the next genetic piece that has a lasting influence on the Angus breed. They consider themselves progressive breeders and are always looking to adopt new technology or management practices that help them be better stewards of the land and increase their operating efficiencies.

Arriving at the cattle offices for Circle G, Jason Johns, General Manager, is there to welcome us. Their annual female sale is next week, and they are fully preparing for that, but he assures us he has time to show us around. Jason woke up with the thunderstorm this morning and was quite worried about a cow. So, at 3 am, he got up and out and searched. “Those pines are big lightning rods, so I came out to look for her and got her into the barn.” Jason gives us a quick tour of the office, and secretary Lauryn Crummey and the rest of his team are busy clipping some cattle today for the upcoming sale. “This will be the first year they’re just on video,” Jason tells us. “We’re going to see how that goes and maybe do the bull sale the same way.” His wife Sandy also works with him; she and Jason have been here for almost 2 years. He also mentions that it’s bird hunting season until the end of the month, and they have bird dogs and also “stopped the snakes.” We asked if they had trouble with snakes. Jason says, “Yeah, we’ve lost some cattle to them. Not so much rattlesnakes, but the moccasins.”

Before I left, I had clicked on one of those internet clickbait things—the deadliest animal in each state. In GA, snakes are scary. Derek, Jason, and I hop into one

of their side-by-sides to go out and visit some pastures. “Sorry it’s so wet,” Jason says, “we got 2 inches from 1 to 7 this morning. It’s sandy soil so that we can dry out quickly. But in this part of Georgia, we’re always two weeks away from a flood or a drought.

The mosquitos are the worst.” Mosquitos? They’re no big deal since I’m more concerned with snakes now.

“This is our 53rd year in the Angus business.”

Jason tells us, “Mr. Jim loves Angus cattle, and he has been very instrumental in the Angus business.” He believes 95% of their customers are commercial producers, and they get a lot of customers who sell freezer beef. “So, we’ve done some investing in genetics. The carcass weight is huge right now. The marbling, the tenderness, all these guys are looking at the EPDs now. They’re not just going out and looking at a bull. They use some tools in the toolbox to evaluate the whole animal.” Jason says they are not chasing EPDs and are focused on their customers and the whole animal. “We look at calving ease, weaning weights, yearling weights, marbling, and carcass weights. We

do the HD50K, genomic enhanced test, and we also do the actuals on our bulls.”

Jason & Sandy reside here at the ranch, as does Eric Riley, who manages the lodge side of the things (Live Oak Plantation), the fishing and the hunting, and the golf course. Jim and his wife, Gail, also live on-site, and there are some shared employees between the Plantation and Circle G sides. They bring in some extra help during sale time, and the Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College (ABAC) is less than half an hour away, where they get some interns too. But, as for the dayto-day stuff, it’s pretty much just Jason, Sandy, Melvin Hines, and John Reed. Sandy worked as a vet tech for 25 years before they started here, and she really loves the cows. Jason feels that the women they've had working for them, including his wife, definitely pay more attention to detail than the guys. “So, when they tell you Hey cow so and so, I think you need to take a look at her; I think something is going on; you better go take a look,” he says. Catching those cows in the early stage of being sick is a big part of what they do, saving them. “We don’t just throw drugs at them,” Jason tells us, “A few weeks ago, we had some good rain, and she got a calf alert. She’s got the dog and the calf in the side by side, with mama trailing behind. We put that calf in the ring with a heat lamp on her, and in two hours, that calf was up and nursing. We didn’t have to do anything other some TLC.”

We moved from one set in one pasture to the next. The whole facility is set up so that two people can do anything they need to move their cattle from one pasture into the working facilities by a series of gates. They try to keep everything as low-stress as possible for the cattle and themselves. Continuing our tour, we noticed that there are plenty of wetlands on the ranch and much more to see. When they purchased this plantation, there was a sand pit here that they had used in the building of the I75. Now it’s a lake fully stocked with bass, as well as a few other lakes and ponds around here too. Jason is also quite knowledgeable

SET.

