APRIL 2021
THE TOCKMAN VOL 3 | NO 4
CURRENT ROV SHOW BULL OF THE YEAR!
CURRENT ROV SHOW BULL OF THE YEAR!
WB Pendleton Sire of high sellers & champions!
Seldom Rest Sandman Classen son working great!
Silveiras Forbes ‘21 Cattlemen’s Congress Champion!
Silveiras Haras Primal Primo’s exciting, fancy full sib!
Hill Valley Reckoning Outcross to Style & First Class with extra mass, look & structure!
Musgrave Sky High CED 8 $B 141
Brooking Bank Note CED 5 $B 131
JACS Rare Find CED 9 $B 169
Lazy JB Edge Rope necked Classen x Sandy 3040
Conley No Limit Beautiful balance & HOT sire!
A MUST USE TURNING POINT SON!
S&R Stability Style son with extras!
Laflins Marvel Popular champion at many exhibitions!
SAC Peak Value CED 8 $B 186
SAC CashIn BN46 CED -3 $B 202
Conley South Point 8362 2020 NWSS Champion Bull!
9 Mile One of a Kind CED 17 HB 212
TWG Tango CED 13 HB 185
NJW Hoss CE 11
KJ BJ Landmark 210 CE 2.5 CHB $121
H Montgomery Making champions!
W/C Bankroll CE 14 API 134
SFG The Judge CE 12 API 144
CLRS Guardian CE 20 API 208
W/C Relentless CE 9 API 117
CDI Innovator CE 11 API 155
Longs Pay to Play A stout blaze Pays to Believe son!
OBCC CMFM Deplorabull CE 15 API 125
WLE Copacetic CE 11 API 107
W/C Night Watch CE 18 API 151
W/C Fort Knox Newly Available!
PUREBRED MAINE CALVING EASE!
May We All
Simplify
Sweet Willie
1OAK THF
Knock Knock THF
State of Mind THF
Trust In Me THC
Business Done Right
April 2021
DUEL Icon
2
In God We Trust
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PVF Blacklist Bushs Wingman Ultra-stout ‘must use’ Insight son! NEW outcross/performance/profile sire with CE!
Youngdale Defiance Canada’s finest genetics!
FCF Leverage First progeny sold high at FCF!
SCC SCH 24 Karat NEW & ultra stout out of 2 NWSS champs!
Gateway Follow Me Cool profiled & stout!
Musgrave 316 Exclusive 316’s highest $B son!
Baldridge Alternative Top EPDs in most traits! +200 $B!
Bridges Foretold #1 $W in the breed plus CE!
TLC E-Sig 2019 American Royal Champ!
MK Poker Face Exciting power & profile!
CFCC Notorious ELITE WhoMaker son!
ECR Shameless LONG necked show sire!
Carbon Copy 2019 NAILE Champion Charolais!
Redemption Hot Resource Son!
BOY Outlier Show Bull of the Year!
ACLL Fortune Excellent Hammer son!
TL Ledger Exciting Profit son!
SC Pay the Price 2 time NWSS Champ!
On the Mark First progeny looking great!
VCL LKC Equity Sire of champions!
Onset High Percentage Chi
Quiet Man
DJS The Outsider
MVP Triple Crown Winning Champ Mainetainer!
Second 2 None Making clubby CHAMPS!
No Guts No Glory THF
Chosen 1 HIA ultra-stout son
King Cobra HIA extremely fancy son
Big Shooter THF Fu son
Red Rocky 2 (Red Hot!)
Sparks will Fly with the HOTTEST Sires now available! (573) 641-5270 for a free directory or view online at cattlevisions.com THE STOCKMAN | thestockmanmag.com
Showtime Fireball Mega-exciting!
Lover boy JBSF Logic Extremely popular calving ease Simmy! Full sisters were Grand & Res at SM JR Nat’l
April 2021
Conley Express 7211 Exciting new sire of champs!
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! e m o c l We Thanks for joining us! We are a free, premier livestock publication featuring and serving seedstock and commercial beef producers nationwide. Raising cattle is so much more than a hobby; it is our livelihood and our passion. We understand that, and in every issue want you to see not only incredible cattle, but also relatable, entertaining, and informative editorial features for the producer with 5 or 500 head. To us, you are more than reader or advertiser; you are a beef producer. We are committed to doing our best for you, every day. Please feel free to communicate with us, your input is appreciated.
BILL SCHERMER, Owner/Herd Consultant 641.425.2641 | bill@stockmanmag.com
KATIE DELANEY JOHNSON, Managing Editor 507.820.0803 | katie@stockmanmag.com
Bill and his wife, Nancy, have made their living in the cattle industry. He has provided marketing services for purebred and commercial breeders since 1970. Schermer Angus Cattle continues to be active in the NJAA and raises quality cattle near Clarion, IA. As owner of The Stockman, Bill leads by example providing producers with the highest level of customer service.
Katie serves as editor, graphic designer, and manager of the day-to-day operations of The Stockman. She is proud to work with and deliver a quality product to folks in the beef industry. She and husband, Neil, raise their three kids, registered Angus and Hereford cattle, and showpigs in their family operation, Dandy Acres Enterprises, in southwest Minnesota.
MAKAYLA FLOWER, Graphics
MARIA OPHEIM, Social
Media Mgr.
Makayla provides graphic design services to customers with many years of experience in the industry. She and her husband, Jared, along with their four kids raise Herefords and SimAngus seedstock near Morris, MN. Contact Makayla at 605.690.6050 or makayla@stockmanmag.com
A Minnesota girl from a diverse cow/calf operation, Maria has a passion for agriculture and is happy to promote producers through The Stockman’s social media platforms. She and husband, Cade, reside in Mound City, SD on a 5th generation ranch.
HILARY ROSSOW, Editorial
Assistant
Hilary Rossow grew up in eastern SD on a commercial cow/calf ranch. Dubbed by her friends, “The Grammar Hammer”, Hilary loves writing and proofing when her skills are requested. She and husband, Brian, are SDSU alumni and now reside in Lakefield, MN.
Contributing Writers in this Issue
Dr. Vince Collison Justin Fruechte B. Lynn Gordon
April 2021
Contact Us
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Kirk Lynch Kacie McCarthy
THE STOCKMAN MAGAZINE LLC PO Box 115, Pipestone, MN 56164 507.820.0803 | office@stockmanmag.com thestockmanmag.com
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The Stockman (ISSN 2694-1740), Vol. 3, No. 4, is published by Katie Johnson/The Stockman Magazine LLC, 456 41st St., Jasper, MN 56144, monthly, except June and July. Periodicals postage paid at Pipestone, Minnesota and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Stockman, PO Box 115, Pipestone, MN 56164.
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MEET OUR TEAM TY BAYER 715.573.0153 tcreds@gmail.com
BRIGHAM STEWART / MEGAN COLLISON 785.747.8028 megancol@iastate.edu Brigham works alongside his parents at Mid Continent Farms, their large, multi-breed cow/calf operation in Kansas. Megan will graduate from ISU as a DVM in the spring of 2021 and is a big part of her family’s Angus herd and Veterinary Clinic in Iowa.
BRANDON CREAMER 970.596.4965 creamer _ b _ 150@hotmail.com Brandon owns Lazy JB Angus with his parents and sister in Montrose, CO. Raised in the cattle industry, he has a true passion for it and loves marketing quality cattle throughout the US.
CORBIN COWLES 270.991.2534 corbin.cowles@uky.edu
ZAC HALL 701.595.6887 zac@fortelivestock.com
Zac is active in his family’s operation, Hall Stock Farm, near Berthold, ND raising registered Angus, Sim-Angus and commercial cattle. He loves working with livestock and youth and as a Livestock Judging Coach.
TRAVIS HOFER / SAGE HOFER 605.553.2547 hofercattle@goldenwest.net Travis and Sage live near Bridgewater, SD where there run a cattle operation and a diversified crop farm alongside family. They both have a true passion for the livestock industry and enjoy helping other producers.
RON HINRICHSEN 785.770.0222 rlangus@bluevalley.net
ETHAN JOHNSON 859.340.2859 ethanbjohn11@icloud.com
JOHN KUELPER 309.582.6335 johnkuelper47@gmail.com
When not coaching the University of Kentucky Livestock Judging Team, you’ll find Corbin working at his family’s Angus & Simmental operation. He has a deep passion for good people and good cattle, and takes great pride in helping others within the industry.
For the past 30 years, Ron, his wife, Lynne, and their two children have owned and operated Hinrichsen Ranch, a registered Angus ranch in Westmoreland, KS. He has an extensive background in the agricultural industry and is excited to put it to work for each of his customers.
MARK SULLIVAN 816.304.0050 marksullivancattle@gmail.com Mark Sullivan is a familiar face to many having worked for Sullivan Supply for many years. Mark brings many years of experience to The Stockman. Mark and his wife, Linda, and two children, Erin and Leo, live in Woodbine, Iowa and have a small herd of Charolais cattle. THE STOCKMAN | thestockmanmag.com
Ethan grew up on a cow/ calf Angus operation in central KY, but now resides in Nebraska. His experience managing a seedstock operation and his professionalism ring-side will serve producers well.
John and his wife, Jessica, live in west central Illinois where they raise Simmental and Hereford show cattle. They have 4 children who all show livestock. Helping producers market their livestock successfully and providing professional ring services are his top goals as a consultant.
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April 2021
Ty works alongside his family in their purebred operations, Country Lane Farm and TC Reds near Ringle, WI. An advocate for youth programs and dedicated cow/calf man, he is excited to help producers merchandise their cattle.
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In this Issue P rofiles
12 | HOLISTIC HERD
12
A balance of genetics and environment at Baxter Angus.
32 | THE HEREFORD ‘HANDELER’ Art Handel connects cattle and people.
44 | ONE COW AT A TIME
Mershon Cattle LLC creates their success.
Extension Education
32
20 | MANAGING POSTPARTUM ANESTRUS with Kacie McCarthy, University of Nebraska, Lincoln
Leading the Way
26 | STEPPING INTO LEADERSHIP ROLES with B. Lynn Gordon, Leader Consulting, LLC
Seeds in Season
44
54 | 4.5 THINGS YOU SHOULD PLANT NOW with Justin Fruechte, Millborn Seeds
Veterinarian V iew
60 | TIPS FOR SUCCESS ON ET DAY
with Dr. Vince Collison, Collison Veterinary Services.
54
Kitchen Stock
64 | FEATURING LEVISAY FARMS
in the kitchen with Susan Levisay, Creston, CA
Sale Barn S tudy
68 | FAVORITE TIME OF YEAR
with Kirk Lynch, Humeston Livestock Exchange
60
April 2021
Stockman S traight Up
6
82 | FEATURING 7N SIMMENTAL RANCH Q&A with Arlyn Schmidt, Medina, ND
cover image by Todd Klassey Photography Mitchell Ranch, Cleveland, Mont.
Editor’s Note
KATIE DELANEY JOHNSON, Managing Editor 507.820.0803 | katie@stockmanmag.com
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freedom. Admittedly over the last year, I’ve gotten too comfortable keeping my kids home enjoying what is likely our last year without regular school activities. But, our oldest has made it known he is ready to leave the nest a bit, join a team, and meet new friends. We are trying to teach him that with freedom comes other lessons - responsibility, respect, and reason. We are talking big values here, the kind you hope your kid emulates as an adult. I’ve second-guessed many of our parenting decisions lately while pondering their importance. So, as I put this issue together, a prominent theme kept coming to mind - leadership. Look inside to find examples of unparalleled leadership, dedication to the industry, and folks paving their way with respect for conservation and worthwhile technologies. Our goal is to be your source of relatable inspiration, and this issue does that and more. Enjoy!
Katie publication date
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April 10
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April 2021
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April 2021 8
thestockmanmag.com | THE STOCKMAN
Hit blood-sucking parasites with the triple-barrel power of New TRI-ZAP™ tags.
