OFN September 28, 2020 by Eric Tietze

FALL BREED • FARMFEST • PRODUCTION SALE

SEPTEMBER 28, 2020 • 32 PAGES

VOLUME 14, NUMBER 11 • WWW.OZARKSFN.COM

Farming and Baseball

A Family Merger The Ledbetter and Hill families were neighbors for generations, but now their farms are in one family

Is He Sound?

Breeding Soundness Exams can save money

After being drafted by the Cardinals, Logan Gragg used his signing bonus to start his own farm

Taking Good Care of Cattle

Will Norton manages 1,000 head of stocker calves, in addition to his own cow/calf operation

rumor mill

Applications being accepted: The Arkansas Department of Agriculture is accepting submissions for the Specialty Crop Block Grant Alternative Selling Methods Campaign through Sept. 30. The goal of the Specialty Crop Block Grant Alternative Selling Methods Campaign is to recognize and highlight Arkansas farmers and farmers market managers who have adapted their operations to continue meeting the needs of their communities during the COVID-19 public health emergency. Arkansas farmers and farmers market managers are invited to submit self-produced videos demonstrating the new selling methods they developed during COVID-19. Learn more about this program at www.arkansasgrown.org/about.

The Ozarks Most Read Farm Newspaper

SEPTEMBER 28, 2020

Imports halted: China is halting the import of poultry from a Tyson Foods plant in Arkansas following an outbreak of coronavirus cases at the facility. The nation’s General Administration of Customs office made the announcement on Sept. 12, saying shipments from the plant would be temporarily suspended, while products that have already arrived will be seized. Tyson Foods has confirmed the announcement pertains to its Berry Street facility in Springdale, Ark., where 227 workers tested positive for the coronavirus earlier this month. All but four of them were asymptomatic, according to Tyson. The company said tests of its facilities in Northwest Arkansas showed 481 employees, or 13 percent of 3,748 employees, had tested positive. The company said 455 of those employees (95 percent) were asymptomatic. Health experts have said the coronavirus is mostly spread through respiratory droplets, not food.

Know a Good Rumor?

OzarksFarm @OzarksFarm

Do you have a rumor you would like to share with our readers? Mail them to: PO Box 1514, Lebanon, MO 65536; fax them to: 417-532-4721; or email them to: editor@ozarksfn.com

VOL. 14, NO. 11

JUST A THOUGHT 3 Jerry Crownover –

Blessed to be on the farm

Woody crowned: Madison Woody, the 19-year-old daughter of Derek and Trisha Woody of Norfork, Ark., was recently named 2021 Oklahoma Miss Agriculture. Woody is a pre-veterinary medicine major at Oklahoma State University and will compete for the national Miss Agriculture USA crown in June 2021. Miss Agriculture USA is a scholarship pageant that celebrates and promotes agriculture. The nonprofit organization is an advocacy program for women to teach and enhance the American agriculture story. Labeling law challenged: A lawsuit is challenging Oklahoma’s new law governing labeling for some vegan products, alleging that it violates the First Amendment. The lawsuit filed in mid-September in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma seeks a preliminary injunction preventing House Bill 3806 from taking effect Nov. 1, a permanent injunction and attorney’s fees, costs and expenses associated with it. The suit alleges the state Legislature passed the measure to protect meat-industry groups from competition brought by plant-based food sellers. The claim was brought by Upton’s Naturals Co., and the Plant Based Foods Association. According to the lawsuit, the legislation “will prohibit sellers of plant-based foods from using meat terms to describe their foods unless they have a disclaimer – in the same size and prominence as their product names – that their products are plant-based.”

Jody Harris – Fall is in full swing for the Harris family

Julie Turner-Crawford – Nothing better than the Ozarks

MEET YOUR NEIGHBORS 7 Logan Gragg is at home on the farm or the mound

10 18 20

Ozarks Farm & Neighbor • www.ozarksfn.com

Three farms make up the Powell operation

Family continues to honor the legacy of Neosho

Eye on Agribusiness features the U of A Equine program

13 15

At home on the farm Town & Country highlights Scott Knight

The Nortons manage stocker cattle, as well as a cow/calf operation

Longtime farm families merge into one

Youth in Agriculture spotlights Brooke Bradford

FARM HELP 23 Tips from the Udder Side 24 Dodging puddles 25 Is your bull up for the task? 26 Hay quality dictates supplemental feed costs

Preg checks can save producers money

Preparing for breeding season SEPTEMBER 28, 2020

just a

thought

What’s On Your Mind, Ozarks?

Life Is Simple By Jerry Crownover

PO Box 1514, Lebanon, MO 65536

31ST EDITION

BULL SALE

Offering 85 Bulls

e f i L elpmiS si

t was almost dark on Labor Day evening, when my phone rang with the caller ID showing a nearby neighbor was on the other end. “What are you doing?” revonworC yrreJ yB “I’m just laying here on the couch, watching TV. What’s going on?” My young neighbor asked if I might come over and look Jerry Crownover is at one of his cows that was having a problem. Assuming a farmer and former that he had already hit a dead end in trying to get a vet professor of Agriculture out, during a three-day holiday weekend, I assured him Education at Missouri that I would be right over. State University. He is a I got dressed and drove the mile over to his corral, where native of Baxter County, the cow was confined. He proceeded to tell me that her Arkansas, and an water bag had been out for some time, but the cow was not author and professional straining or showing any other signs of labor, even though speaker. To contact Jerry, she was due to calve. go to ozarksfn.com and click on ‘Contact Us.’ “Well, let’s get her in the chute and see what might be going on,” I requested. The gentle cow went right in, so I gloved up and proceeded to enter the business end, when she promptly kicked the living daylights out of my right shin. The neighbor’s wife was there, holding the tail, so I was able to catch myself in time to only mutter the words, “SONOF-A….gun.” After composing myself, I went in, again, up to my armpit, turned to the young couple and sadly stated, “We’ve got a problem.” All I could feel was a tail and one rear leg. For the next 45 minutes, in the hot and humid air of a late summer night, my neighbor and I took turns trying to retrieve at least one leg to have something from which to pull. Eventually we did get one leg out and proceeded to free a good, black bull calf from the confines of his mother. Unfortunately, and despite all our efforts to resuscitate the calf, it was no use. The young couple were, of course disappointed, but understood that this is a tough business on most days.

75 Charolais • 6 Halfblood Akaushi 4 Fullblood Akaushi Saturday, October 17, 2020 1 p.m. Central At the Ranch • Carthage, Mo.

Visit our website for video’s and sale catalog. LIVE INTERNET BIDDING AT: www.cowbuyer.com

Larry & Peggy Aschermann Carthage, Missouri (417) 793-2855 cell • (417) 358-7879 e-mail: hayhook@gmail.com

www.aschermanncharolais.com

Toll Free: 1-866-532-1960 479-846-1002 • Fax: 479-846-1003 E-mail: editor@ozarksfn.com

Eric Tietze Publisher

Administrative Amanda Newell, Marketing Manager Eric Tietze, Accounting Advertising Pete Boaz, Display & Classified Sales Amanda Newell, Production Sales Circulation Eric Tietze, Circulation Editorial Julie Turner-Crawford, Managing Editor Jerry Crownover, Columnist Jody Harris, Columnist Production Amanda Newell, Production Contributors Dr. Tim O’Neill, Klaire Howerton and Terry Ropp

About the Cover Logan Gragg maybe a skilled pitcher on the mound, but his heart remains in farming. See more on page 7. Submitted photo Ozarks Farm & Neighbor accepts story suggestions from readers. Story information appears as gathered from interviewees. Ozarks Farm & Neighbor assumes no responsibility for the credibility of statements made by interviewees. © Copyright Ozarks Farm & Neighbor, Inc., 2020. All rights reserved. Printed in USA.

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Ozarks Farm & Neighbor • www.ozarksfn.com

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Freshly Picked By Jody Harris

he 4-H chickens have laid their first eggs! These 12 pullets have been nurtured since the spring 2020 COVID-19 shutdown. When we were spending all our time at home, these gals gave Jody Harris is a freelance our sons something to feed, water and clean up communications specialist, after. We have been patiently awaiting the “first egg” and gardener, ranch wife and it finally arrived this week. Everyone needs something to mother of four. She and celebrate whether its big or small right now. her family raise Angus beef We recently sold one of the horses our kids had outcattle and other critters on grown. The pony, Amelia, found a new home on the farm their northwest Arkansas of one of our friends. She is now a family favorite for all his ranch. She is a graduate grandchildren. We celebrated seeing her happy with little of Missouri State University. kids to ride and love her. To contact Jody, go to Our four children have successfully completed week ozarksfn.com and click on three of back-to-school in these uncertain times. Every‘Contact Us.’ thing is going very well. Our oldest daughter is in high school. Do not worry, we don’t believe we are old enough to have a high school student, either. She is actively learning to drive and hopes to obtain a hardship permit to drive herself to work and to school soon. We are actively praying about that and celebrating her goals. Our youngest daughter is in junior high. She is learning to play the trombone (just like mom) in the seventh-grade band. This weekend, we will celebrate her running in the first cross country meet of the season. Our oldest son has struggled in school. He loves to be active and mostly outdoors. This year is his first year of middle school. He LOVES it. He is really enjoying changing classes and teachers throughout the day. He is learning to drive a micro sprint race car in the restrictor class. I have been impressed with his willingness to work hard in school in order to spend all his free time working with his dad on the race car. Soon we hope to celebrate the first race finish of car No. 11 over at Port City Raceway. Our youngest son is at elementary school by himself this year. I really think he’s enjoying the independence of being the only Harris kid there. He is so excited to be able to play fall baseball this season. We all missed getting to play this past spring and summer. We were celebrating his first practice this week. We are all looking forward to a great game season. As fall approaches, we look forward to harvest and calving season across Arkansas. In a time when the news media is hammering us with doom and gloom, I can look around this beautiful state and see there are many victories that we can all celebrate. Our family is looking forward to celebrating the big and small offerings of fall 2020. Hope you will too, neighbor.

Did You Know?

Chickens have a built-in compass. Their magnetic sense of direction, which allows them to orient themselves with the Earth’s magnetic field, develops at an early stage of life.

Ozarks Farm & Neighbor • www.ozarksfn.com

SEPTEMBER 28, 2020

just a thought

Across the Fence

113th Edition Consignment Sale Saturday, October 17, 2020

By Julie Turner-Crawford

n a recent cool September morning, I stood on the deck of my home and watched a newborn calf take its first steps. The attentive mother stood vigil over her new calf, lovingJulie Turner-Crawford ly licking it clean. It took a couple of tries, is a native of Dallas but the wobbly calf finally managed to stand and get its first County, Mo., where she meal. It was a good start to the day. grew up on her family’s Some may ask why farmers/ranchers spend hours working farm. She is a graduate in the sun, the rain and snow. As the old saying goes, money of Missouri State can’t buy happiness, but sometimes it’s the simple things in University. To contact life that make you the happiest, like watching a new calf Julie, call 1-866-532-1960 take its first step. or by email at editor@ I can watch babies for hours. There’s nothing better than ozarksfn.com. seeing calves in a good old-fashioned game of pasture chase, or lambs and goat kids bleating as they bounce about. Then there’s the grunts, snorts and floppy ears of baby pigs, and the bucking of new colts. It makes you feel as if you’re doing something right because the babies are healthy and strong, as are their mommas. I try not to be too melancholy, but that recent morning watching the new calf get its first glimpse of the world made me realize how lucky we are to live in the Ozarks – the rural Ozarks. There are seldom “traffic jams” on my 20-minute drive to work, and if there is it’s because someone is just driving a little slower than everyone else on the rural road, and there are very few places to pass. I tend to take my time too; no need to speed into work in the morning if you leave in plenty of time. I enjoy the evening commute to unwind a little from the day and let the sounds of traffic and blaring train horns that rumble past our office fade. Plus, the deer are pretty thick out my way, and with rut coming soon there’s no need to speed down any rural road.

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for additional information or to request a sale book, contact sale manager: Missouri Angus Association Julie Conover, General Manager • 734-260-8635 • julie@missouriangus.org

Mark your calendar for our Spring Sale on Saturday, March 13, 2021!

— Continued on Next Page

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SEPTEMBER 28, 2020

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Across the Fence Continued from Previous Page Along the way, I see some of the best the Ozarks has to offer. Leaves are starting to get their autumn hue. As dry as it’s been over the summer, I hope we get to see a landscape filled with orange and red; we’ve had enough brown for awhile. During hay season, there’s nothing better than rolling down the windows and the aroma of freshly cut-hay that fills the air. It can only be topped by that first deep breath when you step outside on a frosty winter morning. On my drive, the same drive I’ve made for about two decades, I don’t notice if there is a new vehicle in a neighbor’s driveway, but I do notice things like new calves. I’ve scouted out a few heifers along the way that I’ve really liked. There was a nice crossbred blue roan heifer up the road that caught my eye when she was just a calf. The owners liked her too because she’s been around for several years now and has had many calves of her own. There’s a new neighbor a few miles up the road who has some Longhorns. Their impressive bull stands along the fence most evenings. I will have to stop and introduce myself one day soon.

