Mo-Kan founder strives to serve local buyers and sellers

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Fresh Cattle Weekly

By Megan Richner Mo-Kan Livestock owner Jim Hertzog in his commitment to local producers

Buyers can be found in the seats or inside, and out. You don’t have to worry about bidding online on fresh cattle every your cattle getting muddy or dirty,” Jim said. Thursday at Mo-Kan Livestock MarOn any given sale day, 15 to 30 order ket Inc., located north of Butler, Mo. buyers can be found in the seats. Many of

Mo-Kan was started by Jim Hertzog in these buyers have orders for at least five 1992. Jim, Brian and Todd Hertzog all play different people, creating true price disan active role at the barn. covery for the producer’s cattle.

Jim takes pride in his commitment to The buyers are attracted to Mo-Kan beserve all livestock producers. During the cause they only sell fresh cattle, straight off weekly feeder calf sales and monthly stock the farm. Mo-Kan does not trade or resell cow sales, producer names are called out cattle from other sale barns. The buyers can when their cattle enter the ring. The buysource verify the cattle, resulting in less risk ers know where the cattle are from and and fewer health problems down the road. producers are recognized. Mo-Kan is a cow/calf barn, which means

“The service we provide is different than the majority of the cattle sold are calves bigger barns, we notice the customer more that have been weaned off the cow. Most when we are selling their cattle, they’re of the calves sold at Mo-Kan will be gonot just a commodity; it’s their ing west or north of Missouri to backlivelihood,” Jim said. grounders or feedlots.

He estimates the barn sells “We are in an area where we sell 75,000 head of cattle per year a lot of quality northern-type, and can hold 3,500 head. Their Butler, Mo. English cattle. These are good facility consists of 5 acres of pens, feeding, big-boned and largeall under roof with hay and water framed cattle. This area is accommodations. conducive for nice, quality

“We take pride in keeping it clean, cattle,” Todd expressed.

For three generations, the Hertzog family have owned and operated Mo-Kan Livestock Market.

Producers can add value to their cattle and put money back in their pockets by participating in the Mo-Kan Max Advantage Pre-Vac Program.

“Producers participating in this program get many benefits, like $1 per head back, free Max Advantage ear tags, a guaranteed sale time of 1 p.m., and increased market value around $35 to $50 per head,” Jim said.

He wanted to give producers the flexibility and the option to sell their value-added calves every week, so the Hertzog team carved out a time during the weekly feeder calf sale, to sell only pre-vac program calves. This reduces the risk of hitting a bad market waiting or holding calves for a monthly special value-added sale date.

“This way the producer can watch the board, see where it’s at and pick whatever week they want to sell their calves,” Jim explained.

One goal of this program is to build calf immunity before weaning and shipping. This reduces risk on the buyer and rewards producers who go the extra mile to offer healthy calves.

“Any backgrounder or feed yard you talk to, they want herd immunity. They want two rounds of modified live (vaccine), not just cattle that have been vaccinated against blackleg,” Todd said.

Calves that are part of the Mo-Kan Max Advantage Pre-Vac Program must be 45- days weaned, males must be castrated by 4 months of age, dehorned or tipped horns, dewormed, have a red Max Advantage ear tag, and follow one of two vaccination protocols.

Photos by Megan Richner

“Essentially the last round of shots is almost free because it costs $1 to give that last booster shot, but we pay for it,” Todd explained.

He also added their orders buyers want value-added cattle. He stressed that cattle may come from a disease-free operation, but when cattle have never been exposed to diseases and are comingled with other cattle, they are going to get sick.

“When you take cattle that have been isolated on one farm, never exposed to different diseases and haul them to Western Kansas or the panhandle of Texas and they go in a yard with 70,000 cattle and there are airborne diseases and dust everywhere, and it’s hot; they are going to get something they have never seen on their farm,” Todd explained.

The Hertzogs and their field representatives encourage producers to always vaccinate and wean their cattle, even if they do not participate in the Max Advantage Wean Vac program. This boosts their immunity and the calves can hit the ground running as they move through each sector of the beef supply chain.

Many of the events in 2020 has resulted in an increased demand for local meat and the need for inspected livestock processing facilities.

The Hertzogs are excited to officially announce they are currently in the process of opening a state-inspected livestock processing facility. This new opportunity will be located near the sale barn and will include a retail storefront.

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