April 2021
When you go gunnin’ for horn flies, face flies, lice and ear ticks, make sure you’re packing the right weapons. New TRI-ZAP™ insecticide cattle ear tags from Y-TEX®. TRI-ZAP tags are the only tags on the market with three proven active ingredients to stop performance-robbing parasites dead in their tracks. Even those resistant to other tags. So ask your livestock products supplier for the triplebarrel power of TRI-ZAP insecticide cattle ear tags, or visit www.ytex.com to learn more.
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Always read and follow label directions. TRI-ZAP is a trademark of Y-TEX Corporation. © 2020 Y-TEX Corporation
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April 2021 10
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April 2021 THE STOCKMAN | thestockmanmag.com
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Holistic by B. Lynn Gordon photos courtesy Baxter Angus
Baxter Angus is creating a balance with genetics and environment. The focus at Baxter Angus,
Rockham, S.D., is not only on continual advancements of their Angus cowherd, but also on enhancement of the soil health and grazing ability to provide the best inputs. “I put the same emphasis in the development of my cowherd through technology as I do the land they will graze on,” says, Mark Baxter.
be to add a registered component to the cowherd. However, this transition didn’t come easy. While in college Baxter’s father, Merle, was diagnosed with cancer and Mark’s days were filled with helping to keep the current operation up and running. Baxter’s father passed away when Mark was 29 years old. With no other family members to continue
April 2021
Baxter discovered his interest
for registered Angus cattle while enrolled in Agricultural Production at Watertown Vocational Technical College, Watertown, S.D. Although he was familiar with the cow/calf business from his dad’s commercial cowherd, he wasn’t exposed to the use of artificial insemination (AI) as tool for genetic improvement. When he returned home after college, he decided his goal would
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above Letting the bulls hang out in video pen. opposite Mark Baxter moves a bull in stock piled grass.
the operation, he stepped into the role of developing the cowherd and managing the crop acreage in north-central South Dakota.
one of the burdens we are faced with is the need for infrastructure and equipment to be successful within each sector,” he says. The need for farming equipment such as tractors, and combines, along with haying equipment and all the infrastructure needs for a cow/calf operation such as calving barns, working corrals, etc., are required.
Today, Baxter Angus consists of 350 registered Angus cows and 1,500 acres of corn and soybeans, along with land devoted to hay production.
FITTING THE COUNTRY Baxter Angus is located on the border of western ranch county and the corn belt. “We think we live in Big Country but we are just on the verge of it,” explains Baxter. Being located on the edge of two divergent aspects of agriculture, the operation finds itself heavily invested in both the ranch world and the farming world. “We do both, raise cattle and crops extensively and as a result
COW HERD VISION Starting his registered Angus herd in 1993, Baxter chose not to chase calving ease. “I looked for cattle that were good, had the ability to come into their own without
A Baxter Angus bull calf before weaning.
Assured by the history of the Angus cow’s ability to milk adequately and have manageable teat size, Baxter is cautious against selection on higher milk EPDs. He doesn’t want milk to become too much for the environment. For many years, Baxter Angus focused on being an outcross breeder, selecting cattle to add more within breed heterosis; however, over time he has become more confident that breeding lines of Angus genetics which are more closely related has proven to be as fruitful. Baxter has watched the progress made in the breed over the past 30 years through performance The Baxter Angus bull sale.
April 2021
Baxter Angus includes row crops of corn and soybeans.
The location of the ranch is also reflected in the cowherd. “We have larger framed cows and calves because we do have access to corn, ethanol by-products, and need fleshy animals to thrive during the cold South Dakota winters.”
the use of the feed bunk,” he says. Baxter has always believed an 80 lb. calf had more growing ability than a 70 lb. calf, so he let birthweight be more of a natural selection tool than force it to be driven down through selection parameters.
THE STOCKMAN | thestockmanmag.com
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selection and now genomic EPDs, particularly in genetically removing backfat while increasing intramuscular fat. At Baxter Angus the priority is to do DNA testing and sell clean bulls. On the sire selection side, structure is number one. “The bull must be able to walk, putting that back foot into the same hole as the front foot.” Other selection baselines include hindquarters that are thick and meaty, length of spine, moderate birthweight, and meeting the breed standards of weaning weight and yearling weight. “Average daily gain (ADG) is also very important to us,” he says, “it’s the pounds that pays the bills.” Thus, ADG numbers are listed in the Baxter Angus sale catalog.
Connealy Niobrara 5451
CONTINUAL PROGRESSION The harsh South Dakota winters and improvement in pastures has led the operation to shift calving from February to March and April.
______
As warmer days arrive, calving can take place in pastures rather than in the barn. The cows are AI’d in three different groups ranging from 40-90 head to allow for manageable AI and calving times. AI does
“I put the same emphasis in the development of my cowherd through technology as I do the land they will graze on.”
_______
April 2021
Mark Baxter
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thestockmanmag.com | THE STOCKMAN
above Moving replacement heifers to new paddock near Rockham, SD. opposite Mark Baxter strategically winter feeds cattle where he wants to increase soil health.
come during busy corn planting at the farm, so adjustments have been made so that each project is successful. “We do the AI in the morning and evenings and corn planting takes place in the afternoon.” To be able to get all the corn planted in this shorter time-window, Baxter purchased a 24-row planter. It requires a balance to achieve all the farm tasks throughout the year. Although the row crops are important, Baxter is working to achieve the best soil health and ability to have longer grazing seasons. He is converting farm ground to grass, planting native grasses, and conducting bale grazing during the winter months. This transition has taken place in the past three years. The end goal is to enhance the organic matter to create the land’s ability to hold the snow and improve soil health with natural application of manure. Another venture is an emphasis on wildlife habitat. Baxter enhanced an existing pond adding
“The implementation of holistic practices is starting to be seen in the cattle,” says Baxter. “The cattle are healthier, have more room to move around thus getting more exercise and we are seeing life come back to the soil.” Baxter is pleased with the progress he is making improving the grasslands and the goals he has set for his cattle operation. “I think as you reach goals in your life for a cattle herd you naturally want to do better with the next calf crop, the next bull sale, the next year.” He comments, “our guarantee is simple, if you are not happy, we are not either.” Like fellow seedstock producers, Baxter is striving to raise that perfect bull but understands the perfect animal will never be born, Native grasses with pollinators.
because our nature is to always stive to do a better in each generation produced. He recalls, when a weaning weight EPD (WW) of 40 and a yearling weight EPD (YW) of 90 was a good bull. Then a few years later the breed wanted a 50 WW and 100 YW. Now Angus breeders are producing 75 WW and 130 YW EPD cattle. “As the goal post keeps moving. we just have to resist selecting for two or three traits and select for the animal that is the complete package,” he says. Baxter predicts the industry is on the verge of even more dramatic genetic advances than what has been seen in the last 20 years. This spring, in addition to gearing up for field work and wrapping up calving season, Baxter is looking forward to his annual bull sale. The sale, held at the farm site, offers 60 bulls and 35 heifers for sale. learn more baxterangus.com Baxter Angus Bull Sale will be held Tuesday, April 27, 2021 at the ranch near Rockham, SD.
Pasture pond now stocked at Baxter Angus.
April 2021
Mark Baxter, Baxter Angus in Rockham, SD
blue gills, catfish, and bull heads to the pond and planting trees around the pond to provide shelter for the cattle in the winter. A solar powered aeration system will be added to keep the pond open year-round.
THE STOCKMAN | thestockmanmag.com
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Wall Street Cattle Co. SPRING SEMEN FEATURES Lebanon, Missouri • www.WallStreetCattle.com •
Iron Horse
Aquifer
Reg. +*19415015 BIGK/WSC IRON HORSE 025F Sire: EXAR STALLION 7986 Dam: EXAR HENRIETTA PRIDE 5702 CED
BW
WW
YW
MILK MARB REA
$W
$M
$B
$C
CED
BW
WW
+9 +1.9 +87 +156 +28 +.87 +1.29 +90 +72 +204 +337
+8
-.9
+61 +108 +34 +.71 +.52 +81 +107 +126 +270
Royal
Signal
April 2021
Reg. +*19125869 FF RITO ROYAL 7EX10 Sire: SYDGEN EXCEED 3223 Dam: FF RITA 3R30 OF 9Q23 5M2
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Reg. +*19405247 SQUARE B AQUIFER 8054 Sire: S A V RAINFALL 6846 Dam: ELBANNA OF CONANGA 1209
CED
BW
+9
+.9 +49 +96 +40 +1.81 +.95 +70 +79 +212 +354
WW
YW
MILK MARB REA
$W
$M
$B
$C
YW
MILK MARB REA
$W
$M
$B
$C
Reg. +*18748511 V A R SIGNAL 7244 Sire: BASIN PAYWEIGHT 1682 Dam: PF CC&7 HENRIETTA PRIDE 1044 CED
BW
WW
YW
MILK MARB REA
$W
$M
$B
$C
+8 +1.5 +78 +143 +22 +.63 +.60 +74 +75 +174 +301
14603 Highway KK, Lebanon, Missouri 65536 Eddie & Adam Currier, Proprietors Office: (417) 288-4444 Vince Roberts, General Manager (318) 470-0050
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April 2021 THE STOCKMAN | thestockmanmag.com
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April 2021 18
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Wednesday Evening
April 14, 2021 • 6 p.m. Grand Opening of the Gilchrist Auction Facility at the
12144 Dove Avenue, Douds, Iowa
RED RECKONING The
AUCTION
50 Red Angus Bulls
Commercial Red Angus Bred and Open Heifers
FEATURING…
2 sons of Bieber Stockmarket with REA scans of 15.67 & 16.21 and 4 sons of 3SCC Laser Focused ranking in the top 1% PROS and 1% HB!
(#4333877)
Lot 7
(#4332057)
Lot 5 (#4297105)
Lot 33
(#4332097)
This bull offering is truly an elite set of sons of: Bieber Stockmarket, 3SCC Laser Focused, HXC Dawson, Red U2 Reckoning, RREDS Pioneer, Badlands Opportunity, 5L Independence, DAMAR Next, LSF RHO Night Focus, 9 Mile Franchise, GMRA Tesa, PIE Cinch, HXC Declaration, Cockburn Ribeye, PIE Just Right and more! – Kyle Gilchrist Gilchrist
(#4333875)
Lot 9
(#4332125)
Auction Co.
Kyle and Lisa Gilchrist
Check out the bull videos on: A production of Star G Ranch, Inc.
THE STOCKMAN | thestockmanmag.com
Lot 24
14075 120th St. • Douds, IA 52551 Kyle: 641/919-1077 • Lisa: 515/669-9945 redcowseller@yahoo.com
April 2021
Lot 2
View this catalog online at www.redcows.net 19
Extension Education
University research you can use.
by Kacie McCarthy UNL Cow/Calf Specialist beef.unl.edu
MANAGING POSTPARTUM ANESTRUS IN BEEF COWS FOR A SUCCESSFUL BREEDING SEASON A
s calving season is kicking off for many producers, we need to start thinking about how to manage cows during the early postpartum phase for a successful breeding season. Due to calving distribution, one thing to worry about is late calving cows and how limited breeding season lengths can be challenging for them. Therefore, effective planning for reproductive health and limiting the impact of anestrus will ensure that cows are set up for the breeding season. By targeting cyclicity early in the breeding season, cows have a greater chance of higher pregnancy rates and therefore increase their opportunity to become pregnant during a limited breeding season.
MANAGING THE POSTPARTUM INTERVAL
April 2021
Beef cows must recover from the nutrient and physical demands of calving and lactation and will have 80 to 85 days to return to estrus after calving to potentially maintain a yearly calving interval. Failure to successfully manage the postpartum interval (PPI) is one of the major causes of reproductive loss, especially in young cows.
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After calving, cows go through postpartum anestrus, a period in which cows do not experience
estrous cycles. During this period, the uterus is trying to return to non-pregnant size, shape and position, and repair to support another pregnancy. This process (uterine involution) is completed in approximately 20 to 40 days following calving if no complications arise. During the first ovulation postpartum, sometimes we see shorter estrous cycles and decreased fertility in those females. Therefore, we need cows to initiate estrous cycles prior to the start of the breeding season to become pregnant. If cows do not exhibit estrous or are still in anestrus, the chances for those females to cycle or get bred early in the breeding season decreases. So how can we manage cows that calve late or potentially are not cycling early enough postpartum?