IT TAKES A TOUGH BALER TO HANDLE THE ADDED TONNAGE OF

Vermeer 504 and 604 Pro Generation 3 balers are built from the ground up in Pella, Iowa, to bale wet, heavy crops

the versatility to also bale dry hay. A heavy frame, large bearings, heavy-duty chains and poly pickup bands

the swift cutting action comes from the 17-knife chopping system. Add the simplicity of a new netwrap

the rear of the machine, and it’s how operators win the day when wanting to make high-quality hay.

about that side of the ranch and adds: “Bassmaster’s shot here, and Pond Wars shot a couple of episodes as well. There are a lot of 3 pounders, a lot of 6-8 pounders too. Mrs. Gail (Jim’s wife) caught the largest bass out of that pond at just under 14 pounds.” Jim (Gresham) is out fishing right now with a buddy on one of the lakes and had just texted Jason – caught 60 already! So they also have that friendship about them; it’s not just all business.

Live Oak Plantation, again managed by Eric Riley, hosts 3,000 acres of managed wildlife with resort-style accommodations. The total acreage, including cattle, is Ten “trophy-managed lakes ranging from 1 to 100 acres, which can be a fisherman's dream. If Quail or Pheasant hunting is more your thing, there is ample opportunity. Jason even told a story about a hunter who asked to help with the cows. “I paid to hunt birds, but I’d rather help you move cattle if that’s alright?” and they did. There’s a six-bedroom lodge that can accommodate up to 16 guests, a cabin that can sleep 8, and the Lakeside Grove, which will also sleep 16. There’s also a conference center for business meetings. Plus, the golf course, open to the public, has 3 holes, with three different tee boxes for each. Since this was a golf trip for me, I had to play it so that’s exactly what I did as Derek shot more pictures around the ranch. There can’t be too many ranches with their own golf course, and Derek found a few more via google as we were driving today. So, it seems I have a new quest...

The whole place is so accommodating to guests, and to us, it was hard to leave. Southern Hospitality, for sure! Jason assures us, it’s not just us either. “We’re an open door. I want people to be interested in agriculture. I want people to come look at cows. I want people to see my passion and see the beef industry and the cattle industry. I really love seeing kids interested in it because there are not many of them anymore.”

Their sale in April averaged just over $8,700 on 106 lots. There was a hiccup with the video system as the computer crashed, so they missed out on a couple of lots, but that didn’t stop the bidding. Jason really likes

the video format, since it kept all the calves safe, and although he admits that might have hurt their average a little, the video format is something they'll probably continue next year at least for the females again. “It’ll take some time for guys to get used to it” he says, “but it'll eventually become the norm around here.” The goal was selling cows, especcially since they recently lost some leased ground, so they were over capacity for a short time. It was a record-setting attendance for them this year, and Jason said, “We had guys in there all day long bidding right up until the last cow.”

*Be sure to check out the Circle G bull sale as well on the second Thursday in November.

Alachua, FL

www.RedAmericanCattle.com

"America is the best country; I love it, and I feel American."

"The Time Whisperer"

visit is the opposite, but they’re also Venezuelan. Amelia Carreno, and her brother Sergio operate Red American Cattle, one of R.A. Brown’s co-operators.

We made our way from Circle G and drove in more rain all the way to the Florida line. Miraculously, the Sunshine State lived up to its motto within a mile or two of the borders after finding a motel for the night. Derek noticed a misspelling on a metal sign outside my door – use deisgnated pet area. Everyone makes mistakes, but it was odd that no one caught that, including the manufacturer of several metal signs. Things like that seem to be a little more common in this state, just google Florida Man for more explanation. The next morning our stop at Red American Cattle needed some extra time to wrap things up before we arrived, so we took the opportunity to visit a nearby state park. One of the big highlights there was a suspension bridge, that was now closed due to a tree falling on it and doing some damage in a past storm. Welcome to Florida, again. Thankfully, our morning