For a couple of months, I watched another neighbor completely transform their previously abandoned and overgrown piece of property into a beautiful little farm. There was an old barn behind the house that even closer neighbors, neighbors who have lived there for many years, didn’t know existed until the brush and vines were cleared away. I also see remnants of old farmhouses. Every spring long-forgotten beds of daffodils and irises still rise and bloom. I think about who might have planted them there years ago. They may be gone, but the flowers they cared for are still enjoyed today. Living in the rural Ozarks and enjoying the simple things in life might not be for everyone, but not everyone has seen a newborn calf take its first steps on a cool September morning.

Life Is Simple Continued from Page 3 They were about to release the cow, when I told them to let me have one more look before she was released (I’ve been doing this too long to assume there’s just one). There was another calf, presenting itself in exactly the same breech position as the first. “Here we go again.” About 15 minutes into my work on the second calf, I looked at my friend and myself, both covered in sweat, blood and afterbirth, and I turned to his wife, who was still, patiently holding the cows tail, and calmly stated, “You know, we are really blessed to be able to be in this business, and live where we do.”

His wife responded with, “Are we?” “Yep,” I replied. “We could all have high-paying jobs that require us to live in downtown Portland…or Chicago…or Kenosha…or Afghanistan.” Sadly, the second calf encountered the same fate as its brother, but the cow came through the ordeal in great shape and I commented, “At least that’s a win.” Before returning home that evening, the young couple agreed that they were truly blessed to be doing what they love, and in a place that is where they want to be.

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Ozarks Farm & Neighbor • www.ozarksfn.com

SEPTEMBER 28, 2020

meet your

neighbors

Farming and Baseball By Terry Ropp

After being drafted by the Cardinals, Logan Gragg used his signing bonus to start his own farm Submitted Photo

on a plane headed for home as the corona“As long as I am outside, I’m virus invaded the lives of every American.” great,” said Logan Gragg, a The downside of the pandemic is hold21-year-old minor-league baseing off Logan’s rookie year though that is ball player and new farmer. well-balanced by the fact he is able to be Farming and baseball have been interon his farm during the critical first year. twined for Logan’s entire life. At age 3, he His mother is deeply involved. Not only watched his middle sister Loren play T-ball. did she find Logan’s newly acquired land Although she was three years older, he rewith 38 usable acres out of 40, but she fused to be left out and got in the middle of also plays catch with him so he can keep it all. The result was baseball hooked him. his arm in shape. Another of his early memories is needing One of the first things Logan did when to doctor a calf with his grandfather Lonnie he purchased the land was to bale 20 unGray. Lonnie was driving and Logan was in touched, tall and lush acres. He harvested the back of the Ranger so he could jump 119 round bales because it was so thick and out as it passed the calf. Logan jumped out subsequently fertilized with chicken litter and held onto its leg when Lonnie drove from a local business. His plan for the fuback and gave the calf a shot. ture is to bale 50 to 100 bales per year. “Farming and baseball have always been “One of the most important things I part of my life,” Logan recalled. “Because my learned from my schooling is the value of dad owns Gragg Construction and works evmaintaining good pasture during winter ery day, I had a lot of chores as a kid, but the in order to minimize hay consumption,” only things I hated were household chores Logan Gragg offers some grain to his Logan said. like taking out the trash and sweeping.” herd daily so the cattle are easy to One of the necessary compromises of his Logan played baseball throughout his youth move and roundup. dual life is that his bull will run with the and developed into an excellent pitcher for herd year round, which will eventually the Prairie Grove Tigers in Arkansas before playing baseball at Connors State Junior College and then transferring disrupt the current synchronization but also spread out the work to Oklahoma State. At the end of his junior year, he was drafted by throughout the year. He feeds a little grain every day so he can the St. Louis Cardinals and used part of the signing bonus for a 40-acre easily round up the cattle when needed. He purchases Ration 3 farm near his parents, Scott and Shauna, who lived at the family farm from Cattlemen’s Feed in Colcord, Okla., and adds loose mineral for herd health. in Prairie Grove. Because of his upbringing and his education, Logan is comfortHis main criteria for land was to be close to family so he could continue helping his grandmother, Mary, as well as his folks and others, espe- able with following his family’s vaccination protocol and using a cially during haying season. He also wanted to be close to his parents’ pour-on wormer. He plans on using a rub for flies, but only if necesplace because his mom is the main caretaker of Logan’s farm during sary. He has divided his land into two pastures which are comprised baseball season. Logan purchased land in Lincoln last November. Soon of fescue, ryegrass, Bermuda and a little natural clover. He plans on after he also purchased a small herd of commercial cattle. Logan bought fertilizing with chicken litter, as he did last December. Logan admits he’s very laid back, until he steps on the line to 21 commercial females and a commercial Angus bull. The rainbow pitch. Baseball fires his competitive passion but also herd includes 16 black Angus, two Red Angus, two Charoserves as the flame and kindling for building the farm lais and one Longhorn/Charolais cross. of his dreams. “Everything just sort of fell together,” explained Logan. “I Lincoln, Ark. “I love baseball and will play as long as I am able,” Logan wanted early-spring calving so I could be around for most of said. “When the time comes for me to retire from baseball, the calving season and for breeding season because baseball I plan on coming back home and beginning to take over the season is from March 1 to Sept. 1. My calves started coming construction business for my dad while building my farm at the in February and most were born before I left for training same time. If I’m outside, I’m happy and it’s as simple as that.” camp. The irony is I barely got started before I found myself SEPTEMBER 28, 2020

Ozarks Farm & Neighbor • www.ozarksfn.com

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Wade Powell took dual credit high school courses and then attended Arkansas State University College in Jonesboro, Ark., year-round. Consequently, he graduated with a teaching degree when he was only 20 and not quite ready to enter the classroom. For the first six years after college, he worked as a lineman for a co-op. During that time he met his fu-

only paid for his college education but also provided a down payment for his own farm. “Everything was different when I was a kid,” Wade said. “In our area farmers focused on hogs and had a few cattle on the side. My folks planned ahead and gave me an excellent start.” The Powell’s farm consists of three smaller farms, with one 20 miles away. They run a

Wade Powell started raising livestock at a young age. Submitted Photo

For Sale Information, Contact: Brock Smith (870) 423-3269 . cell (870) 480-6406 99 CR 5015 . Berryville, AR 72616

smithregisteredangus@gmail.com . www.SmithRegisteredAngus.com

Sale Managed By: Matt Caldwell . (913) 755-1105 . mattcaldwell75@gmail.com

Wade Powell began his herd with commerical black females and a Salers bull

ture wife Sherry. Both teach grade school in black commercial cattle herd, with two farms running spring calving and the third Mammoth Spring, Ark. fall calving. Early on, Wade purOne of the keys to the fulfillMammoth chased commercial Angus females ing life he and Sherry live is that Spring, Ark. and a Salers bull from a nearby Wade’s parents, Arliss and Patrifarmer. The accidental combination cia, had him working on the farm led Wade to his preferred breeding at a very early age, including carpairing because he liked black hides and ing for his own five cows and 10 the maternal characteristics the Salers sows. The livestock income not

Ozarks Farm & Neighbor • www.ozarksfn.com

SEPTEMBER 28, 2020

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bull passed on. When Wade decided to raise his own replacement heifers, neighbor Larry LaRue luckily had Salers bulls for sale. Wade used Salers until his females became half Salers, then he switched to Angus bulls. Good bulls are an important part of creating a productive herd. Wade likes to use EPDs in bull selection and looks for calving ease, maternal traits, docility and growth. Then he always wants to see the bull in person so he can check feet and legs, muscle and bone structure. Wade also checks their eyes, which he believes indicate temperament and general health. Always purchasing young bulls, no more than 2 1/2 years old, he keeps them until they are 6 or 7 by rotating them on the different farms. Females can be culled for temperament issues or for not breeding back. Cows have one chance to skip a cycle before being sold. However, the most common reason for culling is age, which is 14 or 15 years old. “My experience has been that if a cow produces well until she is 7 or 8, she will continue to produce well until 14 or 15, unless something unforeseen happens,” Wade explained. The herd is worked twice a year with a quality vaccine protocol. Pour-on wormers are used in the spring and an injectable in the fall. The main health concern is anaplasmosis, which Wade feels is a vector from flies and tics, a problem he is still working to solve. He is currently using a mineral supplemented with fly control that requires a veterinarian prescription. Recently, a Kansas college developed an anaplasmosis vaccine and is looking for a partner to make it. “If that all actually comes about, that vaccine will be a huge benefit to our industry,” Wade said. The other part of his health protocol is weaning his calves at 8 months and then keeping them an additional 45 to 60 days. SEPTEMBER 28, 2020

During that time, they receive a second round of vaccinations and are fed a 12-percent protein ration at a rate of 8 pounds per day, per calf to promote healthy growth. Calves are sold at Ozark Regional Sale Barn in West Plains, Mo., with the Missouri border being less than a mile from their home. Though the Powell’s have always raised their own hay, Wade is considering expanding the cattle operation as well as the number of pounds of meat produced per acre. Buying rather than producing hay may be part of the process. “It’s a matter of economics,” Wade said. “If purchasing an important piece of equipment is the only way to keep haying, I’m going to have to put pencil to paper and figure out the best way to increase my productivity and efficiency. Other factors include how many cows I can put on each acre without overgrazing or degrading the soil. People often don’t consider time as a cost, but if everything is completed properly at the right time, efficiency is maximized. Experience and observation have taught me an important thing is to have a plan that includes a goal, a direction, and a general time frame combined with patience and flexibility.” Wade acknowledges he has a true partner in his wife Sherry. “Sherry is always right there at my side and forever exceeding my expectations,” Wade confessed. One of the things Wade is most grateful for was the opportunity to raise his sons Collin and Coltin on the farm with each son now owning his own farm. “I never will forget the day Collin came home for a weekend during college and said he had never realized how hard we worked,” Wade said. “That was when I knew we had given our sons the work ethic they needed to succeed in whatever they choose to do.”

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ozarks

roots

the people, places and traditions that make the ozarks home

The Legacy of Neosho

By Terry Ropp

Photos by Terry Ropp

A decendant of Neosho Parthena Brown continues her mission of giving This is the story of Neosho Parthena Brown, a Euchee/Creek Native American whose father Samuel W. Brown and Euchee Chief was born in Fort Smith, Ark., during the Trail of Tears. The Oklahoma Indian Territory was supposed to belong to the Indians forever, but in 1899 America decided the tribes needed to dissolve and given allotments of 160 acres as compensation. While the idea was not popular among the Native Americans, Chief Brown believed this was the best deal they were ever going to get. Consequently, his 16-year-old daughter Neosho drove a buggy with her father sitting beside her with

a shotgun for protection while registering his people for allotment eligibility. Even though she was only 6 years old at the time when she passed away, Neosho’s great-great-granddaughter Jane Breckinridge remembers her well. “Neosho was very tiny, perhaps only 4-foot-10, but with a commanding dignity,” Jane said. “She wore long dresses and had long hair in a bun. Her most defining characteristic, however, was her love and compassion for others helping even with her limited resources.” The door to Neosho’s primitive log cabin didn’t have a doorknob but rather a leather strap to secure it. Through the years, Neo-

sho opened her home to those who needed it. Jane’s grandmother Maxine remembers many of those people spoke no English but were some of the beneficiaries of Neosho’s constant charity. Jane’s mother Joan spent many summers at her grandmother’s, and if they needed to go to town, they would walk the one-third-mile lane to the highway to catch a Greyhound bus. Jane believes the lane may have been part of an old wagon road. Sadly, the log cabin is no longer there, though Jane treasures being able to see the precious family site while working on her farm. When Neosho passed in 1971, her daughters split the allotment, which has since been handed down within the family.

Ozarks Farm & Neighbor • www.ozarksfn.com

When oil was discovered on the allotment during the early part of the 20th century, the family prospered. They had a beautiful home in town and purchased furniture all the way from Kansas City. Like many, they lost their money during the Great Depression and were forced to return to the land though they were able to bring their beautiful furniture with them. Jane now possesses the family’s library table, which is in her farm’s meeting space, proudly decorated with old family photos. Because the land had been used for oil and still had old equipment, it was never to be plowed, making Neosho’s true legacy helping others. That legacy remained SEPTEMBER 28, 2020

ozarks roots strong through subsequent generations and great-great-granddaughter Jane is a perfect example. Jane and her husband David Bohlken met at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minn. Jane pursued a political science degree and became a magazine audience developer while David’s degree was in economics. Because their lives are now so tied to the land, people often mistakenly believe their backgrounds are in biology. The truth is far more interesting. David’s grandparents came from Croatia and his parents owned a Christmas tree farm in Wisconsin. At one point everything but Christmas trees and chest-high milkweed, a highly favored butterfly plant, was killed by an herbicide. During a dinner in 1992, someone mentioned to David the possibility of raising butterflies for money which resulted in him becoming one of the early pioneers in the butterfly industry. Jane’s father Peyton began as a cattle ranch-

er, but became an Oklahoma State Senator. Jane’s love of the land was heavily impacted by the wider world view her father’s position fostered. The combination of Neosho’s values, Jane’s father’s desire to help others through politics and David’s experience and view of the butterfly industry, led the couple to start a butterfly farm on land in 2013 on Neosho’s original allotment. Their intention was to make the world a better place by bringing viable and sustainable jobs, especially for often marginalized people, such as those with disabilities, single parents and veterans, in an area of hardscrabble, sandstone and blackjack and post oaks. The land for the Euchee Butterfly Farm consisted of two parcels, each 20 acres in size. One was to become the butterfly farm while the other was an original prairie remnant containing several varieties of milkweed, rattlesnake master and the purple flowered blazing stars, three of the more than 60 species found there. David and Jane’s multi-prong project began

MEAD MANDATE T1267

78TH ANNUAL

in earnest in 2014. The monarch butterfly population volume had dropped to only 40 million in 2013 from 900 million in 1996. Natives Raising Natives is their program to teach others how to raise butterflies while providing supplies and training for sustainable economic development in rural areas not suited for farming. Other initiatives are the Tribal Alliance for Pollinators and Tribal Environmental Action for Monarchs. Land restoration to original prairie conditions is being another priority since Oklahoma is located at a critical juncture in the 3000 mile long monarch highway. In 1880, only 20 percent of the American population was urban with 80 percent rural. Now the statistics are reversed with 80 percent being urban and only 20 percent rural. This situation has disconnected children from the land. David and Jane view the monarch butterfly as a critical environmental ambassador because it is delicate and beautiful.

