OFN February 20, 2023

Working Towards a Goal

Jason and Jenny Poor have grown their farm and cattle operation

Back in the Family Business

After opening a small facility to process their own meat, brothers opt to expand their business

Give Your Herd an Energy Boost

Providing cattle balanced rations for improved production

Revitalizing the Land and the Dream

3 Korners Ranch was leased to other producers for decades, but it’s once again a family operation

rumor mill

Grants awarded: The Neosho and Carthage FFA chapters are among 22 youth groups from across Missouri awarded grants from the Missouri Department of Agriculture’s 2023 Building Our American Communities grant program. The funds are to be used for community service projects this year.

Families honored: Six families from the Ozarks were recently recognized by the Missouri 4-H Foundation with the 2022 Missouri 4-H Century Family Award. Each family represents a combined 100 years or more of membership and volunteer service within 4-H. From Polk County, the Le Jeune-Rains-Curran Family was honored. Families from Vernon County honored were: the Earll Family; the Hampton Family; the Metcalf Family; the Miller Family; and the Thomas Family.

Scholarship applications: The Missouri 4-H Foundation is accepting applications for current or former Missouri 4-H members pursuing postsecondary study. Applications must be completed on or before March 1. Missouri 4-H youths are encouraged to showcase their personal growth and development as well as career goals on their scholarship applications. For details, visit muext.us/4Hscholarships.

Grant applications being accepted: The Missouri Department of Agriculture is now accepting applications for anticipated funding through the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program. Interested individuals, community organizations and research institutions working to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops in Missouri should submit their application by March 14. For more information, visit Agriculture.Mo.Gov.

Conference set for Feb. 28: The 97th Annual Greene County Agriculture Production Conference is 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., Feb. 28 at Springfield Livestock Marketing Center, 6821 West Independence, Springfield. Speakers for the evening will cover three topics of significant interest for agriculture production this coming year. Dr. Scott Brown, State Ag Business Specialist, MU Extension, Columbia will give a” Beef Market Outlook for 2023.” “A Drought-Resilient Farm – Warm Season Grass Opportunities” will be presented by Drexel Atkisson, Soil Health Specialist, NRCS, Springfield. “Managing Spring Flush of Grass” will be presented by Tim Schnakenberg, agronomy specialist with MU Extension. Pre-registration is needed by Feb. 24 for this free event and can be done one of two ways. Register online at bit.ly/ GreeneAPC or by calling 417-357-6812.

OzarksFarm @OzarksFarm

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Do you have a rumor you would like to share with our readers? Mail them to: PO Box 1319, Lebanon, MO 65536; fax them to: 417-532-4721;or email them to: editor@ozarksfn.com

JUST

3 Jerry Crownover –Even old cows can be quick

4 Julie Turner-Crawford –Beware of who you allow on your farm

MEET YOUR NEIGHBORS

7 Brothers dive back into the family processing business

9 After a hiatus for decades, the Herrons are back on the family ranch

10 Old tractors can draw big crowds

12 Eye on Agribusiness features Grubaugh-Bird Tires and Truck Beds

15 Town & County features Stacey Corneau

18 Family continues to grow their farm and cattle operation

20 Youth in Agriculture spotlights Justine Justice

FARM HELP

21 Health tips from Dr. O’Neill

22 Improving conception rates in cattle

24 Utilizing maternal traits for herd improvement

25 Balanced rations can improve production

26 Keep calves gaining after weaning

just a thought

What’s On Your Mind, Ozarks?

Life Is Simple

By Jerry Crownover

At this stage of winter, in an effort to conserve what little hay I have left, I have been splitting a large round bale, between the two herds I feed in the morning, before I move on to the other farm.

One cold morning last week, I began to unroll a bale at the pasture north of the house. When I estimated that I had provided that group of cows with something close to half of the bale, I raised the lift on the tractor and proceeded to drive alongside the row of cows and count them to make sure calving season hadn’t started a week too early.

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.’

At first I just thought I was one cow short, but then I happened to look in the rear-view mirror and discovered an old, black baldy cow walking right behind the tractor with her mouth and tongue trying to rip the remainder of the bale apart. I throttled up, thinking a little distance would dissuade her from following. I was wrong.

I shifted to a higher gear, and was really making tracks, when I looked back and realized the old cow had a higher gear, also. There was hay flying left, right, up and down as I headed toward the open gate, where I needed to exit the field. At that moment, it registered that the baldy cow would most likely follow me through the gate, and be in the wrong field at the conclusion of the race. At that point, I started zigging and zagging, around and around the field, with the tractor moving at a speed that began to scare me. The cow still had her mouth attached to what was left of the hay. After 20 minutes, covering most of the square footage of a 60-acre field, I made a sharp right turn, on two wheels, and could finally see that the old cow had stopped, and was standing over a tuft of hay. I had won, and told myself that I had out-smarted a 16-yearold cow, only to look back and realize there was no hay left in the unroller.

— Continued on Page 5

just a thought

Across The Fence

By Julie Turner-Crawford

Afriend seeking a career change contacted me the other day to give me a tip.

She said to look at a specific employment website and search the word “farm.” I was disturbed by what I found.

There were ads for “investigators” posted by animal rights groups. The job descriptions state “investigators” are required to obtain employment at “factory farms,” hatcheries and livestock markets to document conditions.

“Investigators must be prepared to witness unimaginable cruelty and engage in intense manual labor while maintaining their composure and cover to gather information necessary to expose and stop farmed animal abuse,” one ad states. Using hidden cameras and thoroughly documenting conditions and practices in facilities while paying particular attention to animal welfare issues is another job requirement.

DESSERT

— Continued on Next Page

Heavenly Peanut Butter Trifle

• 1 milk chocolate brownie mix (19.5 ounces)

• 2 packages (13 ounces each) miniature peanut butter cups

• 4 C milk

• 2 packages (5.1 ounces each) instant vanilla pudding mix

• 1 C creamy peanut butter

• 4 tsp vanilla extract

• 2 cartons frozen whipped topping (8 ounces each), thawed

Prepare brownie mix according to package directions using a 9-by-13 pan. Do not over bake the brownies. Cool on a wire rack; cut into 3/4-inch pieces. Cut peanut butter cups in half; set aside 1/3 cup for garnish. In a large bowl, whisk milk and pudding mixes for 2 minutes. Add peanut butter and vanilla; mix well. Fold in 1 1/2 cartons whipped topping. Place a third of the brownies in a trifle bowl. Top with a third of the remaining peanut butter cups. Spoon a third of the pudding mixture over the top. Repeat layers twice. Cover with remaining whipped topping; garnish with reserved peanut butter cups. Refrigerate until chilled.

just a thought

Across the Fence

Continued from Previous Page

These ads offer flexible hours, health benefits, retirement plans, bonuses and impressive salaries for “non-profit” organizations. One job posting was for a position in Missouri; these folks could be in our backyard right now. On that same website, farmers and ranchers were looking for workers. After seeing some of these “investigators wanted” ads, it would scare me to hire anyone.

I did a little research on the organizations posting the ads. These organizations do not physically or financially care for animals. Vegan outreach, “investigations,” legal advocacy, corporate engagement, and administration costs make up most of their budgets. No line items for feed, hay or veterinary care or funding for animal shelters. Pets aren’t even helped by the organizations.

Most OFN readers know how I feel about these animal rights groups, so forgive me if I sound like a broken record, but I’m going to dust off my favorite soapbox.

As farmers and ranchers, we must take a stand against groups like this, and the best way we can do that is to provide the best care possible for our animals. That means treating an animal if it is sick or injured, having proper nutrition, and providing a good quality of life from beginning to end. If you cannot afford or do not want to do those things, maybe you should rethink being involved in livestock production. There is a big difference between animal welfare and animal rights. Animal welfare is the quality of life and the environment. Animal welfare groups have no cause to harass farmers and ranchers if animals are cared for in a humane manner. On the other hand, an-

Life Is Simple

Continued from Page 3

Embarrassed by what I had been doing for the past several minutes, I looked around to see if there were any witnesses. There, parked on the shoulder of the state road, which runs along the other side of the field, where I had been performing my military style, serpentine maneuvers, on a tractor, was one of my neighbors. From

imal rights groups follow a philosophy that animals not be used by humans, even for food. Farmers and ranchers are animal welfare advocates; they want the best for their animals. Some animals will test you, like the steer that knocked me for a loop when we were working cows a while back, but it comes down to being an animal caretaker.

Animal rights groups like to paint all farmers and ranchers as horrible, greedy people. They claim livestock owners are bloodthirsty, heartless killers and animal rights groups are there to “save” animals. Yet, if “investigators” witness something they feel is inhumane, they do nothing to stop the action or even question it. “Investigators” video away and wait for their “I got ya” moments.

If you’re looking for an employee, ask for verifiable, preferably local, references. Once you hire someone, tell and show them what you expect in animal care and handling. If there is an issue with an animal, be it ill or injured, or another employee isn’t following outlined care or handling, it should be reported immediately to you or another supervising employee. If the employee fails to do so, make it clear the lack of action is grounds for immediate termination. Good farmers and ranchers must lead by example.

Animal rights groups are looking for a reason to come to our communities and to our farms. Don’t be that reason. If you hire someone, be careful about who you trust with your livestock and your reputation.

what I could see at that distance, his head was on the steering wheel, and he was beating the dash with his fist. Somehow, the rest of the community was aware of what a warrior-like piece of machinery I had been driving, before I got to the feed store.

NEW TRUCKS

Back in the Family Business

By Julie Turner-Crawford

After opening a small facility to process their own meat, brothers opt to expand their business

As brothers, Monty Smith and Leon Stacy reminisce about growing up and working in their family’s meat processing facility, they admit as teenagers they weren’t always happy with the duties and chores. The brothers eventually moved to other careers, and the processing facility, Vernon County Meatpackers, which their parents purchased in 1973 in Nevada, Mo., continued to operate until in 2005 when a fire destroyed the facility. Their parents opted not to rebuild. With the loss of the family business, the brothers thought that chapter of their lives had closed, but nearly two decades later, that all changed.

The brothers said they missed the farm-raised, locally-processed meat they grew up with and liked, but they never considered opening their own processing facility.

“A buddy of mine and I were baling hay, and he said, ‘You and Monty need to build a little kill plant.’ I thought about it, called Monty, and we talked about it. Then we started looking at what we had as far as metal and lumber and what we could do with that. We started putting things together, then COVID hit. When that hit, everyone was looking for meat and found out about us and kept asking if we could butcher theirs.”

They were not set up for custom processing, but Leon discovered there was grant funding available through the Missouri Department of Agriculture and Small Business Development Authority to help them get back into the family business.