BODY CONDITION SCORE INFLUENCES POSTPARTUM INTERVAL Body condition score is an effective management tool to estimate the energy reserves of a cow. Research has shown that body condition at the time of calving has the greatest impact on subsequent rebreeding performance. Therefore, managing nutrient intake and body condition score (BCS) before and after calving contributes to improved reproductive efficiency
within a herd. For reproductive success, BCS (on a 9-point scale) should target a 5 to 5.5 for mature females and 5.5 to 6 for first calf heifers by the breeding season. Several studies indicate that cows that gain a BCS during the last trimester tend to have shorter PPI compared to those that maintain condition. Therefore, nutritional adjustments in the last trimester prior to calving to increase calving BCS could impact reproductive performance and should be part of a nutritional management strategy. More information on how to manage cow BCS and nutrition prior to breeding can be found in “Body Condition Score and Getting Thin Cows to Rebreed.”
HOW TO MOVE UP LATE CALVING COWS IN THE BREEDING SEASON? Utilizing a controlled intravaginal drug release (CIDR), which is a slow-release progesterone device, is a common estrus synchronization tool that can be used to “jump start” the cycle of late calving cows or manipulate the cycle in cows and heifers. Research has shown that inserting the CIDR no sooner than 20 days post calving can initiate cycling earlier than may occur naturally. Even if artificial insemi-
thestockmanmag.com | THE STOCKMAN
Beef cows must recover from the nutrient and physical demands of calving and lactation and will have 80 to 85 days to return to estrus after calving to potentially maintain a yearly calving interval. Photo credit Troy Walz.
One resource that allows producers to generate calendars specific to timing of synchronization drugs, CIDR insertion and removal, and when to artificially inseminate is the Estrus Synchronization Planner (http://www.iowabeefcenter.org/estrussynch.html). Another resource
that allows producers to evaluate cost associated with different protocols and breeding decisions would be the Breeding Cost CowQ-Lator (https://beef.unl.edu/ breeding-cost-cow-q-lator). Overall, evaluating body condition prior to calving and through the breeding season will allow producers to make appropriate nutritional changes to ensure those females are in adequate condition for
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the next breeding season. Optimal reproductive performance of your cow herd requires that cows target a BCS of 5 or better. For early postpartum cows, utilizing estrous synchronization tools that include a progestin may be advantageous. University of Nebraska - Lincoln, UNL Beef Interviews with the authors of BeefWatch newsletter articles become available throughout the month of publication and are accessible at https://go.unl.edu/podcast.
#morethanahobby #thestockman
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April 2021
nation is not being utilized, estrus synchronization can help decrease the PPI of thin BCS cows in the breeding season.
21
The First Hydraulic Corral and still the Largest!
Rawhide Original
Rawhide Processor by John McDonald
3 Sizes
April 2021
Available!
22
• Pull on highway at speed limit. • Fits through any gate your pickup will. • Stable on uneven terrain. • Frame gates for sorting. • Permanent sheeted adjustable alley. • Transport wheels are permanent, no sliding off the axles and rolling out of the way.
• Wheels on each panel and electric over hydraulic jack eliminates lifting—saves time.
Rawhide Portable Corral 900 NORTH WASHINGTON ST., ABILENE, KS 67410
785.263.3436
www.rawhideportablecorral.com thestockmanmag.com | THE STOCKMAN
in the
Saturday, April 17, 2021 Sale Location: JS Ranch • Harris, Missouri Sale Time: 1 p.m.
Offering includes…
• 40 head of registered and percentage bulls 13-20 months old • Registered show heifer prospects • Spring pairs and bred females (registered and commercial) • 50 commercial Red Angus heifers ready to breed
A.I. Sires…PIE One Of A Kind 842, RRA One and Only 733, WFL Merlin 018A, H2R Profitbuilder B403, GMAR Trilogy 0226, GMRA Tesla 6214, 3SCC Doman 163A, Andras Bando B068
Nathan Rogers: 660-748-6350 Raymond Rogers: 660-748-3612
JS Ranch
Cody Holt: 660-748-8352
April 2021
Auctioneer: Kyle Gilchrist: 641-919-1077
Rogers Ranch
THE STOCKMAN | thestockmanmag.com
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Saturday, April 24th • 5:00 PM • Waverly Livestock Auction, Waverly, IA • 110 Elite Lots
Kappes Big Ticket C521 Remington Lock N Load 54U x Mr. NLC Upgrade U8676
70 Bulls Performance Tested & 40 Spring Calving Pairs – Including some of the first Guardian calves selling at the sides of first calf heifers!
HL/WMCC Intergrate H159 3/4 SM HL Intergrate 0E188 x Flying B Cut Above
HEARTLAND SIMMENTALS Kirk & Mary Lynch New Hampton, IA Cell 563-379-1190
Tom & Cora Lynch • Nashua, IA 563-380-1098
HL Judge G905 3/4 SM
HL Smooth Criminal H90 PB SM
SPG The Judge D633 x LLL/WMCC Big Softy
SK Smooth Criminal E174 x OLF Odin U5
HL Kong H96
HL/WMCC Mayhem H151
April 2021
ONLINE BIDDING AVAILABLE WITH WWW.LIVEAUCTIONS.TV
24
Sale Managers: Eberspacher Enterprises Inc. Office 507-532-6694 Val’s Cell 612-805-7405 sales@ebersale.com
Catalog online at www.ebersale.com
3/4 SM
THSR Kong F848 x W/C United 956Y
SimAngus™
WMCC Mayhem 810F x R&R Emblazon 7015
thestockmanmag.com | THE STOCKMAN
+64 +105 +196 $C +318
+79 +119 +194 $C +331
$M
$F
SydGen Exceed 3223 CED
BW
WW
YW
RADG
+9
+.5 +45 +91
+.26
YH
SC
Doc
Claw Angle
HP
CEM Milk
$B CW
Marb RE
Fat
+.8 +1.47 +26 +.45 +.71 +13.6 +10 +37 +46 +1.36 +.86 -.023
He always exceeds expectations! Sire of Enhance, the $150,000 SydGen Blackcap 8665 and the top-scanning bull calf from our February bull calves slated for the SydGen Influence Sale on April 13. Owned with Shawnee Winds Angus, Jefferson City, MO. Semen $20.
$M $F
SydGen Enhance CED
BW
WW
YW
RADG
+10 +.2 +65 +131 +.33
YH
SC
Doc
Claw Angle
$B HP
CEM Milk
CW
Marb RE
Fat
+.8 +1.50 +35 +.36 +.53 +8.6 +15 +27 +61 +1.11 +.68 +.002
Number 1 for registrations and the highest accuracy sire among all top 1% $C sires. He has sired top-sellers around the world and his daughters will secure his place in Angus history. Owned with Mogck & Sons, Olivet, SD. Semen $30.
Congratulations to 44 Farms on their history-making sale on February 27, when 77 Enhance sons grossed $1,051,500 to average $13,656!
Connealy Cool 39L CED
BW
WW
YW
RADG
+11 +1.0 +63 +107 +.21
YH
SC
Doc
Claw Angle
HP
CEM Milk
CW
$F
Marb RE
Fat
+.4 +1.85 +38 +.47 +.50 +20.9 +5 +21 +48 +.50 +.91 +.017
Currently ranked Number 4 on the Main Sire Summary for $M and Number 2 for HP, he also brings big scrotal, docility and good endproduct merit with his genetic resume. Owned with Big Dry Angus Ranch, Jordan, MT. Semen $20.
Check out www.sydgen.com for more information on our Sixteenth Annual SydGen Influence Sale, April 13 at New Cambria, MO.
Eddie Sydenstricker eddiel@sydenstrickers.com Fax (573) 581-5991
Sydenstricker John Deere Office (573) 581-5900 Kim Sydenstricker-Monte
THE STOCKMAN | thestockmanmag.com
+73 +111 $B +180 $C +306
$M
$F
SydGen Black Pearl 2006 CED
BW
WW
YW
RADG
+10 +.9 +60 +111 +.26
YH
SC
Doc
Claw Angle
HP
CEM Milk
CW
Marb RE
Fat
+.5 +.95 +23 +.53 +.59 +12.7 +14 +28 +59 +.98 +.81 +.029
Pearl brings the fourth highest $C Value in the breed, at his accuracy level, behind Enhance, Momentum and Confidence Plus. Daughters are sought-after for their productivity. Owned with Swanson Angus Farm, Durant, IA, and Brinkley Angus Ranch, Milan, MO. Semen $20.
To order semen on any SydGen Sires, call 573-581-1225. We also have several top young sires available. Volume discounts and shipped to your door!
P.O. Box 280 Mexico, MO 65265 www.sydgen.com
Ben Eggers (573) 473-9202 eggers@socket.net Farm Office (573) 581-1225 Bub Raithel (573) 253-1664 Blake McDonald (573) 205-7914
Kyle Vukadin Kenneth Roberts Kyle Tate Darla Eggers
April 2021
+95 +87 $B +135 $C +270
$M
EPDs as of 3/3/21 25
Leading the Way
How leadership works on the ranch.
contributed article by B. Lynn Gordon Leader Consulting, Sioux Falls, S.D. leaderconsulting.biz
STEPPING UP TO LEADERSHIP ROLES M
any of us are finding ourselves recalling what we were doing a year ago as the nation was grappling with the early days of the COVID-19 virus. Lockdowns were beginning, and life as we knew it was changing. We wondered how long it would last and contemplated the outcome. Undoubtedly, we thought, it won’t impact the beef industry. How could it?
does not build character – it reveals it.” Times of adversity and crisis bring even greater focus on the need to have leaders who can lead and act. If the pandemic impacts the beef industry, will the industry have leaders to rally to the cause?
Thinking about how individuals and industries react in times of crisis took me back to the research I conducted for my doctorate ten years ago. I interviewed twelve national beef industry leaders to provide a perspective on leadership. I wanted to learn more about “What Brings People to Leadership Roles” in the beef industry.
Let’s look back to what these beef industry leaders said about their rise to leadership roles. First, they focused on their willingness to serve their industry, and second, they served because of their commitment to the industry.
An old adage says, “Adversity
WILLINGNESS TO SERVE The study participants, who
April 2021
Yet, as 2020 rolled on, we witnessed the pandemic send ripple waves through our industry at many different levels. However, as a stockman, the lockdowns didn’t impact us like it did the consumers who wanted to dine on a juicy steak
at a white-tablecloth restaurant in New York City, a steak proudly produced by ranchers. Instead, the slowdowns at harvest facilities creating both peaks and valleys in the food supply chain and the markets were what impacted your business.
26
thestockmanmag.com | THE STOCKMAN
_______ _______
“When it’s an industry you believe in, you don’t mind devoting time.”
Universally, they demonstrated a willingness to be involved. As a result, their presence at meetings and events was noticed, and soon their willingness to take part and help the organization was recognized by fellow association members. They began filling roles as committee chairs, serving on boards, or leading special events. “You have to be willing to put in the time and have the attitude of wanting to be involved,” stated one beef industry leader. The participants agreed their willingness to be active and become more visible demonstrated the value placed on being advocates for the organization. Their roles consisted of building membership, being vocal and optimistic, working to bring people together, and empowering others. Unanimously, it was a natural progression rather than a chartered roadmap that carried these leaders to serve in a leadership capacity on national beef industry boards and THE STOCKMAN | thestockmanmag.com
associations. None of the leaders interviewed set out to be leaders, but they looked back and saw the progression and process they stepped through. As the stepping-stone process occurred, more doors were opened and challenged the leaders with new experiences which extended their involvement. “As opportunities arise and you see yourself being able to give something to that issue or position, you step forward,” one study participant recalled.
