meet your neighbors Annual Bull & Female Sale
Saturday, March 7, 2020 12:30 PM • Joplin Regional Stockyards • Carthage, Missouri
Offering 50 Head - 12-18 Month Old Purebred Gelbvieh & Balancer Bulls
Making the Best Use of Forages
By Kathy Parker
Bell Rule Genetics finds great success with rotational grazing and Senepol genetics Bell Rule Genetics in Mayes County, Okla., is a 100-year-old family cattle operation. The ranch strives to produce the highest percentage of quality meat for the least cost. One method Dean Schneider and his nephew Brandon Fix use to achieve that goal is intensive rotational grazing. One of their rotational plots, 20 acres,
recently begun to feed hay for the first time this winter. “Generally it’s a day’s grazing and move them daily, but even if you have a job in town and can only move the cows on the weekend, it will still work well,” Dean said. He said recent studies show 80 percent of grass is used when grazing is limited to Photo by Kathy Parker
• All Bulls Semen & Trich Tested • Genomic Enhanced EPDs & Ultrasound Data • Performance tested • Blacks, Reds with several DNA tested Homo-Black & Homo Polled • Select group of Open Purebred Gelbvieh & Balancer Heifers • All heifers will be pelvic measured prior to the sale Videos of Sale Bulls & Heifers will be on dvauction.com Sale broadcast live on DV Auction.com
Call or Email Us to Receive a Catalog! hilltop-farms@hotmail.com • 417-842-3225
HF 8
Elmer, Brenda, Brad, Katie, Kinsley, Benny, Sarah & Taegan McWilliams 27720 Barton Co Blvd | Asbury, MO 417-529-0081 | 417-529-7556 | 417-529-6436 Committed to Raising Quality Seedstock WWW.HILLTOP-FARMS.COM
The Schneider family has been in the cattle business for more than 100 years. Bell Rule Genetics in Adair, Okla., is operated by Dean Schneider (left), his wife Marti, son Jasper and nephew Brandon Fix.
fed 60 pairs for 45 days on millet and haybeans. A rain this year made the forage too mature to bale. Dean said he put down the wings of the mower and mowed strips that Brandon fenced off with hot wire. The pairs were left for one or two days on each strip. Turns out the cattle “ate it up.” “There was no baling cost and it saved our grass,” Dean said. Brandon said with planned and limited grazing, the ranch has only
Ozarks Farm & Neighbor • www.ozarksfn.com
a specific area, compared to 30 percent when cattle are left to room large pastures. “When you limit the area to the green for protein, it’s like a supplement,” Dean said. While some labor is involved to put up the electric tape, Brandon said he can put up a quarter mile Adair, Okla. in about 10 minutes. He said once a person perfects the right way to put up the electric fence, it is quickly accomplished. FEBRUARY 10, 2020