“I told Monty about it and said, ‘If we’re going to do this, we need to look at this,’” Leon recalled. “We didn’t think we were going to get into this; I was 60, already retired and doing my own thing. When we were kids, we had to do it because our dad made us work in the summers. When we got out of high school, we went our own way. Getting back into it now as an adult, it’s fun. We look back at what we did and we’re trying to incorporate that same kind of [family] atmosphere back into this one as when we were kids. We want our employees to be like a family, make us a team. We want to work together and make sure everyone knows what everyone else’s job is. If someone is sick, we can just step right in and fill in. That’s the way it was before; it was just one big, happy family. That’s what we want here.” The current facility at Vernon County Meats is about 1,000 square feet. They are currently in the process of tripling the square footage, which will include the addition of a retail storefront.

“Part of what we did years ago, and part of the grant requirement, was to market to restaurants a good, high-quality product with good taste, tenderness, and

flavor like an old-time butcher shop,” Monty said.

About 10 head can be processed a week. Once the new addition is completed, Vernon County Meats will have the space to process nearly three times more.

“It will also give us the capability to get things done quicker,” Leon explained. “Right now, in the space we have, we have to cut up everything in the original area that we built. We have to share the cutting area with the kill floor; we have to take everything out, clean, then put everything back. When we are done with this facility, we won’t have to do that anymore. We can keep our cutting room cutting five days a week and still work on the kill floor; we won’t have to stop anymore. It’s going to speed things up, so once we get to that point, it will be a game changer.”

The addition is expected in early to mid-May. Monty and Leon plan to add at least one employee, if not more and offer a part-time high school student to learn the trade.

Already a part of the team is Bill Jacks.

“Bill was my dad’s right-hand man,” Monty said. “He was there for 32 and a half of the 33 years.” Bill has already been a pivotal part of Vernon County Meats.

Since December 2021, he has been there to educate, help and mentor Monty and Leon as well as the new employees.

The closest meat processor or butcher shop to Nevada is 35 miles away, and locals are ready for the return of a hometown processor, the brothers said.

“It’s been overwhelming,” Leon said of the support. “I get calls every day wanting to know when we’re going to have the retail store open or when will we be able to get this or that. The people are so excited for this and can’t wait. They call and ask if we’re going to make the sausage like we used to make or if we’re going to make summer sausage, beef jerky and snack sticks. It lifts you up to know your community needs this and wants it.”

Monty and Leon, who are also cattlemen, said they never imagined the idea to process their own meat would become a business.

“That wasn’t the plan,” Monty said. “I have a full-time insurance business, so Leon manages [the meat plant] everything. This [the large scale meat plant] was never in the works to start with. The plan was to build a small plant and do our own stuff, maybe a little for friends, but it’s grown from there.

“We aren’t marketing anything retail at this point, but it’s given local producers an outlet. Long term, once we get inspected and are able to sell retail, the

Brothers Leon Stacy (left) and Monty Smith (right) are building larger processing facility in Nevada, Mo. Their parents operated the last processor in the area, which burned in 2005. Also pictured is Bill Jacks, who worked for Leon and Monty’s father. Bill is mentoring the brothers, and educating and training new employees.

Submitted photo

meet your neighbors

Back in the Family Business

Continued from Previous Page

goal is to buy as much local beef, pork, sheep and goat as possible from local producers. We want to give them another opportunity to market their products. We also have five or six producers that are direct marketing meats to producers that are using a facility that is under inspection, but we will be able to do that locally. Those people already have a market established, so this will give them another avenue to have it processed.”

As teenagers, Leon and Monty might not have appreciated their family business, but they now are enjoying getting back into the industry and are thankful for those years learning the trade.

“I don’t think anyone realizes how much you learn when you’re growing up because it’s just what you do; that’s the environment you grow up in,” Monty said. “Years later, that knowledge and experience give you a springboard to not only do that again but to do a lot of different things with that same experience. Meat processing has changed in the wake of COVID because American consumers realized how unstable and how easily their food supply can be disrupted. They realized something locally-grown or close to home can give them access to a good, healthy products, and that’s extremely important. The younger generation started to change it because they wanted to know where their meat comes from. It’s changed for everyone now and they see how important that is.”

“I hope the local producers and the local community have an established place to take

their products to, and that the consumers in the community can get a local, fresh product,” Leon added. “They will know where their product comes from, and we can tell them where we bought the beef, and customers can drive by and see how their animals are raised. If for some reason they have an issue, they can come to a local company that will take care of them and treat them right.”

The brothers will share their experience in the fifth annual 2023 Farm to Fork Summit and Expo on March 3 in Nevada. The event is spearheaded by the Osceola-based New Growth, a nonprofit affiliate of West Central Missouri Community Action Agency and Rural Community Development Corporation. Leon and Monty are hopeful those who hear their story will see it is possible to start from the ground up.

“I hope they come away with the thought that you can take an idea and start with that, then get other people involved to help you,” Monty said. “There’s a lot of people out there to help you get started. We didn’t realize all the different grants and things that are out there and accessible to you, and that you have to know the right people and resources who know where to look to find those things; they can really help.

“This is also an opportunity to tell your story and the experiences you’ve had to get you to that point. You have to start small, start with an idea, and continue to grow and develop it.”

Photo by Julie Turner-Crawford

Revitalizing the Land and the Dream

By Julie Turner-Crawford

3 Korners Ranch was leased to other producers for decades, but it’s once again a family operation

In 1973, Robert Herron accomplished his dream of owning a farm. He purchased a farm along the Big Piney River outside of Licking, Mo., in Beulah, from descendants of the family who originally homesteaded the property.

Robert and his family managed 125 cow/ calf pairs, 200 hogs, and grew corn, sorghum and hay to feed their livestock. Unfortunately, the downturned economy in the 1980s forced the Herrons to liquidate their livestock and forgo their farming operation. They, however, held onto the land.

“We implemented rotational grazing as part of our ranching operation to maximize the ground and provide the best quality forage for the cattle and a clean water source. We have 2 1/2 or 3 miles of underground piping to different watering stations. We have utilized the springs here on the property and solar pumps to pump the water into water troughs; it’s fresh mountain spring water.”

Following practices learned through a USDA grazing school, Patrick began eradicating noxious weeds and, making pasture and soil improvements.

LANDSTAR, Forage, Inoc., Not Coated 8# 2.44

Equivalent to $1.59 coated seed

60 GAINER II MIX, Inoc., Not Coated 8# 2.68

85% Red Clover, 15% Rampart Ladino

50 KENLAND, Inoc., Not Coated 8# 2.68

Equivalent to $1.74 coated seed

50 Hay Thickener,Inoc., Not Coated 10# 2.72

75% Red Clover - 25% Hulled Orchardgrass

60 Hay ‘N Graze Mix, Inoc., Not Coated 10# 2.76

70% Red Clover - 30% Haygrazer Alfalfa

50 MEDIUM RED, Raw 8# 2.32

50 MEDIUM RED, Coated, 65% Pure 12# 1.98

OTHER CLOVERS

50 LADINO, “JUMBO” Inoc., Not Coated 3# 4.86

Giant Leaf, Equivalent to $3.16 coated seed

50 LADINO - Rampart, 3# 4.34 Inoc., Not Coated

55 BALANSA - Viper, Raw, Annual 3# 2.58

50 WHITE CLOVER - Ivory 2, 3# 3.88

Intermediate, Inoc.

25 WHITE CLOVER - Durana, 5# ASK

Coated, 65% Pure

50 WHITE CLOVER - Nitro, White Dutch 3# 4.78

50 ALSIKE, Raw, Perennial 5# 3.48

50 SWEET CLOVER, Yellow Blossom 12# 3.78

50 ARROWLEAF, Winter Annual 6# 2.62

50 CRIMSON, Winter Annual 15# 2.08

50 BERSEEM CLOVER, Annual 15# 2.18

Spring Plant

50 BIRDSFOOT TREFOIL, 6# 6.26

*Less than Full Bags, add 20¢ per lb.

LESPEDEZA

Cow/Horse

A non-bloating legume, Summer Annual, Spring Plant

50 KOREAN, Inoc., Not Coated 20# 2.78

50 KOBE/KOREAN, Inoc., Not Coated, Feb. 20# 2.64

50 SERICEA, Scarified 20# 3.96

No Sell to KS, CO, OK

ALFALFA

60 COMMON SENSE, 3-Way Blend 20# 3.68

Haygrazer, Cimarron 400 & 500, Inoc., Not Coated

50 HAYGRAZER, Cert., Inoc./Not Coated 20# 3.78

50 CIMARRON VL400, 20# 3.78

Cert., Inoc., Not Coated

Other producers leased the 550-acre property for about two decades, but the dream of a family farm remained. A few years ago, Robert’s son Patrick decided it was time to make that dream once again become a reality for his father and future generations.

The reintroduction of family-owned cattle included a new way of doing things at the 3 Korners Ranch, named for the three adjoining counties – Texas, Pulaski and Phelps – on the ranch.

“We started doing that four or five years before we reintroduced cattle,” he explained, adding that the land sat idle while reconditioning the forages and soil. “We took our time and methodically worked to improve the land before we brought cattle back to the property.”

Improvements also included extensive soil testing, fertilization and the introduction of new forages.

“We came back with fescue,

— Continued on Page 13

50 CIMARRON VL500, 20# 3.78

Cert., Inoc., Not Coated

50 GENUITY, Roundup Ready® 25# 8.62

L442RR Coated

*Less than Full Bags, add 20¢ per lb.

GRAINS

48 GOLIATH OAT, Hay Type/Tall/Later

Lb./Acre Bag $

COVER CROPS

FESCUE

Add a Legume

Certified & Endophyte-Free 24# 1.96

50 KY-31, 24# 1.58

50 KY-31 & 9% ORCHARD GRASS MIX, 24# 1.63

50 FAST PASTURE MIX, Cattle/Horse 30-35# 1.96

66% Endophyte-Free KY-31 Fescue, 14% Hulled Orchard Grass, 18% Best-For Plus Ryegrass & 2% Timothy

25 MAX Q II TEXOMA, Friendly Endophyte 24# ASK

25 BAR OPTIMA E34, Friendly Endophyte 24# ASK

25 ESTANCIA, Friendly Endophyte 24# ASK

ORCHARD GRASS

Add a Legume

50 ARID “DR” 15# 2.68

Disease + Drought Resistant

50 POTOMAC/RED CLOVER MIX, 20# 2.68 75%/25%

50 POTOMAC, Disease Resistant 15# 2.48

50 FAST PASTURE MIX 30-35# 1.96 No Cover Needed, 66% Endophyte-Free KY-31 Fescue, 14% Hulled Orchard Grass, 18% Best-For Plus Ryegrass & 2% Timothy

FIELD GRASSES

50 ANDES, Tetraploid Annual Ryegrass 24# 0.78

50 MARSHALL, Annual Ryegrass 24# 0.78 Not a Tetraploid

50 BEST-FOR PLUS, 24# 1.48

Tetraploid Intermediate Ryegrass

50 BROME-SMOOTH, Southern 20# 4.28

“The High Protein Grass.” Sow with Alfalfa!

