Producers from the Ozarks honored: Cattle producers from the Ozarks were among the award winners at the annual Missouri Cattle Industry Convention and Trade Show, held Jan. 6-8 at the Margaritaville Lake Resort Lake of the Ozarks. Top Recruiter honors went to Ronald Rogers from Anderson. The county affiliate with most new members was the Polk County Cattlemen’s Association. Polk County was also named Outstanding County Affiliate for increasing the involvement of its members at the county and state levels. The St. Clair County Cattlemen’s Association was recognized as the runner up, and the Southwest Missouri Cattlemen’s Association received the Outstanding Affiliate for Activity/ Event. The Outstanding Affiliate Policy Involvement award went to the Newton and McDonald Cattlemen’s Association. Jim McCann of Miller, was presented with the Pioneer Award. The CattleWoman of the Year award was presented to Scynthia Schnake from Stotts City. Junior cattle exhibitors honored at the convention include top heifer exhibitors Lawson Nieder of Amoret and Ryleigh Morris of Ash Grove. Breed winners in the heifer division include Charolais Composite – Lawson Nieder, Amoret; Limousin – Ryleigh Morris, Ash Grove. Overall Market Animal winners (by breed) were Maine Anjou – Lawson Nieder, Amoret; Red Angus – Brett Sartin, Strafford; Salers – Mattie Mckee, Thayer; and Shorthorn – Brendan Krumme, Neosho. Missouri Cattlemen’s Foundation $1,000 scholarship winners were Marenna Pomeroy, Ryleigh Morris and Madeline Payne of Polk County; Mason Forkner of Vernon County; and Charley Fanning, Barton County. First-runner up in the Missouri Beef Queen competition was Macy Stauffer, representing Vernon County Cattlemen’s. Maggie Stark, representing the Adrian FFA chapter, was named the winner of the 2023 Missouri Cattle Industry FFA Public Speaking Contest. Matthew Lakey, Ava FFA, placed third. Region 6 will be represented by Warren Love of St. Clair County, and Josh Worthington of Dade County will represent Region 7 on the state board. Ted Sheppard of Texas County was selected as the Dairy Industry Council Representative.
Ozarks farm places in yield contest: 2K Farms LLC in Lamar, Mo., placed second in state in the irrigated division of the Missouri Soybean Association Yield Contest. 2K Farms averaged a 104.5 bushel yield.
Extension receives funding: The U.S. Department of Agriculture has awarded a $25 million grant to the University of Missouri-Columbia’s Center for Regenerative Agriculture. It is the largest federal grant in the university’s history focused on helping farmers implement climate-smart practices. The center intends to reach 3,000 farmers and affect 500,000 acres of land across Missouri in the next five years. Farmers will receive a financial incentive for implementing practices like cover crops, agroforestry and grazing. For more information, go to cra.missouri.edu.
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PO Box 1319, Lebanon, MO 65536
Throughout all of my years as a student, I’ve always found it essential to understand why I needed to learn the subject matter. If teachers could explain why it was important for me to learn what they were teaching, and how it was going to help my future, I could usually pay attention and absorb the material easily. If not, I was likely to be daydreaming.
Luckily, just about all of my teachers in my small, rural community, did a little farming on the side, and appreciated that almost everything I understood – and wanted to understand – related to agriculture. If they could tap into that, they had me.
Jerry Crownover farms in Lawrence County. He is a former professor of Agriculture Education at Missouri State University, and is an author and professional speaker.
To contact Jerry, go to ozarksfn.com and click on ‘Contact Us.’
During my elementary years, I enjoyed the subject of arithmetic. Figuring up how much a calf was worth, based on the price per pound, was a challenge I gladly accepted. I could readily see the importance of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division (even long division), in what I had already decided would be my career. Unfortunately, high school rolled around and my previous success in arithmetic led me to be placed in something called algebra. X, Y and Z instead of numbers made no sense to me, nor could I see how it would ever benefit my success as a farmer.
Mr. Bruffett was my algebra teacher and an ace educator. After only a couple of weeks, he could sense that I was not only struggling with the subject matter, but that I had absolutely zero interest. Mr. Bruffett finally asked me to stay after class.
“How are your calves doing this fall?”
Happy to talk about anything besides algebra, I replied that they were growing pretty good, but that I was thinking about increasing the protein of their ration to try and
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Josh, LeAnna, Lauren and Paden Gilbert are working to improve their family herd through genetic advancements. See more on page 8.
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treatments. Some antiparasiticides, injectable and oral nutritional supplements, oral pro/prebiotics and topical non-antibiotic treatments will not be affected and will remain available OTC.
The other day, I told someone I have a bottle of pen G at home in the fridge with maybe 5 ml pulled from it, and I would be offering it to the highest bidder in June. It may have been a joke, but the pending regulation change is no laughing matter. Why more regulations on antibiotic use in livestock? Because of supposed “superbugs” that are resistant to antibiotics. I’m skeptical of the claim that these “bugs” have taken over, at least in part, because of antibiotic use in food animals.
Humans and their pets in the U.S., according to an article in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, use at least 10 times more antibiotics a year than what is used for food-producing animals when adjusted for the weight of people and their pets versus the weight of animals used for food production. The study went on to state human and pet use of antibiotics is a more likely source of antibiotic resistance, not meat consumption.
That bottle of pen G I have – I bought it to treat a sick cat. I couldn’t get her into a vet, so it was the only thing I could do to help her quickly.
It’s inhumane to allow animals, be it an old barn cat or an animal meant for human consumption, to suffer if they con-
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get them to gain a little faster. He inquired about what ingredients I was using in my feed, and I informed him that corn and cottonseed meal were the two main ones.
“You know,” he began, “you could let X equal the protein content of corn, and Y be the same for the cottonseed meal, and solve for Z as the percent protein of the total ration; that way, you could play around with it, and find out which ratio works best, and at the cheapest price.”
Son-of-a-gun!
tract a disease that can be treated or even prevented with antibiotics.
Only a very, very small number of animals tested at harvest are found to have antibiotic residue. Carcasses testing positive for antibiotic residue are discarded and do not fall into the food chain. If a livestock owner has more than one antibiotic residue violation in a 12-month period, they are subject to being placed on a public “Violator List.” That can mean those owners might not be able to find a place to process their animals.
Producers who market their animal products as all-natural and antibiotic free will pull an animal from their meat program and treat it if it falls ill. They might retain it for their family’s consumption, sell it at a local sale barn, or if they do sell it for meat, they disclose the animal was treated with an antibiotic but was not processed until the withdrawal time passed. They understand the need to treat an ill animal.
If you don’t have a VCPR, it’s time to get one established with a veterinarian.
Having a relationship with your veterinarian is key to keeping your livestock healthy, and every livestock producer should have a vet they can contact when needed.
If you wait to establish a VCPR, don’t expect to get any antibiotics after June 11 without one. Getting it now and establishing that relationship can genuinely mean the difference between life or death.
A couple of years later, my agriculture teacher was looking over my shoulder, as I made out my schedule for the following year. “You’re going to need to take typing if you’re planning on going to college.”
I jokingly replied that only prospective secretaries needed to take typing (this was about 30 years before computers) and I was going to study agriculture.
“Enroll in the typing course.”
I did. It turned out to be one of the most valuable courses I have ever taken. I don’t like to brag, but at 65 words per minute, with no mistakes, I would have been an exceptional secretary.
Scynthia Schnake and her family have a tradition of raising cattle, at their Schnake Ranch in Stotts City, Mo.
The Schnake family operates a 100-head cow/calf operation and run stocker cattle in the spring and fall. They also raise ranch horses. The horses, Scynthia said with a laugh, aren’t her area of expertise, but she does get to feed them.
In 2008, she and her husband Dustin became active in their local Missouri Cattleman’s Association affiliate, the Southwest Cattlemen’s Association. Dustin went on to become the Region 7 vice president of the MCA, and Scynthia traveled with him to various events. It was during that time when Scynthia realized she too could become an advocate for the beef industry.
“The more and more people I got to know, the more I wanted to be involved,” she said. “The cattle business is challenging, but I love caring for them and find satisfaction in knowing we raise a good product for our consumers. The first time I got interested in being involved is the first time I went to the capital in Jefferson City with Cowboys on the Capital. The realization set in that politicians are making decisions for my live-
lihood. I thought, if we don’t have a voice there, we’re going to lose that livelihood because the people who want to do away with animal agriculture pull every punch they can to try to shut us down. It was really an eye-opening experience for me.”
Scynthia served on the Southwest Cattlemen’s board for five years and held the office as president for the last two years. During her term on the local board, Scynthia was nominated to a three-year term on Missouri Beef Industry Council Board, serving as secretary for a year.
“I feel like we really need the Missouri Beef Industry Council because we have to promote our products and educate people on the healthy part of beef. Kids are getting so far removed from the farm that if we don’t educate them, they might not realize how important the nutrition in beef is. I think we need to tell our story, and if people respect you, they’re going to ask, and if they talk to someone who lives in the industry every day, they are going to believe what we tell them.
Missouri Cattlemen’s Association Convention earlier this month.
“I was not expecting it,” Scynthia said. Scynthia had presented fellow Southwest Missouri Cattlemen’s Association member Jim McCann of Miller, Mo., with the MCA’s Pioneer Award, and was on her way to take pictures with Jim when she was beckoned back to the stage.
“It took a while for it all to sink in,” Scynthia said. “I felt really honored. Cattlewomen are so vital to our farms and ranches, and they wear so many different hats. There are so many deserving women, so to be picked by your peers for an award like this is really humbling; it’s quite an honor. I was very surprised.”
volved in the industry, who is going to do it?” Scynthia said. “Young people face such a challenge of even being able to get into the cattle business with prices the way they are. We need to get them into leadership roles and have a say in what their future can be; that’s really important.”
On the Southwest Missouri Cattlemen’s Association board, Scynthia said the new president is a younger producer, as are several of the board members. She hopes the young producers will draw from the experience of the previous generation to promote beef cattle production, and that the older folks can learn from the young leadership.
Stotts City, Mo.
For her work in the promotion of the beef industry at both the local and state levels, Scynthia was presented with the 2023 Missouri CattleWomen’s Association’s CattleWoman of the Year Award at the annual
Dustin and Scynthia’s son Blane and his wife Brook and daughter Blakely, are a part of the Schnake Ranch. Their daughter Samantha Mueller and her husband Jack live in Throckmorton, Texas, and are expecting the first child. The Schnakeses raised their children on the ranch and her mission to advocate for that way of life for future generations will continue, even though her terms on her local board and the Missouri Beef Industry Council have drawn to a close. She wants to encourage young people to become involved in organizations like the MCA to preserve the farming and ranching way of life.
“If we don’t get some young people in-
“I’ll be turning 50 this year, and I feel like I was in that middle range between the younger producers and some of the older ones,” Scynthia said. “I feel like I’ve been able to communicate with both well and maybe get some younger producers on board. I think that’s been my biggest accomplishment during my involvement; getting people in the right places.”
Things might be slowing down for Scynthia with her association involvement, but her passion for her family’s ranch continues.
“We want to make some improvements; we have lots of work to do,” she said. “I’m really looking forward to that.”
Raising cattle is nothing new for Josh and LeAnna Gilbert.
LeAnna grew up on a dairy farm and Josh’s family has a tradition of Brahman and Brangus. There was a time, however, when no cattle roamed the Gilbert family-owned farm in Christian County, Mo.
“In 2001, we sold all of our commercial cows to travel and work out of state,” Josh recalled. “We didn’t have anyone here to take care of them, so we sold what we had. We didn’t start buying cattle back until 2004 or 2005.”
When they restarted their cattle operation, the Gilberts went back to the kind of cattle they knew.
“I’ve always liked cattle with a little ear,” Josh said. “Those Brangus-based cross cattle were a popular thing to run down here because they do well here. We’ve even had some purebred Brahman.”
The Gilbert family, which also includes daughter Lauren and son Paden, began to change their breed and breeding program in 2010 with the introduction of Angus genetics. The first registered Angus females were purchased the following year.
“At first, the idea was to cross the Angus bulls onto the Brangus-cross cows,” Josh recalled. “The guy who we bought our bulls from is where we bought our first set of heifers. In 2012, we bought another set.”
The Gilberts admit the Angus breed was a “little different” than their Brangus-cross cattle, but they liked what they saw.