INDUSTRY COMMITMENT Leaders are often identified in the business world through their professional work or rank within a company or corporation. Whereas, grassroots agricultural producers volunteer their time to serve. Asked why they got involved, the answer was straightforward – because they want to give back to the industry and support its future. “When it’s an industry you believe in, you don’t mind devoting time,” said one participant proudly. Pride for their industry, for future generations in agriculture, for their families and communities, and their role in producing safe, wholesome food energized these volunteers to devote time away from their daily farming or ranching business.
However, they don’t discount those who, due to family or business commitments, are unable to dedicate extra time to serve their industry. Still, they understand if you have the opportunity to leave your base operation as a volunteer, serving your industry is extremely rewarding. Humbled to call themselves leaders, these twelve beef producers filled roles during critical times which have faced the beef industry, from the BSE crises and economic challenges to volatile industry issues and domestic policies.
FUTURE IN GREAT HANDS If the leaders in my study are representative of the leaders in the beef industry, then we are in good hands to deal with a crisis. I could list many instances in 2020 I heard of where this was exemplified and I would garner to bet you could too. Taking action during times of challenge, being willing to serve, and consistently demonstrating their commitment to the industry was and continues to be shown by beef industry leaders. Editors Note: For more results from the
study or a presentation on the topic, feel free to contact me at lynn@leaderconsulting.biz
B. Lynn Gordon, Ph.D., Leader Consulting, LLC. Sioux Falls, S.D. Lynn is an agricultural freelance writer and leadership consultant with an extensive background in the livestock industry. She can be reached at lynn@leaderconsulting.biz or through her blog at www.leaderconsulting.biz
April 2021
represented all beef production segments, emphasized you can’t be a leader if you don’t show up. You can’t have a say in your industry’s future if your voice is not heard. These leaders realized this as they started to get active in their local, state, and national beef organizations. Several of them remember hearing the statement made by a fellow beef industry leader – “the world is run by those who show up.”
27
April 2021 28
thestockmanmag.com | THE STOCKMAN
BAXTER ANGUS April 27, 2021
Connealy Niobrara 5451 Niobrara replacement heifers will sell!
at Baxter Angus Farm Sale at 5 pm
Selling Sires Represented Pit Boss E781 ● SAV Renown 3439 MCC Cash 8037 ● MGR Treasure Connealy Legendary 644L Connealy Plus 580
Semen Tested Fully Guaranteed
Sire: Connealy Confidence Plus | Dam: Britha of Conanga 167
CE +4 | BW +1.6 | WW +77 | YW +146 | Milk +31 | SC +0.82 | $B +196
Reg. 19787486
1857
BW +2.0 | WW +59 | YW +110 | Milk +29
Reg. 19994569
7102
BW +1.4 | WW +60 | YW +111 | Milk +27
Mark Baxter Jade Jandel 605-460-1714
THE STOCKMAN | thestockmanmag.com
Visitors Welcome! April 2021
605-450-0206 16984 368th Ave. Rockham, SD
29
BRAND ANGUS 15 PRODUCTION SALE l Annua th
Saturday | 5PM | Lake City, MN
APRIL 24, 2021 Selling: 35 Yearling Bulls 6 Open Heifers
Southern Charm
April 2021
Put a 30
Calves by:
EXAR Denver, Bubs Southern Charm, SydGen Enhance, Welytok Discovery, GAR Sunrise and others!
Enhance
! s w o c r u o y n bull o
Our cattle consistently grad 100% CAB and 60-100% Prime.
For more information, contact:
BRAND ANGUS
facebook.com/brandangus Frank or Jeff 32199 County Road 33 | Lake City, MN 651-764-1281 | 651-764-1065 brandangus@hotmail.com | jjbrand28@hotmail.com
thestockmanmag.com | THE STOCKMAN
ASA# 3818147
ASA# 3769104
at the Ranch, Worthing, SD
API: 149 TI: 93
April 10, 2021 5:00 pm ASA# 3788415
CE
12
ASA# 3269892
CE
11
BW
0.6
WW
70
YW
96
MCE
5
Milk
28
MARB
0.16
REA
0.76
BW
0.8
WW
YW
97
152
MCE
6
Milk
29
MARB
CE
BW
1.4
REA
CE
0.37 1.04
WW
68
YW
99
MCE
6
Milk
19
MARB
0.00
BW
20 -4.2
REA
73
YW
100
MCE
10
Milk
24
API: 118 TI: 69
CE
14
BW
-1.3
MARB
0.2
REA
0.84
API: 107 TI: 68
E58 I sells with a CDI Mainline Bull calf tkcc Carver x Lock N Load 0.77
WW
ASA# 3818147
API: 113 TI: 69
E175 I Sells with a CDI Mainline Heifer Calf WS Revival x Magnetic Lady 11
G962 I Calving ease Standout TJ Main Event x SS/prs High Voltage
ASA# 3330130
API: 128 TI: 75
H618 I Offering exclusive Semen Packages for 2021 W/C Fort Knox x STF Ms ZW87
API: 133 TI: 80
G933 I High growth, Big Spread TJ Main Event x MCM Top Grade
WW
65
YW
91
MCE
6
Milk
22
MARB
-0.06
512C I PB AR I safe to W/c fully loaded pzc tmas firestorm x beckton julian REA
0.91
CE
BW
15
-3.1
45 BULLS 45 FEMALES
WW
52
YW
78
MCE
8
Milk
33
MARB
REA
0.21 - 0.25
www.dvauction.com
Jaron, Kadee, Tatum & Kyzer Van Beek DOUG & DEBBIE PARKE DREW & HOLLI HATMAKER office@dpsalesllc.com l WWW.DPSALESLLC.COM SM
Nick Sloup 402.641.2936 Bill Sloup 402.641.5132
LLC
April 2021
27905 472nd Ave I Worthing, SD 57077 605.929.3749 I jaronvb09@yahoo.com Craig Laackmann 712.470.0787 Adam Louwerse 712.449.5094
THE STOCKMAN | thestockmanmag.com
31
Join us in celebrating valued folks working behind the scenes at many top operations in our mini-series: Unsung Heros of the Seedstock Industry.
THE
HEREFORD
‘HANDELER’ by B. Lynn Gordon photos courtesy Art Handel, Hereford America, and the Nebraska Cattlemen’s Classic
Art Handel connects cattle and people with a dedication few can rival.
If
Webster’s Dictionary had a definition of an “unsung hero” it would list Art Handel Jr., Rapid City, S.D. Handel is the epitome of someone who has dedicated his life to the benefit of others. Few individuals can parallel the number of years on the road, number of miles clocked, number of nights in a hotel, and the number of breeding programs they have influenced. 2021 marks Handel’s 57th year on the road marketing cattle. The Stockman is honored to feature Art Handel, the impact he has made to the beef industry, and more specifically, his influence across the Hereford breed.
April 2021
LEARNING THE ROPES
32
As a young man, Handel, raised near Scotland, S.D., in the southeastern corner of the state, was an
avid 4-H and FFA member. Both of his grandfathers were registered Hereford breeders, and his father Art, Sr., continued this family tradition. There was no question what breed of cattle Art, Jr., would show. As a young man he became a regular at the South Dakota State Fair showing competitive Herefords. While in college at South Dakota State University (SDSU) from 1955-1959, Handel and some of his friends would buy the best Hereford steers they could find and enter them in open steers shows. “At that time, the steers shows were open to anyone, of any age, unlike today where the steers shows are youth focused,” he explains. He gained greater awareness of the livestock industry from his involvement in SDSU clubs such as Block and Bridle, Little International, and as a member of the livestock and meats
judging teams. He performed as the clown for the Rodeo club and enjoyed fighting bulls at rodeos for several years. Along with his college roommate, Roger Hunsley, also a well-known figure in the beef industry and good friend South Dakota Hereford breeder, Richard (Tricky) Wettlauffer, he hit the road with Hereford show steers. The trio won numerous champions in the open division at the American Royal, Chicago International, Odgen Utah’s Golden Spike, and the National Western. In the 1960s the pen of three steer division was another highly competitive event. The three young men were masters at putting together three steers to excel. During college, Handel started to learn the ropes about marketing
thestockmanmag.com | THE STOCKMAN
cattle and the bull sale business. He lived in the basement of John and Orpha Leible’s home in Brookings, S.D. Leible was the long-time manager of the South Dakota Hereford Association and a busy auctioneer. Leible invited Handel to travel with him to the sales and started to teach him the ropes of taking bids ringside. This experience laid the foundation for an unprecedented career.
PERFECT FIT Gaining experience working sales across South Dakota, Handel met many breeders and assisted them in preparing cattle for area Hereford shows and sales. When the opportunity surfaced to join the American Hereford Association (AHA) in January 1970 as a Field Representative, it was the logical next step. “Flowing into the role of being a field man was a piece of cake,” he says, “I was comfortable with many of the tasks already.”
His role began with the responsibility of the territory of Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. He traveled that region for just over two years, when the territory of Ne-
THE STOCKMAN | thestockmanmag.com
above Hereford enthusiast Art Handel. left (l-r) Joe Devitt, Art Handel, and Richard (Tricky) Wettlauffer with their Champion Pen of Three Steers at the Chicago International, 1959.
April 2021
His many years of showing and winning at national steer shows meant he would oversee those events for the Association along with many other duties. Some of the tasks of a field man in the 1970s remain consistent to responsibilities today; however, the methods and lack of technology in those days, shaped it into a much different role.
33
braska came open. He was asked, by Hop Dickinson, AHA Executive Secretary to assist in covering Nebraska selling ads for the upcoming Herd Bull issue of the Hereford Journal until a fulltime replacement could be found.
The then AHA and the American Polled Hereford Association (APHA) merged in 1996. The field man duties shifted to cover representation of both polled and horned breeders. The newly formed asso-
ciation carried on as the American Hereford Association (AHA) and the publication, previously Hereford Journal became the Hereford World. Handel covered the territory of North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, and Kansas through 2002.
MARKETING MANIA One element which stands out the most to Handel was his duty to be the marketing arm of the breeders. He became an expert at taking photos. “I shot 90% of the bull photos that were taken in my territories during my 33 years as field man,” he states. He believes he took over 100,000 photos and remembers the excitement when 35 mm cameras came out and 36 role film. “You
April 2021
Nebraska was a big territory and packed with Hereford breeders. Handel approached this added role aggressively and sold a lot of ads for the Herd Bull edition. “That was the most money I ever made selling ads,” he recalls. In 1981, the Hereford Journal, Herd Bull edition was over 1,000 pages. It was a reference, that as a breeder, if you did not have an ad in it, you missed a fantastic opportunity because it was the guide for the year to come. Handel recalls selling as many as 112 pages for the July Herd Bull issue.
Demonstrating his ability to achieve, Handel was awarded the Nebraska territory. The AHA then added on Colorado and Wyoming, allowing him to turn his previous responsibilities over to another AHA representative. However, the timing of the production sales didn’t align across these three states, so Handel shifted to focus solely on Nebraska for nine years, one of the association’s highest-ranked states of membership. “I would average 100 plus bull sales a year just in Nebraska as some of the herds had both spring and fall sales.”
34
thestockmanmag.com | THE STOCKMAN
filled up a 12 or 24 role film too fast taking bull photos.” He incorporated the trick of taking a photo of the ear tag of the animal before he took any photos of it, to make sure he never mixed up any ID’s. He became a master in developing ads. “Especially in the earlier days of my role, it was my job to not only sell the advertisements but put the ad together and get it to the magazine staff.” Without the technology afforded today, Handel would sketch out the ads with a pen and piece of paper (or a restaurant napkin), gather up supporting materials such as photos, find the nearest mailbox during his travels, and mail the ad to the editorial staff in Kansas City.
Not only was he directing advertising for the operations, but when Handel showed up for the bull sales, he made the sale order, took calls from interested buyers, and found a new home for many bulls. Writing sale reports was a time-consuming task. All reports were hand-written, starting with a introduction summary on the weather, crowd, popular sire groups sold, breeding program followed by the listing of at least 10 of the top selling animals.