50 TIMOTHY, Horse Approved 12# 2.26

Robert Herron’s son Patrick has spent the last several years reestablishing Robert’s dream of being a farmer.

Submitted photo

S ticking with the c laSSic S

By Laura L. Valenti

Nationally-sanctioned even draws tractor enthusiasts from around the nation to the Ozarks

Farmers love their tractors, and sometimes the older they are, the more they love them and like to show them off, be it at a county fair or a tractor pull.

Darrell Hendrix, a farmer from New Franklin, Mo., recently presided over an indoor antique and classic tractor pull at the Cowan Civic Center at Lebanon, Mo., for a competition sanctioned by National Antique Tractor Pulling

Association (NATPA).

“I’ve been setting up and promoting pulling events for 35 years now,” he shared as the thunderous competition continued. “We have participants from Arkansas, Oklahoma, New York, South Dakota, Ohio, Iowa, Wisconsin and Illinois, as well as Missouri.

“Folks are used to seeing these tractor pulls outdoors at county fairs, but we are starting to do more and more indoor

events. Of course, that takes a different sort of set-up, like finding the facility that can handle it, getting it booked and then laying down the dirt track indoors, that kind of thing.”

The money to support the event comes from the competitors’ participation fees and a smaller number of sponsorships.

At the Lebanon show, there were 520 “hooks” on the first day of the two-day event. A “hook” is the number of times

a tractor is hooked with a pulling sled. A contestant can hook up as many times as they want in this competition.

To be eligible to enter the national competition, a participant must have competed in five events, like this one. At nationals, there are only two classes, and a participant can only pull once. The 2023 national competition is scheduled to be held in Lincoln, Neb.

By the end of competition, Darrell was

Photos by Laura L. Valenti

ozarks roots

informed by the (NATPA) that the Lebanon even was the largest in the history of the organization with 1,009 pulls across the two days.

“We’ll have three places – first, second and third – where contestants can win money, but the truth is for all of these guys and gals out here, pulling sleds, it’s not about the money. I got introduced to this when I was 13 and I’ve been hooked ever since. Like me, they all end up doing it for the excitement of the competition, the great friendships made along the way amongst the various competitors, for the love of the sport.”

Darrell grew up on a farm and works for Hart’s Diesel, where they row crop corn and soybeans on approximately 700 acres. When not involved in farming, he builds performance pulling parts for tractor and truck pullers.

“I got started in pulling at the Missouri State Fair and I’ve been the superintendent for all five days of tractor pulling at the State Fair for the past three years. I plan to do it again this year, too,” he said.

“The amazing part in all of this, in traveling the circuit, is the people you meet, the friends you make over the years. You become one big family. You take a look at these old tractors and realize they could be sitting off, rusting away in a field somewhere, along an old fence line. Instead, someone has taken the time, put in some real effort and some money to get them fixed up to keep them running. We have women drivers out here as well as men and even young ones getting involved. It’s another way to keep young people involved in farm life and we all know how important that is. I have a great crew. Hats off to them because they help keep it all running, getting the dirt track ready and making the hooks. I really appreciate their hard work.”

Darrell gives credit to a Greene County, Mo., farmer for the love of the pull. The pull as also named in honor of the long-time tractor puller.

“Carl Buckner of Fair Grove is the one who got me started in this all those years ago, helping out at the state fair,” Darrell said. “Pulling has come a long way since then. It just seemed like the proper thing to do, to name today’s event the Carl B. Classic as a way to remember him and continue the interest in pulling in his name.”

The next NATPA at Cowan Civic Center is already booked for Jan. 5 and 6, 2024.

ADJOINING PROPERTIES

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! ..................................... $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

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

tomkisseerealestate.com

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

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

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

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

...........................................

417.882.5531

eye on agri-business

meeting the needs of farmers

By Julie Turner-Crawford

OWNERS: Taylor Grubaugh and Josh Bird

LOCATIONS: Ozark and Willow Springs, Mo.

HISTORY: Taylor Grubaugh and Josh Bird opened Grubaugh-Bird DewEze, LLC in Ozark, Mo., 10 years ago.

“We had always been familiar with the DewEze beds; we owned them and used them ourselves,” Josh explained. “An opportunity came when an existing dealer was going to retire, so we thought it would be an opportunity to do this. We got in contact with the company, figured out the logistics and got started. It fit us pretty well.”

Grubaugh-Bird DewEze, which is the largest volume DewEze dealer in the U.S. and Canada., expanded to Willow Springs, Mo., in 2014.

PRODUCTS AND SERVICES: Initially, DewEze bale beds were the only product offered by Grubaugh-Bird, but the company added Butler Beds a few years ago. Butler Beds, Josh explained, are made by the same company, Harper Industries, as DewEze.

“We saw a need to add another customer base,” Josh said. “DewEze has more options for guys who want engine hydraulics, then Butler is more like a standard-line bed. Both beds are constructed in Harper, Kan., and we’re now selling both lines. The quality is the same, it just comes down to what options you need and how much you want to spend.”

In addition to beds, Grubaugh-Bird offers DewEze cake feeders and hay unrollers for tractors.

In September 2022, the partners purchased an existing tire and auto shop in Ozark, creating Grubaugh-Bird Tires and Truck Beds

“We’re able to install our beds there, and also sell tires, do oil changes and automotive services,” Josh said, adding the purchase of the shop allowed them to do all services in house, eliminating the need for subcontractors to install the beds. “Being start to finish on the beds is a big deal for us. Having the beds at the new location is just better customer service. Tires and truck beds go hand-in-hand, or customers need us to look at their trucks. Now, we are working on trying to grow the tire side because we aren’t just for farmers. We carry all brands of tires for cars, trucks, bigger truck tires, just any tire for any customer. It’s been different for us, but that’s what we’re working to try and expand.”

Grubaugh-Bird Tires and Truck Beds can also do brakes, alignments and shocks.

FUTURE PLANS: Josh said they hope to continue growing the business.

“The location we bought has six bays, so I think we have some room to expand some and even do more on the tire and automobile, too. I think we feel like we can keep trending things in the right direction.”

meet your neighbors

Revitalizing the Land and the Dream

Continued from Page 9

Timothy, some orchardgrass, the red and white clovers that thrive here, and the natural native grasses,” Patrick explained. “We really amplified and brought to life what was here, as well as introducing a stronger mix into the forage scheme.”

Improvements in forages and soil conditions slow, but through continued management, the Herrons – and their cattle – are reaping the benefits.

“It’s something you have to be patient with; grass doesn’t change overnight. It takes time to get the correct soil balance for those grasses to grow effectively,” Patrick said. “We measure everything down to the ounce when we put on fertilizer. We

Improving forages and a managed grazing system are not the only changes from the early days of the Herron operation.

“We put together a brand-new business plan that will help the farm be self-sustaining and add to the bottom line for the longevity of the property,” Patrick explained. “We have a legacy farm here and want to build the business plan so the legacy can continue from generation to generation with just minor adjustments throughout time.”

The current herd is about 48 breeding females and around 22 calves of various ages. While the number may have declined, the Herrons returned to the Angus breed and were very specific about the cattle going into

want to make sure what we’re putting on the ground will benefit and not hinder the growth of anything. It took us years to get up to this point.”

Twelve paddocks are used in the grazing rotation. Cattle are fenced away from ponds, creeks, rivers and wooded areas. The bulk of the herd moves through eight paddocks, while four are for feeder calves.

In addition to quality forages, cattle at 3 Korners Ranch receive a Crescent Feed salt and protein mix. The amount offered depends on the condition of the cattle and the weather conditions.

the new herd. The females they acquired to begin their operation were from reputable breeders through private treaty sales to ensure they started with quality stock.

The herd bull, a Rainmaker prodigy, offers a low birthweight and quality carcass scores. The bull and the carefully-selected cowherd are producing the offspring the Herrons desire.

“We want a large, strong momma cow that’s going to come back into the herd and be a good milker. We want a calf that

— Continued on Next Page

Put Some Extra PROFIT In Your Production Sale

meet your neighbors

Continued from Previous Page

will be 55 to 60 pounds, one that is easy for the momma to birth, and if the momma has that milk we like, then we will have a healthy calf from the start.”

Natural breeding cycles are utilized at the 3 Korners Ranch, and Patrick said the goal is to not have any new calves in January or February.

The Herrons look to the Show-Me-Select Heifer Program’s criteria when retaining heifers, including pelvic measurements. For the heifer breeding program, they are exploring the introduction of red Wagyu.

“We’ve had a strong request for 50-50 Wagyu/Angus, or a 75-25 Angus/Wagyu beef,” he explained. “It’s about feeding the consumer what they want, not me telling them what they want.”

In the current 3 Korners Ranch beef program, customers can order 100 percent Angus. For the last two years, they have offered wholes, halves and quarters to customers.

“They graze until they are about 850 to 1,000 pounds,” Patrick said of the feeder cattle. He added that feeders also receive a custom feed mix containing a base of corn and molasses. “They are on grass 90 percent of the time. They get the mix from the time they are weaned until they are ready for market. We increase the feed as they get closer to market, so it’s not like a big shock to their system by getting grain just in the last 90 days.”

Patrick went on to say the combination of slow and steady feeding and the Angus genetics produces beef with well-distributed marbling.

“We don’t produce a lot of beef, but what we do produce is quality,” he said. “We want consistent, fluid marbling, with just a ribbon of fat around the edge.”

Twenty-eight to 32 head are processed through the beef program annually. Calves not sold for beef are offered to other producers in the area who also market farmfresh beef.

“It helps other farmers in similar programs,” Patrick explained. “If I need one, I will get it from those farmers. We are building a little network.”

Another revenue stream for the ranch is hay sales. Because of the improvements to the forages and soil condition, Patrick said

about 1,000 round bales are produced annually, but their cattle herd only requires about 200 bales.

“Because the hay market is so strong, we have stayed stagnant with the number of cattle we have and turned those other pastures into hay-producing fields. The business plan was to move with the times so when the market shifts, it will be easy for us to introduce cattle back into those fields.

“My plans are proportional to what the market needs. If the hay market continues to be strong, I’m going to continue to produce the hay and feed the ground the nutrients it needs. If I want to turn it back into pasture, I can throw up an electric cross fence and do more with the cattle herd.”

Family patriarch Robert lives in St. Louis, but comes to the farm when he can.

“He is 88 years old and is ecstatic about what’s going on,” Patrick said. “He always wanted a farm of his own, and when he had to shut it down in the 1980s because it wasn’t economically viable, that took a toll on him. To see it regenerate and regrow with the new technology, the new information and help from the USDA has really made his day. He likes to go on the side-by-side, go see the calves and see how they are growing. It’s a joy to see him ride around, look at the property and take it all in.”