Bees are a much more important pollinator but lack the butterfly’s appeal when teaching disconnected youth. Until recently, the couple brought a butterfly exhibit to numerous fairs and shows. Every visitor, especially children, were thrilled with the beautiful attraction where a thousand butterflies darted gaily often landing on them. The stunning insects also allowed people to feed them with a dropper. The largest fair is the Minnesota State Fair. In 2019, the fair had 2 million in attendance for the 12day event, with 80,000 visiting the butterfly exhibition building. The goal is to inspire childrens’ interest in science so they become nature-committed and maybe even choose an environmental career. “The land owns itself, but I can read the messages and help others learn,” Jane explained. “I think Neosho would be saddened by people losing their connection with the land but both proud and hopeful for what David and I, and many others, are doing.”

MEAD FARMS

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MEAD FARMS

21658 Quarry Lane Barnett, MO 65011 Office (573) 302-7011 Fax (573) 348-8325 email: meadangus@yahoo.com www.meadfarms.com Alan Mead, Owner (573) 216-0210 Jennifer Russell (573) 721-5512

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On Farm Appraisal Receiving: Mon.: 8 a.m.-10:00 p.m. Sale: Tues., 12 p.m. Owners: Chris Buffer 479-531-2962 Shawn Sperry 479-957-1387

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eye on

agri-business meeting the needs of farmers

U of A Equine Science Program By Terry Ropp

Location: Fayetteville, Ark. Owner: University of Arkansas History: “Twenty years ago, the University of Arkansas began a horse program as part of Submitted Photo Bumpers College’s Department of Animal Science,” Dr. Kathi Jogan, facility director, said. “The intent was to help students learn about horses within an animal science framework. In the beginning the department had only one faculty member to teach a few classes. Now the program has nine classes with two instructors, a ranch horse team, a polo team and student volunteers who help care for animals and the facility. My academic career began with a degree in social science from a small college in Pennsylvania. However, I had been around horses since the second grade and had extensive exposure to horses, including being a farm manager, racehorse trainer and barn design consultant. Choosing to get a master’s in ag education was a natural fit and made me more marketable as an instructor at the university level. Later I earned my doctorate at the U of A in higher education and leadership. Being a student while being an instructor put me back in touch with the reality of being a student. The dual perspective refined my teaching methodologies.”

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About the Program: “All equine classes are evidence-based through research, studies and journal publications with the goal of teaching the how and why of best practices. Because of the number of course offerings, I teach a variety of classes, some including handson experiences. Among them is an entry equine industry class, which includes topics such as anatomy, terminology, breeds and equine health. I also teach classes in the thoroughbred industry with one 10-day excursion companion class to Lexington, Ky., and to Oaklawn Park Racetrack in Hot Springs. Students in the Thoroughbred class are often preparing to become veterinarians or seeking employment in the equine industry. I also teach livestock marketing with students learning how to prepare horses for sale, as well as where and how to market them. An increasingly important area of study is equine assisted activities and therapies (EAAT), which marries equine knowledge with therapy, thereby allowing students to experience the tremendous advantage of horses as therapy partners. This service-learning class allows students to practice what they learn. The EAAT class not only is beneficial to animal science students but provides an excellent pairing with the social work and criminal justice systems.” Philosophy and the Future: “For me, the most important mark of successful teaching is implementing mastery of learning while showing students the practical application of what they learn through evidence-based instruction. True cross disciplinary education takes place when students can make specific aspects of what they learn fit into their big picture view and become life-long learners. As for the future, I expect the animal science department to continue to grow in terms of the number of equine therapy classes offered. Student interest crosses disciplinary lines and even reaches students who have never been on a farm much less around a horse with its extensive potential to help.”

Ozarks Farm & Neighbor • www.ozarksfn.com

SEPTEMBER 28, 2020

meet your neighbors

Where They Belong

Bradley Cattle Bred Heifer & Bull Sale SATURDAY, October 17, 3:00 p.m. Prior to the start of the Special Cow Sale at Springfield Livestock!

Springfield Livestock Marketing CenterSpringfield, Missouri

Selling 93 Lots

By Terry Ropp

Spears Cattle Company moved from dairy production to feeder cattle and cow/calf pairs

31—Charolais Bred Heifers – Spring Calvers 33—Red Angus Bred Heifers – Spring Calvers 11—Charolais Bred Cows – Spring Calvers 7— Red Angus Bred Cows – Spring Calvers 11—Charolais & Red Angus 18-Month-Old Bulls

Submitted photo

Lot 18

Lot 12

Lot 50

Sale Manager: Greg Hubert P.O. Box 100 Oakley, KS 67748 785-672-3195 (office) 785-672-7449 (cellular)

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Bob and Nadine Williams milked for 33 years, but sold their dairy cows in 2001 and invested in feeder cattle. A few years ago, they added cow/calf pairs.

In the 1930s, A.C. and Francis Wil- buyer for Swift and Company. They were liams bought 300 acres in Farming- grooming him for a management position in Chicago when A.C. offered him a job on ton, Ark. The cattle operation has expanded over the their dairy. “I didn’t want to raise our kids in a big city years to 1,000 acres, mostly owned. Spears Cattle Company runs both feeders and a cow/ environment,” Bob explained. “I enjoyed my calf operation. The Williams’ daughter Na- life on the farm and showing cattle for 4-H dine and her husband Bob now run the op- and FFA and wanted our children to have eration.The family consists of two sons Ran- the same experiences.” “Everybody in this family has been in the dy – who manages day-to-day operations on the farm – and Danny, with three grandsons, show ring,” Nadine explained. “Every year, three granddaughters, four great-grandsons Randy goes to Wisconsin to pick out dairy calves for showing because of an arand four great-granddaughters. rangement we have with a dairy Nadine and Bob met while who uses some of our cows in exattending the University of Ar- Farmington, Ark. change for giving us calves to show.” kansas and recently celebrated For 33 years Bob happily spent their 60th wedding anniversary. his days milking cows. Nadine fed After graduating from the U of A in 1962 with a degree in animal — Continued on Next Page science, Bob became a livestock SEPTEMBER 28, 2020

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Continued from Previous Page calves, cleaned the barn and kept the books. They produced milk for the Association of Milk Producers. Bob served on both the local and national boards. Their dairy was the largest in Arkansas in 2001. At the time, Washington County had 200 dairies and Benton County had 150. Today, Arkansas only has 40 dairy farms. The Spears’ dairy was on the cutting edge of the day’s contemporary technology. All cows wore a transponder that delivered efficiency and health data to a computer system for continual analysis, which was used for decision-making and a forerunner of robotic dairies. The Spears decided to sell the dairy cattle in 2001 and reinvested in feeder cattle because the dairy business was starving. During the 2012 drought, Bob and Nadine added a cow/calf operation because cattle were cheap and they had the land to pasture those cattle. Currently, the Spears run 1,600 mostly black feeder cattle and 120 also mostly black commercial females bred by three Angus bulls. They do not use registered bulls since their is a terminal market rather than breeding stock. Feeder cattle are vaccinated, worked and branded when purchased. Bob attends cattle sales once a month to sell those feeders that reach the target weight of 800 pounds. “The industry is out of balance with packers making too much money while farmers struggle for profits,” Bob said. “The challenge today is to try to figure out a way to balance different parts of the industry so you can make money.” While most nutrition for all cattle comes from grazing, the cattle also receive a total ration mix, which is constantly analyzed to maintain 14 percent protein and 2 percent fat. Cattle also receive farm-produced hay and silage. For the Spears, running their bulls with the commercial cows year-round works best. Cows

are culled by age or for skipping a breeding cycle. They are worked in the fall when heifers are sold and the bull calves are castrated and added to the feeder herd. Parasites and flies are handled by an injectable with fly tags for additional fly control support. Producing hay and silage is an important part of the Spears’ financial strategy. Four hundred acres are set aside for double cropping. This year, drilled soybeans and forage winter wheat are planned using the same process they used with the dairy farm. Strategies and usage of land for hay and silage is determined and altered according to weather conditions. Regardless, all land is fertilized with commercial fertilizer every spring and sprayed for weeds when planting. Spot spraying is used for thistles, an activity that keeps one grandson very busy. Water sources are varied. Part comes from an artesian spring, which supplies water to one area and three houses. Other sources include fresh creeks, ponds and water tanks. This variety of water sources helps during unfavorable weather conditions. Bob was inducted into the Arkansas Agricultural Hall of Fame in 2009. Many of Bob’s activities contributed to his induction. These include 2008 Graduate of Distinction from the Department of Animal Science from the University of Arkansas and multiple trips with Partners of the Americas to Bolivia to assist in agricultural development and advancement among farmers. A love of livestock and land runs deeply. Bob and Nadine understand the ups and downs of the cattle industry and are happy to be part of it. As they get older they say they are blessed to have a son to continue the farm. “I cried when Bob took me off the farm to work for Swift,” Nadine confessed. “I cried for joy when he brought me back because this is where we and our family belong.”

“The challenge today is to try to figure out a way to balance different parts of the industry so you can make money.”

– Bob Spears

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Ozarks Farm & Neighbor • www.ozarksfn.com

SEPTEMBER 28, 2020

town &

country

in the field and in the office

Photo by Terry Ropp

Scott Knight By Terry Ropp

Family: Wife Angie; sons Tory Casey and Paden; and daughter Jordan Hometown: Natural Dam, Ark. In Town: “One of my neighbors works in construction and three years ago complained about the price of waste removal from construction sites. I decided to open SRK Waste with a rolloff truck and nine 30-yard dumpsters. I deliver dumpsters to construction sites across much of Northwest Arkansas and then pick them up and get rid of the waste at several locations, choosing whichever one is closest to the jobsite. I work my rolloff job about two days a week. My wife Angie works for Cedarville School District as a bus driver, in addition to being a half-time teacher’s aide and half-time office worker, positions she has held for eight years.” In the Country: “My country life has three parts. First is a litter clean out business with three trucks. The job tends to be seasonal with most clients wanting their houses cleaned out in the spring. When needed, my son or a friend help me. In the last few years, rain has extended the season length due to wet litter issues. I started haying because there are no chicken farms in my area and I didn’t want to buy hay, especially because prices get outrageous during droughts. There is little or no litter to sell because I use some on my place and the farmers use most of the rest to fertilize their own fields. The second part of my country life is a 70-cow commercial cattle herd with a Limousin base mixed with Simmental and Angus bred this year by a Charolais bull. To maximize profit, I vaccinate my calves, and this year added black leg. For flies, I use a rub and spray as well as providing loose, medicated and free-choice mineral. Calves are weaned between 350 and 500 pounds. I then take them to the Fort Smith, Ozark or Stilwell sale barns, according to which sale barn is selling that day. Another way I keep operation costs down is to raise hay. I have 220 Bermuda, fescue and natural clover acres set aside for haying and typically bale twice a year. I reserve 300 bales for me and sell the rest locally. What makes all of this work is having a flexible, sometimes complicated schedule, that accommodates both my customers and my farm.” Future: “Having always been a wannabe cattle rancher, I would like to help my interested sons get an easier start than the one I had. When Angie and I retire, we hope to have time to travel west to see relatives and perhaps even have some grandchildren to spoil. I love my wife, my kids and all the adventures and misadventures of our lives.”

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market sales reports

bulls

(Week of 9/13/20 to 9/19/20) Arkansas Cattle Auction - Searcy Ash Flat Livestock

beef

60.00-94.00 † 62.50-91.50 †

Benton County Sale Barn - Siloam Springs Cattlemen’s Livestock Auction Cleburne County Livestock Auction County Line Sale Barn - Ratcliff Decatur Livestock Auction

None Reported † 71.00-98.00*

9/21/20

5 Area (Tx-Ok, Ks, Neb, Ia, Colo) Live Basis Sales - Over 80% Choice Steers: 101.00-106.00; wtd. avg. price 103.71. Heifers: 103.00-106.00; wtd. avg. price 103.35. Dressed Basis Sales - Over 80% Choice Steers: 162.00-165.00 ; wtd. avg. price 163.08. Heifers: 162.00-165.00 ; wtd. avg. price 163.41.

