Building a Cattle Legacy

_Building a _

cattle legacy

2021 Illinois Beef Association Commercial Producer of the Year winner, O’Hern Stock Farms, has built a five-generation cattle feeding operation in Vermont, Ill.

by Jaclyn Krymowski

Beef is part of the generational story for this year’s Commercial Producer of the Year award recipient, the O’Hern family of Vermont, Ill. It was five generations ago that their ancestors set foot on American soil after immigrating from Ireland. True to the American dream, the entire family has slowly built up what makes the O’Hern Stock Farm what it is today – a recognized and respected part of their local community and Illinois beef industry.

The O’Hern’s commercial cow herd is made up of several registered Angus mother cows, backgrounded calves and feeder animals. In addition to their home farm in Vermont, they also have land in Bucklin, Mo., where they graze cows and feeder cattle.

“We’re involved in all phases of the cattle life cycle, from calving first calf heifers and doing some A.I. work to backgrounding cattle to finishing,” says Dan O’Hern, coowner with his father, Larry O’Hern, and three brothers. “We get to see all of the different phases of their lives.”

For their operation this year’s award, he adds, is a particularly special thing for him and his family.

“I really feel like nobody’s watching what you’re doing when you’re farming and ranching,” he says. “And to have somebody notice it and give you an award like this, it’s a really special one and a really humbling moment.”

Building a Legacy

The O’Hern family first got into the cattle business in the 1950s, according to Larry, beginning after his parents moved to Illinois from Oklahoma and started with a humble commercial cow herd. Right out of college, Larry and his wife Kelley entered into the family business with the purchase of his own calves in 1981.

“From then to current, we’ve just built on the expansion of our beef enterprise,” he says.

As the operation has grown into other facets of beef production, the O’Herns are proud to report the business has remained entirely in the family and become fully vertically integrated.

Over those years, they have amassed a wealth of experience in the beef industry with many memorable moments. For Larry, one of his favorite accomplishments was the addition of a monoslope finishing facility completed in 2012.

“It was a significant accomplishment, taking time and helping us continue our vertical integration,” he says. “It gave us the opportunity to stay in the beef business and address any concerns with the environment.”

Most of all, Larry is most proud of building the business to the point where they now have an entire vertically integrated operation from calving through cattle finishing. As such, they have needed to incorporate good management practices and embrace technology.

Matt Taylor, O’Hern’s cattle manager, has worked for the family since he went to high school with Dan. He attributes this progressive attitude to being an important part of their success.

“We do that really well,” he says, “and are always learning new things. We try to get out and go to seminars, talk with other producers and learn.”

On their cow-calf side of the operation, the O’Herns utilize DNA technology to help drive their decisions. Specifically, they use Zoetis DNA enhanced EPDs to select their replacements as needed. In a similar way, their bulls are selected using nine different EPD markers also through Zoetis.

The Importance of Illinois Beef

One of the unique things about the O’Hern’s operations is their ability to directly market to consumers as well as participate in the mainstream beef industry.

Their website — promoting their beef as “source-verified, responsibly raised” through their fifth-generation familyowned and operated business — outlines three different bundle packages offering a different selection of various cuts. Loyal customers can also purchase an assortment of official O’Hern Stock Farms merchandise available through their online store.

In addition to having an ample stream of customers, Larry www.illinoisbeef.com

Stanford O’Hern

Larry O’Hern

Larry O’Hern, Dan O’Hern, Matt Taylor & Lawrence Knott

Matt Taylor, Dan O’Hern, Larry O’Hern & Lawrence Knott

Dan O’Hern

Matt Taylor & Lawrence Knott also cites Illinois as having some other important advantages to profitable beef production.

“I think the state of Illinois has significant benefits for beef production, one of which is feed costs. We have some of the cheapest feed costs in the nation with the state’s relationship with the ethanol industry,” he explains. “We have a significant competitive advantage here to feed cattle, because of that. We also have an abundance of not only forage, but also byproducts that only cattle can really utilize.”

Part of the Community

As farmers, especially those vested heavily in direct-toconsumer sales, the O’Hern family is also heavily involved in their local community.

“We try to work with our local university and have them out,” says Dan. “They’ll bring an animal science class out and do an on-site lesson, see the building and the farm.”

He adds that they also support their local high schools and FFA chapters by donating to various events. Their website also links visitors to more beef advocacy education and promotion opportunities from the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and Certified Angus Beef.

Their involvement extends not only through the immediate family but also their employees.

“I would just say that it’s more than just their family, everybody that works for us is involved with us,” Matt says of their unitive spirit that he believes makes them very deserving of this award. “We’re all family between everybody that works here and all the people we deal with the local community.”

True to this, Dan attributes their farm’s success to several different people and local businesses.

“There are a lot of people that are helping you be successful in the production of livestock,” he says. “Growing up in and working in a farming and ranching community there’s always somebody there to help you or you’re helping your neighbors. Everybody’s always watching out for one another.”

Moving Forward

The succession of O’Hern Stock Farms is expected to continue through future generations. Dan has three children of his own as does his brother.

“It would be awesome if one or several of them had an interest in the farm,” he says.

His father shares these ideals, noting that he sees a future in the legacy of their cattle operation in Vermont.

“Hopefully the entire cattle industry can create a profitable structure that’s profitable for all segments of the industry,” he says. “That’s what counts. As a beef producer, I think it’s imperative that we all strive that every segment can make a living doing what they’re doing.” “

Growing up in and working in a farming and ranching community there’s always somebody there to help you or you’re helping your neighbors. Everybody’s always watching out for one another. - Dan O'Hern