meet your
A Quality Venture
neighbors Photos by Amanda Bradley
By Amanda Bradley
Calvin and Jamie Dryer are working to build a quality Red Angus herd
Calvin and Jamie Dryer
hope to grow their Red Calvin and Jamie Dryer are two Angus herd to 70 regisof many farmers currently navtered females. igating the uncertain waters of inflation, steep land prices, and a shaky economy. But this hasn’t stopped the couple from trying new things. “My dad used to raise a lot of hogs and In 2020, the Dryers began the construc- I always showed hogs growing up. We tion of their new home on their 50-acre want to keep that going for her because Louisburg, Mo., farm while both work- it’s a good little income,” Calvin said. ing full-time jobs on top of the Dryer Jamie and Calvin have branched off family farming operation. They’ve also the commercial cattle operation into a added two daughnew endeavor. Afters to their family: ter acquiring five 2-year-old HadRed Angus heifley and newborn ers from Iowa in Whitley. Jamie is 2020, they’ve been a kindergarten working on exteacher at Dalpanding the herd las County R-1 for a seedstock schools, and Caloperation. vin works full-time Two years in at City Utilities in the making and Springfield, but steadily growing, this hasn’t pruned they’re conservatheir ability to help tively planning. in the Dryer family Calvin said their farming operation. eventual goal is The whole famto acquire more ily helps manage land and run even approximately more cattle, but 110 commercial with the inflated cattle that’s ran on several plots of land. land prices, he’s not sure when or if that Calvin said his parents have will ever become an attainable reality. long been involved in agSo, for the time being they’re planriculture, and Calvin has ning on a smaller scale seedstock fond memories of farming operation, focusing on producwhile growing up. Calvin is ing exceptional quality and sellcontinuing the farming traing bulls. dition with his daughter, and Calvin said his plans for Louisburg, Mo. has purchased Hadley her own the breeding program will gilts. consist of AI and embryo FEBRUARY 28, 2022
transferring, as well as providing a quality clean up bull for cover. Calvin said he has years of experience with AI in hogs, but Red Angus seedstock is fairly new territory in comparison. Newer ground, yes, but it has not come without a lot of thought, research and planning. “Our goal is to have 70 registered mommas and to be able to retain five to 10 cows each year to replace our older heifers, and still be able to sell five to 10 to customers as well,” Calvin explained. Their herd is kept healthy with worming and vaccinations, Calvin said. He also added they try to let their herd graze on as much native fescue as possible, but said they’re crippled by not having large plots of land for true rotational grazing, something he would like to change when feasible. “We grind our own feed to feed our feeder calves and my Red Angus bulls. We buy bulk corn and commodities and mix in our grinder. In the future we would like to raise our corn for silage and corn to grind into feed,” Calvin said. With careful health practices, selective breeding and economics in mind, Calvin said what they’re doing is all about getting more specialized, doing more with less, and getting into a different market by focusing on quality. “We just want to be able to sell a quality product that works for commercial cattlemen,” he said.
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