Patrick had a career in heavy equipment dealership management, but is now a fulltime rancher.

“It’s kind of an early retirement, but it’s not; I do a lot of work,” he said. “I have loved the property and have come down here my entire life. We own about a mile of river frontage, so growing up, I fished, floated and hunted. I never pictured I would be doing what I’m doing at age 57 and enjoy doing it.

“I didn’t like the property in the condition it was in. I knew we had to kind of take the bull by the horns, go a different direction and get it in a more sustaining fashion. When we were leasing it out, there was just enough revenue for the taxes and some expenses. Knowing this was going to be a legacy property, it needed to generate some revenue and reserve for the farm. It’s going to take more work, and there’s still challenges ahead, but maintaining that legacy is the ultimate goal.”

Stacey Corneau

By Laura L. Valenti

IN TOWN: Stacey Corneau is a third-grade teacher at Joel E. Barber School, and her husband Paul has recently taken a job with Laclede County Road and Bridge after staying home during the COVID pandemic.

“I was a second-grade teacher in Kansas for two years, then became a stay-at-home mom with our younger children,” Stacey explained. “We talked about doing home schooling, but this has worked out, I’m sure, as a part of God’s plan. I’ve really had the best of both worlds, being able to stay home and now as a working mom. I enjoy working with the kids in the classroom, and it’s like once that teacher in you comes out, you really miss that relationship.”

Stacey worked for a year as a substitute teacher at JEB before becoming a full-time teacher.

HOMETOWN: Lebanon, Mo.

FAMILY: Husband, Paul; and seven children, ages 8 to 23

IN THE COUNTRY: “We have a relatively small hog operation,” Stacey said. “When we started in March 2020, we had a lot going on, like everyone, with COVID. We had three hogs to start with and kept a breeding pair. We had grow ing kids, wanting to show in 4-H so we found it was easier to keep and grow our own. Then Paul said, ‘Well, maybe we should let others know we’re raising hogs, in case, they would want this kind of meat. Or their kids might want to show animals and this could be kind of expensive, if someone is trying to do it all on their own.’

“So now we are raising fat hogs up for others who can purchase them for butchering. We have had from five to 12 hogs at a time, at different stages. Right now we have two boars, five sows, with two recent litters.

“We’re also raising some quality show hogs for local 4-H and FFA students, who might not be able to afford one on their own” she continued. “They come and help with chores like feeding, watering, cleaning pens in exchange for their pig. We recently poured concrete floors for our pens. Our own kids helped with that as a family project. Our hope is to one day be USDA certified. Paul has also installed a misting system, using a lawn irrigation system, to help keep the animals cool in the summer. He also plans to add a farrowing building in the future.”

“This has been my husband’s dream for a long time. It’s now become a family affair involving our own kids, a hobby project that is teaching them that if you want some thing in your life, you have to work for it.”

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slaughter cows

beef cattle

5 Area (Tx-Ok, Ks, Neb, Ia, Colo, Nm, Mn)

Live Basis Sales - Over 80% Choice

Steers: 155.00-161.00; wtd. avg. price 159.36.

Heifers: 157.00-161.00; wtd. avg. price 159.21.

Dressed Basis Sales - Over 80% Choice

Steers: 253.00-256.00; wtd. avg. price 254.30.

slaughter bulls

dairy & fed cattle

National Dairy Market 2/10/23

Cheese: Barrels closed at $1.5750 and 40# blocks at $1.8625. The weekly average for barrels is $1.5800 (-0.0145) and blocks, $1.8585 (-0.0185).

replacement cows

cow/calf pairs

Fluid Milk/Cream: In the Midwest and East, milk output is steady. Areas in the Northeast and Midwest experienced extreme cold temperatures and wind chills, though production was largely unaffected while some hauling obstacles and delays were noted because of ice and precipitation accumulation. In certain locales in the West, milk output is steady to higher, but certain areas in northern California are still reeling from the effects of recent extreme rainfall and milk output is mixed. Mud has persisted, therefore impeding cow comfort. Overall, Class I sales are steady in all regions as school orders are strong. In the Midwest, spot milk prices are $10 under Class III prices. Supply and demand of condensed skim is strong in all regions. Cream is readily available and in demand in all regions, though increased Class II manufacturing has kept multiples steady. F.O.B. cream multiples are 1.171.27 in the East, 1.15-1.27 in the Midwest, and 0.95-1.15 in the West.

SPOT PRICES OF CLASS II CREAM: $ PER POUND BUTTERFAT, F.O.B., producing plants, Midwestern U.S. - $2.7665 - $2.9775.

Receipts: 1,947

Feeder Sheep/Lambs:

Hair Lambs - Small and Medium 1-2 (per cwt): 250.00330.00.

Slaughter Sheep/Lambs:

Hair Breeds - Choice and Prime 1-3 (per cwt): 250.00310.00.

Hair Breeds - Choice 1-3 (per cwt): 180.00-260.00.

Ewes - Utility and Good 1-3 (per cwt): 80.00-100.00.

Hair Ewes - Utility and Good 1-3 (per cwt): 100.00120.00.

Hair Ewes - Utility and Good 1-3 (per unit): 100.00120.00.

Hair Ewes - Cull and Utility 1-2 (per unit): 80.00.

Replacement Sheep/Lambs:

Hair Ewes - Small and Medium 1-2 (per unit): 125.00300.00.

Families - Small and Medium 1-2 w/<20 lbs lamb (per unit): 150.00-570.00.

Feeder Goats:

Kids - Selection 1 (per cwt): 310.00-335.00.

Kids - Selection 2 (per cwt): 250.00-310.00.

Wether Kids - Selection 1 (per cwt): 315.00.

Wether Kids - Selection 2 (per cwt): 300.00.

Slaughter Goats:

Kids - Selection 1 (per cwt): 275.00-345.00.

Kids - Selection 2 (per cwt): 215.00-265.00.

Kids - Selection 3 (per cwt): 175.00-200.00.

Nannies/Does - Selection 1-2 (per cwt): 125.00-220.00.

Bucks/Billies - Selection 1-2 (per cwt): 205.00-250.00.

Wethers - Selection 1-2 (per cwt): 220.00-230.00.

Wether Kids - Selection 1 (per cwt): 330.00.

Replacement Goats:

Nannies/Does - Selection 1-2 (per cwt): 230.00-240.00.

Nannies/Does - Selection 1-2 (per unit): 230.00-245.00.

Families - Selection 1-2 w/<20 lbs kid (per unit): 170.00270.00.

Receipts: 450

Feeder Sheep/Lambs: Hair Lambs - Small and Medium 1-2 (per cwt): 250.00305.00.

Slaughter Sheep/Lambs:

Hair Breeds - Choice and Prime 1-3 (per cwt): 215.00290.00.

Hair Breeds - Choice 1-3 (per cwt): 210.00-245.00.

Ewes - Good 2-3 (per cwt): 107.50-115.00.

Ewes - Utility and Good 1-3 (per cwt): 102.50.

Hair Ewes - Good 2-3 (per cwt): 125.00-135.00.

Hair Ewes - Utility and Good 1-3 (per cwt): 85.00-105.00.

Hair Bucks - 1-2 (per cwt): 120.00-130.00.

Replacement Sheep/Lambs:

Ewes - Medium and Large 1-2 (per cwt): 115.00-150.00.

Hair Ewes - Small and Medium 1-2 (per cwt): 125.00170.00.

Families - Small and Medium 1-2 w/<20 lbs lamb (per unit): 240.00-450.00.

Feeder Goats:

Kids - Selection 1 (per cwt): 287.50-320.00.

Kids - Selection 2 (per cwt): 195.00-280.00.

Kids - Selection 3 (per cwt): 165.00.

Wether Kids - Selection 2 (per cwt): 295.00.

Slaughter Goats:

Kids - Selection 1 (per cwt): 275.00-277.50.

Kids - Selection 2 (per cwt): 230.00-280.00.

Nannies/Does - Selection 1-2 (per cwt): 145.00-215.00.

Bucks/Billies - Selection 1-2 (per cwt): 165.00-185.00.

Wethers - Selection 1-2 (per cwt): 215.00.

Wether Kids - Selection 2 (per cwt): 237.50-265.00.

Replacement Goats:

Nannies/Does - Selection 1-2 (per cwt): 170.00-200.00.

Families - Selection 1-2 w/<20 lbs kid (per unit): 180.00232.50.

Buffalo, Mo. • Buffalo Livestock Market Sheep/Goat 1/24/23

Receipts: 434

Feeder Sheep/Lambs: Hair Lambs - Small and Medium 1-2 (per cwt): 220.00237.00.

Slaughter Sheep/Lambs: Hair Breeds - Choice and Prime 1-3 (per cwt): 175.00268.00.

Hair Breeds - Choice 1-3 (per cwt): 175.00-227.50.

Ewes - Utility and Good 1-3 (per cwt): 91.00.

Hair Ewes - Good 2-3 (per cwt): 142.50.

Hair Ewes - Utility and Good 1-3 (per cwt): 102.00122.50.

Hair Ewes - Cull and Utility 1-2 (per cwt): 85.00.

Hair Bucks - 1-2 (per cwt): 107.00.

Replacement Hair Feeder Kids Kids Wether Slaughter Kids Kids Nannies/Does Bucks/Billies Wethers

stocker & feeder prices

1,373

Diamond, Mo. • TS White Sheep/Goat 2/2/23

Sheep/Lambs:

Breeds - Choice and Prime 1-3 (per cwt): 215.00-

Breeds - Choice 1-3 (per cwt): 210.00-245.00.

Good 2-3 (per cwt): 107.50-115.00.

Utility and Good 1-3 (per cwt): 102.50.

- Good 2-3 (per cwt): 125.00-135.00.

- Utility and Good 1-3 (per cwt): 85.00-105.00.

Bucks - 1-2 (per cwt): 120.00-130.00.

Replacement Sheep/Lambs:

Medium and Large 1-2 (per cwt): 115.00-150.00.

- Small and Medium 1-2 (per cwt): 125.00-

Small and Medium 1-2 w/<20 lbs lamb (per 240.00-450.00.

Goats: Selection 1 (per cwt): 287.50-320.00.

Selection 2 (per cwt): 195.00-280.00.

Selection 3 (per cwt): 165.00.

Kids - Selection 2 (per cwt): 295.00.

Goats: Selection 1 (per cwt): 275.00-277.50.

Selection 2 (per cwt): 230.00-280.00.

Nannies/Does - Selection 1-2 (per cwt): 145.00-215.00.

Bucks/Billies - Selection 1-2 (per cwt): 165.00-185.00.

Selection 1-2 (per cwt): 215.00.

Kids - Selection 2 (per cwt): 237.50-265.00.

Replacement Goats:

Nannies/Does - Selection 1-2 (per cwt): 170.00-200.00.