“It’s rough around here; it’s hilly and steep,” Josh said. “We had always gone with the commercial Brangus-cross cattle because they did well here. The Angus did just as well.”
The quality of the calves and the docile temperament of the breed, LeAnna said, prompted them to look closer at Angus.
“The Brangus are flightier, faster, and a more nervous kind of animal,” Josh added. “They are good mothers and milk well and don’t need that much feed. With the Angus, they have a lot of the same characteristics; they are good mothers, they milk well, and the Angus calves at weaning were performing right there with our crossbred calves.”
Today, the Gilbert Cattle Company herd is predominantly registered Angus, built on a foundation of specific genetics.
“We got serious about our Angus cows,” Josh said. “We started AI’ing our cows, and AI’d that first registered set, kept the daughter, and AI’d the daughters. The herd started growing, then a few years later, we decided to take it to the next level and introduce embryo transfer.”
To take that next step, Josh said they needed a set of cows that was “special.”
“We figured out what was working here, so we found cows that would handle the hills, wean big calves and raise awesome daughters,” he explained.
With the inclusion of ET, the Gilberts have quickly expanded their herd
“We put embryos into really, really good cows,” Josh said. “We have about seven or eight main cows that we’re flushing, and we’re keeping every daughter out of them. Your best cows have the best bulls. You have to find cows that do what you want them to do, then flush them.”
“You can see the improvement in the herd from where we started,” LeAnna added. Thanks to the aggressive ET program, the Gilberts are not only using their registered herd as recips, but they also utilize cooperator herds.
Because there are no guarantees an embryo will take, the Gilberts allow two attempts. If there is no resulting pregnancy, females are bred by clean-up bulls, including two sons of the Angus sire Renovation.
“It’s awesome to have the power on the cows, the embryo program, then follow up with powerful clean-up bulls,” Josh said.
To aid in the continued advancement of their herd’s genetic profile, the Gilberts also invest in outside flushes for their breeding program, focusing on the same traits and goals they aim for in their herd.
“We focus on the embryo program because you have to have that in place to get the best you can,” Josh said.
ET and AI are not the only reproduction methods used by the Gilberts. They have also “pushed the needle” with IVF in virgin heifers.
“We know the genetics behind the heifer, and we’re confident she’s going to produce an awesome progeny,” Josh said. “We have recip cows that will have the virgin heifer’s calf before the virgin heifer has her calf.”
Through their selective breeding program, the Gilberts have created the cattle they want — cattle that thrive in the Ozarks.
“We aren’t a huge operator, but we have quality over quantity,” Josh said. “It’s a young herd, and we started with pretty good Angus cows. They were down in Arkansas and came from a landscape that was similar to ours. It’s a little tough in this Oldfield/Chadwick area, and I thought we’d give it a shot. We’ve been able to take it in the direction we wanted to go and put a little more power into those cattle.”
The Gilberts say what sets them apart from some breeders is they do not breed for one trait over another.
Oldfield, Mo.
“We like to keep things down the middle,” Josh said. “There are extreme EPDs, but the main things we like to focus on are weaning weights and efficiency, but you also have to have some frame on your cattle. You see these big spread bulls or bulls that have really high calving easy, then this crazy yearling or weaning weight. He’s in the top 5 percent for height, which is like a 7 frame, and in my opinion, is a big, tall, hard-doing animal that doesn’t work here.
“You have to stay away from extremes. Just because he’s in the top 1
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or 5 percent doesn’t mean it’s a score. We don’t have the feed base in Southwest Missouri those big cattle would require.
“If you breed right down the middle, you’re going to have more consistent calves and get the best replacement heifers possible; it’s been a lot of trial and error. We don’t want the top 1 percent in the breed. We’re going to make cattle the way we want them, and what drives that is what works here. It’s easy to get caught up in extremes, but after you get caught up in them, I think you start seeing the light.”
Animals bred for the terminal market, LeAnna added, do not produce heifers that will perform well as cows, and those producers who focus on EPD extremes can also have issues with conception rates.
In addition to genetics, the Gilberts also closely monitor the growth of bulls, which are sold between 14 and 18 months of age. Bulls are sent to Rolla, Mo., to Networth Feed and Feeding at weaning, where they are developed for a few months without excessive feed before returning to the Gilbert farm. Once the bulls are back in Oldfield, they receive fescue hay and a specialized ration at a rate of about 2 percent of their body weight. As the calf grows, feed is slowly increased.
“We want customers to have confidence that they aren’t going to fall apart. It’s the genetics and getting them ready,” Josh said. “We watch them like a hawk.”
The right bull is only part of the Gilbert breeding program equation. The Gilberts are also selective about the females in their herd and want animals with no calving issues and are good mothers.
“You watch them calve and take care of their calves, and so many little boxes get checked. You know this cow is going to make females you want,” Josh said. “They are also going to make bulls like you want, which will make those heifers you want. For us, what’s done us more good than anything is realizing how important maternal traits are. When we started focusing on maternal, we noticed the cows are better cows, the calves are bigger, they wean bigger and make better cattle.”
Females, like the bulls, are bred to create an overall balanced animal, following those middleof-the-road EPDs. The Gilberts also want their females to be efficient.
“Being efficient, for me, is holding flesh at the end of February when you’re rolling out those last bales that you’ve been avoiding all winter,” Josh said. “An efficient cow breeds back and has a good calf on the ground. Efficient cows just shine and don’t need more than hay and some mineral; it’s a very visual thing and you can see it. That middle-of-the-road genomic profile is going to be the driver. A cow with a moderate frame, just the right amount of milk, and the right amount of carcass traits is a more efficient breeder. We use EPDs as a secondary tool because they have to look right.”
Gilbert Cattle Company has also found success in the show ring, with Lauren and Paden on the halters. Show cattle have slightly different criteria than the main Gilbert herd, but the show ring has provided opportunities to network with other breeders, which opens up additional markets for both show cattle and production animals. “We are serious about our show cattle, just like our performance herd,” Josh said.
While the Gilberts are developing show prospects, it’s not the focus of the operation.
“Show cows are their own entity,” Lauren said.
“That is Lauren and Paden’s baby,” Josh said, adding they have “a lot” of show embryo calves on the way.
“We have too many good females, just to stop,” LeAnna said of the show side. “We need to have either a dispersal sale or raise show females.”
In 2022, Gilbert Cattle Company held its inaugural production sale, offering more than a dozen bulls, as well as a few show animals. Their second sale is slated for next month.
“We’re a little fish, but it’s exciting to have cattle just as good as anyone and we want to promote them,” Josh said. “We’ve sold private treaty for seven or eight years, but we thought it would be a little easier if we focused on getting them ready at once and doing it at one time.”
As the Gilberts advance their Angus operation, they plan to continue to base their herd on maternal traits, grow their production sale, and offer more females.
“We are planning out to 2025,” Josh said. “We have the mating put together and embryos in the tank that far out; we are always planning. There will be a sweet spot; we just have to find it. You have to work hard and keep pushing.”
Barb Turner-Barnes’s final promise to her father Gary Turner, owner of Gary’s Gay Parita Sinclair Station –was to keep his beloved business open after his passing. Gary passed on Jan. 22, 2015, and for eight years, Barb and her husband George have honored Gary’s legacy by becoming the historical ambassadors, guides and caretakers of the iconic landmark property, keeping it open to visitors from around the world.
Located in Paris Springs, Mo., along one of the oldest stretches of Route 66, Gary’s Gay Parita Sinclair Station, is a veritable treasure trove of signage, vintage cars, trucks and old buildings, some restored and in original condition is located 25 miles west of Springfield, Mo. It is a must-
see destination for Mother Road nostalgia buffs.
“My dad called me one day and said ‘Barbie, we’re going to build a gas station and the gas is going to cost 15 cents.’ I said, ‘Whatever, Dad.’ He sure proved many of us wrong. The station was the dream of his lifetime. He never met a stranger. We currently have groups that come through here from all over the world – Germany, France, China the Netherlands, you name it and they’ve been here.”
Like all historic properties, this one has a very long and rich backstory.
The original Gay’s Parita Sinclair Station owner, Fred Mason, got his start in the cattle business, like so many Southwest Missourians. He owned and operated
the Parita Feed and Seed Company from 1890- 1920. By 1923, Fred constructed the Gay Parita Sinclair Station. He named the business after his wife Gay. In Spanish, Parita means equal. The couple ran the business as equals. The Gay Parita consisted of a service station, garage and three guest cabins that were rented out to weary travelers for $1 per night.
“By 1930, the Masons had made enough money to build the stone house behind the gas station,” George said. “That’s where they lived, where Barb’s uncle and aunt, Steve and Leah, lived, her parents, Gary and Lena lived, and Barb and I live today.”
The property has been in Barb’s family for 40 years.
two years until a second fire destroyed all he’d built. He later retired to the couple’s flagstone home on the hill. Fred passed away in 1960.
Fred Mason’s dream would have died with him, if not for a gunslinging visionary with a passion for old cars and memorabilia named Gary Turner.
“Gary basically saved this place,” George said. “He was smart enough to have the foresight and the vision to keep everything together.”
Gary Turner was born on Feb. 3, 1944, in Abesville, Mo. The former gunslinger/train robber at Knott’s Berry Farm Amusement Park in Buena Park., Calif., and long-haul truck driver, retired from
and “friends for life” with many people from around the world.
Gary’s guest book has been signed by travelers from New Zealand, Russia, China, India, Lithuania, Denmark, Italy, France, the U.K., and many more.
“When Gary passed away in 2015, Lena did her best to keep the business going but sadly, she also passed just three months after Gary,” George recalled.
George and Barb arrived from Charleston, S.C., on April 1, 2016, taking over the helm of the business.
“It was like a bomb went off,” George recalled of taking over the new-to-him business.
Barb was busy unpacking 20 years of
bered. “It was really overwhelming. Every year we continue the legacy of my parents. We keep everything going for mom and dad,”Barb said.
The property continues to be a work in progress, one of real historical significance.
No highway truly encapsulated the passionate American spirit of cross-country driving like Route 66. In 1938, it became the first fully paved highway in the country. After World War 2, thousands of Americans were heading west, Route 66 truly became the Mother Road. Fast food was born on this stretch of highway with the first drive-thru opening at Red’s Giant Hamburger in Springfield, Mo.
Palmer Feed & Vet Supplies opened in 1998.
Location: Mack Creek, Mo.
Owner: Jerry Palmer
“I had worked at a hospital for 20 years and quit,” owner Jerry Palmer recalled. “I left to be closer to home to take care of my wife, who was ill. There was a feed business that went out, so I got a hold of those people and bought it. I still needed to work, so I started this from ground zero.”
Jerry said he grew up on a farm and spent many hours at farm and cattle auctions as a boy, and continues to raise livestock himself, so the feed business was a good fit for his new career.
“We ran beef cattle and had a dairy for a while, back when they had milk cans,” he said. “Over the years, I’ve raised hogs and I have cattle now.”
Palmer Feed & Vet Supplies offers Crescent Feeds, as well as ADM products.
“I mainly carry cattle feed, horse feed, hog feed and things like that,” Jerry said. “I have a few sheep and goat customers I take care of as well. I keep SafeGuard and ivermectin dewormers in stock, which are my best selling dewormers.”
At this time, Palmer Feed & Vet Supplies is not offering any vaccines, partly because of changing federal regulations.
All feed is bagged and pick up is available at the 13274 Highway 54 location.
For pets, Palmer Feed & Vet Supplies exclusively offers Diamond dog food.
“It seems to be a pretty good line of dog food and haven’t had any complaints,” Jerry said.
In addition to feed and farm items, Palmer Feed & Vet Supplies is a walnut buyer each fall, offers scales to weigh trucks and trailers, and fills up propane bottles up to 100 pounds.
“Propane has been good,” Jerry said. “You just don’t have refill stations out there. It’s a service to the community. When I had the older store at (Highways) 54 and 73, and older man who had been in the propane business and asked why I didn’t get into selling propane. I said, ‘I don’t know anything about propane.’ He said there wasn’t anything to it. I really didn’t want to mess with it, but it’s turned out good for us.”
Palmer Feed also offers recycling services.
“A guy said, ‘Why don’t you buy aluminum cans?’ So I started doing that and it took off,” Jerry said.
At this time, Jerry plans to continue his business in his small Camden County, Mo., community, but he knows one day he will have to retire.