Amelia had graduated from the University of Venezuela as a veterinarian and had a Masters in reproduction. Sergio is an engineer in animal science and agronomist. The government exploited her ranch, which had been established by her great-grandfather and had been in her family for over 200 years. In Venezuela, they had dual-purpose cows, crossing Holsteins with Brahman. They had built up a sizeable herd and had daily help covering their 50,000-acre ranch. Then, in 2004, when the government took over, Amelia and her daughter and mother came to America and had to start over completely. She worked for a cleaning company in Miami for 2 years, cleaning office buildings as income for the three of them. “It was very hard work,” Amelia says. She speaks great English, although not perfectly, but better than she gives herself credit for. From Miami, she went to Texas and worked with horses. Her husband was a horse trainer, and they worked there. Then, she had an offer to handle a ranch here in Florida. At this point, Amelia brought her brother, Sergio, in on an Extraordinary Ability work visa (which she has herself too), took her family back to Florida, and worked in the heifer program. Amelia and Sergio have been working together since they were children, and she describes their relationship as follows: “He was my right hand, and I was his.” She would score the heifers, choose them, and pick the best one that would fit their program. They synchronized, got them bred, and sold them as replacement heifers. In 2015, the heifer prices dropped dramatically, so the owners decided they were not happy and would close. In a stroke of luck, Amelia and Sergio were visited by their cousin, who had been looking to buy a

DICOUNT CODE: 20off

farm. Having owned a successful construction company in south Florida, that cousin bought the farm in Alachua, where we are today. The former dairy farm had remained vacant for 17 years. “There was nothing here,” they tell us, “No fencing, no pasture, nothing.” Considering how much fence I’ve seen already, that’s quite impressive. Sergio immediately saw its potential and went to work clearing the land for pastures. He relates the story of a local farmer who used to rent some of the land where they are. Watching him work, jumping from tractor to D6 and back all day long, “and in the morning, 5 am, I‘m still there,” Sergio says. I’m not doubting that story at all. I imagine there were quite a few days when he went from tractor to bulldozer for more than 24 hours.

The timing of the purchase of the farmland and the closing of the heifer outfit she had been working for also played in their favor. They could purchase 400 head at the time of closing and start their own program. They started brainstorming about what they were going to do. Amelia already knew the protocols of AI, and she did her first embryo transfer in 1989. “We need to start with Red Angus,” she told Sergio and her cousin. “It’s not easy, it’s a lot of work. It’s more work than you can imagine; let’s do embryos instead of buying,” she told

them. They did a lot of research for Red Angus donors throughout the country, which led them to Red Hill, R.A. Brown, Ludvigson, and Beckton. Beckton also had the semen she needed in Nebula 707 to complete the genetics she sought. “Everyone was so helpful,” Amelia tells us, “Sarah Jones from Red Hill and Kelly Brown from R.A. Brown. Many of our genetics come from Red Hill and R.A. Brown; they raise very good mama cows with excellent maternal traits.” Amelia also praised the Red Angus Association: “The genetic program of the RA is one of the best; they’re amazing, and it’s like a family association.”

Ameilia spends most of her time in the working facility in the AI room. She says, “We bought most of our donors from the R.A. Brown sale 4 years ago. We saw the opportunity to become co-operators, and they let us into the group 3 years ago.” Above her desk is an Excel spreadsheet that shows all of her cows. “It’s a system that Donald Brown taught us,” she says, with all of

her cows listed, plus the embryos and the semen that they use all in one evaluation. Everything is color-coded, enabling her to match donors and recipients better. They try to do AI at nighttime when it’s quiet. They pay close attention to the cow at night to see when it’s cutting the heat and when it is the opportune time to put in the semen. Again, it’s all about timing, so they also tend to sleep in the small office those nights. Back outside, once the cow leaves the squeeze chute, there are 5 sorting pens, which lead back to the main alleyway, allowing worked cattle to be sent to any of the seven “social areas.” They separate the first calf heifers and put them in a different group. “We give them more protein, more quality feed so they can raise the calf and be bred again. We’re having a very good result doing that,” she says.

They did a lot of rotational grazing in Venezuela, and when they came to Florida, their neighbors said, “No, we don’t do that here; nobody uses that system.”