Selection 1-2 w/<20 lbs kid (per unit): 180.00-

Mo. • Buffalo Livestock Market Sheep/Goat 1/24/23

434

Replacement Sheep/Lambs: Hair Ewes - Small and Medium 1-2 (per cwt): 160.00.

Feeder Goats:

Kids - Selection 2 (per cwt): 225.00-283.00.

Kids - Selection 3 (per cwt): 150.00.

Wether Kids - Selection 3 (per cwt): 150.00.

Slaughter Goats: Kids - Selection 1 (per cwt): 271.00-288.00.

Kids - Selection 2 (per cwt): 247.00-263.00.

Nannies/Does - Selection 1-2 (per cwt): 110.00-180.00.

Bucks/Billies - Selection 1-2 (per cwt): 147.50-175.00.

Wethers - Selection 1-2 (per cwt): 175.00.

hog markets

National Direct Delivered Feeder Pig Report 2/10/23

Receipts This Week: 86,680

Early weaned pigs 3.00 per head head lower. Feeder pigs steady to firm. Demand good on uneven offerings.

Volume By State Or Province Of Origin: Missouri 3.1%

Total Composite Weighted Average Receipts and Price (Formula and Cash):

All Early Weaned Pigs: 73,165 head, wtd. avg. 61.90.

All Feeder Pigs: 13,515 head, wtd. avg. 90.49.

There is still a fair amount hay moving around the state. The supply of hay is light, demand is moderate and prices are fully 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: 10.0015.00.

Alfalfa - Premium (Ask/Per Ton): Medium Square 3x3: 180.00-250.00.

Alfalfa - Good (Ask/Per Ton): Large Round: 150.00180.00.

Alfalfa - Good (Ask/Per Bale): Small Square: 5.00-9.00.

Alfalfa - Fair (Ask/Per Ton): Large Round: 125.00150.00.

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: 50.00100.00.

Corn Stalk (Ask/Per Bale): Round: 35.00-55.00.

Straw: Wheat (Ask/Per Bale): Small Square: 4.00-7.00.

Sheep/Lambs:

Lambs - Small and Medium 1-2 (per cwt): 220.00-

Sheep/Lambs:

Breeds - Choice and Prime 1-3 (per cwt): 175.00-

Breeds - Choice 1-3 (per cwt): 175.00-227.50.

Utility and Good 1-3 (per cwt): 91.00.

- Good 2-3 (per cwt): 142.50.

- Utility and Good 1-3 (per cwt): 102.00-

- Cull and Utility 1-2 (per cwt): 85.00.

Bucks - 1-2 (per cwt): 107.00.

4,738

66.00-80.50.

hay & grain markets

Mo. Weekly Hay Summary 2/10/23

A fairly quite week around the state some rain fell, which added up to a few inches in the south, and has resulted in a lot of mud when temperatures are above freezing. Still weeks away from grass turn out but the above average weather actually has a few springs of green that can been seen showing up now. This is a bit concerning as the state is a long ways from average last frost date.

feeder prices

avg. grain prices

Working Towards a Goal

By Stephanie Beltz-Price

Jason and Jenny Poor have grown their farm and cattle operation

“When you’re raising your own replacement heifers you have to find a good balance of cattle that will grow while maintaining good carcass traits, milking ability and low birthweights,” explained Jason Poor of Poor Farms in central Howell County, Mo.

“We look at EPDs on the bulls we use, watching the milk and birthweight EPDs,” he said. “Our goal is to raise balanced cattle for replacement, butcher beef and carcass merit. These are all the things that help us as beef producers make money.”

THE BEGINNING

Jason and Jenny Poor live on the farm where Jason was raised.

“Dad sold all his cattle in 2005 and I was still career building,” Jason recalled. He works for Pace Construction as the manager of the asphalt division. After graduating with a degree in civil engineering from the University of Missouri Rolla in 1997, Jason returned home and started working for Pace.

Jason and Jenny have been married for 18 years and have two children, Cooper (14) and Maddie (17).

“We talked about starting a herd when I turned 40,” Jason explained. “What I didn’t realized was how fast that would come around.”

That was in 2013 when cattle prices were at an all-time high.

“I held Jenny off for a year and in 2014 we bought 20 bred cows from an indi vidual and 20 bred cows at the sale barn,” Jason stated. “That started our herd and we’ve been learning and growing since then.”

NOW AND TOMORROW

“Now we have 100 momma cows and 12 first calf heifers,” Jenny said. “We raise our own replacements and just weaned 90 calves,” Jason added. “We have three bulls; one Salers, one Angus/Salers and one Angus/Salers/Simmental cross,” he said. “Our herd is Salers bases mama cows, continuing with Salers/Angus bulls.”

Poors have their cows on a spring calving cycle.

“We start calving early February and generally don’t have to worry too much about calving issues,” Jenny said. “We do bring them through the basement when they are born during the ice and snow. We give them every opportunity to get a good start when they are cold after they are first born,” Jason said “But we get them warm and back out with mama to get that colostrum in them.”

They raise their herd on just over 700 acres.

“We have 300 acres in permanent, established pasture and try to put more ground into pasture each year,” Jason said. “We planted 53 acres this past fall but because we didn’t get rain on it for a while, we still aren’t sure if it is going to take.”

They utilize wheat planted in the fall and Sudan grass in the summer

“We cut hay off the farm, and stockpile fescue in the fall to hold us over the winter,” Jason said. “We don’t own hay equipment. It works best for us to have the neighbor cut the 85 acres.”

Herd health is important to continue to grow the herd. “We keep the momma and new babies on the pasture for two to three weeks and then we rotate them onto clean ground to reduce scours,” Jason said. “We run the cattle through in the spring, when the babies are about 60 days and have the vet out to do the vaccines and deworming for the cows and calves. We also castrate and implant bull calves in the spring.”

They also have the vet out in the fall to preg check cows and do an overall review of herd health check.

“Herd health and nutrition are two of the most important things you can do besides genetics in keeping your cattle productive,” Jenny said. “Make sure you know what nutrients they are getting from hay and grass and when you need to supplement. Fetal programming through nutrition is real and needs to be examined and a focus in all herds,” she added.

DIVERSIFYING FOR PROFIT

Like many beef producers, the Poors are always looking for ways to promote beef and increase profit. “We sold butcher beef by the halves for a few years, and this was our starter year in selling freezer beef,” Jenny said. “We worked with Missouri Department of Agriculture to create and get approval for our label. Then last year, we sold ground beef.”

“With COVID and the rising cost of meat at the store, people are realizing they can get better quality meat straight from a producer at not much difference in cost,” explained Jason. “We plan to expand into steaks, roasts and other cuts this next year.”

ADVOCACY AND ORGANIZATIONS

Raising cattle is more than just momma cows, bulls and baby.

Photo by Stephanie Beltz-Price

meet your neighbors

“It’s about advocacy. Not enough people know what we do or why we do what we do. That’s why in addition to raising cattle, we are involved in our local and state Cattlemen’s and Cattlewomen’s Associations,” Jenny explained. “These organizations are our voice in legislature and help us protect our rights.”

Jenny is president-elect of the State Missouri Cattlewomen’s and treasurer of the South-Central Missouri Cattlemen’s Association. She is also involved with MO Beef Kids.

“I just attended Cowboys at the Capital with Missouri Cattlemen’s Association,” Jason added. “It was an opportunity to sit down with our state legislators and talk about the issues we are facing as livestock producers.”

The Poors believe in order to make change and progress they must be part of that progress.

ADVICE AND GOALS

“Do your research,” Jason said. “Know what you have or are looking to purchase/get into. Focus on good genetics and whole herd health. There are lots of things to learn, but the most important is to never stop learning.

“There are so many good sources of information out there, from the farming magazines to local cattlemen’s meetings. You can never gain too much information as things are always changing,” Jason added.

“We plan to continue to put ground into production to maximize this farm,” he said. “This is our family farm and I’m happy to be working with my dad and son on the farm that I grew up on. Jason’s dad Lloyd is 84 years old and first bought 40 acres back in the 70s. He added to it as he could, and it grew to what they have today.

“Dad still helps on the farm, checking cows for us and he just told us about a new calf today,” Jason added.

“My dad said the goal is to always make sure you have more land than cattle, and that’s our plan.”

ag leaders

Justine Justice

By Julie Turner-Crawford

What is your involvement in agriculture?

“My farm started about 11 years ago when we moved to our farm. I have been feeding and spending time with my animals as my farm grows. We grow up steers and pigs for meat and sell others. We will soon be selling at farmers markets near Fordland.”

What is your favorite part of being involved in agriculture/living on a farm?

“My favorite part of being in agriculture is the animals and watching them grow up and go to happy homes. I love living on a farm because I get to feed the animals, take care of them and build them up.”

What are your future plans?

“My future plans are to become an ag teacher and have a farm. They both involve agriculture because I will be teaching the future generation and growing animals and plants.”

What is the best advice about agriculture you have received from adults?

AGE: 16

HOMETOWN: Fordland, Mo.

PARENTS: Shelby and Josh Hogan

SIBLINGS: Dawson and Ranger Hogan

FFA CHAPTER: Fordland FFA

CHAPTER ADVISOR: Clayton Tunnell

“The best advice I’ve gotten about agriculture is that many things start off from scratch but after it grows, it will be great in the end. I got this from an older man at the feed store.”

Awards: Diversified Agriculture Production Award and Leadership pin

Photo by Julie Turner-Crawford

Advice from the ofn

ag-visors

the professionals

The Udder Side

By Dr. Tim E. O’Neill

The weather is cold one day and then we are in the 60s and 70s the next. This is getting a lot of people and animals sick with respiratory problems. It really helps vaccinating animals properly and feeding proper nutrition.

For vaccines, I recommend Blackleg 7-way, Pinkeye, IBR, BVD, PI3, BRSV, Lepto, Pasteurella Multocida, and Manheim Hemolytica. Some of these can be given only once, but most are given twice, two to four weeks apart. Generally, calves should all be vaccinated for these prior to weaning, with a booster at weaning. This will allow your calves not to be stressed. Stressed calves at weaning may not respond to all of these vaccines, and that is why we only booster what is needed at that time. Then this time of the year they are protected. I have had very good luck doing this for clients. We hardly ever have to treat any or at least the few we treat respond the first injection and are over the sickness.

Dr. Tim E. O’Neill, DVM, owns Country Veterinary Service in Farmington, Ark. To contact Tim go to ozarksfn.com and click on ‘Contact Us.’

For the few babies that are being born right now, the best thing for them is to get more than 1 gallon of quality colostrum with in the first 18 hours of life. And just as a side note I have had a client who milks just a few cows, leave the babies on the cows for the first two weeks. When they started milking them after that, they noticed that the calves were drinking up to 2 gallons of milk daily. Yes, these were Jerseys and Holsteins in a show string. These calves grew like weeds and never got sick. This is what I say about nutrition.