“I’m 71 years old and one of these days I will have to find someone younger to take it over and do something with it,” Jerry said.
What co-owner/operator Rachael Countryman emphasized about the operation of Cow Kiss Ranch is how they want all of their clients and customers who want good quality meat to know their cattle are raised differently.
She and her partner Daren Pomeroy strive to deliver to customers are beef cattle that have been empathetically raised and well cared for, well fed, and when their time has come, are as dispatched as humanly possible.
patched affects the quality of the meats that are produced.
“All of our cows are free range,” she said.
The Cow Kiss approach to dispatching their animals is to do it on site.
“We don’t trailer our cattle,” Rachael said. “That causes stress, and that stress hormone runs through the meat.”
In their research, added stress negatively affects taste of meat.
The Cow Kiss method is to have the processor come out to the ranch, drive out to the animals in a vehicle with
time and grain finish them. That also enables buyers who can’t afford or perhaps really don’t want to buy a 1,500 pound beef to pick a smaller and therefore more affordable animal.
Cow Kiss also offers a payment program, that spreads the purchase price over time.
Cow Kiss inoculates for blackleg and uses a dewormer, they do not, however, use antibiotics or growth hormones. The necessary topical treatments for lice, worms and flies are applied through a scrubber system that delivers a citronella, cinnamon, garlic and camphor-based mixture.
Rachael said nearly everyone with whom they spoke to as they developed their approach to beef cattle operations emphasized that, generally, cattle that are raised like the ones they produce are “too expensive or you end up having to buy a whole cow or half a cow.”
Through their prior career connections, Rachael and Daren developed a network to “pair up” buyers that provides them the opportunity to split their purchase with others.
Another unique incentive to buy from Cow Kiss Ranch is that they have a “buy back” program. Even after processing, if a client comes to Rachael and Daren to say they can no longer afford or need as much product as they had thought, they will buy the beef back.
Cow Kiss Ranch outside Crane, Mo., operates as the antithesis of a feedlot, which as Rachael noted, is where the majority of consumers’ beef is raised and harvested.
She said traditional feedlot operations are, “mass production, crammed into one area, fed, fed, fed, fed, fed, and not really interacting.”
Rachael noted scientific data supports the principal that how cows are raised and dis-
which they are familiar, and dispatch them there in the field.
Cow Kiss Ranch does not sell processed beef. They sell live cattle.
“The consumer gets to come out and pick their product,” Rachael explained. “If they want to come out and feed it, they can.”
Currently, their business comes to them virtually by word of mouth. Rachael has a real estate business and many of her contacts and associates from that part of her life are purchasers of Cow Kiss cattle. Rachael and Daren use social media accounts to alert their contact lists about animals they will have coming available on average as the cattle approach 12 to 18 months old.
If the customer wants to have special instruction, such as having it grain finished, the operators will pull the chosen animals at the proper — Continued on Next Page
When Cow Kiss began operations, five years ago, Rachael and Daren, both had successful careers. Rachael worked in
Continued from Previous Page
emergency medical services for 12 years, and Daren was installing fiber optic cable for major corporations, and still does. When the couple bought the ranch, it was as a place for their families to gather and thrive in the rural Ozarks atmosphere. They bought their first cattle mostly to help keep the property cleared, but Rachael and Daren soon found out although they did enjoy the cattle operation they did not thrive in the sale barn aspects of cattle ranching. Moreover, the couple figured out that they could profit from doing business differently, and Cow Kiss Ranch evolved.
Rachael said once they changed the process and methods of their operations they discovered the cattle weren’t the only ones under less stress.
“It’s less stressful on us. It’s less stressful on the cows,” and she said, adding they could not only make the same amount of money but also deliver a better product to their community.
The Cow Kiss operators grow their own fescue/orchardgrass hay on a separate 30 acre farm near Marionville, Mo.
In extreme winter weather, cattle are moved to a tree-sheltered valley at the back of their property and given hay and grain twice a day.
“We have very happy cows,” Rachael said with a big grin.
The Cow Kiss Ranch, Rachael said, has already grown exponentially.
Their plans are ultimately to expand their operations closer to the Reeds Spring and Galena area, where Daren grew up.
Their herd is currently mostly comprised of Angus and Herefords that give them the black baldies that dominate their herd. However, the Cow Kiss plans are to not only expand their physical footprint, but they expanded their herd of 40 to 50 momma cows and three bulls with 16 head of Japanese Wagyu females. The cows are expected to begin calving in April.
Seedstock Plus has been the largest, continuous supplier of Balancer & Gelbvieh genetics for 23 years!
North Missouri Bull Sale
Jamie Johansen and her sister Joanna Wiklinson are the owners of Honey Creek Media, a Lebanon-Mo., based marketing company.
After college, Jamie was an agriculture education instructor, but eventually opted to move her career toward a different path.
“My true passion was the communications route,” she said. “After many years of working on the road and working for different clients in the ag broadcasting role, I decided to settle down and put my roots into Laclede County. That’s when I started focusing on marketing clients.”
They branded Honey Creek Media in 2015. Jamie said her specialty is the communications aspect of the business, while Joanna specializes in being the graphic artist and videographer.
In 2019, the sisters purchased and renovated a historical building in downtown Lebanon to base Honey Creek Media. They were also able to transform the lower level of the building into an event venue, which they dubbed The Hive by Honey Creek.
Jamie, her husband Kevin, and daughters Harper and Ivee moved to their family’s Century farm near Lebanon two years ago.
Hometown: Lebanon, Mo.
February 25, 2023 * 12 noon Kingsville Livestock, Kingsville, MO 150 bulls! All 18 month old bulls! Gelbvieh & Balancers! ALL BLACK!!
Arkansas Bull Sale
March 4, 2023 * 1 p.m. Hope Livestock Auction, Hope, AR 75 bulls! 2 year old and 18 month old bulls! Angus, Balancer, Gelbvieh & Brangus! Red & Black!
RED Reward Bull & Female Sale
March 11, 2023 * 12 noon Wheeler Livestock, Osceola, MO 60 RED Gelbvieh & Balancer bulls! 18 months old & yearlings! Plus! RED Females!
South Missouri Bull & Female Sale
March 25, 2023 * 12 noon
Joplin Regional Stockyards, Carthage, MO 150 bulls! 18 month old bulls and yearling bulls! Gelbvieh & Balancers! Plus! Black females! Registered and Commercial!
• Guaranteed Sight-Unseen Purchases! Let us help you find the bull to fit your program and needs!
• Free Trucking on every bull! No fine print!
• Extensive Data & Genomic EPDs!
• All bulls are coat color & polled tested & Sire Verified!
• All Bulls Are Semen & Trich Tested!
Jamie said the proximity to her hometown of Aurora, Mo., and Kevin’s hometown of Tipton, Mo., was a factor in moving to Laclede County, but the most significant reason was the farm that has been in her mother’s family for generations.
Jamie grew up with Hereford cattle, while Kevin’s family raised Charolais. They have now incorporated both breeds at the farm south of Lebanon. “There are still cows at both home farms, however, we call this the Central Division,” Jamie said with a laugh.
Raising Harper and Ivee doing many of the same things she and Kevin did as youngsters is a priority for Jamie and Kevin. “Behind the love for our faith and our family is our farm. We would never force them to dive into the world we’ve put ourselves in, but we want them to grow up with those experiences and options, those trials and tribulations, as well as the joy and comfort they have.”
The Johansens recently returned from the National Western Stock Show. It was Harper’s first trip to the Devner, Colo., show. In the summer months, Harper has shown pigs at the local county fair. The 2023 show will be Harper’s first year showing as a 4-H member, and will show a market steer.
“It’s exciting,” Jamie said. “I’m glad she enjoys exhibiting livestock as much as Kevin and I did.”
JANUARY 30, 2023
• 200+ RFI tested bulls sell in these sales!
• Videos of sale bulls on website the week before each sale! www.seedstockplus.com. or www.dvauction.com
Ozarks Farm & Neighbor • www.ozarksfn.com
Maybe you were raised on a farm and always knew one day you would follow in your father’s footsteps, or maybe you grew up in the city or suburbs and longed for a life in the country. Either way, your goal in life is to feed our growing population. So you might ask, “Where do I begin?”
One of the first things you need to do is experience farming firsthand. If you grew up on a farm you might be thinking, “How much more hands-on experience do I need?”
More than likely, you already have a good skill set on the production side of operating a farm, but now it’s time to develop your skills on the management side.
A good start would be to rent some farmland from a family member or a neighbor. This will give you experience in budgeting, bookkeeping, purchasing inputs, managing employees, and marketing your crop. Most lenders want you to have a couple of years of experience in operating a farm before they will finance your first farm purchase. These developing years will allow you to purchase some equipment unless you are lucky enough to work out an agreement with a family member or neighbor where you can exchange labor for their equipment. Once you have management experience, your next step may be to purchase your first farmland.
If you have already reached this point, you may have been told you need a bigger down payment than you can possibly afford. By taking advantage of the Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) Beginning Farmer Loan Program, your first farm purchase may not be as difficult as you thought.
Your lending institution, along with FSA’s Beginning Farmer Program, could offer some financing options including the Down Payment Program and the 50/50
Joint Financing Program. With the down payment program, you would place a certain amount down, usually 5 percent with 45/50 Joint Financing between FSA and your lending institution. With the 50/50 Joint Financing Program, there is no down payment and the loan is financed jointly through the FSA and your financial institution. Loan availability is subject to borrower meeting eligibility and credit guidelines.
To qualify for these programs, you will need to decide if you would like to apply as an individual or as an entity.
If you decide to apply as an entity, all members must be related by either blood or marriage and all must be considered beginning farmers. To be considered a beginning farmer, an applicant must not have operated a farm for more than will 10 years. The applicant must have at least three years’ experience on the business side of the farm and sustainably participate in the operation. The property being purchased must not be greater than 30 percent of the average size farm in the county. Applicants must also meet loan eligibility requirements and credit guidelines.
If you are interested in one of these loans, find a FSA Preferred Lender. Utilizing a Preferred Lender for your loan means a faster loan approval! These lenders are also very familiar and knowledgeable on FSA loans and can help you choose one that is right for you. You can find a list of Preferred Lenders by calling your local FSA office.
Kathy Daily is the Managing Director of First Financial Bank’s Farm and Ranch Division. Mrs. Daily has been an agricultural lender for over 25 years.
Goats:
Selection 2 (per cwt): 235.00-262.50.
Nannies/Does - Selection 1-2 (per cwt): 105.00-175.00.
Bucks/Billies - Selection 1-2 (per cwt): 165.00-187.50.
Kids - Selection 1 (per cwt): 292.50.
Kids - Selection 2 (per cwt): 270.00.
Replacement Goats:
Nannies/Does - Selection 1-2 (per cwt): 150.00-207.50.
Selection 1-2 w/<20 lbs kid (per unit): 255.00-
1,988 large crowd was on hand for this first sale of 2023 at Producers Auction Yards. No recent market combecause of the holidays. High quality sheep and goats high demand. 260 head of lambs with an average 57 pounds traded for 295. A pair of yearling high replacement rams traded at 500 per head. Supply with good demand. Supply included: 2% Feeder Sheep/Lambs (100% Hair Lambs); 60% Slaughter Sheep/ (97% Hair Breeds, 2% Hair Ewes, 0% Hair Bucks); 7% Replacement Sheep/Lambs (79% Hair Ewes, 21% Families); Goats (100% Kids); 25% Slaughter Goats (75% Nannies/Does, 3% Bucks/Billies, 7% Wethers, 4% Kids); 1% Replacement Goats (100% Nannies/Does).
Sheep/Lambs:
Lambs - Small and Medium 1-2 (per cwt): 275.00-
Lambs - Small and Medium 2 (per cwt): 230.00.
Sheep/Lambs:
Breeds - Choice and Prime 1-3 (per cwt): 210.00-315.00.
Breeds - Choice 1-3 (per cwt): 160.00-257.50.
Breeds - Good 1-2 (per cwt): 105.00-130.00.
Utility and Good 1-3 (per cwt): 100.00-112.50.
Utility and Good 1-3 (per unit): 85.00-125.00.
Cull and Utility 1-2 (per unit): 92.00.
- 1-2 (per cwt): 147.50.
Replacement Sheep/Lambs:
Small and Medium 1-2 (per unit): 135.00-300.00.