59.00-81.00 † 70.00-78.50 † Not Reported* Not Reported*

Farmer’s & Ranchers - Vinita Farmers Regional Sale Barn - Springdale Fort Smith Stockyards Four State Stock I-40 Livestock - Ozark Joplin Regional Stockyards Mid-State Stockyards North Arkansas Livestock - Green Forest

cattle

Midwest - High Plains Direct Slaughter Cattle

83.00-92.00* 50.00-97.00* 36.00-97.00* 84.00-87.00 †

sheep &

66.00-114.00 † 102.00* 83.50-99.50 †

Diamond, Mo. • TS White Sheep/Goat

goats 9/17/20

Receipts: 599 75.00-95.50 † OKC West - El Reno Compared to last month, supply was light. Demand was 70.00-93.00 † Ouachita Livestock Auction - Ola strong on all classes. Slaughter sheep traded up to 25.00 Ozarks Regional Stockyards 67.00-105.00 † higher with a high quality offering. Feeder and slaughter Stilwell Livestock Auction 77.00-94.50* goats traded steady with strong demand. Supply included: Tulsa Livestock Auction 86.00-104.00 † 45% Slaughter Sheep/Lambs (18% Wooled & Shorn, Welch Stockyards 80.00-100.00* 43% Hair Breeds, 6% Ewes, 27% Hair Ewes, 6% Hair Bucks); 26% Feeder Goats (100% Kids); 26% Slaughter 12 32 52 72 92 112 132 Goats (76% Kids, 13% Nannies/Does, 8% Bucks/Billies, 4% Wethers); 3% Replacement Goats (88% Nannies/ Does, 13% Bucks/Billies). Slaughter Sheep/Lambs: (Week of 9/13/20 to 9/19/20) Wooled & Shorn - Choice and Prime 1-3: 225.00-275.00. Wooled & Shorn - Choice 1-3: 167.50. Arkansas Cattle Auction - Searcy 35.00-66.00 † Hair Breeds - Choice and Prime 1-3: 167.50-295.00. Ash Flat Livestock 32.00-63.00 † Hair Breeds - Choice 1-3: 130.00-200.00. Benton County Sale Barn - Siloam Springs None Reported † Hair Breeds - Good 1-2: 120.00. Cattlemen’s Livestock Auction 37.00-72.50* 3 Ewes - Good 2-3: 95.00-125.00. 38.00-67.00 † Cleburne County Livestock Auction Ewes - Utility and Good 1-3: 85.00-95.00. 5.00-50.00 † County Line Hair Ewes - Good 2-3: 115.00-170.00. Not Reported* Decatur Livestock Auction Hair Ewes - Utility and Good 1-3: 90.00-105.00. Not Reported* Farmer’s & Ranchers - Vinita Hair Ewes - Cull and Utility 1-2: 70.00-75.00. Farmers Regional Sale Barn 334.00-62.50* Hair Bucks - 1-3: 85.00-150.00. 25.00-68.00* Fort Smith Stockyards Feeder Goats: 10.00-67.00* Four State Stock Kids - Selection 1: 290.00-370.00. I-40 Livestock - Ozark 3 35.00-63.00 † Kids - Selection 2: 235.00-290.00. Joplin Regional 14.00-77.00 † Kids - Selection 3: 210.00-215.00. Mid-State Stockyards 78.00* Slaughter Goats: North Arkansas Livestock 30.00-67.50 † Kids - Selection 1: 290.00-325.00. 30.00-73.00 † OKC West - El Reno Kids - Selection 2: 235.00-290.00. Ouachita Livestock Auction 30.00-57.00 † Kids - Selection 3: 150.00-225.00. Ozarks Regional Stockyardss 20.00-79.00 † Nannies/Does - Selection 1-2: 130.00-175.00. Stilwell Livestock Auction 52.00-65.50* Nannies/Does - Selection 3: 120.00-130.00. Tulsa Livestock Auction 41.00-68.00 † Bucks/Billies - Selection 1-2: 155.00-215.00. Welch Stockyards 50.00-72.00* Wethers - Selection 2: 235.00-240.00.

Steers, Med. & Lg. 1 300-400 lbs. 400-500 lbs. 500-600 lbs. 600-700 lbs. 700-800 lbs.

Bulls, Med. & Lg. 1 300-400 lbs. 400-500 lbs. 500-600 lbs. 600-700 lbs. 700-800 lbs.

Heifers, Med. & Lg. 1 300-400 lbs. 400-500 lbs. 500-600 lbs. 600-700 lbs. 700-800 lbs.

16 16

9/16/20 667

Cleburne County Livestock✝ 9/14/20 456

County Line Sale Ratcliff✝ 9/16/20 130

Uneven

2-7 Lower

-----

Uneven

155.00-165.00 140.00-156.00 125.00-150.00 130.00-140.00 120.00-123.00

185.00-211.00 151.00-178.00 137.00-158.00 133.00-146.00 133.00-135.00

150.00-180.00 125.00-169.00 120.00-145.00 120.00-137.00 120.00-134.00

160.00-180.00 141.00-170.00 140.00-150.00 129.00-130.00 -----

144.00-182.00 138.00-147.00 136.00-142.00 130.00-136.00 -----

140.00-157.50 137.00-166.00 118.00-140.00 114.00-126.00 108.00-118.00

144.00-145.00 134.00-150.00 120.00-128.00 110.00-115.00 -----

169.00-206.00 143.00-183.00 130.00-153.00 122.00-133.00 -----

---------------------

150.00-170.00 120.00-180.00 100.00-132.00 115.00-121.00 109.00

--------128.00-131.00 116.00-124.00 120.00

125.00-154.00 110.00-140.00 110.00-128.00 106.00-120.00 102.00-112.00

130.00-144.00 115.00-144.00 120.00-136.00 100.00-123.00 114.00

141.00-165.00 129.00-161.00 123.00-138.00 111.00-139.00 114.00-121.00

125.00-155.00 115.00-140.00 100.00-132.00 107.00-131.00 90.00-113.50

124.00-141.00 111.00-141.00 100.00-130.00 109.00-121.00 100.00-118.00

136.00 126.00 120.00-130.00 117.00-127.00 -----

Ark. Cattle Auction, LLC - Searcy✝ 9/15/20 1,002

Ash Flat Livestock✝

Cattlemen’s Livestock*

9/18/20 961

Benton Co. - Siloam Springs✝ 9/17/20 1,843

-----

Uneven

150.00-160.00 140.00-160.00 125.00-153.00 123.00-135.00 119.00-130.00

9/18/20

Compared to last week slaughter lambs 5.00-20.00 higher. Slaughter ewes steady to 20.00 higher. Feeder lambs steady to 14.00 higher. At San Angelo, TX 3960 head sold in a one day sale. No sales in Equity Cooperative Auction. In direct trading slaughter ewes and feeder lambs were not tested. Confidential head of negotiated sales of slaughter lambs were confidential. 3,104 lamb carcasses sold with all weights no trend due to confidentiality. All sheep sold per hundred weight (CWT) unless otherwise specified. Slaughter Lambs: Choice and Prime 2-3 90-160 lbs: San Angelo: wooled and shorn 105-140 lbs 120.00-140.00. PA: wooled and shorn 115-145 lbs 220.00-240.00; 150-160 lbs 180.00-190.00. Ft.Collins, CO: wooled and shorn 125-145 lbs no test. South Dakota: wooled and shorn 100-150 lbs 132.00-145.00; 150-165 lbs 135.00-139.00. Kalona, IA: wooled and shorn 100-145 lbs 127.50-158.00. Billings, MT: no test. Missouri: wooled and shorn 100-135 lbs no test. Equity Coop: no sales. Slaughter Lambs: Choice and Prime 1-2: San Angelo: hair 40-60 lbs 244.00-262.00, few 264.00-272.00; 60-70 lbs 228.00-262.00, few 264.00-267.00; 70-80 lbs 200.00228.00, few 238.00-240.00; 80-90 lbs 184.00-210.00, few 238.00-240.00; 90-110 lbs 174.00-198.00, few 202.00-204.00. wooled and shorn 40-60 lbs 240.00-248.00; 60-70 lbs 226.00244.00; 70-80 lbs 208.00-224.00; 80-90 lbs 188.00-224.00; 90-100 lbs 160.00-196.00. Pennsylvania: wooled and shorn 50-60 lbs 250.00-260.00; 60-70 lbs 170.00-255.00; 70-80 lbs 240.00-267.00; 80-90 lbs 230.00-255.00; 90-100 lbs 220.00-237.00. hair 40-60 lbs 240.00-270.00; 60-70 lbs 250.00-262.00; 70-80 lbs 235.00257.00; 80-90 lbs 225.00-245.00; 90-100 lbs 220.00-237.00. Kalona, IA: wooled and shorn 50-60 lbs 205.00-215.00; 60-70 lbs 187.50-197.50; 70-80 lbs 202.50-215.00; 80-90 lbs 174.00190.00; 90-100 lbs 150.00-180.00. hair 67 lbs 212.50; 77 lbs 186.00; 80-90 lbs 180.00-185.00. Ft. Collins: wooled and shorn 80-90 lbs 160.00-165.00; 90100 lbs 157.00-167.50. hair 40-50 lbs 195.00-200.00; 50-60 lbs 167.50-212.50; 60-70 lbs 200.00-221.00; 70-80 lbs 187.50197.50; 80-90 lbs 157.50-170.00; 90-100 lbs 159.00-160.00. Missouri: hair 50-60 lbs 250.00-260.00; 60-70 lbs 245.00260.00; 70-80 lbs 170.00-180.00; 80-90 lbs 167.50-170.00. wooled and shorn 40-50 lbs 225.00-275.00; 50-60 lbs 257.50275.00; 60-70 lbs 237.50-255.00.

South Dakota: wooled and shorn 80-90 lbs 146.00-175.00; 98 lbs 150.00. Billings, MT: wooled and shorn 70-80 lbs 197.00-200.00; 8090 lbs 168.00-176.00; 90-100 lbs 155.00-167.00. hair 90-100 lbs 146.00-149.00. Direct Trading: (lambs fob with 3-4 percent shrink or equivalent): Slaughter Lambs wooled and shorn 140-162 lbs (wtd avg). Slaughter Ewes: San Angelo: Good 3-4 (very fleshy) no test; Good 2-3 (fleshy) 92.00-100.00; Utility and Good 1-3 (medium flesh) 90.00114.00; Utility 1-2 (thin) 77.00-88.00; Cull and Utility 1-2 (very thin) 64.00; Cull 1 (extremely thin) 40.00-58.00. Pennsylvania: Good 3-4 (very fleshy) no test; Good 2-3 (fleshy) 125.00-160.00; Utility 1-2 (thin) 95.00-105.00; Cull 1 no test. Ft. Collins: Good 3-5 (very fleshy) 59.00-75.00; Good 2-3 (fleshy) 60.00-87.50; Utility 1-2 (thin) no test. Billings, MT: Good 3-4 (very fleshy) 54.00-57.00; Good 2-3 (fleshy) 50.00-64.00, few hair 69.00; Utility 1-2 (thin) 43.0060.00; Cull 1 42.00-55.00. So Dakota: Good 3-4 (very fleshy) 63.00-95.00; Good 2-3 (fleshy) 56.50-91.00; Utility 1-2 (thin) 57.50-59.00; Cull 1 42.50-52.00. Missouri: Good 2-3 (fleshy) 95.00-125.00, hair 115.00170.00; Utility and Good 1-3 (medium flesh) 85.00-95.00, hair 90.00-105.00; Utility 1-2 (thin) no test; Cull 1 70.0075.00. Kalona: Good 3-4 (very fleshy) no test; Good 2-3 (fleshy) 86.00-90.00, hair 90.00-108.00; Utility and Good 1-3 (medium flesh) 79.00-90.00; Utility 1-2 (thin) 78.00-83.00. Feeder Lambs: Medium and Large 1-2: San Angelo: no test. Ft. Collins: 38 lbs 150.00; 50-60 lbs 147.50-165.00; 63 lbs 135.00. Billings: 60-70 lbs 192.50-203.00; 70-80 lbs 169.00-183.00; 80-90 lbs 163.00-175.00; 90-100 lbs 149.00-162.00; 100-110 lbs 152.50-158.00; 110-115 lbs 140.00-153.50; 127 lbs 135.00; 134 lbs 130.00. Kalona: no test. So. Dakota: 40-50 lbs 220.00-243.00; 50-60 lbs 195.00228.00; 60-70 lbs 180.00-214.00; 70-80 lbs 168.00-183.00; 8090 lbs 159.00-175.00, few 186.00; 90-100 lbs 163.50-170.00; 100-110 lbs 162.50-165.00; 110-120 lbs 156.00-166.00; 120-130 lbs 140.00-151.00. Missouri: no test.

stocker & feeder

104

NONE REPORTED

cows

National Sheep Summary

Replacement Ewes: M San Angelo: mixed age cwt. Ft. Collins: no test.