Nutrition is very important and costly, but, well fed cattle do better on the scales and have a lot less sickness. They have the macro and micronutrients that will allow their immune systems to work at its full capacity. You cannot stop them from being exposed, but you can give them all the warriors to help them fight off the insults attacking them in the environment.

A lot of people have old hay. This can be used to bed them down out of the wind. My dad and I used to put either old hay or straw out for bedding this time of the year. We would put it in the draws on the north and west sides so the wind could blow over the top of them and not directly on them. If we had any trees (in western Kansas), we would put in on the east and south side of the trees to help block the wind. Cattle can handle a very cold temperature if they are well fed, dry and out of the wind. And not to leave out our small animals, general rule of thumb is if you are cold they are cold. Bring them inside.

Now to help in the environment, ever notice how deep the mud and manure get around hay rings, feeders, water troughs and other places? We can help that out by putting down a light layer of granulated lime in those areas. For this I do not recommend ag lime for it is too powdery and can and will affect their mucous membranes. Making the areas look like they got a skiff of snow with granulated lime will kill a lot of bugs in that dirt. In the dairies up north, it has been known to cut foot rot, mastitis and pneumonia. Also, if those water troughs are filthy when we get a warm day drain them and clean them out. Clean fresh water is the No. 1 nutritional ingredient, period. Stay warm and healthy!

OFFERING: 65 Service-Age Bulls

IGR

farm help

Making farming a little easier

Improving Fertility

By Cheryl Kepes

Management strategies to improve conception rates in cattle herds

Though no one singular step will unequivocally guarantee better conception rates in cow herds, there are strategies producers can put in place to increase the chances their females get pregnant. Improved conception rates lead to more profitability.

• Nutrition - Reproduction Connection

•

Though it may seem obvious, livestock extension specialists say there is no denying the connection between nutrition and reproduction. “A thin cow is going to take longer to breed or not breed at all, than a cow that is in average to better body condition,” Eric Bailey, Ph.D., state beef extension specialist with the University of Missouri, said. “And a cow that loses weight during that early post-calving period while she is trying to nurse a calf and get pregnant is also an animal that is likely to take longer to get pregnant and or not rebreed.”

Livestock extension specialists encourage producers to think about an animal’s body condition score (BCS) on a scale of one to nine. The number one on the scale represents a cow that is emaciated and nine on the scale represents a grossly overweight animal. The ideal BCS for a female to calve is a five or six. “It is important to keep the main thing the main thing and the main thing is to keep cows in adequate body condition and be able to manage body condition,” Bailey stated. Making sure a cow is in good flesh sets her up for reproductive success. “I may sound like a broken record, but I truly believe we can solve a lot more problems by sticking to that fundamental, rather than looking for the silver bullet mineral or feed supplement or additive or whatever else,” Bailey added.

• Steps to Improving Condition •

If the herd is falling behind in body condition, there are some actions producers can take to bring the animals to an adequate level. The first step is determining the limiting nutrient, particularly during hay feeding season. “I see a lot of fescue samples every year and sometimes the protein content is below the requirements, but if

what do you say?

How long do you keep a herd bull?

“If not overused and kept in good condition, we can retain our bulls for five to six years of use.”

Calvin Dryer Dallas County, Mo.

it is — it is usually fairly close to the requirements. But where I often see a large gap is in the energy concentration in the forages,” Bailey explained.

The limiting nutrient in operations is most commonly calories, especially in situations in which producers are feeding low-quality hay. A cow may get full and quit voluntarily consuming the low-quality hay before she eats enough of it to get sufficient calories to meet her energy requirements for the day.

• Balance Rations •

One way to manage for the deficiency is to balance the rations the cattle are receiving. This may include supplementing with a commodity mix or grain to boost the amount of energy cattle are consuming. The increase in energy feedstuffs will help to offset the deficiencies in the forages. However, the prices for commodity mixes and grains can be daunting.

A possible solution to ease the sticker shock of feedstuffs may be thinking outside of the traditional go-to forages. “The thing I have seen as the most undervalued feed on the market right now is higher quality forage,” Bailey stated. “By that I mean, if you look at poor-quality fescue hay selling for $85 a bale, you might be able to find higher-quality hay for $95 or $105 a bale. Or you might be able to find some not quite dairy or equine quality alfalfa that would sell for less than $200 a ton that would actually balance a ration better than something that is going to cost you 17, 18, 19 cents a pound like your commodity mix.”

• Breed Heifers Earlier •

Another option to improve conception rates involves setting up heifers to breed a month earlier. This allows the first-calf heifer additional time to recover after calving before going back out with a bull. When the first-calf heifers calve they are typically still growing themselves. They are using nutrients to grow their own bodies and simultaneously raise their calves. If they have plenty of nutrition, then it is more likely they will be able to accomplish those tasks as well as rebreed.

“Usually about four or five years. It depends on his soundness and if I have his daughters in production.”

“It depends on if you plan to retain heifers. If you plan to keep heifers, then you need to change bulls every two years.”

John O’Dell Greene County, Mo.

Ralph Koehler Laclede County, Mo.

“A good, hardworking bull can build great genetics into a herd if give three to five years. It will be obvious if he isn’t producing the needed results in a shorter time, and he can take a ride on down the line.”

Emma Alexander Webster County, Mo.

farm help Selecting Maternal Traits

By Cheryl Kepes

The importance of utilizing maternal traits for herd improvement

At times it may be difficult to determine which indicators to place the most importance on when it comes to selecting traits for improving a cattle herd. Though they may not be every producer’s first pick, maternal traits are a critical component of a successful cattle operation. “Maternal traits are a long-term investment and really drive the sustainability of a cow/calf operation,” Parker Henley, Ph.D., professor and extension specialist for beef seedstock management at Oklahoma State University, said. However, the management decision to focus on maternal traits requires patience. “When you select for maternal traits, your return on investment is more drawn out,” Henley explained. “It takes a lot of commitment just because of the time lag that occurs in beef cattle production. You cannot turn a blind eye to maternal traits either because it will really impact your bottom line over a decade.”

MATERNAL TRAITS

If producers choose to focus on maternal traits, then livestock specialists recommend looking at the cow’s fertility and longevity. “One of biggest factors that impact how profitable a cow is fertility and longevity,” Henley stated. Those two traits shape how productive a cow is in the long term. The longer she remains in the herd producing a calf each year, the more profitable she will be for the operation.

Some breed associations are implementing a longevity or stayability EPD for producers to utilize. The longevity or stayability EPD gives producers an idea of the likelihood of a cow staying in the herd past six years. Most cows typically become profitable in their lifetime between six and eight years of age.

Other EPDs to consider include Milk (Milk or MM), Maternal Calving Ease (MCE), Mature Cow Size or Mature Cow Weight (MCW). Livestock specialists say EPDs are a reliable indicator of progeny performance. “It is stated that EPDs are seven to nine times more accurate at predicting an offspring’s performance than that of a phenotypic trait,” Henley stated. “And EPDs take in parentage information and how an animal relates to an entire data base. So, the EPDs are substantially more accurate at predicting performance than that of just phenotype.”

SELECTION CRITERIA

When utilizing maternal EPDs in management decisions, producers will want to access their own herds and determine where they want to make improvements. “I think seedstock producers need to be concerned with the specific EPDs and the average commercial cow/calf producer may be better off utilizing combined selection indices,” Henley added.

Seedstock producers may choose to focus on specific individual maternal EPDs such as Milk or Maternal Calving Ease, whereas commercial producers may want to concentrate on EPDs that combine several traits in one number. For example, the American Angus Association collects data for Maternal Weaned Calf Value ($M). This economic selection index combines data from multiple traits to predict the profitability differences from conception to weaning.

Though EPDs are an excellent tool, livestock extension specialists remind producers to also make visual appraisals of animals. Regarding maternal traits, evaluating the female for udder quality and feet quality are important indicators as well.

Give Your Herd an Energy Boost

By Cheryl Kepes

Providing cattle balanced rations for improved production

To say it’s slim picking in pastures currently may be a bit of an understatement. As winter wanes but spring remains elusive, producers may be hardpressed to ensure their cattle are receiving all the nutrients required to thrive and raise calves. If cattle are falling behind in their body condition, then it’s time to assess their nutritional program and make some changes.

Evaluate Forage and Feedstuffs:

The only way for producers to figure out where their nutritional program is falling short is to know what they are feeding.

“It’s not an exact science, but the first place to start is to have your hay tested,” Ken Coffey, Ph.D., professor of animal science at the University of Arkansas, said. Extension offices have hay sampling probes on hand to loan to producers. Many of the probes can be placed on a cordless drill and inserted in round bales to get adequate core samples. There are numerous labs to send the hay sample for testing. Hay sample results will allow producers to understand what is lacking in their forage. Coffey recommends producers utilize the information from the hay tests by entering it into a computer program that takes the results from the hay tests and then compiles what additional nutrients the herd will need.

Extension offices and university agriculture departments offer the ration balancing programs. The programs typically use spreadsheets to detail what feedstuffs need to be included in a herd’s daily ration. Many of the programs are designed to ensure cattle are getting proper nutrients for their particular stage of production.

“That’s the place to start - is getting your hay analysis and you can plug that directly into the program and use that and balance it with other feedstuffs,” Coffey said.

Supplementing Poor Forage:

There are many alternatives available to producers looking for feedstuffs to make up the nutritional deficits in their hay. “Today we have lots of options for feed besides grain,” Coffey explained. “Corn is a great energy source, but it is low in protein. We have some byproduct feeds like distillers grains, corn gluten feed, soybean hulls, and wheat middlings that are good energy sources.”

Livestock specialists recommend producers consider the cost and viability of supplementing their herds with feed byproducts. While some byproduct feeds that are high in protein can be pricey, there are other byproduct feeds that are more economical. Byproducts like wheat middlings, distillers grains, and corn gluten contain adequate protein but not as high of a price tag. “Another advantage is in those feedstuffs the energy is coming from digestible fiber and so it complements a high forage diet much better than corn does,” Coffey explained.

Many co-ops will offer a ration that is a blend of feed byproducts. For example, a five-way blend of distillers grains, cracked corn, soybean hulls, corn gluten, and wheat middlings create a balanced ration. Livestock specialists recommend a blend in most cases to offset the extremes in the individual byproducts.

When to Take Action: Livestock specialists recommend producers regularly conduct a visual appraisal of their animals. If the animal’s body condition score (BCS) falls below a five or six, it’s time to take action and feed additional feedstuffs.

“If you look at your animals and you are seeing their ribs and seeing their body condition go down, then it is likely they are just not eating enough of your hay, and you need to come in with a supplement of some of these byproduct feeds,” Coffey stated.