Small and Medium 1-2 w/<20 lbs lamb (per unit): 140.00-405.00.
Small and Medium 1-2 w/20-40 lbs lamb (per unit): 310.00-370.00.
Goats:
Selection 2 (per cwt): 237.50-310.00.
Selection 3 (per cwt): 200.00-220.00.
Slaughter Goats:
Kids - Selection 1 (per cwt): 280.00-310.00.
Kids - Selection 2 (per cwt): 220.00-290.00.
Nannies/Does - Selection 1-2 (per cwt): 142.50-190.00.
Nannies/Does - Selection 1-2 (per unit): 140.00-170.00.
Bucks/Billies - Selection 1-2 (per cwt): 200.00-220.00.
Wethers - Selection 1-2 (per cwt): 200.00-250.00.
Wether Kids - Selection 1 (per cwt): 280.00.
Wether Kids - Selection 2 (per cwt): 240.00-250.00.
Wether Kids - Selection 3 (per cwt): 192.50.
Replacement Goats:
Nannies/Does - Selection 1-2 (per cwt): 255.00.
Nannies/Does - Selection 1-2 (per unit): 140.00.
National Direct Delivered Feeder Pig Report 1/20/23
Receipts This Week: 99,513
Early weaned pigs 1.00 per head lower. All feeder pigs 8.00per head higher. Demand and offering uneven.
Volume By State Or Province Of Origin: Missouri 7.9%
Total Composite Weighted Average Receipts and Price (Formula and Cash):
All Early Weaned Pigs: 83,248 head, wtd. avg. 64.02.
All Feeder Pigs: 16,265 head, wtd. avg. 89.97.
Daily Direct Hog Report 1/20/23
Barrows and Gilts Purchased Swine (including Packer Sold)
National Head Count: 6,481
National Price Range: 64.00-74.00.
Western Cornbelt Wtd Avg Price: 69.70.
Western Cornbelt 5 Day Rolling Avg: 71.03.
Mo. Weekly Hay Summary 1/20/23
Late last week NASS released the official hay stocks and production numbers. December 1 stocks for Missouri were reported 15 percent lower than the previous year and 2022 production was reported down 10 percent, both of which fell right in line with the national averages. Those numbers were not anything that anyone in the business didn’t already know but are now official. Although we do not get numbers by the
Gainesville Livestock Auction*
1/16/23 1,102
200.00-236.00 190.00-224.00 180.00-210.00 174.00-193.00 160.00-177.00
Joplin Regional
1/16/23
11,226
Uneven
222.00-249.00
215.00-255.00 192.50-222.00 183.00-199.00
177.00-192.50
205.00 193.00 171.00
Kingsville Livestock Auction† 1/17/23
4,786
Uneven
233.00 209.00-241.00 204.00-234.50 184.00-205.50 175.00-187.10
region some areas of the state were much worse than that.
The supply of hay is light to moderate, demand is moderate, and prices mostly steady. The Missouri Department of Agriculture has a hay directory visit http://mda.mo.gov/ abd/haydirectory/ for listings of hay http://agebb.missouri. edu/haylst/
Alfalfa - Supreme (Ask/Per Ton): Medium Square 3x3: 250.00-300.00.
Alfalfa - Supreme (Ask/Per Bale): Small Square: 10.00-15.00.
Alfalfa - Premium (Ask/Per Ton): Medium Square 3x3: 180.00-250.00.
Alfalfa - Good (Ask/Per Ton): Large Round: 150.00-180.00.
Alfalfa - Good (Ask/Per Bale): Small Square: 5.00-9.00.
Alfalfa - Fair (Ask/Per Ton): Large Round: 125.00-150.00.
Alfalfa/Grass Mix - Good/Premium (Ask/Per Bale): Small Square: 5.00-9.00.
Mixed Grass - Good/Premium (Ask/Per Ton): Large Round: 125.00-175.00.
Mixed Grass - Fair/Good (Ask/Per Ton): Large Round: 100.00-150.00.
Mixed Grass - Fair/Good (Ask/Per Bale): Small Square: 5.00-8.00.
Mixed Grass - Fair (Ask/Per Bale): Large Round: 50.0085.00.
Corn Stalk (Ask/Per Bale): Round: 35.00.
Straw: Wheat (Ask/Per Bale): Small Square: 4.00-7.00.
170.00-201.00 166.00-182.00 160.00-180.00 150.00-162.00 145.00-153.00
Mid Missouri Stockyards† 1/19/23
965
2-8 Lower
207.00-221.50 190.00-210.00 185.00-190.00 170.00-172.50
202.00
207.00 180.00
Springfield Livestock Marketing† 1/18/23
1,378
St-6 Lower
212.00-220.00 207.00-225.00 185.00-219.00 174.00-187.00 169.00-174.00
202.50-215.00 195.00-209.00 189.00
Vienna South Central† 1/18/23
1,307
Uneven
212.00-231.00 200.50-223.00 172.00-199.25 168.75-170.50
West Plains Ozarks Regional† 1/17/23
3,549 Uneven
215.00-235.00 206.00-220.00 189.00-208.00 176.00-193.00 167.00-170.00
212.50-214.00 177.00-180.00 160.00-175.00 164.00-165.00
200.00-240.00 190.00-239.00 175.00-225.00 160.00-194.00 162.00-178.00
189.00-220.00 179.00-211.00
172.00-188.00 164.00-175.50 164.00-171.50
188.00-200.00 178.00-197.00 158.00-197.00 154.25-182.00 151.50
183.00-191.00 173.00-185.00 166.00-169.00 166.00-171.50 154.50-156.00
175.00-179.00 170.00-183.00 164.00-172.00 161.50-168.00
190.00 172.00-190.00 169.00-187.00 160.50-171.00 149.50-162.00
176.00-201.00 169.00-185.00 164.00-182.00 160.00-165.00 160.00
172.00-205.00 170.00-198.00 152.00-189.00 145.00-172.00 152.00-164.00
“I’m making way too much money?” asked no farmer ever. In this economy, we’re all dealing with increasing costs.
With expenses increasing at every level, understanding and managing interest cost is critical to our future success in agriculture. It’s important to recognize debt as a tool. However, considering the higher cost of other people’s money, it should be used as judiciously as possible. The double whammy we’re facing is inflation and increasing rates. Debt can be viewed as leverage to pay for production inputs, purchasing hard assets like equipment and durable assets like real estate. It’s tempting and sometimes necessary to opt for a longer payback or loan term to offset the increase in loan payments. Be mindful that you want your loan payoff to be sooner than the life of that asset.
Operating credit for seed, feed, fertilizer, supplies and other short-term needs should be paid within a year. Tractors, implements, vehicles and other farm equipment should be financed for a period not to exceed 84 months or seven years. Farm and other real estate are considered durable assets and warrant a longer-term financing period. Here again, the lifespan of the income producing assets on the land (or facilities) may limit the loan term to their remaining useful life or RUL.
One effective way to manage and reduce interest cost is to pre-pay on loan principal whenever possible. Absent a pre-pay penalty, most lenders will allow you to add additional funds to your regular payment and/or make a special principal payment when additional funds become available. Consider the sale of one more calf or a tax refund as money that can be applied to your loan. Apply the extra funds to the credit or loan with the highest interest rate. Keep a record of principal paydown. The net effect is a reduction in the effective rate you’re paying on that specific debt.
Under current conditions, it really pays to
shop for credit. Your good credit can still be rewarded as evidenced through your credit bureau ratings and your past business relationships. Ask your bank, credit union or lender about ways to qualify for a lower rate.
You can offset some rate shock by taking advantage of higher rate options on your money. Sources like bankrate.com, Money magazine and other published financial sources can list the best money market rates for your savings.
The cost of debt, like any other discipline requires on-going management. There will be a time again in the future where rates become more competitive. By maintaining your good credit, you’ll be able to negotiate better rates when that time comes. Consider involving a trusted associate in large purchase decisions involving debt. Outside perspectives matter.
On a different note, I’d like to touch on the benefits of providing excellent customer service. From the perspective of the end-user or buyer, and from the service provider, quality customer service seems to be a dying art form. It doesn’t have to be that way.
It’s my view that truly exemplary customer service pays dividends for everyone involved. Alternatively, poor service is clearly a detriment to everyone. We’ve all experienced both sides of this issue. It truly is a win-win when an elevated level of service is provided. There are multiple benefits:
• Positive word of mouth prevails
• We enjoy sharing quality experiences
• The provider feels good about doing a job well done
• This generates repeat business
• Tips and gratuity are higher
• Great service providers get promoted
Life is too short to endure poor levels of service. We may do it once, but given other options, that person or business will not see us again. Afterall, we can vote with our pocketbook.
Today, I am going to touch on three financial goals for your farming operation in 2023.
A current balance sheet that tracks working capital is essential for the success of any business. Working capital is calculated by taking current assets minus current liabilities. Current assets include cash accounts, marketable inventory, prepaid inputs and any other short-term assets that can be liquidated in the next 12 months. Current liabilities include the balance of any revolving lines of credit, accounts payable, credit card balances and the principal portion of any term loan payments due in the next 12 months. Providing a year-end balance sheet is a welcome sight to a lender and can help you see trends in your operation. If your working capital position went down, does that mean your operation was not profitable over the last year or did you utilize cash to invest in a new purchase? Building a strong capital position and keeping cash on hand helps an operation prepare for downturns but can also help when determining if a new farm purchase would be feasible for your operation. Just like much of the state saw in 2022, we can have abundant rainfall in the spring, but it can quickly turn dry in the summer. Not only do dry conditions have the potential to stunt crop growth, but cattle producers start feeding hay sooner than they anticipated. Having cash on hand can help offset unforeseen expenses.
Agriculture is cyclical and mitigating risk is extremely important. Crop insur-
ance, livestock risk protection insurance, fixed interest rates, hedging and forward contracting are a few ways to help lock in a profit. Prices go down just as quickly as they go up and events/weather across the world can affect the markets overnight. Before looking into risk protection, you must know your input costs to calculate how much gross revenue is needed to support input prices and debt payments. Having the proper insurance coverage can provide a safety net, which could be the difference between a profitable or non-profitable year.
Additionally, knowing your interest rate and options is valuable. Consider which loans are more vulnerable during a rising rate period and consider how to minimize the added cost. It is always advisable to talk to your lender and discuss your options thoroughly, but it becomes more important when there is a challenging economic environment.
Finally, I would like to talk about planning for the future and expanding your farming operation. When the farm next door comes up for sale, it is easy to make the decision to buy, based on convenience and emotional reasons. But first, it is important to understand how the new debt will affect your cash flow and whether your operation can support the additional debt.
Is the asset you are buying an income producing asset? Will it require an intermediate term debt on a five-year term with a hefty payment? To help you answer these questions, prepare a profit and loss statement each year with all your income and expenses. Before you purchase a new property, write out a business plan and cash flow to see if expanding makes sense.
If you are a cow/calf producer, you must consider adding to your herd when purchasing additional real estate. Does that mean holding back heifers or having to take out a short-term loan to purchase more cows? Can the expansion support two new loan payments? Set yourself up for success by building capital, mitigat-
ing risk, and planning for the future to help your operation succeed.
In closing, take time today to talk to your financial and insurance experts as well as your business partners. Your goals can help you be successful in 2023.
Danielle Thompson and a FCS Financial Credit Analyst
Good health is vital to living a happy and successful life. Even more reason to save for it like you’ve done for a new home, car, or child’s education. A Health Savings Account (HSA) can help you earmark funds for future healthcare expenses. The account has no required minimum distributions and provides a triple-tax advantage like no other retirement option:
1. Contributions are 100 percent tax deductible or pre-tax through payroll deductions
2. Funds grow tax-deferred, including earnings and interest
3.Withdraws are tax-free if used for qualified medical expenses
erage and $7,300 for family coverage. The 2023 IRS contribution limits for HSAs are $3,850 for self-only coverage and $7,750 for family coverage. If you’re over age 55, you can make a catch-up contribution of up to $1,000 annually.
If you really want the most tax-efficient option available, consider contributing the maximum amount each year and not using personal funds to pay for current healthcare expenses. This allows your HSA funds to compound for long-term growth that you’ll likely need in the future.
According to Fidelity, an average retired couple age 65 in 2022 may need approximately $315,000 saved (after tax) to cover healthcare expenses in retirement. This estimate includes out-of-pocket costs associated with Medicare but does not include expenses related to over-the-counter medications, most dental services, and long-term care.
