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Continuing the Family Tradition By Larry Burchfield
Wesley Benton continues the Charolais operation his grandfather Jewell Spurlock started with a single heifer Submitted photos
For years, travelers along Highway 67/167 in Judsonia, Ark., grounds some calves have passed the landmark of a large Charolais bull advertising that are sold as feeders. Wesley’s herd is split Spurlock Farms. Jewell Spurlock started his purebred Charolais cattle operation with a purebred into fall and spring heifer he bought in 1968 at the Arkansas State Fair. That heifer‘s growth and pro- calving, with a 90-day duction impressed Jewell so much he decided to go into the purebred Charolais calving window for business. Jewell passed away in June 2019 at the age of 81. However, due to his each. He explained failing health in his later years, grandson Wesley Benton stepped up and accepted the dual calving season the “play calling” for the farm in 2012 and has continued operating Spurlock Farms. allows him to have re“I was always around my grandpa’s farm,” Wesley said. “I was raised here in the placements at different community and helped grandpa almost every day. He provided a lot of guidance ages for his customers. To help his cattle and inspiration for me, even though he was in failing health the last few years. I reach and maintain still live on the farm, so it’s been a big part of my life for a long time.” Spurlock Farms is nestled along the Little Red River in the foothills of White top condition, Wesley County. The 550-acre farm provides ample pasture and hay for the 100 registered utilizes mix of minerCharolais cows and five bulls. Wesley has recently added 50 commercials cows to als and forages. “I am a very firm the operation to give it a little variety. “After running the farm for the last eight years, I felt it was time to expand and believer in nutrition I wanted to do it on my own,” Wesley said. “I certainly appreciated granddad and with a mineral plan my family having faith in me to run the farm, but I wanted to have my own cattle. for every season. I use Farmers Association So, I ventured into the commercial cow operation. “I keep my commercial herd so that I can have additional revenue to supplement in Searcy for a lot of Wesley Benton, pictured with his wife Ashton and my registered operation because the turn around is longer in the seedstock business. my guidance,” he said. daughter Ellie, operates Spurlock Farms, which “I want my cattle to I have also had a few customers request beef so I have sold some steers as well.” was started by Wesley’s grandfather. Helping Wesley manage the farm is his wife Ashton and daughter Ellie. As a grow and be healthy family farm unit, they maintain the farm’s reputation to produce quality Charolais but I rely on forage so that they can go to any program and work.” cattle that will increase their customers’ bottom line. Maximizing hay production is a major element of Wesley’s plans for the farm. To help accomplish that goal, the Bentons raised the bar to the next level by “I have about 60 acres of Tifton Bermuda and about 140 acres of Tifton/cominitiating a strong AI and embryo transfer program. “I am extremely selective about my females I flush, they have to raise the best calf mon Bermuda mix with some Dallas Bahaia in it,” he explained. “My hay ground on the place or be out of something other breeders are promoting heavily,” Wesley is tested in March every year and I follow the guidelines to produce my hay and I explained. “I believe there are way too many cows in every breed getting flushed also use chemical to keep it clean to maximize my fertilizer.” Although the Little Red River could provide ample irrigation with a relift system, that are just ordinary cows and I have done the same and just disposed of the eggs when I saw the cross didn’t work. I have four females that I either own or am in water flow can be sporadic at certain times of the year. Future plans call for a well and water guns to irrigate the prime hay acres to boost hay production. There are also adpartnership on that we flush.” ditional acres across Hwy 67/167 that provide good hay. He utilizes recip females from his commercial herd, as well the regis“We have had good hay production the last couple years because we tered herd. Judsonia, Ark. have had sufficient rain,” Wesley said. “In fact, we have had very wet “Recips from my registered cows may not have as high-powered of a springs which has delayed us some. But there are times it would be nice pedigree, but are good calf raisers,” Wesley said. in late summer to irrigate for that last hay cutting.” Herd bulls are also used for clean up. In addition to running Spurlock Farms, Wesley is a sales representative for “My main bull came from DeBruycker Charolais in Montana and my other Greenway Equipment in Kensett. Trying to balance all those duties gets hecbulls are ET calves that I have raised,” Wesley said. tic at times, but family comes first, and it all revolves around Spurlock Farms. Top-end calves are marketed as seedstock, but Spurlock Farms also back-
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Ozarks Farm & Neighbor • www.ozarksfn.com
APRIL 13, 2020