A TEXTBOOK OF STORIES Visiting with Handel would be equivalent to reading a history and THE STOCKMAN | thestockmanmag.com
left Art Handel was inducted in the American Hereford Association Hall of Fame in 2016. Pat and Art Handel (center) with AHA Board Members Sam Shaw, Terri Barber, Bob Thompson. above Doing what he does best - dialing for dollars and touring herds.
animal science textbook. “I could tell you stories for days.” For many Hereford breeders and enthusiasts, listening to his stories is something they always find time for. From calling airports to ask them to hold the plane, to having his car stolen while walking a pasture in Western Nebraska, and knowing where every pay phone booth was, he did everything possible to achieve success in his role. In December 2002, he left the AHA and started his own business, Handel Marketing, LLC. His mission was to serve as a consultant
and order buyer with the emphasis on Herefords. In tune with the industry and Hereford genetics, this was a natural progression for Handel. “My motto always was faith, trust, and honesty as a field man. The breeders knew this would not change.” He continues to travel to bull sales occasionally working the ring or on the outlook for sires to place in herds. For the past 10 years, he has averaged 45-50 production sales per year plus visited many sale barns to purchase Hereford-influenced feeder cattle for feedyards
April 2021
Handel perfected this craft. Sometimes he sat across the kitchen table with the breeder to talk through the ad, but most of the time, it was on pure faith of his ability that the producer let Handel draw out the ad, send it in, and never ask for or see a proof. “I was the marketing manager for the herds.”
35
in the northern plains. He jokes, “when I walk in a sale barn the auctioneer says, we must be selling some Herefords today, the Hereford man is here.” Handel’s evaluation of cattle is worth its weight in gold. He has placed more than 60 herds of cattle by private treaty. It was a testament to the trust and faith Hereford breeders had in Handel to place sales as high as a one-million dollars in his hands. When his phone rings or when he’s at a bull sale, producers ask, “What is the best bull?” His answer, “The best bull is the one your cowherd needs.” The fit to a cowherd is what he emphasizes because every herd is unique. He prides himself on giving hard advice. “If they want to stay in the cattle business, sometimes I have to tell them what they don’t want to hear.” His advice has influenced up to five generations of some families. “I challenge them to set their goals because this is the most important step. They need to know what type of cattle they want to raise, who their customer base is, and how they will achieve their goals.” He tells young producers “are you a wanna be or a do a be,” The seedstock industry is a segment of the beef industry that requires dedication and fortitude, and even established producers have to continue to ask themselves tough questions.
April 2021
___
36
“The best bull is the one your cowherd needs.”
___ thestockmanmag.com | THE STOCKMAN
________ “My motto always was faith, trust, and honesty as a field man.”
______ Art Handel
A segment of Handel Marketing is also assisting heifer developers in purchasing large numbers of heifers to be bred and marketed as brood cows to customers. Plus, he shares his talent with Marc Hotchkiss, Reva, S.D., to form the HEREFORD CONNECTION, a sale management company which has successfully managed large Hereford dispersals.
LIFE ON THE ROAD Handel’s life has been on the road. “I lived it,” he says. Admitting he did sacrifice time with his family especially his three girls, Brenda, Thea, and Lisa, and the end of a marriage. With up to 235 nights/year in hotel rooms he missed many family events and opportunities because of serving the industry. Art was later married to Pat Clanton and the two have lived in Rapid City, SD., for 28 years.
top left Two Black Hills Stock Show honorees and long-time travel buddies, Art Handel and Lynn Weishaar. middle left Art Handel selling with John Grassel at the Grassel Dispersal in Huron, SD. bottom left Art ringside at the 2021 Nebraska Cattlemen’s Classic. bottom right Art was recognized for 30 years of dedication and attendance at the 30th Anniversary of the Nebraska Cattlemen’s Classic.
THE STOCKMAN | thestockmanmag.com
April 2021
In his prime days, he had mailing addresses in Scotland, S.D., and North Platte, Neb. Plus, a long-standing hotel room reser-
37
vation at the North Platte Ramada Inn was his home away from home for almost eight years. “I had a special arrangement with the hotel owner, that I could leave my clothes and other items in the room as he never rented it out to anyone else.” It saved me many hours of driving knowing I had a second home-base. The long-days and nights on the
road for shows, sales, and herd visits were his passion. “Only two times did I dump my briefcase and say I was done.” Handel says he gave himself a few days to digress, got over his frustration, and went back to fulfilling his responsibilities.
his dwindling enthusiasm for his life-long role but age and wear and tear on his body that have forced him to slow down. Fortunately, he is only a phone call or text away to provide valuable advice and consultation to registered and commercial Hereford breeders.
This “unsung hero” says he is slowing down after nearly six decades on the road. “I predict in 2021 to spend only 50-75 nights in hotels.” It is definitely not
BY THE NUMBERS • 75 consec-
utive years attendance at the South Dakota State Fair • 45 years at the National Western Stock Show (1970-2017) • Attended Black Hills Stock Show since 1967 • At all 30 years of Nebraska Cattlemen’s Classic • Over 7,500 nights in hotel • Traveled over 4 million miles • Ring-service at over 5,000 sales • Attended or organized more than 65 state tours
NOTABLE HONORS -
April 2021
• National Western Hall of Fame,
38
Livestock Marketeer, 2000 • Agri-Business Person of the Year, Black Hills Stock Show, 2006 • American Hereford Association, Hall of Fame, 2016 • South Dakota Hereford Association, Enthusiast of the Year • Nebraska Hereford Association, Recognition – 30 Years of Dedication • First co-advisor of South Dakota Junior Hereford Association thestockmanmag.com | THE STOCKMAN
Thank you for joining us to celebrate these Unsung Heros of the Seedstock Industry. Special thanks to Jerry, Jim, and Art for sharing their stories.
Nominate the Unsung Hero in your area to be featured in this mini-series next year!
THE TOCKMAN THE STOCKMAN | thestockmanmag.com
April 2021
Please email nominations to katie@stockmanmag.com
39
HallstrandAngus
6th AnnuAl Production SAle
Saturday • 1:00 pm (Cdt) • april 24, 2021
NortherN WiscoNsiN’s Premier ANgus Bull sAle W6861 County road I • ogema, Wi
Selling 50 Hand Selected lotS! 39 Service Age BullS
<<<
& 11 FeAtured FemAleS
<<<
SIRES REPRESENTED:
Ellingson Homestead 6030, Musgrave 316 Stunner, Raven Powerball 53, Ellingson Resource 6219, Jindra Magahit, Jindra Blackout, SydGen Enhance, MAR Innovation, and more... Genetics From These Breed Leaders Sell!
HE SELLS!
HE SELLS!
Hallstrand Innovation H57 Sire: mAr innovAtion 251 dAm: HAllStrAnd t528 mgS: conneAly conSenSuS 782e
HallstrandAngus
Hallstrand Homestead H31 Sire: ellingSon HomeSteAd 6030 dAm: HAllStrAnd ritA H312 mgS: HAllStrAnd tc totAl 410 S018
HE SELLS!
Sale Address: W6861 County Road I Ogema, WI 54459
Kurt .................. (715) 657-0233 Todd ................ (715) 820-1810 Jed .................... (715) 657-0531 hallstrandangus@gmail.com
April 2021
www.HallStrandanguS.com
40
Hallstrand Robust T538 H143 Sire: HAllStrAnd roBuSt z4 t538 dAm: HAllStrAnd-t-u192 new StAnd mgS: lcc new StAndArd
For your free reference sale booklet, contact anyone in the office of the Sale Managers, TOM BURKE, KURT SCHAFF, JEREMY HAAG, AMERICAN ANGUS HALL OF FAME at the WORLD ANGUS HEADQUARTERS, Box 660, Smithville, MO 64089. Phone 816/532-0811. Fax 816/532-0851. Email: angushall@angushall.com * www.angushall.com
thestockmanmag.com | THE STOCKMAN
April 2021 THE STOCKMAN | thestockmanmag.com
41
Woodhill Farms
April 10, 2021 - 1:00 pm | Auctioneer: Seth Weishaar 605-210-1124
Lot 7
Lot 2
5
CED
10
BW
0.6
BW
0
WW
66
WW
76
YW
118
YW
140
$M
76
$M
78
$C
286
$C
306
CED
4 2.3
Reg# 19756955 // DOB: 1-27-2020 Sire: Woodhill Relevance // MGS: Basin Payweight 1682
Lot 10
Lot 17
CED
2
BW
3.3
BW
WW
79
WW
74
YW
152
YW
146
$M
52
$M
50
$C
285
$C
320
Reg# 19850588 // DOB: 1-26-2020 Sire: Basin Payweight 1682 // MGS: Deppe Endeavour 641
Reg# 19759275 // DOB: 1-23-2020 Sire: Jindra Blackout // MGS: Basin Payweight 1682
Sires Represented:
April 2021
Lot 21
42
144 Bulls!
CED
Reg# 19676427 // DOB: 8-05-2019 Sire: Connealy Confidence Plus // MGS: Tehama Sierra Cut Z118
Reg# 19758598 // DOB: 2-20-2020 Sire: Raven Powerball 53 // MGS: Mill Bar Hickok 7242
Selling
Woodhill Relevance Woodhill Blueprint Woodhill Foremost X353-D383 Woodhill Patent Woodhill Reliable Woodhill Certified CED
8
BW
2.5
WW
84
YW
145
$M
67
$C
300
#19676427 Sire: Connealy Confidence Plus MGS: Tehama Sierra Cut Z118
Raven Powerball 53 CED BEPD EPDs 5 0.6 L D Capitalist 316 Jindra Blackout Baldridge Alternative E125 Sitz Stellar 726D Tehama Tahoe B767
WEPD 66
YEPD 118
For More Information, Contact:
Woodhill Farms
#19758598 Sire: Raven Powerball 53
S7589 Tainter Hollow Road, Viroqua, WI MGS: 54665 Mill Bar Hickok 7242 CED BEPD WEPD YEPD Brian McCulloh: 608-606-3238 EPDs 8 2.5 84 145 woodhill@mwt.net Scan Me www.woodhillfarms.com
- SERVING OUR CUSTOMERS FOR MORE THAN 35 YEARS -
SEE A COMPLETE LISTING OF THE BULLS THAT SELL AT WOODHILLFARMS.COM thestockmanmag.com | THE STOCKMAN
+.9
+84 +150
+30
+65
+1.03
+.97
+92
+106
+180 +299
April 2021
+6
THE STOCKMAN | thestockmanmag.com
43
ONE
Cow
AT A TIME
by Diane Meyer reprinted with permission from the Hereford World
Mershon Cattle LLC, Buckner, Mo., did not happen by success overnight — or by chance.
April 2021
W eaning weights, yearling weights, finishing weights, harvest weights and hanging weights. DNA and expected progeny differences (EPDs) on cows. Feed efficiency data on the horizon. At first glance, this intricate system seems to describe a progressive seedstock operation. But a commercial operation? Not likely.
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Enter Mershon Cattle LLC, a diversified crop and livestock operation home to 1,600 commercial cows in west-central Missouri. Owners and operators Bruce and Tracey Mershon backgrounded local calves beginning in 1993 and a decade later bred their first set of heifers via artificial insemination (AI) to build their herd on the land Bruce’s great-great-grandfather, Eli Mershon, settled in 1865. Since then, they have managed the herd under an overarching mantra — ranching one cow at a time. At surface level, this cow-calf
operation retains ownership on steers to harvest, backgrounds cattle, retains heifers and sells bred heifers at special sales. But under the surface, their unique business model, extensive data collection, record keeping and technology keep the operation afloat. “It’s just like the GPS in my brother’s tractors and our combines and farming one acre at a time — we have to ranch one cow at a time,” Bruce says. “We have to look at each cow individually and make sure we’re doing the best we can with each individual animal.”