Once you have your healthcare nest egg and you’re ready to retire, you have several options when spending HSA funds. Prior to age 65, you can use HSA funds to pay premiums for an employer-sponsored plan under COBRA or while receiving unemployment compensation. You can also use your HSA to pay for tax-qualified long-term care insurance.
After age 65, you can use funds to pay for Medicare deductibles and copayments, including Part B and D premiums, just not Medicare supplement (Medigap) premiums. You can also purchase non-qualified medical expenses (e.g. dream car) without penalty, but you will pay state and federal taxes on those distributions.
Mark and Emma Alexander have lived at their farm near Fordland, Mo., for 10 years. The farm is in Webster County and 11 miles from the nearest town.
When they first moved to the farm, they had 40 acres and most of it is wooded. So they only had a couple of hogs. In 2015, they purchased an adjoining 80 acres. With the additional land, they were able to buy some beef cattle and goats.
In addition to the animals, Mark and Emma are raising two boys: Lucas, 14, and Travis, 9. The name of the farm is CopperTop Legacy Agriculture. Mark chose CopperTop because all the guys have red hair. It’s their legacy. Red hair is a family trait in both Mark and Emma’s families.
“We started with agriculture because we wanted to set something up that if the boys choose to carry on agriculture then they could take the name. It may be something different on down the road, but agriculture
would apply,” Emma explained.
They talk about it being CopperTop Legacy Farm on their website “just to make it more personal to people who are connecting with us,” Emma said.
In 2013, they set up greenhouses, because Emma has a degree in horticulture.
“I had been doing landscape design and maintenance independently and got an opportunity to pick up some growing houses. So I started growing perennials,” she said.
That evolved into an opportunity to pick up a retail greenhouse at Apple Market in Rogersville.
In the fall of 2016, they bought two wether goats.
“We showed them at the fairs the summer of 2017 and sold them in the fall at a livestock auction,” Lucas, 14, said. After that, they bought a nanny and two goat kids.
They also bought two other orphaned goat kids and bottle fed them.
“It was my 4-H project
and it made some money,” Lucas said. They’ve been raising goats ever since. Lucas is in the Fordland Mighty Eagles 4-H Club. Emma is the club leader.
They currently have 40 to 45 goats. The goats are a meat breed influenced by Boer and Spanish breeds.
“We really like the Spanish influence because it just makes them heartier against all the perils of goat farming,” Emma said. “We try to keep them just a little bit mixed because they grow better and are heartier.”
Emma said the goats seem easier now because they’ve figured it out. Although she does admit they still require the most frequent attention. “There is definitely a learning curve to goats,” Emma said.
Mark and Emma have their goats and the boys each have their own goats. So they all have a kid crop. They either keep the females to build the herd or sell them.
The Alexanders started with pigs because of limited space and infrastructure.
“They supposedly were going to be easy and we were going to eat them,” Emma said.
They have mixed breed pigs, which they buy as feeders and raise to finishing. Travis said he and Lucas each pick a pig each year and show them at the fair and sell them.
“We each have a wether and a hog that we take to the Tri-County Fair. We show them and then we participate in the premium sale and sell our wether and our hog. That way we get the showing experience and make a little bit of money,”Lucas said.
“When we figured out the pigs were pretty simple, we have expanded and added more pigs each year,” Emma said. They sell the pigs directly to consumers on the hoof.
For Mark and Emma, it’s not all about the money. Mark said he believes it’s important for the kids to be involved on the farm “because of the family.”
“The farm brings a lot of diverse education,” he said. “They learn a lot about forage, grasses, silage, animal husbandry and such. They also learn about machinery. They get a very diverse education from the farm experience.”
Emma believes the farm life teaches the boys where food comes from and how it’s made. “But the bottom line on the farm is, if it needs to be done, you have to do it.” If they leave the farm and do something else, she wants them to have a good work ethic.
They have more than 20 head of commercial cattle. “We breed them in the wintertime and shoot for fall calving,” Lucas said. They use Balancer bulls.
“This last year we started a retail meat business. So we’re selling retail cuts,” Mark said. “We can sell from here, but we also have a couple of places in Rogersville that sells our meat for us. We sell at Turners Station and Thyme to Loaf.”
“We did the CopperTop entity as part of launching and doing the retail meat sales. Our consumer friendly slogan is: Locally grown for your family by our family. We want people to know us, because when you know where you’re food comes from it just tastes better,” Emma said.
“My family and I have a cow/calf operation, breeding Scottish Highlands, Brahman, British White and Simmentals. I show each of our breeds and use our operation for my SAE.” Taylor was also the Nixa FFA Vice President (2021-2022).
“The opportunity to build connections and skills that will impact my future. I love getting to talk to other breeders and learn their stories, and how they run their operations.”
“I hope to do something in the agriculture industry, although I’m not dead set on what yet. Right now, I’d like to go into genetic work, like embryology. Whatever I end up doing, I do always plan to be involved in the ag industry and have cows.”
“While it is also a form of complement, the most common ‘advice’ I receive is ‘we as youth are the future of agriculture, so keep doing what you’re doing.’ It continues to motivate me to keep going. I also get a lot of good advice from Ryan Rash and Dale Hummel on the Beyond the Ring podcast. It expands my knowledge and drive.”
By Brad Pistole
Annuities are financial products that provide a guaranteed income stream in exchange for a lump sum payment or series of payments. There are several different types of annuities, including fixed, variable, and indexed, each with its own features and benefits.
Here is an overview of how annuities work:
1. An individual enters into a contract with an insurance company to purchase an annuity.
2. The individual makes a lump sum payment or a series of payments to the insurance company.
3. The insurance company invests the payments and earns a return on the investment.
4. The individual can choose to receive the income from the annuity in a number of ways, such as:
• A fixed amount each month, quarter, or year
• A variable amount that depends on the performance of the underlying investments
• A combination of the two
5. The income payments from the annuity are guaranteed for a specified period of time or for the remainder of the individual’s life.
Brad Pistole of Ozark, Mo., is farmer and a Certified Financial Fiduciary®, Certified Annuity Specialist®, and CEO of Trinity Insurance & Financial Services, INC. Missouri is known for cattle and forage production, but there’s much more to the Show-Me State’s agriculture profile. Here’s some interesting information about Missouri
One common type of annuity is a fixed annuity, which provides a guaranteed rate of return and a guaranteed income stream for a specified period of time. The income stream can be received all at once in a lump sum, or it can be received in installments over a period of time. Before making a purchase, it is important to carefully review the terms of the annuity contract, including the fees, surrender charges, and any restrictions on withdrawing funds.
Making farming a little easier
A disease outbreak in a herd or flock can be devastating on many fronts – economically, emotionally and environmentally. Producers who implement biosecurity measures, act quickly at signs of trouble and know what to look for can help protect their animals from transmittable diseases.
First and foremost, livestock experts recommend following biosecurity protocols. “According to experts, one of the best disease prevention methods that we have is biosecurity,” Barry Whitworth, DVM, specialist with the Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension, explained. There are several pillars to biosecurity including sanitation, isolation, and traffic control.
Sanitation requires keeping feed troughs, water sources and water troughs clean. As well as making sure manure doesn’t pile up. Dr. Sarah Reinkemeyer, DVM and epidemiologist with the Missouri Department of Agriculture, recommends producers also utilize a change of shoes or foot baths as they travel onto and off the farm. “Designate clothing and shoes for farm use; ensuring that you are not wearing clothes and footwear on your farm that were used at another farm,” Reinkemeyer advised.
Experts recommend producers purchase livestock from a reliable single source when possible. Additionally, producers will want to make sure they know the animal’s vaccination status, deworming schedule, and if it’s been tested routinely for
animal
disease. “Another good step would be to have a quarantine pen or containment area for all new purchased additions for at least 30 days,” Reinkemeyer said. “This way you can observe the new animals for any disease that could arise and impact your herd.”
Following isolation practices also applies to animals already within the herd. If an animal is sick, then remove it from the rest of the herd for treatment and recovery. “If you have a sick animal in your herd, you should isolate that animal from the herd because that animal is most likely shedding some type of pathogen that’s making it sick, so you should isolate that animal until it’s well and keep it out of the herd,” Whitworth stated.
Another way to protect animals from transmittable diseases is to regulate who is visiting the farm. “This means monitoring who enters the areas where animals are,” Whitworth explained. “You basically control who enters your property and who doesn’t, because you don’t know where they’ve been, and you don’t know what pathogens they might have on them that they could give to your animals.”
In addition to following biosecurity measures, meeting animals’ nutritional needs, utilizing vaccinations, and testing for disease will help keep transmittable diseases
“Good quality nutrition and mineral. Better nutrition makes better gut health and better gut health makes a better animal.”
John Clemons Cedar County, Mo.
“Fresh ground. Just keep them moving so things don’t get stagnate.”
“Minerals and salt. Most of our salts have minerals, and livestock need those vitamins and minerals.”
Dan Wisner St. Clair County, Mo.
Andrew Letterman Laclede County, Mo.
Ozarks Farm & Neighbor • www.ozarksfn.com
“Plenty of forages. If you keep their gut full, then they will be healthier.”
Luke Peterson Wright County, Mo.
What is one way you maintain the health of your livestock?
what do you say?
at bay. Livestock specialists recommend maintaining animals in a good body condition which in turn gives them fuel to retain a healthy immune system. Vaccinating for diseases also provides protection. This includes vaccinating cattle for all respiratory and reproduction diseases.
Livestock specialists recommend testing and culling as a method to reduce disease in a herd or flock.
“When we think of cattle and something like Johnes disease, we should test and positive cattle should be sent to slaughter because they are shedding that bacteria in their fecal material and it’s contaminating the premises of where you are,” Whitworth advised. “So, testing and finding animals that are positive for certain diseases and eliminating them from your herd is another way to prevent transmittable diseases.”
Keeping a close eye on the herd or flock will alert producers to the first signs of trouble.
When producers observe an increase in mortality or sick and diseased animals, that’s a red flag a transmittable disease could be spreading through their operation.
Diseases to watch out for vary from species to species and operation to operation.
However, producers should be aware of some of the more prevalent diseases. In chicken flocks, avian influenza, Marek’s disease and Mycoplasma are all devastating diseases.
In cattle, producers will want to look out for Trichomoniasis. This means ensuring that all bulls 18 months of age or older test negative prior to movement to the farm.
Other diseases include Johnes, anaplasmosis and Bovine Leukemia Virus (BLV). In sheep and goats be on the lookout for Ovine Progressive Pneumonia (OPP), Caprine Arthritis and Encephalitis (CAE), Caseous Lymphadenitis (CLA) and Johnes.
STOCKTON - Hwy B, 153 Ac. This beautiful 153 ac. Has it all! Bottom ground, scattered woods and upground w/nice highway frontage, some sites, cattle-tights fence, Cedar Creek flowing through entire property. Don’t miss!