Amelia replies, “We need to do it.” Considering they manage 900 head and 700 acres; more people should be paying attention. “We got very good grass here,” Sergio tells us, “We put some money in good grass seed. The Bermuda Jiggs was the best and the one we had better results on; it’s a really nice pasture. Sergio says, “Because it gives us until the end of October, and it’s still green. Once the land was cleared and the grass was planted, Sergio started describing their “social areas” and pastures. “So in these 60 acres, we put a social area in the middle where the cattle will be in summertime during the day, and we have minerals and water in that social area. Around that are 8 pastures (approximately 8 acres each), and we have 2-3 days occupancy in each pasture. So, by the time we return to pasture 1, it has rested for 20-something days. So, we can handle 100 cows in 60 acres.” Amelia

is BIG on timing; “There is a time for everything,” she told me, and the grass is no different. “Because they eat from 4:00 pm until 9:00 am. Then, the cows will go to the social area with natural shade, minerals, and water, letting the pasture use the sunlight to recover and grow from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. She says this gives the grass time to rest and be rejuvenated by the sun, rain, and air. Growing at the right time, without the cows chewing on it. In the wintertime (November - March), they plant with oat because they have found that is better, and it’s not competing with the grass that will emerge in April. She speaks with respect not only to the cattle, but also the grass, the soil, the sun, everything in one harmony, and she seems very in sync with all of it. Everything revolves around these social areas, and they are all connected via the main alleyway that runs from one end of the ranch to the other. Seven social areas and an eighth in preparation, each with 6-8 pastures of about 8 acres. Every social area can be reached directly from their working facility through a simple system of gates, and they can send cattle from that working facility into any of the eight social areas with minimal stress and effort.

“The Cattle business is not a business; it’s a way of life,” their grandfather told them. “If you want to make money, go and do it. But if you want to make a life and

raise your kid in a safe, good, natural environment, stay in cattle. Amelia and Sergio have built a life, and they’ve done that twice now. When they came here for the first time, the government gave them an extraordinary ability visa, which they must continually renew. “We’ve been here working, paying taxes, doing everything correctly,” she says. “Helping in this field is not popular because you have to work 24/7. And when you get the return, it’s not the return you wish, but it’s something from the heart.” She says. “This is the best country in the world. I Love it, I feel American.” She and Sergio continue to build on the life they wish, doing what they love. I was amazed by their extraordinary abilities and what they do with so little. During our “social area” visits, they, too, have a nice social area for themselves. Sergio took the solid separator that was here when they bought the place and converted it into a pool. Then, they built a nice deck area for them to get out of the sun, as well as one of the best cooking grills with only the use of cinder blocks and a grate. It’s a nice place to relax and get back in sync with time at the end of the workday or workweek. Again, this is something Amelia seems to be very good at.

Down The Road….

We had one more stop scheduled, well, kind of. We had arranged to meet up with the herdsman, which we did, and unfortunately, he had to run as we were held up in traffic getting there. I believe we were over an hour late. So, we’ll save that one for a time when we can do it properly. This was an outstanding trip to say the least. Inspiration throughout: Deppe’s

journeys to Midland and his ability to create an outstanding Angus herd despite not having the land to do it should inspire anyone. Two insurance representatives are enjoying their “retirement” at an early age. White Hawk Ranches journey back into the Hereford business. Barnett’s incredible story of rebuilding their herd. Tommy Mead’s 4-H program has carved out a life and a living. Jason & Sandy’s commitment goes above and beyond. I think it's something they shared with Chris & CJ back at Barnett’s. The same level of commitment to treat someone else’s place as your own. These trips are all about building relationships and telling stories. “The relationships I’ve built in this industry, people are in the cow business, are good people, they’ll do anything to help ya.”-Jason Johns. His comment about women being “a little more detail-oriented” leads me back to no such thing as coincidence. Amelia’s “little more attention to detail” is an understatement. I started referring to her as the grass whisperer. But as I continued to write, she’s more of a time whisperer (in my head anyway.) A few days of golf, then two days drive home, leading to two weeks of a cold, a.k.a. “Covid 24” (as my cousin pointed out, IT IS an election year). I’m already looking forward to our next outing. I’ve been feeling a pull of some sort since early February, probably, but that has only been getting more intense as time goes on. I reached a point of no return in March. So sometime this summer, we’ll see some of you in Kansas….

Reduce costly stress on cattle

Saves pressure on fences

g f l i e s , h e ' s

r e t a i n i n g t h a t w e i g h t t o g o t o m a r k e t w i t h .

T h a t ' s a l l y o u ' v e g o t t o s e l l i s w e i g h t o f t h e

c o w . "

M i k e N e s m i t h - E l k C i t y , O k l a h o m a

Dixie