FOCUS ON FEMALES Utilizing a complementary breeding system, Angus-based, crossbred cows are bred to Hereford, Simmental and Charolais sires to produce efficient, high-performing offspring. Eighty-five percent of the cows are bred AI, and Hereford,
Angus and SimAngus bulls are used for cleanup. “We’re looking for a moderate-sized female that’s docile and also has the opportunity to be fed and bred for production,” Bruce explains. “We use AI sires to bring genetics we couldn’t afford to do on all-natural sired bulls. We believe crossbreeding gives us the heterosis to produce at the highest level and longevity — and our goals are to continue to produce a moderate animal that will grade well at harvest.” Their breeding system is perhaps just as efficient as their calves. Before breeding season, Bruce sends out a day-by-day breakdown of the whole process so the teams know where they are working each day. Fueled by Tracey’s famous lunches, the crew makes sure breeding day moves quickly so animals are not overstressed, which makes the success rates much better.
thestockmanmag.com | THE STOCKMAN
Then there is “herd improvement day,” as the crew likes to call it. Each replacement heifer is scanned for ribeye area (REA) and intramuscular (IMF) data, and DNA is collected to assist with selection — this system ensures they keep the best of the best. “My suggestion to everyone would be to collect data on one point, collect your weaning weight on your calves and tie that weight back to its mother and its birth date,” Bruce says. “So you have averages of your herd and if you can cull that bottom 10% for five years, you’ve dramatically changed your herd without weighing cattle at birth or chasing carcass data. You’re going to make a difference right from the start.”
Mershon Cattle has been a participant in the National Reference Sire Program (NRSP) for two years. 2020 spring calves were the first offspring out of NRSP bulls.
“Embracing change and making change work to your benefit can sometimes be difficult for operations,” Tracey notes. “But I think we’ve always approached it with, ‘we can always learn, we’re never going to stop learning.’ If there’s something new out there we think fits and helps us improve and helps us to be more profitable and more productive, we’re going to take a look at it and
see if there’s a way we can make it work in our operation.”
AN EVOLVING SYSTEM It all starts with a tag and a wand. At roughly 70 to 90 days of age, calves are run through the chute for the first time, where they are vaccinated and tagged with an electronic identification tag (EID). This tag is used to reference
April 2021
Although the Mershons were slower to cull as they built herd numbers, they have reached a point where they can be more aggressive in selecting females. A detailed database has been critical in visu-
alizing and identifying low and high performers. Ultimately, technology for tracking individual performance figures has been a game changer in overall herd improvement.
THE STOCKMAN | thestockmanmag.com
45
them the rest of their lives — after weaning to collect weaning weights, after backgrounding to get yearling weights, after being fed out to get a finishing weight, and after harvest to get a harvest and a hanging weight. All of the data is tracked based on the EID number and tied back to the calf’s dam and sire. “We wand that calf every time we collect information on it,” Tracey says. “So we know all the data on that calf from every time we have put that calf in the chute.” Information from the wands is easily downloaded to Tracey’s phone using the Tru-Test™ Data Link app, and is then uploaded to a cloud database and Excel spreadsheets. For example, master databases with detailed information are created for each breeding season.
April 2021
It is a completely paperless process. “In the past, we wrote a lot of stuff down, basically on a legal pad or a big Chief tablet, and we would put it on the shelf and it never got utilized,” Bruce shares. “Now we have the data that we’re constantly downloading off Excel spreadsheets and into the systems and hopefully creating data points and useful information in a user-friendly manner.”
46
The Mershons retain ownership and collect carcass data and see about 98% Choice or higher in their herd — a statistic they hope to grow to 100% Choice and 30% Prime in the future. In their quest to achieve higher quality grades, Bruce and Tracey set out to capture feed efficiency data. This goal has been made possible through their participation in the American Hereford Association’s (AHA) National Reference Sire Program (NRSP).
thestockmanmag.com | THE STOCKMAN
The Mershons rely heavily on the use of EIDs they can scan with a wand and record information via Tru-Test to ensure their data is correct and utilized appropriately for business decisions.
The calves are then backgrounded and sent to Gregory Feedlots in Tabor, Iowa, to be fed through a feed intake system to be feed efficiency tested. Steers will be fed and finished and sold on a grid or by hanging weight, while females will come back to the home ranch where only the top will make the cut to make the replacement team. “We’re excited about bringing a data point that we couldn’t do on our own, so this is going to be important to us,” Bruce says. “We’re excited about those offspring — what they’re going to bring to our herd, the improvements and seeing those young sires perform, and the information we’re going to gather from that process.” Their management is certain-
THE STOCKMAN | thestockmanmag.com
ly thorough, but both Bruce and Tracey emphasize the importance of starting small and establishing a foundation upon which to build. “I would like people to know you don’t necessarily have to start out big and be overwhelmed and think you have to collect all this data and breed your heifers as fast as possible,” Tracey says. “It’s taken us a lot of time to evolve. Do something every day to sustain your farm and your cattle operation.”
THE RIGHT FIT Collectively, the Mershon herd has continued improvement each year, but the Mershons noticed a significant difference after introducing crossbreeding to the equation. About 10 years ago, they decided to opt back to crossbreeding, a time-honored tradition from which they had strayed. With regards to pursuing their philosophy of ranching one cow at a time, Hereford genetics were the ticket.
“Hereford was the first place we went to, someplace we had been back when I was a child,” Bruce says. “We’re trying to create efficient, sustainable mothers that can survive on fescue and also produce a quality end product. Hereford allows us to do that.” Since switching from mostly straight Angus, their results have been twofold. In addition to above-average carcass data, the consistency of birth and yearling weights speaks volumes to the overall performance of their cattle. “We’ve created better model mothers with a better stay within the herd,” Bruce observes. “What we’ve seen is that the crossbreds [are hardier] and we felt like we [have] developed better females that, in turn, produce better offspring, better steers, better feeding cattle.” “When we sell bred heifers at sales, it’s those black baldies that bring probably $100 more a pair than the other ones,” Tracey adds.
April 2021
Now into their second year of the program, the Mershons have their first set of NRSP-sired calves on the ground. Five bulls — one reference and four new, young sires — are used to breed 350 cows during spring and fall breeding cycles.
47
Mershon Cattle LLC was honored as the 2019 Beef Improvement Federation Commercial Producer of the Year. “We are proud of the achievements that we’ve made over the years,” Bruce says. “We feel like we are an adapter of technology and we will continue to do that.
“They’re always the most popular of those that we sell in the group. “I love when our black baldies go into the ring,” she continues. “Right away, people just start bidding on them.” Baldies have also proven optimal in converting Missouri’s native grasses to pounds. Operating in prime fescue country, cattle need to be up for the challenge of combating the toxic nature of those grasses. On top of that, cows must be able to slick off and handle the heat — 98 degrees and 85% humidity is “hot no matter where you’re at” as Bruce points out. “[Herefords] have a lot of guts to them,” he says. “They have to be able to consume vast amounts of forage and convert it in an efficient manner, and that’s probably one of the big things Herefords help bring to our program.”
April 2021
VALIDATING THE MODEL
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Sure and steady, Bruce and Tracey have built an admirable and
sustainable framework — one that has been recognized by many of their peers in the beef industry. In June 2019, Bruce and Tracey found themselves in Brookings, S.D., in contention for the Commercial Producer of the Year award at the 51st annual Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) Annual Meeting and Research Symposium. Bruce and Tracey anxiously awaited the outcome as Mershon Cattle was highlighted alongside fellow finalists Blew Partnership, Hutchinson, Kan., and Larson Farms, Green, Kan. The competition was stiff — but as the lunchtime award ceremonies came to a close, Bruce and Tracey took home the honors. “We were tremendously honored to be nominated and honored to be a finalist, especially when we take a look at the other nominees and how impressive their operations are,” Tracey says. “I think it speaks a lot to what we’ve set out to do. We’re doing something different, but it’s still meaningful and it works.”
Since the beginning, the Mershons have always been open to change as they envisioned the growth of the operation. They both agree the award confirms they are on the right track and are even more inspired to continue using emerging technologies to be better producers and better stewards. “It validates that what we’re doing helps improve our herd and the industry understands what we’re trying to accomplish,” Bruce says. “There’s nothing better than getting an award from the experts of our industry. It’s not just a popularity contest — it’s actually about what you’re doing and what you’re achieving, and makes this a special award.”
BUILT TO LAST The Mershons are committed to building an elite herd that will be a model for the commercial industry. In tandem with building their herd’s longevity, they both uphold a key indicator of the operation’s long-term success is sustainability. thestockmanmag.com | THE STOCKMAN
Bruce’s career as a commodity trader and working with an incentive program provided the logic in forming “pasture partners.” About half of the Mershon herd is housed on partnering pastures. These partners provide forage and care on a daily fee basis year-round, while the Mershons provide the breeding stock, AI services, minerals, vaccines and other products. The Mershons pay their partners a daily fee with weaning incentives given on a graduated scale. It is a way to make sure cattle will be high yielding, with high carcass values and, in turn, rewards pasture partners for weaning a big calf. Still, as Tracey notes, “We’re mindful that it’s not about how much money you make or how big you are, but it’s how you sustain the business.” A big part of their operation’s success is their family’s support. “We have to thank our family and give a lot of credit to my brother who helped manage the day-today operations while we worked full-time jobs,” Bruce emphasizes. “My dad still checks the heifers when they’re calving in the middle of the night, and we couldn’t accomplish what we have without everyone’s help.” On top of sustaining the business, improving their community and the beef industry is extremely important to the Mershons. Both hold leadership positions either in agriculture or community organizations. They believe in leaving the community a better place than how they found it — the same mindset they employ with their business. Tracey, who also co-owns a small marketing communications consulting firm which services busi-
THE STOCKMAN | thestockmanmag.com
nesses and nonprofits in the greater Kansas City area, has taken her career knowledge to transform Mershon Cattle as an advocate for the benefits of beef cattle production. “Build“We are a believer in crossbreeding,” Bruce says. “We believe Hereford offered the best match to make the best females.” ing on my background and their spouses on the operation, as a marketThomas facilitates an entrepreing communications professional, neurial strategic plan for Mershon one of the goals I see for Mershon Cattle and all three sons provide Cattle is to become more of a positive advocate for the beef industry,” ideas to improve efficiencies using she says. “Beef is an important and new technology. healthy product, and I think that is “What I love about what we’re probably where an opportunity for doing is that Bruce and I are us is going forward.” getting an opportunity to work
Raised in Colorado, Tracey did not grow up on a farm but is appreciative of the lessons agriculture instills. “That’s very rewarding and a lot of people don’t have that opportunity to really incorporate their family values into what they’re doing every single day,” she says. “That’s kind of the beauty of agriculture in many ways. I appreciate that and I want to protect it and see it grow.”
The ranch has served as a strong foundation for Bruce and Tracey to instill values of leadership, family, integrity and work ethic in their three sons — Thomas, 29, Chris, 26, and David, 24. Growing up, the boys helped farm on weekends and during summers. Today, although all three are pursuing their own careers, they are paying attention to the opportunities which lie ahead. Bruce and Tracey hold an annual family meeting to update the boys
together and to grow something we both passionately believe in,” Tracey says. “I enjoy having our family involved in it — our boys involved with it, my nephew involved and all of Bruce’s family.”
Through leadership and involvement, the Mershons are dedicated to improving their operation, their land, their community and the beef industry every day, one cow at a time. “The exciting part is to see the evolution of what we’ve done, what we’ve accomplished, and how much better we are today than we were 15 years ago,” Bruce reflects. “I’m excited each day to get out and see if we can’t be better today than we were yesterday.”
April 2021
Their business model is an example of their innovative approach.
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Seeds in Season
Functional forage and pasture.
contributed article by Justin Fruechte, Forage & Cover Crop Specialist Millborn Seeds, Brookings, S.D. millbornseeds.com
4.5 THINGS YOU SHOULD BE PLANTING NOW S
pring planting is on the horizon! If you’re searching for something to get in the field early, whether it’s grasses or grains, you have a range of possibilities.