GREENFIELD - Dade 125, 181 Ac., Great grass farm, new fencing & waterers, multiple pastures, new pipe corral, ponds, Nice! $724,000 SQUIRES - CR 955, 264 Ac., Beautiful farm situated in a valley south of Ava, 3 BR home, shop, garage, equipment shed, livestock barn, ponds, creek. Don’t miss this one! ... $750,000
$688,500
STOCKTON - Hwy B, 250 Ac. Really nice, mostly open property for livestock & hay production, upland & bottom ground, pipe corrals, well, Cedar Creek flowing through entire property $1,125,000
LOCKWOOD - 138 Ac CR 72. Road frontage on 2 sides, mostly all tillable .............. $759,000
MILLER - 120 Ac. Hwy 97, Nice open farm, tillable acres, nice livestock barns, home, great location .................................... $785,000
lots, paved roads, underground electric
BRIGHTON
STARTING AT $45,000
EVERTON - 45 Ac. Dade 177. Great panoramic views, mostly open, scattered trees, pond, road frontage on 2 sides................ $292,500
FORDLAND - Stewerd Drive, 25.5 Ac., Beautiful land w/great open views, multi. building sites, open, good fencing. ..................... $306,240
BOIS D’ARC - Farm Road 144, 37 Ac., Convenient to Springfield, beautiful rolling ground & mostly open property, great building sites ..... $325,000
EVERTON - 80 Ac. Dade 77. Mostly open, scattered walnuts, fenced, gently rolling. .......... $440,000
STOCKTON - Hwy M, 78 Ac., Nice balance of open/wooded ground, 3 BR home with w/o basement, 24x36 morton barn, horse barn, equip. shed, good fencing. ............ $485,000
DADEVILLE - 61 Ac. Dade 16, Great farm very close to Stockton Lake, nice home, 30x40, shop, 2 barns, great fencing & ponds, adjoining government land. ................... $525,000
BOLIVAR - 325th Road, 202 Ac., This 202 +/- acre property is located north of Bolivar & adjacent to Pomme de Terre Lake, great hunting, livestock or recreation ground $649,000
FORDLAND - 80 Ac., Greenhill Rd., Nice 4 BR, 3 BA walkout basement home, 40x60 shop, horse/hay barn, feeding traps & concrete line bunks, close to Hwy 60 ................. $695,000
EVERTON - 130 Ac. Dade 117. 1.4 miles of road frontage on three sides, open, fences, well, pond, pipe corals, great views........... $715,000
LOCKWOOD - 160 Ac CR 41. Open and level pasture ground just north of Lockwood, fenced, rural water. ............................... $720,000
FORDLAND -155 Ac., Tall Grass Rd., Nice open farm, tillable ground, shop, commodity barn, feed pens, pipe corrals .................. $995,000
EVERTON - 186 Ac. Dade 184. Fenced and crossfenced, well, several ponds, barn, shed, one mile of road frontage. Very Nice! .... $1,018,350
WENTWORTH - Law. 2145, 37 Ac., Located just off I-44, 2 - 50x60 tunnel barns, 2 - 42x30 ft. conventional turkey barns, 2 BR home, 60x100 red iron equipment barn ............... $1,200,000
MOUNTAIN GROVE - 140 Ac. CR 76-149, Beautiful property lying South of Mountain Grove, 6,350 sq. ft. home is exquisite custom built w/ imported cypress, 40x60 insulated shop, 2 BR cabin, too much to list............... $1,750,000
MT. VERNON - 445 Ac., Law. 2170, Great cattle ranch w/mostly open & some tillable ground, new fences, red iron barn, 3 wells .. $2,500,000
EVERTON - 522 Ac., Dade 184, all contiguous w/road frontage throughout, great open pasture w/views all around, 14 ponds, 2 barns, pipe/corral, really nice ............. $2,583,900
THEODOSIA - Wallace Ranch Rd., 638 Ac., Beautiful open and productive farm, live water, multi. springs, pipe corral, multi. barns, new 50x60 insulated shop, 3 BR w/o basement home, paved drive, really nice .... $3,000,000
GAINESVILLE - 1,753 Ac. Hwy N, Great grass farm setup & ready to go, 750 Ac. open, 1,000 Ac. timber, 4 BR home, commodity barn, equipment & livestock barns, great water & fencing $4,999,000
NORWOOD - 2,590 Ac. Hwy 76 CR 137, Exceptional cattle ranch in heart of cow/calf country, mostly open w/fence, 3 acres of bottom ground, many buildings, 30 plus ponds & pipe water, 2 nice homes, too much to list
$7,888,200
tomkisseerealestate.com 417.882.5531
2022 Ford F350 4x4 Crewcab - Lariat, Black Pkg, 7.3 Liter, White $71,125
2023 Ford Supercrew 4x4 - Lariat, 501A w/Roof, 3.5 Liter Ecoboost, White $69,440
2022 Ford F150 - Longbed, Xl, 3.3 Liter, White ................................................ $33,950
2022 Ford Supercrew 4x4 - Xlt, 3.5 Liter Ecoboost, White $57,555
2022 Ford Supercrew 4x4 - Xlt, 40/20/40 Seat, 5.0 Liter, Black $60,165
2022 Ford Supercrew 4x4 - Xlt, 40/20/40, 3.5 Liter Ecoboost, Red $58,760
2023 Ford Bronco 4d4 4x4 - Base, Soft Top, 2.3 Liter Ecoboost, Azure $43,730
2022 Ford Explorer 4x4 - Limited, 2.3 Liter Ecoboost, White $53,270
*Price After Dealer Discount & Ford Motor Public Rebates. Additional Private Offers May Be Available. See Dealer For Details.
2017 Ford F350 4x4 Crewcab - Dual Rear Wheel, Lariat, 6.2 Liter, White, 92,289 $46,900
2004 Ford F350 4x4 S/C Dual Rear Wheel - 6-Spd, Deweze, 6.0 Liter, White, 206,341 $15,800
2019 Ford F350 4x4 Crewcab - Longbed, Xlt, 6.2 Liter, White, 32,479 $49,800
2022 Ford F250 4x4 Crewcab - Lariat, 6.2 Liter, Gray, 13,560 ........................ $62,500
2019 Ram 2500 4x4 Crewcab - Tradesman, 6.4 Liter, Blue, 50,015 $36,500
2016 Ford F250 4x4 Crewcab - Shortbed, Lariat, 6.7 Liter, Red, 129,507 $38,900
2021 Ram 1500 4x4 Quadcab - Classic, Warlock, 5.7 Liter, White, 18,910 $38,500
2020 Ram 1500 4x4 Crewcab - Limited, 5.7 Liter, Black, 37,398 $53,900
2019 Ford Supercrew 4x4 - Lariat, Cap Chairs, 5.0 Liter, Red, 25,036 ............ $49,500
2018 Ford Supercrew 4x4 - Xl, Fx4, 3.5 Liter Ecoboost, White, 35,179 $35,900
2014 Ford Supercrew 4x4 - Xlt, 3.5 Liter Ecoboost, Black, 127,512 $18,900
2021 Ford F150 S/C - Xl, 101a, 2.7 Liter Ecoboost, Silver, 14,515 .................. $32,400
2011 Ford Supercrew - Lariat, Cap Chairs, 5.0 Liter, Silver, 76,726 $22,500
2021 Ford Bronco Sport 4x4 - Badlands, 2.0 Liter Ecoboost, Black, 36,854 $34,900
2020 Ford Ecosport Awd - S, 2.0 Liter Ecoboost, White $19,900
2020 Ford Escape - Se, 1.5 Liter Ecoboost, Silver, 140 $29,800
2020 Ford Escape - Se, 1.5 Liter Ecoboost, Gray, 10,544 ................................. $25,900
2020 Ford Escape - Se, 1.5 Liter Ecoboost, Blue, 5,985 $27,000
2020 Ford Explorer 4x4 - Limited, 6-Pass, 2.3 Liter Ecoboost, Black, 29,374 $38,500
2020 Ford Explorer 4x4 - Xlt, 2.3 Liter Ecoboost, White, 19,341 .................... $36,900
2019 Ford Ecosport - Se, 1.0 Liter Ecoboost, Silver, 1,296 $22,900
The Food and Drug Administration unveiled a directive 10 years ago outlining a gradual transition of animal over-the-counter medicines to availability by prescription only. By June 2023, antibiotics and many other medicines will no longer be available on the shelves at feed stores or farm supply businesses. Producers will need to get a prescription from their veterinarians for the products. Medicines such as LA-200, LA300, penicillin, sulfur boluses and mastitis tubes will all require prescriptions for purchase. The fast-approaching deadline means producers may want to start preparing now for the change that is in store.
VET-CLIENT RELATIONSHIP: Livestock experts recommend producers establish a veterinarian client patient relationship if they do not already have one in place. “This will allow their veterinarian the ability to write a prescription or provide them with the antibiotics needed,” Sarah Reinkemeyer, DVM and epidemiologist with the Missouri Department of Agriculture, explained.
The stipulations regarding telemedicine temporarily put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic expires in February.
A proper veterinarian client relationship is not one solely established over the phone. “It’s important to understand you can’t just pick up the phone with a veterinarian you don’t know and expect that they’re going to sell you an antibiotic,” Barry Whitworth, DVM, specialist with the Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension, explained. “That’s not a proper veterinary client relationship and I think some people think that’s all it takes.”
The specific definition of a veterinarian client patient relationship is dictated by each state. However, the overall regulations are similar from state to state. “The only way you’re going to have an acceptable relationship with the veterinarian is for that veterinarian to know who you are and to be on your farm enough to know how you
do things. They have to have a good general understanding of the animals that are there, how you raise them, and what you’re trying to do with them,” Whitworth said.
Additionally, Whitworth encourages producers to keep in mind veterinarians can get into serious trouble including getting their license suspended or incurring fines if they don’t follow the rules. “It’s a pretty significant thing for veterinarians if things go the wrong way,” Whitworth added. “I know people sometimes say, ‘Why don’t they just write me this prescription?’” The reason is they could face serious consequences for violating regulations.
BE PATIENT: Though in the works for quite some time, the final shift of over-thecounter medicines to by prescription only will also be a change for veterinarians. Therefore, producers should keep that in mind and be patient with their local veterinarians. “This was an FDA regulation and is new to the veterinarians as well as the producers. Work closely with your veterinarian during this transition,” Reinkemeyer said.
BE PROACTIVE: Now is a good time for producers to take inventory of the over-thecounter medicines they use to treat animals. In addition, producers should initiate a conversation with their veterinarian to determine what steps they need to take to ensure they have those products on hand or are able to get them when needed.
For those producers who already have a good relationship established with their veterinarian the change will have far less impact. “The people who don’t routinely utilize a veterinarian, they’re going to be the ones that are probably going to be shocked when they go down to the local co-op or feed store and there’s no antibiotics on the shelf anymore or in the refrigerator,” Whitworth said. If producers establish a veterinarian client patient relationship, inventory their medicines, and talk with their veterinarian about the upcoming changes, then the transition should be much easier.
Lice most likely ranks toward the top of the list as one of the most annoying pests that plague cattle herds. It’s tough to miss the signs of the parasites when cattle are constantly rubbing and the barbs on fences are covered with hair. “I had a producer tell me one time that his cattle were about to flatten all his fences trying to rub themselves on them,” Johnny Gunsaulis, county extension agent with the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, recalled.
Lice are a problem in the winter months due to the animal’s winter coat providing a blanket of insulation for the parasites during the cold weather. There are two kinds of lice that cause cattle problems: chewing lice and sucking lice. Chewing lice are the most common.
Unlike some parasites, the signs of lice infestation are front and center. Cattle will start having missing hair patches. They will also rub on trees, fences, troughs or anything else they can find. “The lice control is maybe more beneficial to prevent fence damage than it is for animal benefit.,” Gunsaulis added.
Livestock specialists recommend producers act now to control lice in their herds. “It would most usually be recommended to treat the whole herd if it is suspected that individuals have lice,” Gunsaulis said. Leaving some animals untreated, leaves the window open for re-infestation.
Many pour-on products are available for the treatment of lice. “The permethrin products (there are several trade names that contain this product) will work as well as cyfluthrin (Cylence),” Gunsaulis shared. After the initial application, a second treatment two to three weeks later is recommended. The second application will kill the lice that have hatched after the first application.
However, there are some precautions to take if the cattle are also battling grubs. “If it is suspected that your cattle may also have grubs, consult your veterinarian before treating for lice this time of year; some complications can occur,” Gunsaulis said. “Ivermectin is effective on lice, but it’s not recommended to use deworming products this time of year to prevent worm resistance from developing.”
Whatever treatment producers decide to use, it’s important to follow the dosage recommendations listed on the product. Follow the dosage guidelines for the size of the animal being treated. When administering a pour-on product, try to spread the dosage in a line all the way down the animal’s back to increase the body surface treated. Many products will provide instructions for the window of re-treatment. If recommended on the product, then make sure to apply a second treatment at the specified time interval. This is essential to preventing re-infestation.
Though it can be a pain, take heart that as spring arrives with warmer temperatures the problem with lice will also wane. Until then, rest in these thoughts about lice from Gunsaulis, “Lice are one of those things put on earth to keep us from getting too proud of ourselves. Anyone that’s had kids in school knows it just happens — same thing for cattle.”
Producers should be proactive to prevent infestations
By Cheryl Kepes
Colostrum plays a critical role in the health of calves. It sets the stage for a calf’s development and provides protection from some illnesses. “Most of the research will indicate the cow passes immunity to the calf through colostrum,” Andy McCorkill, University of Missouri Extension Field Specialist in Livestock, said. “A lot of that comes down to ensuring the cow can produce adequate colostrum to begin with.”