National Dairy Market at a G

Cheese: Barrels closed at The weekly average for b $2.3570 (+0.2007). Fluid Milk/Cream: Milk all uses throughout the co are commonplace throug Southeastern farmers are have persisted into the la mixed and vary from stat plans. Class III spot price Spot milk prices ranged f which is a different story amounts of condensed sk production. Butterfat ava country. This week f.o.b. East, 1.25-1.34 in the Mi SPOT PRICES OF CLA BUTTERFAT F.O.B. pr $1.9080 - $1.9974.

avg. g

Soybean 12

10.43

10.5

5.77

5.7

3.90

3.8

9 6 3 0 Blyt

le hevil

Hele

prices

---------

Farmer’s & Ranchers Vinita, Okla.* ---------

Farmers Regional Sale Barn* 9/18/20 434

-----

Uneven

St-3 Higher

Uneven

-----

---------------------

129.00-160.00 131.00-146.00 132.00-153.00 119.00-136.00 89.00-100.00

154.00-188.00 132.00-177.00 126.00-153.50 121.00-149.00 -----

171.00-203.00 150.00-176.00 146.00-159.50 139.50-150.00 133.00-142.50

152.50-170.00 147.00-170.00 134.00-154.50 126.00-144.00 120.00-135.00

172.00-183.00 151.00-178.00 135.00-161.50 130.00-154.50 135.00-153.00

150.00-200.00 150.00-177.00 145.00-162.00 130.00-155.00 100.00-125.00

---------------------

155.00-178.00 135.00-149.00 130.00-145.00 131.00-138.00 119.00-127.00

--------124.00-142.00 116.00-133.00 118.00-127.00

155.00-175.00 146.00-157.50 130.00-142.00 ---------

---------------------

110.00-135.00 119.00-131.00 117.00-129.00 102.00-114.00 89.00-102.00

135.00-159.00 122.50-151.00 112.00-135.00 109.00-126.00 -----

127.00-149.00 121.00-144.00 124.00-136.00 122.00-133.50 116.00-125.00

135.00-160.00 126.00-146.00 119.00-132.00 105.00-128.00 109.00-120.00

142.00-156.00 131.00-152.00 126.00-146.50 129.00-141.00 128.00-136.00

130.00-155.00 125.00-144.00 120.00-144.00 95.00-124.00 90.00-113.00

Decatur Livestock*

NOT REPORTED

slaughter

Replacement Goats: Nannies/Does - Selection 1-2: 200.00-350.00. Bucks/Billies - Selection 1-2: 265.00.

-------------------------------------------------------------

NOT REPORTED

slaughter

Fort Smith Four State Stockyards* Stockyards Exeter, Mo* 9/14/20 9/15/20 1,797 1,411

I-40 Livestock Ozark✝ 9/17/20 729

Joplin Mid-State Regional Stockyards* Stockyards✝ 9/14/20 9/14/20 355 6,075

✝ USDA Reported * Independently Reported

Ozarks FarmFarm & Neighbor • www.ozarksfn.com Ozarks & Neighbor • www.ozarksfn.com

SEPTEMBER 28, 2020

sales reports

5.77

3.90

0 Blyt

le hevil

3.85

Hele

3.89

Elain

eola

Osc

3.75

Roc

171.00-203.00 150.00-176.00 146.00-159.50 139.50-150.00 133.00-142.50 155.00-178.00 135.00-149.00 130.00-145.00 131.00-138.00 119.00-127.00

152.50-170.00 147.00-170.00 134.00-154.50 126.00-144.00 120.00-135.00 --------124.00-142.00 116.00-133.00 118.00-127.00

Uneven 172.00-183.00 151.00-178.00 135.00-161.50 130.00-154.50 135.00-153.00 155.00-175.00 146.00-157.50 130.00-142.00 ---------

----150.00-200.00 150.00-177.00 145.00-162.00 130.00-155.00 100.00-125.00 ---------------------

St-5 Lower 169.00-187.00 146.00-157.00 140.00-146.00 134.50-144.00 135.50 150.00-170.00 143.00-159.00 123.00-134.50 114.00-131.00 112.00-117.00

500

134.33 126.00

138.98 141.26

135.00-160.00 126.00-146.00 119.00-132.00 105.00-128.00 109.00-120.00

142.00-156.00 131.00-152.00 126.00-146.50 129.00-141.00 128.00-136.00

SEPTEMBER 28, 2020

130.00-155.00 125.00-144.00 120.00-144.00 95.00-124.00 90.00-113.00

134.00-145.50 125.00-138.50 124.00-128.00 122.00-125.00 116.00

135.08 137.67

123.41

2000

2500

4-10 Higher

Uneven

-----

166.00-205.00 143.00-169.50 130.00-147.00 125.00-138.50 -----

132.22

144.70

St-4 Higher

200.00-224.00 161.00-179.50 147.00-158.00 141.50-156.00 125.00-137.00

125.74

145.17

Uneven

147.00-154.00 136.00-150.00 132.00-146.00 128.00-139.00 -----

135.00-152.00 132.00-146.00 125.00-138.00 119.00-133.00 116.00-128.00

131.51

141.16

1-8 Higher

136.00-145.00 131.00-142.50 124.00-136.00 115.00-127.00 92.00-105.00

128.53

Welch Stockyards*

143.00-154.00 131.00-143.00 120.00-147.50 120.00-144.00 130.00-141.00

121.20

*** 141.86 142.42 132.48

9/15/20 1,386

170.00-194.00 160.00-167.00 123.00-141.00 115.00-134.00 98.00-117.00

145.00-158.50 136.00-149.00 126.00-139.50 121.50-135.50 120.50-133.50

The&Ozarks Most•Read Farm Newspaper Ozarks Farm Neighbor www.ozarksfn.com

145.00-162.00 130.00-148.00 130.00-144.00 120.00-141.00 120.00-133.85

129.88 122.99 122.34 126.41

144.73 ***

185.00-207.00 160.00-178.00 140.00-160.00 132.00-156.00 130.00-148.00

***

*** 135.78

147.91

123.30

138.00 *

120.56 134.30

145.09

125.86

143.27 156.27 138.76 140.29 136.00

133.36

154.49 121 152 183 214 * No price reported in weight break **USDA Failed To Report *** No Sale

124.28 *

127.22

143.19

141.37 125.23

115.81

133.66 151.98

127.00-149.00 121.00-144.00 124.00-136.00 122.00-133.50 116.00-125.00

145.20

Week of 8/30/20

153.44 137.01

150.57

Tulsa Livestock Auction✝ 9/14/20 3,812

---------------------

Week of 8/23/20

** **

148.72

None Reported †

----132.50-153.00 134.00-138.00 130.00-133.00 -----

136.77

Stilwell Livestock Auction* 9/16/20 803

161.00-194.00 138.00-161.00 130.00-144.50 116.00-134.00 106.00-118.00

139.15

151.27

Ozarks Regional West Plains✝ 9/15/20 2,983

140.00-155.00 151.00 125.00 ---------

133.82

153.67

None Reported *

169.00-184.00 148.00-176.00 137.00-154.00 127.00-138.00 116.00-132.00

128.65 127.00

885.00-1250.00 †

171.00-182.50 150.00-173.00 138.00-163.50 132.00-152.00 135.75-139.00

125.85

143.00

Ouachita Livestock Ola✝ 9/15/20 647 170.00-175.00 137.00-159.00 137.00-153.50 128.00-140.00 123.00-136.00

138.77 127.45

139.24

OKC West - El Reno, Okla.✝ 9/15/20 6,352 154.00 168.00-170.00 142.00-153.00 136.00-156.00 134.00-148.00

144.51 138.40

2000

800.00-1325.00 †

1500

142.90 135.11

153.61

None Reported *

1000

126.31

148.12

800.00-1185.00 † 1075.00 † 400.00-820.00 †

Welch Stockyards

Joplin Mid-State N. Ark. Regional Stockyards* Livestock Stockyards✝ Green Forest✝ 9/14/20 9/14/20 9/16/20 355 6,075 1,013

Uneven

Mid-State Stockyards North Arkansas Livestock OKC West - El Reno Ouachita Ozarks Regional Stockyards Stilwell Livestock Auction Tulsa Livestock Auction

125.00

143.02

149.63

710.00-1170.00 *

pairs

144.18

143.61

Arkansas Cattle Auction 1210.00 † Ash Flat Livestock Benton County Sale Barn - Siloam Springs None Reported † Cattlemen’s Livestock Auction 1775.00 * Cleburne County Livestock 770.00 † County Line Sale - Ratcliff None Reported † Decatur Livestock Auction Not Reported * Farmer’s & Ranchers - Vinita Not Reported * Farmers Regional Sale 700.00-910.00 * 700.00-910.00 * Fort Smith Stockyards None Reported * Four State Stockyards I-40 Livestock 500.00-1350.00 † 550.00-2000.00 † Joplin Regional

10.13

Little

310.00-950.00 † 375.00-1160.00 † None Reported * 525.00-1025.00 †

1500

Ash Flat Cleburne El Reno Green Forest Joplin Ouachita Ozark Ratcliff Searcy Siloam Springs West Plains Tulsa

154.73

775.00-900.00 †

5.77

3.80

300.00-1350.00 †

July 20 Aug. 20

heifers 550-600 LBS.

161.76

650.00-1200.00 * 600.00-925.00 †

1000

Apr. 20 May 20 June 20

Week of 9/6/20

5.77

525.00-900.00 †

(Week of 9/13/20 to 9/19/20)

9 6

Ash Flat Cleburne El Reno Green Forest Joplin Ouachita Ozark Ratcliff Searcy Siloam Springs West Plains Tulsa

750.00-1400.00 †

500

Jan. 20 Feb. 20 Mar. 20

steers 550-600 LBS.

45.00-63.00 † Prices reported per cwt Not Reported* Not Reported * 510.00-1100.00 * 240.00-1325.00 * 800.00-1125.00 *

cow/calf

Corn 10.47

10.38

Sept. 19 Oct. 19 Nov. 19 Dec. 19

Week of 8/30/20

10.51

$80

None Reported † 840.00 * 700.00-1060.00 †

Week of 9/6/20

10.43

$120

Week of 9/13/20

St-3 Higher

I-40 Livestock Ozark✝ 9/17/20 729

Daily Report 9/21/20

$160

500.00-1000.00 †

OKC West - El Reno Ouachita Livestock Auction Ozarks Regional Stockyards Stilwell Livestock Auction Tulsa Livestock Auction Welch Stockyards

avg. grain prices Soft Wheat

$200

620.00-1100.00 †

Ash Flat Livestock Benton County Sale Barn - Siloam Springs Cattlemen’s Livestock Auction Cleburne County Livestock Auction County Line Sale - Ratcliff Decatur Livestock Auction Farmer’s & Ranchers - Vinita Farmers Regional Sale Barn Fort Smith Stockyards Four State Stockyards I-40 Livestock - Ozark Joplin Regional Stockyards Mid-State Stockyards North Arkansas Livestock - Green Forest

9/18/20

prices

Four State * Stockyards Exeter, Mo* 9/15/20 1,411

Arkansas Cattle Auction - Searcy

Cheese: Barrels closed at $1.6350 and 40# blocks at $2.6275. The weekly average for barrels is $1.6160 (-0.0378) and blocks, $2.3570 (+0.2007). Fluid Milk/Cream: Milk supplies are generally available for all uses throughout the country. Steady milk output reports are commonplace throughout most of the country. Florida and Southeastern farmers are one exception, as heat and humidity have persisted into the late summer in that area. Class I sales are mixed and vary from state to state depending on school districtsí plans. Class III spot prices exhibited signs of tightness this week. Spot milk prices ranged from $2.00 under to $1.50 over Class, which is a different story than previous weeks. Meanwhile, vast amounts of condensed skim milk continue clearing into NDM production. Butterfat availability vary in each region of the country. This week f.o.b. cream multiples are 1.30-1.36 in the East, 1.25-1.34 in the Midwest, and 1.05-1.25 in the West. SPOT PRICES OF CLASS II CREAM, $ PER POUND BUTTERFAT F.O.B. producing plants: Upper Midwest $1.9080 - $1.9974.

Soybeans

550-600 lb. steers

(Week of 9/13/20 to 9/19/20)

dairy sales

National Dairy Market at a Glance

cows

replacement

Replacement Ewes: Medium and Large 1-2: San Angelo: mixed age hair ewes 70-140 lbs 116.00-130.00 cwt. Ft. Collins: no test.