Improving Post-Weaning Weights

By Cheryl Kepes

Ways to keep calves on the road to weight gain

Pounds equal profit in the cattle industry. Therefore, making sure weaned calves are consistently gaining pounds plays a role in a producer’s bottom line. Operations that work to reduce stress at weaning, give calves spacious quarters, and feed high-quality forage and fiber-filled feedstuffs equip freshly weaned calves for success.

FORAGE AND FIBER

One way to keep weaned calves on the right track is to feed them an appropriate and balanced ration. “High-quality forage is the first step because weaned calves are not ready to handle a low-quality forage like our cows can; or even like yearling cattle can,” Ken Coffey, Ph.D., professor of animal science at the University of Arkansas, said.

Livestock specialists recommend producers allow the newly weaned calves to graze their highest-quality forage or eat their best hay. “Their rumens are designed to digest forage. So, better-quality forage for our weaned calves is what we really need to focus on,” Coffey added. Additionally, livestock specialists recommend supplementing weaned calves with a mixed ration containing feed byproducts and significant fiber content. Livestock specialists also suggest feeding a blend of feed byproducts to give calves a balance of nutrients. “Having a mix, for example, of distillers grains with soybean hulls helps take off some of the extremes on both of those two,” Coffey explained. “Distillers grains are really high in phosphorus and soybean hulls are low in phosphorus, so when we blend those, we get an adequate phosphorus level.” A balanced phosphorus level reduces the potential for a calcium-phosphorus imbalance, which can lead to the urinary calculi (kidney stones) in steers.

REDUCE STRESS AND SPREAD OUT

If an animal is stressed, a producer is likely losing money. A stressed calf eats less or not at all and is more likely to get sick. “Stress really hurts cattle; it affects their immune function and growth performance,” Coffey stated.

Fence line weaning as well as giving calves room to roam helps to keep them healthy. “We have done work like this for a number of years, and just getting those cattle spread out more reduces the stress and reduces the sickness,” Coffey said. Providing weaned calves enough space where they are not “nose-to-nose” aids in preventing the spread of illness. A stressed calf may also not respond as well to vaccinations. Producers are spending money for the vaccinations, yet a stressed calf may not be getting the full benefit of the vaccination. Managing the weaned calves’ stress has lasting effects. “Taking measures to reduce stress is good for the animal in the long term,” Coffey stated. “A lot of times we don’t catch that they are sick as soon as we should and permanent damage sets in. That is why we lose some in June when it turns hot and humid, they have had too much lung damage and just can’t breathe, and they die because of the heat and humidity.”

Implementing management practices to give weaned calves excellent care sets them up for greater success and positively impacts producers’ pocketbooks. “Anything we can do to reduce stress is going to help us be better managers, it helps the public perception, which is huge now, and the bottom line is it helps us make more money because we don’t have as many sick animals. There are statistics out there on how much a sick animal costs you in addition to the medicine; there’s a cost of lost performance,” Coffey concluded.

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Current Programs

Now-4/12 Taney County Get Your Taxes Prepared FREE! – call 417-546-4431

Now-4/13 Stone County Get Your Taxes Preparted Free! – call 417-357-6812

February 2023

Now-28 Missouri Heroes to Hives Program – sign-up by Feb. 28 – for more information visit www.heroestohives.org– register online at www.heroestohives.com

20 Building It from the Ground Up “Cow/Calf Operation” – 6-9 p.m. – Buffalo Alumni Building, Buffalo, Mo. – 417-745-6767 or 417-345-7551

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 – 417-468-4176 ext. 3 or springforageconference.com

22 Private Pesticide Applicator Training – 1 p.m. – Stone County Annex, Galena, Mo. – pre-registration required – 417-357-6812 or go.ozarksfn.com/ams

23 Private Pesticide Applicator Training – 6:30 p.m. – Mount Vernon, Mo. –pre-registration required – 417-466-3102 or go.ozarksfn.com/lgz

24-25 Missouri Blueberry School – Darr Agricultural Center, Springfield, Mo. –417-859-2044 or byerspl@missouri.edu – register at go.ozarksfn.com/mh3

24-26 61st Annual Western Farm Show – American Royal Complex, Kansas City, Mo. – See your local MFA Agri Services for discount tickets

27 Backyard Poultry Basics Workshop – 6-8 p.m. – Cost: $20 per person – MU Extension Meeting Room, Lebanon, Mo. – to register call 417-532-7126

27 Building It from the Ground Up “Building the Farmstead” – 6-9 p.m. –Buffalo Alumni Building, Buffalo, Mo. – 417-745-6767 or 417-345-7551

27 Ozark Ag Issues – 5 p.m. – Houston, Mo. – Cost: $15 per person – pre-paid registration required – to register 417-967-4545 or go.ozarksfn.com/3lb

27 Taney County Livestock & Forage Conference – 6-9 p.m. – Forsyth High School Cafeteria, Forsyth, Mo. – Cost: Free – to register 417-546-4431 or go.ozarksfn.com/f92

28 Barn Quilt Class – Hermitage, Mo. – call 417-745-6767 to register

28 Greene County Ag Production Conference – 5:30-8:15 p.m. – Cost: Free –Springfield Livestock Marketing Center, Springfield, Mo. – register by Feb. 24 – to register call 417-357-6812 or visit https://bit.ly/GreeneAPC

March 2023

1 Private Pesticide Applicator Training – 1 p.m. – Greene County Extension Center, Springfield, Mo. – pre-registration required – 417-357-6812 or visit go.ozarksfn.com/9mi

1-3 Show Me Grape and Wine Conference and Symposium and Beginner Grape School – Hampton Inn & Suites (at the University of Missouri), Columbia, Mo. – for more information and to register go.ozarksfn.com/5as

2 Ozark Ag Issues – 5 p.m. – Squires, Mo. – Cost: $15 per person – pre-paid registration required – to register 417-679-3525 or go.ozarksfn.com/3lb

2 Private Pesticide Applicator Training – 10 a.m. – Dade County Extension Center, Greenfield, Mo. – pre-register by Feb. 28 – call 417-637-2112

3-3/24 Annie’s Project Know Your Numbers, Know Your Options – Fridays, 1-3 p.m. – Online via Zoom – Cost: $50 – for more information 660-397-2179 or devlink@missouri.edu – register at go.ozarksfn.com/o9b

3 Bull Breeding Soundness Clinic – Barry County Veterinary Clinic, Cassville, Mo. – to schedule an appointment call 417-847-2677

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, 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, Nevada, Mo. – tickets on sale at bit.ly/2023farmtofork – for more information 660-476-2185 or cjopling@wcmcaa.org

3 Private Pesticide Applicator Training – 1 p.m. – Cassville, Mo. – pre-registration required – 417-847-3161 or go.ozarksfn.com/vwp

3 Pruning Workshop – 1-3:30 p.m. – Missouri State Fruit Experiment Station, Mountain Grove, Mo. – no registration required – 417-349-4134

6 Building It from the Ground Up “Stockers and Backgrounders” – 6-9 p.m. –Buffalo Alumni Building, Buffalo, Mo. – 417-745-6767 or 417-345-7551

6 Ozark Ag Issues – 5 p.m. – Ellington, Mo. – Cost: $15 per person – pre-paid registration required – to register 573-663-7343 or go.ozarksfn.com/3lb

6 Preparing for Farm Succession Planning – 6-8:30 p.m. – Cost: Free – Wurdack Research and Education Center, Cook Station, Mo. – to register 573-438-2671 or muext.us/ABPevents

7 Christian County Livestock & Forage Conference – 6-9 p.m. – Cost: Free –Clever First Baptist Church, Clever, Mo. – register by March 3 – for more information or to register call 417-581-3558 or visit bit.ly/christian23

7 Understanding Soils and Seed Starting 101 – 6-7:30 p.m. – Online via Zoom –Cost: Free – registration deadline is March 7 at 5 p.m. – for more information 573-324-5464 or justin.keay@missouri.edu – register at go.ozarksfn.com/hxd

8 Private Pesticide Applicator Training – 9 a.m. – Taneyville Municipal Building, Taneyville, Mo. – pre-registration required – call 417-546-4431 or visit go.ozarksfn.com/omm

9 Dallas County Soil and Crops Conference – 5 p.m. – Grace Community Free Methodist Church, Buffalo, Mo. – for more information 417-345-7551

9 Ozark Ag Issues – 5 p.m. – Mountain Grove, Mo. – pre-paid registration required – to register call 417-349-4134 or visit go.ozarksfn.com/3lb

9 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

9 Preparing for Farm Succession Planning – noon-2 p.m. – Cost: Free – Vernon County Fairgrounds, Centennial Hall, Nevada, Mo. – for more information or to register call 660-438-5012 or visit muext.us/ABPevents

10 Private Pesticide Applicator Training – 2-4:30 p.m. – 608 E. State Street, Mountain Grove, Mo. – to register 417-349-4134 or visit go.ozarksfn.com/wr2

11 Beekeeper Workshop – 9 a.m.-3 p.m. – Central Hickory Fire Rescue, Wheatland, Mo. – register by March 3 – for questions pdtbeekeeper@gmail.com or 417-745-6767 – register at go.ozarksfn.com/6pb

11 Missouri Department of Conversation Hunter Education Laclede County Skills Session – 1-5 p.m. – Laclede Electric Building, Lebanon, Mo. – must pre-register – for more information 417-532-7126 or visit mdc.mo.gov

11 Spring Garden Workshop – Faith Lutheran Church, Branson, Mo. – register by Feb. 27 – for more information 417-357-6812 – register at mgozarks.org/event/

13 Building It from the Ground Up “Sheep and Goat Production” – 6-9 p.m. –Buffalo Alumni Building, Buffalo, Mo. – 417-745-6767 or 417-345-7551

13 Preparing for Farm Succession Workshop – Free Workshop, but space is limited – 6-8:30 p.m. – Hillside Christian Church, Marshfield, Mo. – to register call 417-859-2044 or visit muext.us/ABPevents

14 Poultry Butchering Workshop – Douglas County Fairgrounds, Ava, Mo. – for more information contact Webster County Extension Office at 417-859-2044

14 SW MO MU Extension Beef Cattle Conference – 4 p.m. – SW MU Research Extension Education Center, Mount Vernon, Mo. – Cost: $25 per person, meal included – pre-register by March 7 – for more information 417-276-3313 or davismp@missouri.edu – register at go.ozarksfn.com/r37

16 Preparing for Farm Succession Planning – 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. – Online via Zoom – Cost: Free – register online at muext.us/ABPevents