1) WATERWAYS It is wise to plant waterways with cool-season sod-forming grasses as they actively help prevent erosion. Nearly all cool-season grasses will germinate when soil temps reach 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Even if the soil temps are not this warm, planting the grass is still an option as a dormant or frost seeding. At that point, grass seeds are in the soil and ready to germinate as Spring rolls in and the temperature warms. Rhizomatous cool-season grasses include Smooth Brome, Kentucky Bluegrass, Fescues, Western Wheatgrass, Redtop, and Garrison Creeping Foxtail.
These grasses will germinate at a range of 40-44 degrees Fahrenheit and won’t kill off with hard frosts as they are emerging. Remember, early plantings of grass have a better chance of out-competing annual weeds, not to mention, the opportunity for two cuttings in the establishment year.
3) SPRING GRAINS Early plantings of Spring grains ensure higher yield. Planting Spring Wheat, Barley, or Oats for grain should always be done as
soon as the field is fit. Yield from small grains is first set from your stand density and tillering ability. When these crops are planted early, a higher probability of more cool, wet days is expected. The cooler temperatures early on create more tillers from these species. Last June, most of the upper Midwest experienced a crazy hot wind that first week of the month. We saw fields of oats that were
April 2021
2) GRASS HAY FIELDS
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The most productive cool-season grasses for hay production are those that have the most persistence. If we are managing fields to hay, re-growth is required to hay it multiple times during the growing season. Orchardgrass, Tall Forage Fescue, Meadow Fescue, and Ryegrasses are the most persistent. Hay and pasture mix.
thestockmanmag.com | THE STOCKMAN
only 8-10 inches tall from the stress which made short, low-yielding cereals last year. The bottom line is the longer these cool-season grains can stay vegetative without stress, the more grain is produced from each tiller.
4) COOL SEASON FORAGES Since cool-season forages are agronomically the same as the small grains, I won’t copy and paste the paragraph above. The one species to mention here is forage peas. Peas are more cold tolerant than folks realize. Germination can start at 40 degrees Fahrenheit and they’ll tolerate cold snaps into the mid20’s before they frost kill. The pea/oat, pea/ barley, and pea/triticale mixes that are becoming extremely popular for
forage options should be planted just as soon as the fields are fit. Cool-season grains grow best when temps are between 40 and 70 degrees. Make it a goal to get these in early to allow them to tiller and grow tall. These plants will stay vegetative until they reach maturity or are heat-stressed and switch to the reproduction stage.
4.5) ALFALFA Alfalfa is the one cool-season forage that you should likely wait just a bit to plant. I gave it a ½ point because this should be planted early with caution. Spring plantings of alfalfa should occur early but out of the window of hard freezing temps. It is extremely cold tolerant at emergence however, at the 2nd trifoliate, the plant will only tolerate temperatures down to 26 degrees Fahrenheit.
The Midwest is experiencing an early Spring. Keep in mind the cold tolerance of these seeds with the always-changing Midwest temperatures. If you’ve got the itch to get in the field know these options are on the table. Get after it, and happy planting! learn more millbornseeds.com Millborn Seeds, Brookings, SD The team of folks at Millborn Seeds have roots that run deep in farming, agriculture, and in the overall respect for the landscape. They opened their doors in 1987 and continue to walk alongside farmers, ranchers, and land owners across thousands of acres throughout the Midwest.
MILLBORNSEEDS.COM BROOKINGS, SD 605-697-6306
RAPID CITY, SD 605-646-4225
April 2021
Cool-season cover.
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dandyacresangus.com
10
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As always, free housing on bulls through July 1, 2021.
DANDY ACRES April 2021
Gregg & Nancy Johnson | Neil & Katie Johnson
56
898 State Highway 23, Pipestone, MN 56164 Gregg - 507.227.5331 Neil - 507.215.1114 dandyacres2@gmail.com facebook.com/dandyacresangus
Cattle on display prior to the sale at the farm, just one mile south of Pipestone on Hwy 23. Video auction held at the Pipestone County Fairgrounds.
yearling bulls - open heifers - bred females Find sale details and video of our entire offering at:
dandyacresangus.com
Angus Tradition since 1964
thestockmanmag.com | THE STOCKMAN
Annual
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April 14, 2021
1 PM CDT | AT THE RANCH, PUKWANA, SD
Selling 60 Lots
Purebred & Lim-Flex • All Polled • Red & Black Yearling Bulls • Open Heifers SALE FEATURES... - ALL CATTLE FULLY GUARANTEED - PERFORMANCE, SCROTAL & ULTRASOUND DATA ON ALL - FREE DELIVERY TO CENTRAL POINTS IN SOUTH DAKOTA AND SURROUNDING STATES
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34715 255th Street Pukwana, South Dakota 57370 Rod & Wendy Peterson Families Rod: 605.730.4470 Cade: 605.730.0705 • Quin: 918.625.2500 cepeterson@midstatesd.net
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WL
wendel Livestock
WL
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Selling 65 Angus Bulls • 50 Angus Heifers AAA# 19834175 Patriarch x Courage x Chisum 6175 CED +14 BW -1.1 WW +60 YW +105 M +27 RE +.83 MARB +.48
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10213 68TH St SE | LaMoure, ND | H: 701.883.5254 | C: 701.710.0425
2019 CARCASS RESULTS (on steer-mates to our 2019 sale bulls) - 55 head of WL steers to Tyson Foods: 27 Prime - 49% | 45 Prime & CAB - 82% | 55 Choice or Better - 100% | $81.80 net premium/head
follow us! @thestockmanmag
#morethanahobby #thestockman
thestockmanmag.com THE STOCKMAN | thestockmanmag.com
April 2021
WL Patriarch 050
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April 2021
FOIL STAMPING, EMBOSSING, DIE CUTS, RAISED UV, SOFT TOUCH
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59
Veterinarian View
Health & Reproduction questions answered and explained.
contributed article by Dr. Vince Collison, Collison Embryo | Collison Veterinary Services, Rockwell City, Iowa collisonembryo.com
TIPS FOR SUCCESS ON EMBRYO TRANSFER DAY A
s we start embryo transfer (ET) season in beef cattle for next year’s calving, it’s a good time to review what we can do to help maximize success. ET is a complex chain of events - recipients, embryos, facilities, and technicians all play a part in the outcome. With any weak links in the chain, results can breakdown quickly.
RECIPIENTS • This is probably the most important part in the success of an ET program. Try to eliminate cows from the transfer group that have a history of poor fertility. • Have recipients in good body condition. Also, eliminate cows with a history of poor mothering ability, insufficient milk, and poor dispositions. • Perform all vaccinations at least
30 days before estrus synchronization will start. Especially when using modified live vaccines for pre-breeding. • If purchasing cows for recipients, try to procure them at least 45 days before the planned transfer date. It will take this long to get the cow vaccinated ahead of time. Plus, it allows the cows to settle into their new environment as it will take some time to adapt and for their immune system to stabilize with the new herd. Additionally, you will want some time to find issues with any of the new cows that may need addressed or cause them to be culled before receiving an embryo. • Have the nutrition right for the recipient cow, before and after transfers. How the recipient is fed plays a significant role in the developing embryo’s fetal programing
(epigenomics). What happens now with recipient nutrition can affect the calf for life and even carry on for the future generations this embryo calf will produce. • Make sure the energy level is high enough that the cow is in a gaining plane of nutrition, especially for recipients that are younger and nursing calves. On the other hand, don’t feed them into a state of obesity. Cows that are obese can have reduced fertility. I would rather have a greener cow gaining weight for a recipient than a cow that is over fat and trying to lose weight. • Keep the recipients on a good trace mineral program prior to calving and throughout the breeding season. I’m a fan of having some mineral chelate in the mineral product. The chelated mineral will adsorb better.
April 2021
• Provide recipients with plenty of shade and access to fresh water. During the hot summer months, access to shade can help to improve pregnancy rates and reduce early embryonic loss.
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thestockmanmag.com | THE STOCKMAN
FACILITIES • Have the working facilities under a roof if possible, or at least have the area where embryos are handled under a shaded area protected from direct sunlight. • Have a squeeze chute with a palp cage that shuts securely to prevent cattle in the alley behind the chute from pushing through while working. Also, a palp cage that is big enough to work comfortably behind the cow. • Pens that allow for easy sorting and low-stress handling of the cows. • Set up your work area so there is minimal activity out in front of the headgate so the recipients will stay calm while performing transfers.
nicians will work with embryos in a nitrogen-filled dewar while thawing. This keeps the nitrogen from burning off so fast and helps to keep the thawing process more consistent. • Pour some nitrogen into a dry vapor shipper before moving embryos in a shipping tank to the regular nitrogen storage tank. This keeps the goblets on the cane full of nitrogen, protecting the embryos during the move between tanks. • Work to line up the stage of the embryo with the synchrony of the recipient. When transferring embryos into a group of recipients, it’s nice to make sure that stage 7 embryos are going into cows that showed heat 8 days prior. This is probably even more important when transferring IVF embryos.
transfers embryos. AETA certification is a program administered by the American Embryo Transfer Association. To be certified, a veterinarian or Ph.D. in animal reproduction has to pass an eightpart exam. In addition, they have to provide documentation of a specific volume of work performed in the last year, along with several client references. While many proficient technicians are not certified, this program ensures a certain level of competence. It’s always exciting to start the transfer process every year. A lot goes into planning and developing embryos for the next generation of calves. With sound basic management practices and a little luck, we are hopefully off to another successful year. learn more collisionembryo.com
EMBRYO HANDLING -
TECHNICIANS -
• Keep the area for thawing and loading embryos protected from direct sunlight.
• In many embryo sales, they will often guarantee a certain pregnancy rate if a certified technician
Dr. Vince Collison is co-owner of Collison Embryo | Collison Veterinary Services PAC in Rockwell City, Iowa.
April 2021
• Have the thawing area protected from the wind. Many tech-
THE STOCKMAN | thestockmanmag.com
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HEARTLAND SIMMENTALS Tom & Cora Lynch 2530 Cheyenne Ave. Nashua, IOwa 563.380.1098
Kirk & Mary Lynch 1849 190th St. New Hampton, iowa 563.379.1190
Annual Bull & Female Sale Last Friday each September
J.L Jeffries
419526 E. 1070 Rd • Checotah, OK 74426 Home: 918.473.6723 • Cell: 918.638.3317 Fax: 918.610.0016 Email: jeffriescattleco@windstream.net
GRAHAM ANGUS Groups of
at the farm!
April 2021
44 POINT AFTER
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George (641) 236-3833 Randy (641) 990-9911 nokotagenetics@aol.com 343 – 310th Ave. Gilman, IA 50106
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Matthews Coach’s Corral
Power Plus Genetics!
Edsel & Becky Matthews Steve & Cheryl Kepes
3721 E. State Hwy KK Fair Grove, MO 65648 417-838-4088 Email: matthewscoachscorral@gmail.com
Walridge established in 1910
W
Farms
Erle Driscoll Family 2558 N Ave Williamsburg, Iowa 319-430-0820
www.matthewscoachscorral.com
605.925.7473 | 605sires.com Cory & Melissa Schrag, Owners 27666 443rd Ave I Marion, SD 57043 info@605sires.com
“The Cow Book”
Rockwell City, Iowa Dr. Timothy Collison - 712.395.0169 Dr. Vince Collison - 712.830.5119
904 North Mulford Lindenwood, Illinois, 61049 815-751-6314 www.cjbrownstudios.com cowpainter@t6b.com If you happen to attend the NWSS in Denver, stop by my booth in the Yards to see my newest and final Denver piece, “Whispers in the Yards”!
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April 2021
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Where did you learn to cook?
“
I learned to cook from my mother. My mom is from Europe and after marrying my dad, he brought her to California. She did not know a stitch of English. Everything she made was from scratch. She was influenced by recipes from her mother and mother-in-law and in turn I learned to make them. When you are raised on fresh home cooked meals, nothing less will appease the palate.
”
Favorite tips and tricks?