12 Month Avg. -

$240

Week of 9/13/20

h Dakota: wooled and shorn 80-90 lbs 146.00-175.00; s 150.00. ngs, MT: wooled and shorn 70-80 lbs 197.00-200.00; 80s 168.00-176.00; 90-100 lbs 155.00-167.00. hair 90-100 46.00-149.00. ct Trading: (lambs fob with 3-4 percent shrink or valent): Slaughter Lambs wooled and shorn 140-162 wtd avg). ghter Ewes: Angelo: Good 3-4 (very fleshy) no test; Good 2-3 (fleshy) 0-100.00; Utility and Good 1-3 (medium flesh) 90.0000; Utility 1-2 (thin) 77.00-88.00; Cull and Utility 1-2 y thin) 64.00; Cull 1 (extremely thin) 40.00-58.00. nsylvania: Good 3-4 (very fleshy) no test; Good 2-3 hy) 125.00-160.00; Utility 1-2 (thin) 95.00-105.00; Cull test. Collins: Good 3-5 (very fleshy) 59.00-75.00; Good 2-3 hy) 60.00-87.50; Utility 1-2 (thin) no test. ngs, MT: Good 3-4 (very fleshy) 54.00-57.00; Good 2-3 hy) 50.00-64.00, few hair 69.00; Utility 1-2 (thin) 43.000; Cull 1 42.00-55.00. Dakota: Good 3-4 (very fleshy) 63.00-95.00; Good 2-3 hy) 56.50-91.00; Utility 1-2 (thin) 57.50-59.00; Cull 1 0-52.00. ouri: Good 2-3 (fleshy) 95.00-125.00, hair 115.0000; Utility and Good 1-3 (medium flesh) 85.00-95.00, 90.00-105.00; Utility 1-2 (thin) no test; Cull 1 70.000. na: Good 3-4 (very fleshy) no test; Good 2-3 (fleshy) 0-90.00, hair 90.00-108.00; Utility and Good 1-3 (meflesh) 79.00-90.00; Utility 1-2 (thin) 78.00-83.00. er Lambs: Medium and Large 1-2: Angelo: no test. Collins: 38 lbs 150.00; 50-60 lbs 147.50-165.00; 63 lbs 00. ngs: 60-70 lbs 192.50-203.00; 70-80 lbs 169.00-183.00; 0 lbs 163.00-175.00; 90-100 lbs 149.00-162.00; 100-110 52.50-158.00; 110-115 lbs 140.00-153.50; 127 lbs 135.00; bs 130.00. na: no test. Dakota: 40-50 lbs 220.00-243.00; 50-60 lbs 195.0000; 60-70 lbs 180.00-214.00; 70-80 lbs 168.00-183.00; 80s 159.00-175.00, few 186.00; 90-100 lbs 163.50-170.00; 110 lbs 162.50-165.00; 110-120 lbs 156.00-166.00; 130 lbs 140.00-151.00. ouri: no test.

✝ USDA Reported * Independently Reported

134.92 245

Prices Based on Weighted Average for Steers and Heifers 550-600 lbs.

112 134 156 178 * No price reported in weight break **USDA Failed To Report *** No Sale

200

Prices Based on Weighted Average for Steers and Heifers 550-600 lbs.

17 17

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Will Norton and his family have both a stocker and cow/calf operation.

Taking Good Care of Cattle By Terry Ropp

Will Norton manages 1,000 head of stocker calves, in addition to his own cow/calf operation There are as many different ways he had to get the most he could for every to raise cattle as there are farmers. animal in order to make a living. He conWill and Rachel Norton of Harrison, Ark., tinued by explaining when cattle were high, have followed one of the more unusual paths. a farmer couldn’t afford not to take care of They operate on 1,300 acres on which they them because he couldn’t afford to lose a sinsupport 1,000 head of stocker cattle. They gle valuable animal. That insight is still the purchase calves year-round and retain own- heart of Will’s farm. While Will always knew he wanted catership until harvest. They also have a cow/ tle, he never planned to have stocker cattle. calf herd with 70 cows. Will and Rachel started dating in 2006 and Working on the family farm as well as workwere married in 2010 on the farm. Now the ing at local sale barns and hauling cattle, the couple has two children, a 6-year-old daugh- stocker business grabbed his attention. “I bought up some cattle early on, and God ter Whitley and a 3-year-old son Kal. Will runs the farm while Rachel works for Arkan- opened doors and steered me in this direction,” Will explained. sas Game and Fish as a wildlife biologist. The operation is Will’s and includes a set Will’s father and mother, Dennis and Judy, still run a cow/calf farm though Dennis drove of handshake partnerships. Will has buyers who purchase calves between 350 and 800 a truck at night for years. Another important influence in Will’s pounds year-round sales. The calves are delivered after the sale, processed on journey to have his own farm Monday and receive their first was family member and fellow Harrison, Ark. round of vaccinations. cattleman Dan Norton, wise “My job is to take good care of and practical in the way elderly the cattle.” people often are. Dan repeatedTo gain maximum production, ly maintained when cattle were Will spent time working with medicheap, a farmer couldn’t afford cine reps to ensure their products are not to take care of them because

Ozarks Farm & Neighbor • www.ozarksfn.com

SEPTEMBER 28, 2020

meet your neighbors working to the highest potential. This is completed by an injectable and oral wormer and modified live vaccines upon arrival. Two weeks after arrival, cattle receive their second round of vaccinations. Pneumonia is the number one killer and a constant battle. The newly-arrived calves stay together for 45 days until their health is confirmed and they are coming to feed well. Then the calves are placed in a group of cattle their size. Will credits a recently retired veterinarian he has known since childhood named Dr. Joe Melton with helping him understand more about cattle health. He now has other good veterinarians available for emergencies and prescriptions. Will has a weight gain goal of 2 pounds per day, so cattle are generally fed grain daily with the amount determined by the quality of the grass. However, some of the larger calves may receive grain every other day if the grass is good. An important part of keeping operational costs down is maintaining land health. Good grass minimizes the amount of grain and hay that needs to be fed, therefore keeping costs down. Cattle are sent to Kansas feedlots year-round and fed until they reach approximately 1,425 pounds. Shipping weights vary on each load according to market trends and available farm resources. Finished animals are sold by cash trade at a given price or by a grid price based on carcass grade and yield. Will’s cow/calf operation is organized to complement the stocker program. The cows are bred by Angus bulls in an effort to improve genetics. Calves are born starting Jan. 1. This time frame works best with Will’s stocker schedule and with Mother Nature. Bulls are put in April 1 and pulled out July 1. These calves are weaned in the fall. The Nortons are not only lifelong Boone County residents, they are also members of

the Boone County, Arkansas and National Cattlemen’s Associations. The success of Norton Cattle Company was recognized when the Norton’s were named the 2020 Farm Family of the Year for Boone County. “One day Mike McClintock called me and informed me we had been nominated and selected for the honor. We didn’t even know we were in the running,” Rachel said with a laugh. While Rachel is not directly involved with daily cattle operations, she does further diversify their income. Rachel manages her rental properties and most recently purchased a historic property in Snowball, Ark., near the Buffalo River. She restored the house and rents it as a nightly rental. The Snowball General Store was built in the late 1800s and closed in 1972. As of June 2019, the store has been opened again. The store offers local, handmade items, honey, jellies, barbeque sauce, jewelry, camping gear, fishing tackle and also sells ice and cold drinks 24/7. “Tourists who come to the area love to visit any place historic and our general store fits the bill,” Rachel said. “During the Christmas shopping season, we wrapped presents in brown paper and tied them up with string just like in the old days and the customers loved it.” Young Whitley and Kal already show a love for the farm and running the Snowball Store. Whitley especially appreciates going to her grandfather’s to ride horses and accompanying her dad on Mondays when the cattle are being worked. Both kids help Will by being the “Shoo Crew.” The “Shoo Crew” helps out by using flags and rattle paddles to keep the cattle pushed up to the chute. “Our little girl knows an awful lot about cattle already and loves to give her opinion on what everybody does,” Will explained grinning and shaking his head.

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“

“I bought up some cattle early on, and God opened doors and steered me in this direction.” – Will Norton

SEPTEMBER 28, 2020

~ Brett Foster Booneville, AR

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By Terry Ropp

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The Ledbetter and Hill families were neighbors for generations, but now their farms are in one family A rather unique merger was founded on love rather than calf herd on the Ledbetter farm. Caroline’s grandparents Daltie and Rudy Hill purchased the land in the early 1950s. The farm had to promote income or land acquisition in Wesley, Ark. The 360-acre Ledbetter farm began with Lloyd and Cleo Ledbetter in a few chickens, as well as a commercial cow/calf herd. It was also the 1960s. Both were raised locally. After World War II, Lloyd returned among the first in Madison County to install a large poultry house. to farming by working at different farms. Then, around 1962, Lloyd and The Hill farm passed through the generations until Caroline inherCleo were renting a house when the farm next door came up for sale. ited it because she was the only direct descendent. “The farms combined like the families did,” Faron said. “Our famiDelighted, they purchased the land and developed a cow/calf operation. Lloyd and Cleo had two sons, Ray and Loy, who worked the farm lies were neighbors since the 1960s and lucky enough to raise several together. Loy never married or had children, though Ray married his generations on family land. Raising our daughters Kirstyn and Katie childhood sweetheart, Caroline Hill, who lived 2 miles down the Moore here was really important to both my wife Ginger and I.” Faron believes the most important factor in successfully running a road and thus created the love-born merger. In terms of the farm, Ray added turkeys to his parents’ cow/calf herd, as well as dairy cows small farm is diversifying income, a concept he learned from family example as well as other farmers. He also believes the appearance for a few years when his sons Faron, Jeff and Corey were young. “While I remember the milk cows and swimming with my brothers of that diversification has changed through time. Rather than dein Lollars Creek, which happens to run through both the Ledbetter pending upon several agricultural streams, such as his dad’s turkeys, and Hill farms, what I remember most fondly is helping with custom custom baling, commercial cattle and fescue seed income sources, baling,” Faron explained. “Dad cut the hay, I raked it and Uncle many small farms today have a single agricultural income stream Loy baled it. That experience gave me a chance to visit and get to such as the Ledbetter’s commercial cow/calf operation. “I feel modern-day smaller farms like ours often produce supplemenknow many people. The relationships I made then helped me later get elected as Madison County Clerk for 11 terms until I retired a tal income with off-farm jobs being the main source,” Faron said. Faron and Ginger manage the farms’ daily operation year ago and still helps me now that I sell real estate for side-by-side, even more so since Ginger retired from Collier and Associates out of Fayetteville.” Wesley, Ark. Arvest Bank in Huntsville, Ark. Ginger also runs a Faron’s father Ray passed in 2003. Caroline and three highly-detailed computerized system to keep track of Ledbetter brothers continued with the farm which now each animal and hay production so she and Faron can supports a commercial herd and is part of the trust that uncover patterns for improvement. Working the cattle, combines the Ledbetter and Hill farms. however, is like a family reunion because it’s “all hands on The 100-acre Hill farm came from Caroline’s side of deck,” including their daughters and Faron’s brothers Jeff and the family and is now used to produce hay for the cow/ Ozarks Farm & Neighbor • www.ozarksfn.com

SEPTEMBER 28, 2020

meet your neighbors Corey, whose time is mostly dominated by their careers at Tysons. Farm management is based on an annual cycle that approximates the four seasons. In winter the emphasis is repairing fences, as well as feeding cattle, which includes unrolling hay every day. Cattle receive cubes once a week so they come running toward the truck rather than running away when they need to be gathered. In addition to spring calving, the other spring emphasis is fertilizing with local chicken litter and spraying for weeds. Summer is hay season and fall is brush hogging. Fall calving is delayed until October after brush hogging is done and there are fewer flies. The Ledbetter herd is comprised of 75 Angus and Angus/Charolais commercial females bred by two Angus bulls. The spring and fall calving seasons run two months each, with the calves being weaned at 500 to 550 pounds and sold at the Benton County sale barn in Siloam Springs. Though Faron tried fence line weaning, the last couple years he found separating the calves works best for him. He retains 10 heifers per year as replacements because he prefers a younger breeding herd. He waits to breed heifers until they are 21 months with the more mature age seeming to promote fewer birthing problems and a higher breeding back percentage. Bulls are replaced every seven years in order to change the bloodlines and to minimize manageability and health issues.” “Around here we are fortunate to have many good breeding stock producers so I buy my bulls from various local farms, which diversifies my bloodlines even more,” Faron explained. The herds are worked two months after calving season when bull calves are banded and all receive shots. Heifers receive a second round because optimum herd health makes having an off-the-farm job workable. The cattle are given good minerals all year, including one with fly control during the summer though cattle are also sprayed as needed. Faron readily admits his biggest challenge is keeping up to date on current issues, such as black-headed buzzards and new diseases. “Sometimes people think inheriting land guarantees success, but that simply isn’t true. Farming is hard work and requires paying attention to detail.” Faron said. “The land belongs to God and we are just temporary caretakers. Our merged families and these farms have been a blessing, something we are thankful for and never take for granted.” SEPTEMBER 28, 2020

Ozarks Farm & Neighbor • www.ozarksfn.com

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Hometown: Shirley, Ark. FFA Chapter: Clinton FFA Advisors: Justin Wiedower and Chad Mooney What was your early childhood background?

“Even though I was raised in an agricultural community, I was not raised on a farm and had no practical knowledge of the industry. My earliest introduction to agriculture was in kindergarten during our farmer for a day field trip. That’s where I learned apples come from trees and cows need to be milked.”

What is your educational experience with agriculture?

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“In eighth grade, I had a blank in my schedule and my counselor told me it was either study hall or the introductory agricultural class. I couldn’t see wasting 45 minutes a day in study hall, so ag class it was. My first teacher was Mr. Wiedower, and I enjoyed his class so much that I joined FFA. Mr. Mooney, however, changed my life. He heavily honed in and invested in what I loved, leadership and public speaking. Because of my ag teachers, I learned to love agriculture so much that I plan to make it my career. I have especially enjoyed going to schools to talk to kids about the source of the food they eat. When I ask where they get their food, they answer with a grocery store; and when I follow that with asking how the food got there, they say by truck. That’s when I get to explain that food is not born in the grocery store. I get to talk about how real people spend their lives providing food for others and how that’s done. Winning the Arkansas Farm Bureau Discussion Meet has been the most meaningful accomplishment I’ve won competing in FFA. At those meets, Farm Bureau sends a topic such as food safety or land management practices, and students arrive at the meet with solutions featuring how Farm Bureau can help. Judging is based upon each student’s solutions and ability to discuss all of the presented solutions in order to come up with a combined comprehensive plan, with hopes of making their solution part of the group’s final one. Mr. Mooney always guided me to get background information for each topic because all the topics were totally new to me. Perhaps the most important and shocking thing I learned through our research was that farmers are only the first step in food pricing. The supply chain’s added costs are what cause the great increase in the prices that people see in grocery stores. I’m very honored to be able to serve as Arkansas FFA President for a year.”