According to livestock extension specialists the most important management strategy for making sure a cow produces quality colostrum is keeping her in adequate flesh. “The biggest hurdle to overcome with good colostrum starts with the body condition of the cow,” McCorkill explained.
If the momma cow is healthy, then she is more likely to produce colostrum in ample quantity and quality. “For the most part, making sure that the cow is in good shape nutritionally is the best insurance policy that you have toward getting her to take good care of the calf,” McCorkill said.
One measure of proper condition is the body condition score (BCS) of the cow at calving. Livestock extension specialists recommend a cow’s BCS at calving should be between a five and six or even a low seven. “That’s where we like to see them, so they are in their ideal shape to take care of themselves and be able to pass that immunity onto the calf,” McCorkill added.
Getting the cow to her right body condition takes a balanced approach to nutrition. Though many times producers focus
on protein, experts recommend producers also pay attention to the energy in the rations they are feeding their cows. “Protein is the one that is always on everyone’s mind, but energy is where we tend to be the most lacking a lot of times in ration, particularly in a year like this where what forage we have is limited and poor-quality,” McCorkill explained.
The energy in rations can be measured in Total Digestible Nutrients (TDN). McCorkill recommends producers consider setting a target percentage for energy their cattle are getting in the ration. He suggests 55 percent for cows in mid-gestation, 60 percent for cows in late gestation, and 65 percent for cows in the peak of their lactation. “That’s a little bit oversimplified. If you feed them that way, they may be a little bit fleshy,” McCorkill stated. “But that’s a simple estimate and target to shoot for.”
McCorkill added if producers aim for those percentages their cows will keep their flesh, and if the cows have a little more condition, then so be it. “I look at that extra flesh on a cow, within reason, as being God’s gift of a way for the cow to store energy for leaner times,” McCorkill said.
In addition, giving cows access to minerals may help to boost the quality of a cow’s colostrum. Each producer will need to determine where the imbalances are within their own operation and choose the appropriate minerals to supplement their cow herd. “You don’t have to spend a lot on a mineral supplement to get the job done, but it is a good idea to have mineral out all the time,” McCorkill said.
31 Intro to QuickBooks Online – 6-9 p.m. – Cost: $39 – State Fair Community College, Room 147, 3797 Osage Beach Pkwy, Osage Beach, Mo. – register online at go.ozarksfn.com/zfl
31 Private Pesticide Applicator Training – 1-4 p.m. – 200 N. Main Courthouse, Rolla, Mo. – Cost: Free – register by calling 573-458-6260 or visit go.ozarksfn.com/gum
31 Taney County Livestock and Forage Conference – 6 p.m. – Forsyth High School, Forsyth, Mo. – pre-register by Jan. 27 – 417-546-4431 or visit go.ozarksfn.com/73i
1 Love Your Neighborhood Workshop – 3-4 p.m. or 5-6 p.m. – Cost: Free –Republic Branch, 921 N. Lindsey Avenue, Republic, Mo. – for more information contact David at 417-881-8909 – to register visit go.ozarksfn.com/pc3
2 Barry County Soils and Crops Conference – 6-9 p.m. – Cost: $5 – First Christian Church, 905 Old Exeter Road, Cassville, Mo. – to register call 417-847-3161 or visit go.ozarksfn.com/duv
2-16 Cooking Matters at Home – Thursdays, noon-1 p.m. – Online via Zoom –for more information or to register call 314-400-7298
2-3/16 Home Gardening Webinar Series – 6:30-8:30 p.m. – Online via Zoom –Cost: $50 – for more information contact Debi at 636-797-5391 or KellyD@missouri.edu – register online at go.ozarksfn.com/nja
2 Pesticide Applicator Training – 6 p.m. – Houston, Mo. – for more information or to register call 417-967-4545
2 Private Pesticide Applicator Training – 6-9 p.m. – Dallas County Alumni Building, Buffalo, Mo. – pre-registation required by one week prior to class –417-345-7551
2 Starting a Business: The First Steps – 4-5:15 p.m. – Online via Zoom –register online at missouri.ecenterdirect.com/events/24099
4 Diversified Agriculture Conference – 9:15 a.m.-2:30 p.m. – Cost: $20 – Faith Baptist Church, 1002 S. Marshall Street, Marshfield, Mo. – for more information contact Kyle at 417-859-2044 – register online at go.ozarksfn.com/etx
6-3/20 Building It From the Ground Up Farming – Mondays, 6-9 p.m. – Cost: Free – 205 S. Hickory Street, Buffalo, Mo. – for more information call Terry at 417-745-6767 or Katie at 417-345-7551 – register online at go.ozarksfn.com/jqn
7 Advanced QuickBooks Online – 6-9 p.m. – Cost: $39 – State Fair Community College, Room 147, 3797 Osage Beach Pkwy, Osage Beach, Mo. – register online at go.ozarksfn.com/heh
7 Backyard Chickens 101 – 5:30-8:30 p.m. – Pulaski County Courthouse Community Room, Lower Level, 301 Historic Rt 66E, Waynesville, Mo. –register at 573-774-4766 or pulaskico@missouri.edu – for questions contact Karen at 573-884-1268 or funkenbuschk@umsystem.edu
7 Beef and Forage Conference – 5:15-8:30 p.m. – pre-registration cost is $15 per person, $20 per person at the door – pre-register by Jan. 31 – 1376 Bill Virdon Blvd., West Plains, Mo. – for more information contact Sarah at 417-256-2391 or kenyons@missouri.edu – register online at go.ozarksfn.com/kyp
8 QuickBooks Desktop: Utilization, Tips, and Tricks – 10:30-11:45 a.m. – Online via Zoom – Cost: Free – register online at missouri.ecenterdirect.com/events/24177
9 Pesticide Applicator Training – 6-8 p.m. – Gainesville Livestock Auction, Gainesville, Mo. – to register call 417-679-3525
9 Private Pesticide Applicator Training – 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. – Online via Zoom –to register call 417-745-6767 or visit go.ozarksfn.com/kt3
JANUARY 30, 2023
9 Tri-County Livestock & Forage Conference – 6-8:45 p.m. – Cost: Free – 2S Angus Cattle Company, 4586 Jute Road, Seneca, Mo. – for more information contact Jennifer at 417-223-4775 or lutesjl@missouri.edu – register online at go.ozarksfn.com/aue
10 Pesticide Applicator Training – 10 a.m. – Marshfield, Mo. – for more information and to register call 417-859-2044
11, 18 Beekeeping Class – 9 a.m.-noon – Webster County MU Extension Center, 800 S. Marshall Street, Marshfield, Mo. – Cost: $45 per person (includes both days) – to register or for more information call 417-859-2044 or stop by the office
11 Laclede County Fair Market Steer Weigh-In – 9 a.m.-noon – Laclede County Fairgrounds, Lebanon, Mo. – 417-532-7126
14 Private Pesticide Applicator Training – 9 a.m. – Christian County Extension Center, 1701 W. Jackson St., Suite B, Ozark, Mo. – pre-registration required –call 417-581-3558 or visit go.ozarksfn.com/km6
15 Pesticide Applicator Training - Ag Plant, Ornamental/Turf, Right of Way, General Structure and Termite – Online Course – 8 a.m.-4 p.m. – to register visit www.cvent.com/d/19q5ry/4W
16 Private Pesticide Applicator Training – 6-9 p.m. – Polk County Fair Grounds Youth Building, Bolivar, Mo. – pre-register by Feb. 9 – 417-326-4916
16 Stone County Livestock & Forage Conference – 6-9 p.m. – Cost: Free – S. State Hwy 413, Crane, Mo. – to register call 417-357-6812 or visit go.ozarksfn.com/j3u
21 Pesticide Applicator Training – 6 p.m. – West Plains, Mo. – for more information and to register call 417-256-2391
21 Spring Forage Conference – Oasis Hotel, Springfield, Mo. – registration is limited – for more information contact Jody at 417-468-4176 ext. 3 or jody.wade@swcd.mo.gov or visit springforageconference.com
22 Private Pesticide Applicator Training – 1 p.m. – Stone County Annex, 106 E. 5th Street, Galena, Mo. – pre-registration required – 417-357-6812 or go.ozarksfn.com/ams
23 Backyard Poultry Basics Workshop – 6-8 p.m. – Cost: $20 per person – MU Extension Meeting Room, 186-D N. Adams Avenue, Lebanon, Mo. – to pre-register call 417-532-7126
23 Private Pesticide Applicator Training – 6-9 p.m. – MU Extension Office, Camdenton, Mo. – pre-register by Feb. 16 – 573-346-2644
23 Private Pesticide Applicator Training – 6:30 p.m. – MU Southwest Research Center, 14548 State Hwy H, Mount Vernon, Mo. – pre-registration required –417-466-3102 or go.ozarksfn.com/lgz
24-26 61st Annual Western Farm Show – American Royal Complex, Kansas City, Mo. – See your local MFA Agri Services for discount tickets
1 Private Pesticide Applicator Training – 1 p.m. – Greene County Extension Center, 2400 S. Scenic Avenue, Springfield, Mo. – pre-registration required – call 417-357-6812 or visit go.ozarksfn.com/qof
2 Private Pesticide Applicator Training – 10 a.m. – Dade County Extension Center, 2 N. Main Street, Greenfield, Mo. – pre-register by Feb. 28 – call 417-637-2112
3 Central Missouri Forage & Beef Conference – 1-6:30 p.m. – Cost: $10 per person at the door for the meal – Knights of Columbus Hall, 206 6th Street, Vienna, Mo. – to register call 573-422-3342 or visit go.ozarksfn.com/0tr
3 Farm to Fork Summit & Expo – 9 a.m.-4 p.m. – Nevada Community Center, 200 N. Ash Street, Nevada, Mo. – tickets on sale at bit.ly/2023farmtofork –for more information contact Cristina at 660-476-2185 or cjopling@wcmcaa.org
Ozarks Farm & Neighbor • www.ozarksfn.com
February 2023
3 Cow Camp Ranch Spring Bull Sale – Lost Springs, Kan. – 785-466-6475 or 785-258-0173
4 Loonan Stock Farm 48th Anniversary Production Sale – at the farm, Corning, Iowa – 641-322-3921
7 Hoover Angus Annual Production Sale – Hoover Angus Sale Facility, Shannon City, Iowa – 641-344-7684 or 641-344-3234
9 Venner Family Limousin Nine Plus 1 Limousin Sale – www.L365Auctions.com – 402-350-3447 or 712-673-4491
11 Bradley 3 Ranch Home of the Wide Body Sale – at the ranch, Estelline, Texas – 940-585-6471 or 940-585-6171
11 Conley Cattle & Penner Ranch Annual Angus Bull Sale – Ada, Okla. –405-464-2455 or 405-747-4683
11 14th Annual Genetic Power Gelbvieh and Balancer Bull Sale – Springfield Livestock Marketing Center, Springfield, Mo. – 334-695-1371
11 J&N Ranch Black Herefords 38th Annual Production Sale – at the ranch, Leavenworth, Kan. – 913-727-6446
13 Iowa Beef Expo 59th Annual Charolais Sale – Iowa State Fairgrounds, Des Moines, Iowa – 281-761-5952
13 NextGen Cattle Company Elite Genetics Online Sale – ckonlinesales.com –765-376-8784 or 785-213-1753