“
I clean up as I cook, it’s less to do later when I am finished. I line my ovens with aluminum foil which helps with the drippings during baking. I also replace baking soda boxes in my refrigerator and freezer every month and date them (well, I try to) for food freshness.
” “
What is your most requested dish? A family favorite requested every chance they get is Beef Stroganoff. It is the ultimate comfort food they enjoy all year long.
”
What is your least favorite job in the kitchen?
In the kitchen with
Susan Levisay
“
Levisay Farms - Creston, CA
n e ch Kit
STOCK
Cleaning the ovens. I am blessed to have double ovens and they are used simultaneously, often. It’s always twice the work to clean, but the food they cook is worth it.
”
Tell us about yourself.
“
My husband and I have two children, Savannah and Calvin. We live on the central coast of California. We enjoy raising Black Angus cattle, traveling, and working on our farm. Both our children are involved working for our family construction company and participate in our cattle operation. learn more levisayfarms.com
”
April 2021
Cowboy approved recipes used by our favorite country cooks.
64
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BEEF STROGANOFF Susan Levisay
3 tablespoons of flour ½ teaspoon of salt 3 lbs Beef Tri-tip, cut in cubes 4 tablespoons of butter ½ cup white onion, minced 1 clove of garlic, minced 16 oz pkg of fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons of butter 3 tablespoons of flour 1 teaspoon of tomato paste 1 ½ cups of beef stock (I use boullion) 1 cup of sour cream
In a large bowl mix cubed beef tri-tip with flour, salt and a dash of pepper. You may need more flour to coat all meat cubes. Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a medium heated large skillet. Saute onion, garlic, and mushrooms. Then add floured meat. Cook until tender or meat is medium. Time to make rich sauce - remove meat and place in a large bowl. Back in skillet melt 2 tablespoons of butter with drippings, stirring constantly. Add tomato paste. Slowly pour in beef stock to make a roux like sauce. As it thickens, no lumps please. Return meat mixture to skillet and stir. Next stir in sour cream. Sauce should have a light brown color.
MAKE-AHEAD FARM ER’S BREAKFAST CASSEROL E Susan Levisay
3 cups of frozen shre dded hashbrowns (3 0 oz bag) ¾ cup of Monterey Jack cheese, shredd ed ¾ cup of Cheddar ch eese, shredded 1/3 cup of diced gree n chilies mild 1 cup of Canadian st yle bacon (ham), dic ed ¼ cup of green onion s, chopped 4 eggs, beaten 12 oz can of evaporat ed milk ¼ tsp of black pepp er ¼ tsp of salt Grease a 2 quar t bakin g dish (or 9X13). Spre ad potatoes evenly on th e bottom of dish. Sprin shredded kle cheeses, ham, chilies and gree n onions on top of po tatoes. Combine eggs, milk, pe pper, and salt in a sepa rate bowl and whisk together. Po ur over potato mixtur e in dish. Cover and refrigerate . To serve, bake uncove red at 350 degrees for approximately 45 minutes or until knife inser ted in center comes out clean. Serves 6-8. Add a bit of extra shr edded cheese to the top the last 15 minute of bak ing. s
Cook for an additional 10 minutes. Serves 6-8. We eat a lot of rice so. . . I use my handy, dandy rice cooker but you may prefer noodles. Enjoy!
below LVS El Dorado 1704
POLLO CON TOMATE 5 to 6 lbs. of party wings or dru½ cup of water mettes ¼ tsp salt 16 oz package of fresh button mush¼ tsp pepper rooms ¼ garlic powder Three 14.5 cans of diced tomatoes Steame d rice (basil, garlic & oregano) In a 9x13 baking dish place rinsed chicken on bottom of dish. Sprinkle salt, pepper and garlic powder on chicken. Next, sprinkle fresh mushrooms over chicken. Add 3 cans of tomatoes over mushrooms with water as well. Bake uncovered at 375 degrees for about an hour. You will need to turn chicken several times to cook evenly and not to burn one side. I usually will move all ingredients at least three times. Serves 6. When I first put dish in oven I will also start my rice cooker so everything
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is ready at the same time.
April 2021
Susan Levisay
65
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67
Sale Barn Study
A review of the current cattle market.
contributed article by Kirk Lynch Lynch Livestock Inc. and Humeston Livestock Exchange, Humeston, Iowa humestonlivestockexchange.com
FAVORITE TIME OF YEAR T
his is my favorite time of year; the calendar switches, and we can see the light at the end of the tunnel, hope most of the nasty weather is behind us, and turn our plans into spring mode. It has been a relatively mild winter in my part of the world, except for a few stretches, but nothing we did not expect. March Madness is in full swing, the newborn calves are growing like weeds and giving us optimism about what we do, and we can see a hint of green in the ditches and yards. We are entirely into mud season, and hoping Mother Nature is on our side for 2021. It’s hard not to be positive on a sunny, 50-degree day after surviving the winter.
April 2021
We have been seeing excellent prices for feeder calves. The light calves will be/are a hot commodity, especially as we get closer to turning out on grass. The futures markets have helped keep even the
68
600-700# calves bringing good money as well. If there has been a light area, it is the heavier cattle projected to be finished in the summer months. The fat cattle market in the country has been flat. We were hoping for a stronger market going into spring, but it has been stagnant and appears it will stay that way for a little while. Cattle through the barns have consistently been bringing more the past couple of weeks than cattle in the country, primarily because of short runs and packers running short.
lent, and I expect as we see some young pairs coming to town here in the next month, they will be like having gold. Bull sales have been excellent so far, and I expect the bull sale season to finish strong. I hope everyone has a great Easter, and spring is gentle on us all! Until next month.
Slaughter cow and bull market has been solid and steady. More than likely, that will change as we get closer to turning cows out to pasture, and there are a few more cull cows and bulls. Breeding stock continues to sell well. Across the board, it has been solid. Bred heifers have been excel-
Kirk Lynch, Lynch Livestock Inc., Waucoma, IA Kirk is the Beef Division manager for Lynch Livestock Inc. and oversees all aspects of their backgrounding and cattle feeding operations throughout Iowa and Kansas. He is also deeply involved in the newly re-opened Humeston Livestock Exchange in Humeston, Iowa. In addition, Kirk and his wife Mary own and operate Heartland Simmentals in Northeast Iowa, which is a seed stock operation that consists of 500 registered Simmental and Angus cows. They have three children: Gabrielle, 6, Brayden, 4, and Vivian, 2.
H U M E S TO N
L I V E S TO C K E X C H A N G E Humeston, Iowa 641-877-6092
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April 2021
Chisum Peterson
69
Thank you to our Advertisers! 63 605 Sires + Donors 23 7N Simmental Ranch 29 Baxter Angus 62 Bittersweet Acres 62 Blue Lake Plastics 30 Brand Angus 2-3, 67 Cattle Visions 63 CJ Brown Studios 63 Collison Embryo 63 Crawford, Scott 56 Dandy Acres Angus 63 Gilchrist, Kyle 41 Gill Red Angus 62 Graham Angus 40 Hallstrand Angus 18 Hawkins Cattle 24 Heartland Simmentals 31 Hilltop Simmentals/Sloup Simmentals 63 HydraBed 69 James Wilhite Bale Wagons 11 JCL Red Angus 62 Jeffries Red Angus Land & Cattle 43 Linz Heritage Angus 69 Lowry, Matt
63 Matthews Coaches Corral 69 Millborn Seeds 31 Missouri Red Angus Assn. 72 Owens Brothers Cattle Co 59 Paramount Genetics 69 Parker Frederich Sale Mgmt 69 Peterson Land & Auction 57 Peterson’s L7 Bar Limousin 22 Rawhide Portable Corral 19 Red Reckoning Auction 23 Rogers Ranch Reds 17 Select Sires 58 Slate Group 28 Sonstegard Cattle Co 69 Standing Heat 25 Sydenstricker Genetics 10 Thomas Ranch 50-53 Voss Angus 8 W4 Ranch 16 Wall Street Cattle Co 63 Walridge Farms 57 Wendel Livestock 42 Woodhill Farms 9 Y-Tex Corporation
April 2021
Index
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The Stockman hereby expressly limits its liability resulting from any and all misprints, errors and/or inaccuracies whatsoever in the advertisement and editorial content published by The Stockman and its said liability is here by limited to the refund of the customer for its payment for said advertisement, or the running of the corrected advertisement, or editorial notice. Notification by the customer of any error must be made within 30 days of the distribution of the magazine. Advertising copy received after the deadline may not be returned for proofing. Changes to advertising copy made after the deadline date will be allowed only if time permits, and will incur the appropriate charges according to time and materials involved in the changes. The opinions or views expressed in the editorials are those of the persons interviewed in the article and not The Stockman magazine. The Stockman does however reserve the right to edit or refuse all material which might be objectionable in content. No material or part thereof may be reproduced or used out of context, without prior specific approval of a proper credit to The Stockman.
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A conversation with everyday Stockmen,
STOCKMAN
Arlyn Schmidt 7N Simmental Ranch - Medina, ND
traight Flag stick. We’ve given those away at our sale for many years. They are nice for quietly handling cattle, it gets their attention.”
In 1968 or ‘70 I crossed the German/Austrian Flechvieh strain of Simmental on my Hereford cows. Those first replacement females were the most amazing females I probably ever owned in terms of their advancement in just one generation. The udders they had and how they raised a calf was just to impressive. That resulting female always stands out in my mind.”
What is your least favorite job on the farm?
The most important lesson you’ve learned in this business?
Probably my right arm. When I’m AI’ing it’s my left arm. They are 81 years old.”
Your go-to sorting apparatus?
Night checking calving cows and heifers.”
Your favorite non-farm activity to do in your free time? Free time? I have a nice Honda side-by-side and I enjoy driving over the whole acreage and checking things. I don’t call that work, that is what I do in my free time.”
Describe your best/worst day. The best is when you come out on a bright, sunny day to new, dry calves running. The worst day is when you come out to a set of dead twins during calving time. Something went wrong or got missed by management and that makes you feel terrible every time.” THE STOCKMAN | thestockmanmag.com
It is a continuing education, you always learn from your mistakes.”
What about the beef cattle industry excites you the most? Most fascinating thing to me is how the type has advanced in the last 25-30 years. How we can produce the same amount of beef from half as many mother cows. That says a lot about the advancement of the industry in management, genetics, and feeding.”
7N
SIMMENTAL RANCH
About the Stockman. I’ve been in this business for 55 years, 2021 will be our 42nd annual auction and before that we sold privately for about 10 years. My wife, Sourey, and I run the operation with our son, Doug and grandson, Lane. This business is challenging and kind of exciting. Our goal is to continue with the improvements in the type of stock we raise and are looking forward to our sale in May. We raise purebred Simmental and Red Angus with about 250 mother cows in the southeast quadrant of North Dakota, 70 miles east of Bismarck on I-94.” learn more 7nsimmentalranch.com
April 2021
Most used tool on your farm and how old is it?
Which animal (any species) has left the greatest impact on you?
7N Simmental Ranch 42 Annual Production Sale May 4, 2021 at 4:30 PM At the ranch north of Medina, ND nd
71
SELLING 60 LOTS OF SIMMENTAL, SIMANGUS, ANGUS
FALL & SPRING OPEN HEIFERS, BREDS, AND COW/CALF PAIRS
4/17/2021
12: 00 P . M . A T T H E OW E N B R OTH E R S FA C I L I TY I N B O I S D A R C, M O
715H - October WC Bankroll x FBFS Wheelman
B30H - October WC Family Tradition x OBCC Blacklist 915B
H103 - November Haras Distinction x OBCC Unfinished Business
June WC Relentless x MR HOC Broker
71XD - BC Lookout Angus Cow Safe in calf to CCR Anchor 9071B
July KCCI Exclusive x Pays To Believe
ADAM OWEN 417.830.8150 MATT OWEN 417.830.8180 CASEY OWEN 417.830.9739 AARON OWEN 417.830.6252 owenbroscattleco@gmail.com
SALE MANAGEMENT: GB MARKETING GREG BURDEN 405.780.0372