What are your future plans?

“As of now, I am going to attend the University of Arkansas studying agricultural communications in preparation for attending law school for ag law. I then want to use that knowledge in Washington, D.C., to facilitate agricultural use of social media and to tell the story of Arkansas agriculture. Though much of my plan is pretty far in the future and open to adjustments, what I do know is that my career will be in agriculture.”

Ozarks Farm & Neighbor • www.ozarksfn.com

SEPTEMBER 28, 2020

the ofn

ag-visors

Advice from

the professionals

The Udder Side

Plyler & son bull sale

By Dr. Tim O’Neill

oing into September and fall calving, I was reminded about a few cows that had aborted their calves. This herd also vaccinates for most standard viruses and bacteria that cause Dr. Tim E. O’Neill, DVM, abortion. This includes five-way Lepto, IBR, owns Country Veterinary BVD, PI3, BRSV, and seven-way Blackleg and pinkeye. Service in Farmington, Granted Blackleg doesn’t cause abortion, but it is imArk. To contact Tim go portant to vaccinate your cows so the momma will pass to ozarksfn.com and the immunity on to her calf to temporarily protect the click on ‘Contact Us.’ calf until we can get a dose of Blackleg in the calf. Also, pinkeye does not cause abortion, but if we can prevent one case of bad eyes it will pay for the vaccine. Now this herd is also highly-vaccinated for Brucellosis or bangs. Yes, Brucellosis will cause late-term abortion. The vaccine does a great job protecting the cows, and Arkansas, Oklahoma and Missouri are class-free states. This means that we can only have one case every two years and maintain this rating by the feds. To my knowledge, we have not hit a true positive case for quite some time, some 15-plus years. This leaves another possible organism causing the abortion, which is Neospora caninum. This is a protozoon found in canine feces and/or excrement. It can be transmitted by any canine species – dogs, wolves, coyotes, foxes and others. Generally, it does cause a late-term and/or mid-term abortion. We have no treatment that is legal for this disease except culling. We can diagnose this Neospora caninum by either a blood test from the affected momma or off tissues from the aborted fetus. It is hard to keep canine species from going through our pastures, but this will be the best way to prevent this disease. And yes, this is calling for the old-time coyote hunters to go to work. When I was a kid on our family farm, we always had a gun behind the seat in the pickup, just for taking a shot at a coyote or other varmint. But we did not take kindly to coyote hunters cutting our fences while chasing a coyote. Fences where put up for a reason and need to be respected. I also think shooting the coyote is more humane than baiting them in and killing them with poison; other animals can get into that including your domestic dogs and/or cattle dogs. Things attracting these canines is the dead animals and abortions. Please, bury or burn them to help slow this disease process down.

Saturday, October 31, 2020

1 PM Story arena Southern Arkansas University

Vol. 5

Plyler & Son

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If you eat, sleep, dream, breathe, live Paths and and love farming... Puddles By Kathy Daily

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ver hear that old saying, “Every path has a few puddles?” We sure stepped in a few puddles this year didn’t we? My calendar looks like my grandkids’ coloring book. Every page has been scribKathy Daily is the bled through, rewritten and scribbled on again. Senior Vice President It’s been a difficult year to plan a lot of things in our lives. of First Financial Bank’s Schools have been canceled, county and state fairs have Farm and Ranch been canceled in most areas, as well as grower meetings, Division. She has been school sports, church meetings, 4-H events, weddings and an agricultural lender a whole host of other events that have been canceled or for more than 25 years. postponed due to COVID-19. Between, pandemics, floods, hurricanes, fires, protests, riots and murder hornets, it’s a little scary to step outside. That is, unless you live on a farm. Country folks are used to planning their days by the weather, bugs and insects are common on the farm, and we even get the occasional protestor. Pandemics are new for farmers too, but we’ve been socially distancing since the beginning of time. Our co-workers are pigs and cows. Producers have been affected by the pandemic, but not in the way most people would think. Farmers and ranchers are still producing the same amount of goods that they did before the pandemic. It’s the delivery system after it leaves the farm that is the problem. When the coronavirus broke out in the processing plants, there wasn’t enough workers to continue to run the plants or at least run them at the same capacity, which meant they couldn’t purchase livestock (or as much). This left the rancher with nowhere to sell his livestock. Dairy cows still needed to be milked three times a day regardless if the milk truck showed up to empty the tank, so a lot of milk was dumped. A lot of other “behind the scenes” issues were popping up too. Products that were usually packaged for wholesale use in restaurants and schools had to be reconfigured to fit the sizes needed for the consumer. This took a lot of tearing down and resetting of manufacturing lines, which delayed shipment. All of these items, and others, convinced consumers that there were shortages, causing them to over buy. The overbuying made an already tight situation even worse. Who knows what the remainder of 2020 will bring? Are you prepared? What does all of this have to do with a path and puddles? • Sometimes you get lost on your path and have to start over or back track • When all else fails, you have to find a way through the puddle or around it – have a Plan B • At the end of the day it’s you that has to clean the mud off of your boots and carry on • Don’t focus so far ahead that you don’t see the puddles before you hit them • Don’t discount human emotions – some people will want to sit in the pity puddles I hope as you are reading this, you have made it through the puddles of 2020 and are still on the path without too many bruises.

Did You Know?

America’s farmers and ranchers make an important contribution to the U.S. economy by ensuring a safe and reliable food supply, improving energy security and supporting job growth and economic development. The United States is the world’s leading exporter of agricultural products.

Ozarks Farm & Neighbor • www.ozarksfn.com

SEPTEMBER 28, 2020

farm

help

Making farming a little easier

Is He Sound? By Julie Turner-Crawford

Breeding Soundness Exams can save money As fall approaches, cattle producers are looking to turn bulls out with females, but will he be able to do his job? Producers can turn their bulls out then wait and see how many cows are bred, if any, or have a breeding soundness exam (BSE) preformed by a veterinarian prior to the breeding season. Proper selection and management of a bull prior to breeding season is key for profitability. A BSE prior to breeding season makes sure bulls are physically and reproductively sound, resulting in acceptable cow conception rates. To complete a breeding soundness exam, a veterinarian will do a physical exam to ensure reproductive organs are of the right size with no deformities, including inspection of the bull’s reproductive organ and external genitalia. The prepuce/sheath is inspected for conformation and abnormalities. The scrotum is examined for conformation, symmetry and the presence of lesions. Testicles are palpated to see if they are normal consistency or too hard or too soft. The exam also consists of a semen collection process. Semen can be collected in three ways: 1) by hand manipulation, 2) electro-ejaculation and 3) by use of a dummy mount and artificial vagina. The way a bull is collected depends on veterinarian equipment and choice. Once semen is collected it is analyzed under a microscope for sperm vitality. A BSE will also include an evaluation of a bull’s overall body condition. MU Extension officials recommend that bulls have a BCS of 6 prior to the breeding season. Structural soundness should also be evaluated during a BSE. A vet will look at a bull’s feet and legs to evaluate its ability to mount and breed a cow, as well as overall conformation. In older bulls, injuries to feet, legs, eyes and backs could pose a problem in breeding performance. The cost associated with the exam is minimal compared to the cost of open females or

what do you say? How can EPD data improve herd quality?

SEPTEMBER 28, 2020

late calves because of low fertility or a bull’s physical inability to breed. Bulls that produce failing results are classified as unsatisfactory. The younger bulls that fail generally have a problem with sperm morphology and/or inadequate scrotal circumference. A very young bull may fail because of immaturity and his semen may contain a lot of proximal droplets. Many of those bulls will pass the exam at 15 months, but they need to be checked again. An unsatisfactory older bull should be culled. A bull that is unable to breed females can be very costly. According to the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension, if a bull with low fertility is turned out with 25 cows and the cows are returning to heat in just three weeks, the calf crop has been delayed 21 days. The loss of days, according to information from U of A Cooperative Extension Specialist Johnny Gunsaulis, can result in a loss in profit from the calf crop. “Suppose the calves on the cow gained 2 pounds a day; 25 calves would have gained over 1,000 pounds. At $1 per pound, the producer loses over $1,000,” he has said. Experts also advise producers to administer booster vaccinations and treat for internal and external parasites at BSE time, so bulls do not pass disease or parasite issues on to cows. A BSE evaluates the physical requirements for a successful season, but it can’t test a bull’s libido or serving capacity. A bull can pass a BSE but still will not actually breed a cow. Producers should monitor bulls early in the breeding season for any signs of a low libido.

“I try to provide my customers with the most accurate EPD data possible so they can identify the best show and replacement cattle to meet their specific needs and therefore improve herd quality.”

“With donor cattle, you have to make sure the female will produce excellent eggs so farmers can economically improve genetic quality of their herd. A good way to get premium donors is to select mothers and bulls with complementary EPDs.”

“While not perfect, EPDs allow us to predict certain qualities and help guide selections when trying to match a bull to a cow.”

“EPDs are worth paying attention to because they can help raise and sell better cattle with the understanding that their predictions are merely that, predictions.”

Jerry Barnes Ottawa County, Okla.

Dominic Pizzimenti Marion County, Ark.

Chris Heiser Johnson County, Ark.

James Mitchell Yell County, Ark.

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Getting Results By Julie Turner-Crawford

Knowing the nutrional value of forages can help reduce feed costs Cattle producers are looking at their hay supply for the colder months. For some, that means it’s time to start considering the purchase of hay, but is all hay the same? The answer is simply, no. For example, the University of Missouri Extension states that Missouri ranks fairly high in the nation in hay production, but that hay is not always the greatest quality. Missouri excels in cool season grass or fescue hay, but falls around 20th in the say of high-quality hay production, such as alfalfa. No matter what type of hay a producer buys or feeds, it should be tested.

Why is hay testing important?

Forages furnish essential energy, proteins, vitamins, minerals and fibers in livestock diets. Factors such as variety, maturity, growing conditions, handling practices and so on affect forage quality prior to the time it is fed, according to Oklahoma State University Extension. Without proper testing, producers can overestimate or underestimate the feed value of forages. The lower the quality, the more supplementation will be needed, resulting in added costs. Feed costs, according to the MU Exten-

sion account for 60 percent of a beef cow enterprise, so knowing the quantity and quality of hay fed to livestock directly affects the bottom line.

What’s in a test?

A typical hay test will analyze for moisture, protein, fiber and various minerals. Moisture is the amount of water in the sample. Most hay samples run in the 10 to 15 percent moisture range, according to MU Extension. The hay test report includes a column called “As-is” or “As-fed” and another column called “Dry Matter.” Dividing the as-fed number by the percentage of dry matter in the sample converts the results to a dry matter basis. Using the dry matter basis results allows for accurate comparison between wetter vs. drier feeds because the water content of the hay or silage is excluded from the reported dry matter nutrient results. Crude protein, the item most producers seem more concerned about, is estimated by measuring the amount of nitrogen in the sample and multiplying it by 6.25. This factor is used because most forage stem and leaf tissue proteins contain 16-percent nitrogen. Higher crude protein is usually better, but must be considered in the context

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of plant maturity, species, fertilizer rate and nitrate concentrations. Another major aspect of a hay test is the fiber analysis. Information from MU Extension states that forage samples are boiled in either a neutral detergent or acid detergent solution. After boiling, some of the sample disappears (the digestible portions) and some remains (the indigestible portions). The residues are reported as Acid Detergent Fiber (ADF) and Neutral Detergent Fiber (NDF). NDF provides an estimate of forage intake while ADF is used to calculate estimated energy levels in the forage. These energy estimates are listed as Total Digestible Nutrients (TDN), Net Energy maintenance and Net Energy gain. Since both NDF and ADF results are residues, lower numbers indicate greater intake potential and higher energy levels. The lower the ADF and NDF, the better. Finally, there’s the mineral analysis. Calcium and phosphorus are typically included in a hay test package from the labs. Some labs also include potassium and magnesium in their hay test packages. For additional fees, other minerals can be measured. Labs vary in cost and the analysis provided. For more information about forage testing, contact your local Extension Center. SEPTEMBER 28, 2020

farm help

Preg Checks and Profits By Julie Turner-Crawford

Producers should make preg checks part of their management plan Open females are not profitable animals, so adding pregnancy checks is a simple and inexpensive way to keep the bottom line in check. However, only 20 percent of U.S. beef operations use any form of pregnancy detection. The use of pregnancy diagnosis ranges from 11 percent for small operations (1-49 head) to 72 percent for operations with 200 or more cows, according to the USDA-National Animal Health Monitoring System. Opting to keep non-productive cows or cows that fail to produce a calf, decreases operation profitability due to the high costs of maintaining a non-productive cow. To ensure producers are keeping only productive cows, they should make pregnancy checks part of their management plan. Pregnancy checking is also a tool that can be used to optimize heifer management, such as determining the success of a breeding program. Heifers can then be kept or culled, depending upon pregnancy status. Preg checking can also allow producers to group animals by pregnancy stage for calving management.