17 Barn Quilt Class – Hermitage, Mo. – call 417-745-6767 to register

17 Free Cattle Grading Workshop – 6-8:30 p.m. – South Central Regional Stockyards, Vienna, Mo. – register by March 10 – questions 573-438-2671 –register at 573-422-3359 or muext.us/CattleGradingWorkshop

ozarks’ auction block

February 2023

24 Jamison Herefords Total Performance Bull Sale – Jamison Ranch Sale Center, Quinter, Kan. – 785-299-0441

25 Post Rock Cattle Company Cowman’s Kind Bull & Female Sale – at the Ranch, Barnard, Kan. – 785-792-6244

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

26 65th Missouri Angus Breeders Futurity Sale – Columbia, Mo. –

March 2023

3 Express Ranches Spring Bull Sale – at the Ranch, Yukon, Okla. – 405-350-0044

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 Top Pick 30th Annual Bull Sale – Peterson Farms Sale Facility, Mountain Grove, Mo. – 417-926-5336 or 417-259-1493

4 Satterfield Charolais & Angus Annual Bull Sale – at the farm, Evening Shade, Ark. – 501-944-9274 or 870-499-7151

4 WMC Cattle Company Annual Bull & Commercial Female Sale – Springfield Livestock Marketing Center, Springfield, Mo. – 405-464-2455 or 417-989-0486

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 Flickerwood Angus 9th Annual Production Sale – Jackson, Mo. – 573-382-1064 or 573-225-8583

11 May-Way Farms Annual Production Sale – Baldwin City, Kan. – 785-594-3125

11 Nipp Charolais Annual Spring Bull Sale – Wilson, Okla. – 580-513-3555

11 Sampson Cattle Company 7th Annual Bull Sale – on the farm, 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 Soaring Eagle of the Ozarks Bull Sale – SEO Sale Facility, Springfield, Mo. –805-234-7191 or 417-839-1200

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

16 Benoit Angus 34th Annual Bull Sale – at the Ranch, Esbon, Kan. –785-725-3231 or 785-545-6806

16 Henke Farms Bull Sale – at the Farm, Salisbury, Mo. – 660-676-6233 or 816-244-4462

17 Marshall & Fenner Farms 14th Annual Performance-Tested Bull & Female Production Sale – Boonville, Mo. – 660-641-4522 or 406-833-0117

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 Livestock Market, Green City, Mo. – 660-265-5565

18 Ertel Cattle Company Annual Production Sale – Kirksville Livestock Market, Kirksville, Mo. – 660-234-5265

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 Musgrave Angus Production Sale – at the farm, Griggsville, Ill – 217-242-3135 or 217-242-1160

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

18 Wild Indian Acres 2023 Spring Bull Sale – Joplin Regional Stockyards, Carthage, Mo. – 785-672-7449 or 636-236-0306

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

24 Barrett Cattle Company & Mill Brae Ranch Bull Sale – at Mill Brae Ranch, Maple Hill, Kan. – 785-256-3072

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

April 2023

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

7 Meyer Cattle Performance in the Pasture Sale – Meyer Cattle Sale Facility, Bowling Green, Mo. – 573-808-0624 or 573-694-1622

8 FHCC Spring 2023 Open House Bull Sale – New Bloomfield, Mo. – 608-279-3172 or 703-587-9959

11 Sydenstricker Genetics 18th Annual SydGen Influence Sale – Mexico, Mo. –573-473-9202 or 573-581-5900

— ZONE A AUCTIONS —

2/19 Rosemary E. Birdsong Real Estate Auction – Clinton, Mo. • Crawford Auction Service, 417-998-6629, crawfordauctionservice.com • See Our Ad on Page 31

2/21 Farm & Elevator Auction for Area Farmers

– Sheldon, Mo. • Nance Auction Service

2/25 Robert Bob & Barbara Deitz Estate Auction

– Carthage, Mo. • Nance Auction Service

3/14 Industrial Refrigeration Equipment

– Clinton, Mo. • Crawford Auction Service, 417-998-6629, crawfordauctionservice.com • See Our Ad on Page 31

— ZONE B AUCTIONS —

3/4 Firearms Auction – Doolittle, Mo. • J&J

Sales, LLC

3/4 Jan Witt Machinery Auction – Bu alo, Mo. • Crawford Auction Service, 417998-6629, crawfordauctionservice.com •

See Our Ad on Page 31

3/4 Kilmer Farm Equipment Consignment

Auction – Versailles, Mo. • Wheeler

Auctions & Real Estate

3/18 Estate of Dean & Norma (Clyde)

Millard Auction – Phillipsburg, Mo. • Crawford Auction Service, 417-9986629, crawfordauctionservice.com • See Our Ad on Page 31

— ZONE C AUCTIONS —

2/18 Estate Auction of Nicholas & Lisa

Sche er – Spring eld, Mo. • Glenworth Auction & Realty, 417-767-4345, glenworth.com • See Our Ad on Page 31

2/20 Ken acker Auction – Kirbyville, Mo. • Mt. Country Auctions

2/23 Estate of Delmar Wipf, Arvest Bank

Trustee Auction – Stra ord, Mo. • Shannon & Associates Auctioneers

2/24 Antique, Furniture, Household Collectibles & More Auction –Spring eld, Mo. • Bob Kollmeier Auctions

3/11 Collector and Gun Auction – Neosho, Mo.

• Venture Group Auction

3/12 Absolute Estate Mobile Home & Tool Auction – Joplin, Mo. • Venture Group Auction

3/25 Charles R. Lashmet Public Auction –Spring eld, Mo. • Johnson Auction Service

— ZONE D AUCTIONS —

2/19 Estate Auction – Fordland, Mo. • Glenworth Auction & Realty, 417-7674345, glenworth.com • See Our Ad on Page 31

2/23 Equipment Liquidation Auction –Pomona, Mo. • Sexton Auctioneers

2/24 Estate Auction – Niangua, Mo. • Stevens Auction Service, LLC

2/25 Real Estate & Personal Property Auction

– Mountain Grove, Mo. • Chadwell Auctions LLC

2/26 David & Debbie Welch Public Auction –West Plains, Mo. • Reid Auction

3/4 Estate Auction of Richard Graves –Marsh eld, Mo. • Glenworth Auction & Realty, 417-767-4345, glenworth.com • See Our Ad on Page 31

3/18 Jr’s 6th Semi-Annual Consignment Auction – Hartville, Mo.

• Martin Auctions

ONLINE & OUTSIDE AREA

— AUCTIONS —

2/22 Equipment Online Auction – 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

2/24 Online Only Farmland Auction –Jamestown, Mo. • United Country Missouri Land and Home

2/25 Countryside Garden’s Public Auction –Bonnots Mill, Mo. • Martin Auctions

2/25 Estate Farm Auction – Advance, Mo. • Brucker Auction Service

2/25 Rinehart Farms Equipment Auction –Purdin, Mo. • Wheeler Auctions & Real Estate

2/25 Annual Spring Consignment Auction

– Hawk Point, Mo. • Allen Auction and Real Estate Service LLC

3/4 Estate Farm Auction – Patton, Mo. • Brucker Auction Service

3/4 Farm Retirement Auction – Edgerton, Mo. • Eddie Pickett Auction Service, Inc.

3/11 Equipment, Tools, Guns & More Auction –Risco, Mo. • Jacob Goodin Auction Service

3/11 22nd Annual Farm & Machinery

Consignment Auction – Perryville, Mo. • Manche Auction Service

3/11 Fenton & Depression Glassware Auction – Paris, Mo. • Marquette Auction Service

3/11 Lifelong Cast Iron Collection Auction –Harviell, Mo. • JP’s Estate Liquidation

3/11 Public Real Estate & Contents Auction –Sedalia, Mo. • Johnson Auction Service

3/11 Stahl Machinery & Equipment Auction – Clarksburg, Mo. – Dick Hutchison Auction and Real Estate LLC

3/12 Woodworking Tools Auction – Scott City, Mo. • Brucker Auction Service

3/15 Equipment Online Auction – bidding starts Feb. 22nd at 6 p.m., bidding closes Mar. 15th at 10 a.m. – bigiron.com – Big Iron Auctions

3/22 Equipment Online Auction – bidding starts Mar. 1st at 6 p.m., bidding closes Mar. 22nd at 10 a.m. – bigiron.com • Big Iron Auctions

• Missouri Land and Farm Auctions

3/1 Grebe Family Farm Auction – Rock Port, Mo.

3/2 Live Equipment Auction – Jonesboro, Ark. • Witcher Auctions

— 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

— BALANCERS —

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

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.

- 918-695-2357www.HorseheadRanch.net

4-state area. Looking for individuals with experience in Agriculture or Construction, who are interested in building their own business, using Christian Business Principles. Background and contact info required. Call or text 417-366-4853 6/5/23

SHEARS

• 1/4” x 10’ Betenbender. Power back gauge $19,500

• 3/16” x 12’ Cincinnati mechanical. 24” back gauge $15,500

• 10 Ga x 14’ Roper-Whitney mechanical. 29” back gauge $15,000

BRAKES

• 190 Ton x 12’ Betenbender. 10’6” B.H. Looks rough, runs great DEAL

• 10 Ga. x 4’ Chicago power leaf, straight brake $4,500

ROLLS

• 12-14 Ga. x 55” Pexto initial pinch. 4” diameter rolls $2,950

• 9 Ga. x 60” Famar initial pinch. 2003 4.7” dia. rolls $6,950

ROLLFORMER

• Engel 20 Ga. pittsburgh with 3-in-1 rolls. 480 Volt, 3 phase $6,500

Do

Milford,

New ANTIBIOTIC regulations BEGINNING JUNE 11, 2023

we’re ready.

Ash Grove - 417-751-2433

MFA Agri Services

Aurora - 417-678-3244

Coop Assn. #86

Bolivar - 417-326-5231

Farmers Exchange

Buffalo - 417-345-2121

Farmers Exchange

Cassville - 417-847-3115

MFA Agri Services

Fair Grove - 417-759-2525

Farmers Exchange

Golden City - 417-537-4711

MFA Agri Services

As an extension of the Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD), the Food and Drug Administration has added prescription-only rules for injectable, oral (bolus and liquid) and mastitis treatment forms of the same antibiotic classes included in earlier regulations.

That means there’s an even greater need for livestock producers to focus on enhanced disease prevention efforts and antibiotic alternatives. Good, complete nutrition, environmental management, low-stress animal handling, herd biosecurity, proper vaccine and parasite control programs, and timely use of products with MFA’s Shield Technology may lessen the need for antibiotics and help them work better when they are needed.

Take action today to make this next regulatory transition as smooth as possible and keep your herd healthy and high performing.

Lamar - 417-682-5300

MFA Agri Services

Lebanon - 417-532-3174

MFA Farmers Produce EX #139

Lowry City - 417-644-2218

Farmers Exchange

Marshfield - 417-468-2115

MFA Agri Services

Mt. Vernon - 417-466-3752

MFA Agri Services

Ozark - 417-581-3523

MFA Agri Services

Stockton - 417-276-5111

Farmers Exchange

Urbana - 417-993-4622

Farmers Exchange

Weaubleau - 417-428-3336

Farmers Exchange

Many antibiotic medications previously available over the counter will require veterinary prescription.