16 Rom’n Limousin Where Class Meats Carcass Online Bull Sale –www.L365Auctions.com – 402-350-3447
18 Gilbert Cattle Company 2nd Annual Production Sale – Oldfield, Mo. –417-860-6500 or 417-224-6296
18 GV Limousin 42nd Annual Production Sale – Anderson County Community Building, Garnett, Kan. – 785-448-8027 or 785-448-4310
24 Jamison Herefords Total Performance Bull Sale – Jamison Ranch Sale Center, Quinter, Kan. – 785-299-0441
25 Galaxy Beef Production Sale – Macon, Mo. – 816-244-4462 or 660-254-1337
25 66th Anniversary Missouri Angus Breeders’ Futurity Sale – Columbia, Mo. – 805-234-7191
25 Seedstock Plus North Missouri Bull Sale – Kingsville Livestock Auction, Kingsville, Mo. – 877-486-1160
March 2023
4 Hilltop Farms Annual Bull and Female Sale – Joplin Regional Stockyards, Carthage, Mo. – 417-842-3225 or 417-529-0081
4 Judd Ranch 45th Gelbvieh, Balancer & Red Angus Bull Sale – at the ranch, Pomona, Kan. – 1-800-743-0026
4 Linhart Limousin Business Done Right Bull Sale – at the farm, Leon, Iowa – 641-340-1306 or 641-414-5060
4 Seedstock Plus Arkansas Bull Sale – Hope Livestock Auction, Hope, Ark. – 877-486-1160
4 Mead Farms Bull Sale – at the farm, Versailles, Mo. – 573-216-0210 or 573-302-7011
4 Peterson Farms Charolais Bull Sale – Mountain Grove, Mo. – 417-926-5336
4 Satterfield Charolais & Angus Annual Bull Sale – at the farm, Evening Shade, Ark. – 501-944-9274 or 870-499-7151
6 Buck Ridge Cattle Company Inaugural Production Sale – at the farm, Seymour, Mo. – 417-838-6109 or 417-689-4233
10 Wall Street Cattle Company Annual Bull Sale – Lebanon, Mo. – 417-288-4444
11 Coyote Hills Ranch Bull Sale – at the ranch, Chattanooga, Okla. – 402-350-3447 or 580-597-3006
11 Nipp Charolais Annual Spring Bull Sale – Wilson, Okla. – 580-513-3555
11 Sampson Cattle Company Annual Bull Sale – Kirksville, Mo. – 660-216-2207 or 660-216-1522
11 Seedstock Plus Red Reward Bull & Female Sale – Wheeler Livestock Auction, Osceola, Mo. – 877-486-1160
11 Wright Charolais 16th Annual Charolais Bull Sale – Wright Sale Facility, Kearney, Mo. – 816-776-3512
15 Valley Oak Angus Production Sale – Oak Grove, Mo. – 816-229-8115 or 816-365-5930
18 Bradley Cattle Bull and Female Sale – Springfield, Mo. – 417-848-3457 or 765-376-8784
18 Brinkley Angus Ranch 21st Annual Production Sale – Green City, Mo. –660-265-5565
18 Falling Timber Farm 14th Annual Bull & Female Sale – at the farm, Marthasville, Mo. – 636-358-4161
18 Full Circle Cattle Company 3rd Annual Bull Sale – Dodge City, Kan. –620-260-6815
18 T and S Strnad Charolais Production Sale – at the ranch, Formoso, Kan. –785-794-2471 or 785-243-8600
18 Valley Oaks Spring Bull Sale – Warsaw, Mo. – 573-280-2351 or 816-365-5930
19 Briarwood Angus Annual Quality Bull & Female Sale – at the farm, Butler, Mo. – 660-679-3459 or 660-679-3395
20 Hinkle’s Prime Cut Angus Spring Sale – at the farm, Nevada, Mo. –417-944-2219 or 417-448-4127
21 Schrader Ranch 21st Annual Bull Sale – at the ranch, Wells, Kan. – 785-488-2135 or 785-488-7204
25 8 Story Farms Charolais Cattle Production Sale – Gallatin, Mo. – 660-749-5834 or 660-663-5048
25 Arkansas Bull Sale 8th Annual Bull & Female Sale – Heber Springs, Ark. –205-270-0999
25 Seedstock Plus South Missouri Bull & Female Sale – Joplin Regional Stockyards, Carthage, Mo. – 877-486-1160
25 Wakefield Farms Performance Tested Bull Sale – Dunlap Livestock Auction, Dunlap, Iowa – 281-761-5952 or 507-402-4640
25 Worthington Angus 8th Annual Spring Production Sale – at the farm, Dadeville, Mo. – 417-844-2601
27 Southwest Missouri All Breed Performance Tested Bull Sale – Springfield, Mo. – 417-293-8002
28 GenePlus Brangus Production Sale – Chimney Rock Cattle Company, Concord, Ark. – 620-583-3706 or 417-425-0368
30 Minor Limousin Inaugural Online Sale – L365Auctions.com – 417-576-6364 or 443-605-6127
1 “The Andras Kind” Red Angus Bull Sale – at the farm, Manchester, Ill. –217-473-2355 or 217-473-2320
1 Filippo Family Farms Bull Sale – Rush Springs, Okla. – 405-820-9862
1 Four State Angus Association Sale – Springfield Livestock Marketing Center, Springfield, Mo. – 734-260-8635
3 Brockmere Farms Inc. Production Sale – New Cambria, Mo. – 660-258-2901 or 660-258-3011
4 Hubert Charolais Ranch 44th Annual Bull & Female Sale – Oakley, Kan. –785-672-2540
6 Pharo Cattle Company Missouri Spring Sale – Springfield, Mo. – 800-311-0995
8 Fink Beef Genetics Bull Sale – Randolph, Kan. – 785-293-5106
15 The Power Performance Pedigree Registered Angus Sale – Mountain Grove, Mo. – 417-293-8002
22 East Central Missouri Angus Association Spring Sale – Cuba, Mo. – 417-224-6296
22 Heart of the Ozarks Angus Association 118th Consignment Sale – Ozarks Regional Stockyards, West Plains, Mo. – 205-270-0999
Ozarks Farm & Neighbor • www.ozarksfn.com
1/28 Tool & Gun Auction – Lockwood, Mo. • Kip Smith Auction & Land Company
2/4 Estate and Collectibles Auction –Pleasant Hope, Mo. • H&L Auction
2/4 Huge Antique/Primitives Auction –Windsor, Mo. • the Midwest Auctioneers, LLC
2/9 St. Clair County Real Estate Auction – Lowry City, Mo. • Wheeler Auctions & Real Estate, 660-327-5890, wheelerauctions.com • See Our Ad on Page 29
2/11 Estate of Dean & Carol Ellingsen Auction – Everton, Mo. • Bruce & Le’AN Auction & Appraisal LLC
2/11 Ron Lefty & Ruth Lancaster Estate Auction – Sheldon, Mo. • Nance Auction Service
2/18 Jean & the late Don Flagor Estate Auction – Nevada, Mo. • Nance Auction Service
2/25 Robert Bob & Barbara Deitz Estate Auction – Carthage, Mo. • Nance Auction Service
1/28 January Consignment Auction – Conway, Mo. • J.D. Lewis Auction Company LLC
2/4 Estate Auction of Maxine Faye Baughman – Bu alo, Mo. • Bruce & Le’AN Auction & Appraisal LLC
2/7 Lakefront Home with Dock Real Estate Auction – Osage Beach, Mo. • Bryant Auction LLC
2/18 Annual Winter Firearms Auction –Lebanon, Mo. • Diamond S Auction Real Estate Company
3/4 Kilmer Farm Equipment Consignment Auction – Versailles, Mo. • Wheeler Auctions & Real Estate, 660-327-5890, wheelerauctions.com • See Our Ad on Page 29
2/4 Large Farm Auction – Neosho, Mo. • Circle L Auction Service
2/5 Living Estate & Real Estate Auction –Joplin, Mo. • Circle L Auction Service
2/11 Household Vintage, Collectibles & Firearms Auction – Stotts City, Mo. • J&J Auction Services
2/11 Metal Shop Real Estate & Business Liquidation Auction – Spring eld, Mo. • Diamond S Auction Real Estate Company
2/25 Real Estate & Personal Property Auction – Mountain Grove, Mo. • Chadwell Auctions LLC
1/28 Annual January Consignment Auction – Paris, Mo. • Wheeler Auctions & Real Estate, 660-327-5890, wheelerauctions. com • See Our Ad on Page 29
2/1 Bange & Leutung Land Auction –Salisbury, Mo. • Enyeart Auction & Realty LLC
2/1 Equipment Online Auction – bidding closes Feb. 1st at 10 a.m. – bigiron.com •
Big Iron Auctions
2/4 Brown Real Estate & Machinery Auction – Fortuna, Mo. • Dick Hutchison Auction & Real Estate LLC
2/4 36th Annual Farm Equipment Auction –Advance, Mo. • Brucker Auction Service
2/4, 2/11, 2/18 Late Marge Mulnix ree Day Antique & Primitive Auction – Troy, Mo. • ornhill Real Estate & Auction Company
2/6 Winter Online Equipment Auction –Berger, Mo. • Schneider Auctioneers, LLC
2/8 Equipment Online Auction – bidding closes Feb. 8th at 10 a.m. – bigiron.com •
Big Iron Auctions
2/10 Nationwide Online-Virtual Premium High End Planter Auction – Carrolton, Mo. • Wheeler Auctions & Real Estate, 660-327-5890, wheelerauctions.com •
See Our Ad on Page 29
2/11 Estate & Real Estate Auction – Galena, Kan. • Venture Group Auction
2/11 Farm Auction – Cha ee, Mo. • Brucker Auction Service
2/15 Callaway County Real Estate Auction –Mokane, Mo. • Wheeler Auctions & Real Estate, 660-327-5890, wheelerauctions.com
• See Our Ad on Page 29
2/15 Equipment Online Auction – bidding closes Feb. 15th at 10 a.m. – bigiron.com
• Big Iron Auctions
2/16-17 Online Only Equipment Auction –Wynne, Ark. • Witcher Auctions
2/16 Pike County Real Estate Auction – Bowling Green, Mo. • Wheeler Auctions & Real Estate, 660-327-5890, wheelerauctions.com
• See Our Ad on Page 29
2/18 Estate Auction – Marquand, Mo. • Dees Auction Management
2/22 Bondy Family Land Online Auction –Triplett, Mo. • Enyeart Auction & Realty LLC
2/22 Equipment Online Auction – bidding starts Feb. 1st at 6 p.m., bidding closes Feb. 22nd at 10 a.m. – bigiron.com • Big Iron Auctions
2/24 Audrain County Real Estate Auction –Centralia, Mo. • Wheeler Auctions & Real Estate, 660-327-5890, wheelerauctions.com
• See Our Ad on Page 29
2/25 Estate Farm Auction – Advance, Mo. • Brucker Auction Service
2/25 Rinehart Farms Equipment Auction –Purdin, Mo. • Wheeler Auctions & Real Estate, 660-327-5890, wheelerauctions.com
• See Our Ad on Page 29
— ANGUS —
Bradley Cattle - Marshfield, MO417-848-3457brucembradley@hotmail.com
Double H Ranch - Ava, MO816-896-4600
Mead Farms - Barnett, MO573-216-0210 - 573-280-6855
Pitts Angus Farms - Hermitage, MO417-399-3131www.pittsangusfarms.com
—
—
B/F Cattle Company - Butler, MO660-492-2808
Hilltop Farms - Asbury, MO417-842-3225 - 417-529-0081 - 417-529-7556
Rumfelt Farms - Phillipsburg, MO - 417-664-6936brumfelt7556@gmail.com
— BRANGUS —
Horsehead Ranch - Talala, Okla. - 918-695-2357www.HorseheadRanch.net
— CHAROLAIS —
Bradley Cattle - Marshfield, MO417-848-3457brucembradley@hotmail.com
Mead Farms - Barnett, MO573-216-0210 - 573-280-6855
— GELBVIEH —
Hilltop Farms - Asbury, MO417-842-3225 - 417-529-0081 - 417-529-7556
Rumfelt Farms - Phillipsburg, MO - 417-664-6936brumfelt7556@gmail.com
— HEREFORDS —
Jim D. Bellis - Aurora, MO417-678-5467 - 417-466-8679
Journagan Ranch - Mtn. Grove, MO - 417-838-1482
Laze D Herefords &
Bakerville Cattle CompanyJerico Springs, MO417-398-0019lazedherefords@hotmail.com
Mead Farms - Barnett, MO573-216-0210 - 573-280-6855
— LIMOUSIN —
Glendenning J Bar J RanchLebanon, MO - 417-588-6121 - 417-664-0913 - 417-664-1186 - jack@jbarjlimousin.comwww.jbarjlimousin.com
Minor Limousin - Strafford, MO 417-576-6364 - 443-605-6127 - www.minorlimousin.com
Pinegar Limousin - Springfield, MO - 1-877-PINEGAR
— RED ANGUS —
Bradley Cattle - Marshfield, MO417-848-3457brucembradley@hotmail.com
Dunseth Farm - Halfway, MO417-445-2256
Watkins Cattle CompanyHarrison, AR - 870-741-9795 – 870-688-1232 –watkinscattleco@windstream.net
— SALERS —
Dunseth Farm - Halfway, MO417-445-2256
— ULTRABLACK —
Horsehead Ranch - Talala, Okla. - 918-695-2357