When to check: Pregnancy testing can be most profitable when used at two different times during the year, according to a study by the University of Idaho. The first would be at a minimum of 30 days (dependent upon method used) after the breeding season ends. The second would be when calves are weaned and before gestational feeding programs begin.

Testing at this time would ensure only cows that are carrying a calf would be fed until calving, allowing the producer to determine if the female should be culled. If pregnancy rates are low, preg checking allows the producer to examine what changes might need to be made in the breeding program.

Techniques: There are different techniques for preg checking cows, including the commonlay utalized rectal palpitation, ultrasound and blood tests. Blood tests can determine pregnancy, but Dr. Heidi Ward, assistant professor and Veterinarian with the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service, cautioned that a blood test can not determine how far along the animal is. She said a blood test can confirm conception, but it doesn’t necessarily mean the animal is pregnant, especially for first-calf heifers that are at a higher risk of early pregnancy loss. During the palpation process, pregnancy is routinely detected in cows by inserting the hand into the rectum and palpating through the rectal and uterine walls for a fetus, which can be detected during the latter first and second trimester of gestation. Ultrasound is more accurate and can detect pregnancy as early as 13 days after breeding. Rectal palpation by a skilled veterinarian can detect pregnancy 35 to 45 days after breeding. Using ultrasound in the appropriate window early in the pregnancy also provided the ability to sex the

calf with a high degree of certainty. Experts also encourage producers to have an idea of an exposure or bred date in order when determining when to preg check females.

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Is it worth the cost?: Information from the University of Missouri Extension states that for smaller producers, the cost of preg checks are perhaps more important than for larger operations. Estimates put the feeding costs of carrying a beef cow at more than $300 per year – whether she raises a calf or not – so spending a few dollars to have them preg checks is a minimal expense that can save money. Producers should consult their veterinarian to schedule their herd’s preg check appointment, and to make sure their herd is up to date on vaccinations to prevent disease related abortion risks.

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Preparing for Success Animal health can make or break a farm. To ensure minimal health problems, it is a wise management strategy to have a regular vaccine calendar and a herd health plan to adhere to, especially just prior to breeding cows and again just prior to calving season.

Pre-Breeding Before breeding, all cows should receive a health check, which includes examining their eyes, ears, legs and feet and udders. The cows’ identification should be verified and recorded, and parasite preventatives should be administered. During this time, producers or their veterinarian, need to administer vaccines to prevent reproductive diseases. These include: Leptospirosis, Vibriosis (if using natural ser-

vice as recommended by the University of Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service), and IBR-BVD-PI3-BRSV virus vaccines. A modified live vaccine should only be used on open animals. The diseases the vaccines are designed to counter can cause delayed breeding, potential abortion, smaller calves and/or persistently infected calves – so prevention is a must.

Pre-Calving If animals did not receive the previouslly outlined vaccinations prior to being bred, vaccinations should administered 40 to 60 days prior to calving. At three weeks prior to calving, cows should receive a scours vaccination (instructions will vary by product) so these antibodies are passed along to the calf through colostrum,

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farm help and outbreaks of scours can be prevented. Studiesd show most calf scour and respiratory problems can be reduced or eliminated by proper cow nutrition and vaccination pre-calving. In particular, copper, selenium, vitamins E and A are moved from the cow to the unborn calf in the last three months before calving and are stored in the calf’s liver until the calf starts to graze on new grass – all of which are important for immunity and vitality. It’s recommended that vaccination protocals for cows during the final trimester should depend on risk lvessd and past herd history. The University of Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service also recommends a pre-calving vaccination for coliform mastitis. The time of administration varies by product.

Record Keeping Record keeping for pre-breeding and pre-calving vaccines is imperative. There are several digital record keeping programs such as HerdOne or CattleMax, that allow producers to keep track of breeding, medical, inventory and financial records on their computer. Producers can also purchase record books from farm supply stores or download forms from the internet to assemble in their own books. Record templates can be found in the National Beef Quality Assurance Manual at www.bqa.org. No matter the format, producers should keep records pertaining to the entire herd (vaccines, deworming, weights, etc.) and individual animals (treatments, medications, etc.). Labels and lot numbers should be recorded in the case producers experience issues with the vaccination or treatment. Overall, a good herd vaccination program that enhances the preventive aspects of herd health in all cattle throughout the year.

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Online Courses and Programs • Arkansas Center for Farm and Food – contact Benton County Extension Office for more information – go.ozarksfn.com/e2m • Beekeeping Basics Podcasts – contact Benton County Extension Office for more information 479-271-1060 – go.ozarksfn.com/xof • Cattle Marketing Webinar – 6:30 p.m. – Online webinar is free to attend, but registration is required – register at go.ozarksfn.com/4gi • Poultry Waste Management Course – Online via Zoom – Oct. 8 through Dec. 8 – to register or for more information call 918-696-2253 or visit go.ozarksfn.com/nq8

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Ranchers Thursday Lunch Time Series, Oct. 1 – Bovine Lameness: We Will Not Be De-feet-ed – 12:30-1:30 p.m. – for questions, please call 405-744-8587 or 580-332-7011 – register online at go.ozarksfn.com/ods Ranchers Thursday Lunch Time Series, Oct. 8 – Effective VeterinaryClient-Patient Relationships – 12:30-1:30 p.m. – for questions, please call 405-744-8587 or 580-332-7011 – register online at go.ozarksfn.com/ods Southern Fruitcast Podcast – contact Benton County Extension Office for more information 479-271-1060 – go.ozarksfn.com/g8d

24 24 24 24 25 26 31 31 31 31 31

Lacy’s Red Angus Annual Bull & Female Sale – 913-909-1912 or 573-999-3887 Mead Farm 78th Annual Fall Production Sale – at the Mead Sale Headquarters, Versailles, Mo. – 573-302-7011 – 573-216-0210 New Day Genetics Fall Sale – Springfield, Mo. – 573-453-0058 Southern Connection Sale – NW Georgia Livestock Pavilion, Calhoun, GA – 573-881-1876 – 859-338-0170 Baker Angus Sale – Butler, Mo. – 660-679-4403 96th Southwest Missouri All-Breed Performance Tested Bull Sale – 7 p.m. – Springfield Livestock Marketing Center, Springfield, Mo. – 417-293-8002 Fox Hollow Farms Production Sale – Catoosa, Okla. – 918-409-6068 McBee Cattle Company Annual Fall Bull & Female Sale – 221 State Hwy H, Fayette, Mo. – 573-228-2517 Nipp Charolais Bull Sale – Wilson, Okla. – 580-668-3332 Pyler & Son Bull Sale – 1 p.m. – Story Arena, Southern Arkansas University, Magnolia, Ark. – 870-703-1394 Wall Street Cattle Company Sale – Lebanon, Mo. – 417-288-4444

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October 2020 3 Grand Hills K Dispersal Production Sale – Eaton, Colo. – 785-672-3195 3 Jac’s Ranch Production Sale – Bentonville, Ark. – 479-273-3030 3 Journagan Ranch 29th Annual Production Sale – 11 a.m. – William H Darr Agriculture Center, Springfield, Mo. – 660-527-3507 3 Pinegar Limousin Fall Production Sale – Springfield, Mo. – Toll-Free 1-877-PINEGAR – 417-833-6784 5 Hankins Farms Bradley Cattle Fall Colors Online Sales – sconlinesales.com 9 Smith Valley Angus Sale – Salem, Mo. – 573-729-3616 – 573-729-2910 10 Big D Ranch Building Your Tomorrow Annual Brings & Ultrablack Bull Sale – noon – at the Ranch, Center Ridge, Ark. – 501-208-6119 10 Bonebrake Herefords Female Production Sale – Buffalo, Mo. – 417-693-7881 – 417-588-4572 10 Byergo Angus Sale – Savannah, Mo. – 816-261-5198 10 East Central Missouri Angus Association Sale – Cuba, Mo. – 314-393-2885 10 L&V Cattle Company The Girls of Fall Production Sale – Mountain Grove, Mo. – 417-259-0036 10 Missouri Red Angus Association Fall Bull & Female Sale – Sedalia, Mo. – 417-962-0181 10 MLBA Heart of Missouri Limousin Sale – Lebanon, Mo. – 515-229-5227 – 256-962-0256 14 Valley Oaks Angus Bull and Female Sale – Oak Grove, Mo. – 816-365-5930 – 573-280-2351 16 THM Land & Cattle Female Sale – Vienna, Mo. – 573-443-4521 17 3rd Spirit of Bluegrass Sale – Bluegrass Stockyards, Lexington, Ky – 573-881-1876 – 859-338-0170 17 Aschermann Charolais/Akaushi 31st Edition Bull Sale – 1 p.m. – at the ranch, Carthage, Mo. – 417-793-2855 or 417-358-7879 17 Bradley Cattle Bred Heifer & Bull Sale – 3 p.m. – Springfield Livestock Marketing Center, Springfield, Mo. – 785-672-3195 – 417-848-3457 17 Heart of the Ozark Angus Association 113th Edition Consignment Sale – 12:30 p.m. – Ozark Regional Stockyards, West Plains, Mo. – 734-260-8635 17 Leachman Fall Ozark Sale – I-40 Livestock Auction, Ozark, Ark. – 303-827-1156 or 970-568-3983 17 Seedstock Plus Fall Bull & Female Sale – Joplin Regional Stockyards, Carthage, Mo. – 877-486-1160 17 Sullivan Charolais Spirit of the Bluegrass Sale – Paris, Ky. – 859-338-0170 19 Hinkle’s Prime Cut Angus Fall Sale – Nevada, Mo. – 417-944-2219 21 Thomas Charolais 19th Annual Fall Bull Sale – Raymondville, Texas – 956-689-5162 23 Spur Ranch Sale – Vinita, Okla. – 918-256-5850 24 Cattlemen’s Preferred Sale All Breed Registered Bulls & Females Plus Commercial Females – noon – County Line Sale Barn, Ratcliff, Ark. – 205-270-0999

• • •

November 2020 6-7 GenePlus Brangus Sale – Chimney Rock Cattle Company, Concord, Ark. – 620-583-3706 – 417-425-0368 7 Hudspeth Farms The Gathering Sale – Harrison, Ark. – 870-439-2285 7 Seedstock Plus RED REWARD Fall Edition Bull & Female Sale – Wheeler Livestock Auction, Osceola, Mo. – 877-486-1160 7 Worthington Angus Sale – noon – at the farm, Dadeville, Mo. – 417-844-2601 14 24th Annual Show-Me Plus Gelbvieh & Balancer Sale – noon – Springfield Livestock Marketing Center, Springfield, Mo. – 660-635-1433 – 573-690-3813 14 Oklahoma Bull Sale – McAlester Union Stockyards, McAlester, Okla. – 573-881-1876 – 859-338-0170 14 Show-Me Reds Fall Sale – 1 p.m. – Kirksville, Mo. – 417-327-7870 14 Smith Registered Angus Ranch Production Sale – 1 p.m. – at the Ranch, Berryville, Ark. – 870-423-3269 or 870-480-6406 20 Show-Me-Select Bred Heifer Sale – Joplin Regional Stockyards, Carthage, Mo. – 417-466-3102 20 Wienk Charolais Legends of Fall Bull Sale – Arcadia Stockyard, Arcadia, Fl. – 605-860-0505 – 605-203-0137 – 605-203-1082 21 Sydenstricker Genetics 42nd Annual Production Sale – Mexico, Mo. – 573-581-1225 23 Green Springs Performance Tested Bull & Angus Female Sale – Nevada, Mo. – 417-448-7416 December 2020 5 Wright Charolais 10th Annual Female Sale – Kearney, Mo. – 816-776-3512

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Cattlemen’s Seedstock Directory ANGUS Rose Bud Bull Development & Sales - Rose Bud, Ark. 501-940-0299 www.rosebudfeeders.com BALANCERS Bob Harriman Genetics - Montrose, Mo. - 660-492-2504 Rose Bud Bull Development & Sales - Rose Bud, Ark. 501-940-0299 www.rosebudfeeders.com BRANGUS Horsehead Ranch - Talala, Okla. 918-695-2357 www.HorseheadRanch.net Rose Bud Bull Development & Sales - Rose Bud, Ark. 501-940-0299 www.rosebudfeeders.com CHAROLAIS Rose Bud Bull Development & Sales - Rose Bud, Ark. 501-940-0299 www.rosebudfeeders.com HEREFORDS Rose Bud Bull Development & Sales - Rose Bud, Ark. 501-940-0299 www.rosebudfeeders.com RED ANGUS Watkins Cattle Company Harrison, AR - 870-741-9795 – 870-688-1232 – watkinscattleco@windstream.net SIM ANGUS Bob Harriman Genetics - Montrose, Mo. - 660-492-2504 ULTRA BLACK Horsehead Ranch - Talala, Okla. 918-695-2357 www.HorseheadRanch.net

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OFN September 28, 2020

Articles inside

Is your bull up for the task?

Preg checks can save producers money

Dodging puddles

Longtime farm families merge into one

Tips from the Udder Side

Three farms make up the Powell operation

The Nortons manage stocker cattle, as well as a cow/calf operation

Jody Harris – Fall is in full swing for the Harris family

Family continues to honor the legacy of Neosho

Logan Gragg is at home on the farm or the mound

Jerry Crownover – Blessed to be on the farm