The Stockman | November 2019

NOVEMBER 2019

THE TOCKMAN VOL 1 | NO 9

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VOL 1 | NO 9

W

elcome to The Stockman, a 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.

At The Stockman, you are more than just a reader or an 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.

contact us thestockmanmag.com Bill Schermer, Owner/Herd Consultant 641.425.2641 | bill@stockmanmag.com Bill and his wife, Nancy, have made their living in the cattle industry. He has provided marketing services for many folks, purebred and commercial alike, since 1970. Schermer Angus Cattle continues to be active in the Junior Angus Association and raise quality cattle near Clarion, IA. As owner of The Stockman, Bill leads by example providing producers with the highest level of customer service. Contact Bill anytime to see what The Stockman staff can do for you!

Katie Delaney Johnson, Managing Editor 507.820.0803 | katie@stockmanmag.com Katie serves as editor, graphic designer, and manager of the day-to-day operations of the office. She is excited to deliver a quality product and work with producers to meet their marketing needs. She and her husband, Neil, raise Angus and Herefords in their family operation, Dandy Acres Enterprises, near Pipestone, MN. Contact her for any and all questions.

Contributing Writers

November 2019

Aaron Berger Melissa McGee Buehler B. Lynn Gordon Dr. Lisa Kellihan Kirk Lynch Hilary Rossow

4

Editorial Assistants

Makayla Flower, Graphics Hilary Rossow, Editorial

PO Box 115 Pipestone, Minnesota 56164 office@stockmanmag.com | office: 507.820.0803 | www.thestockmanmag.com follow us! @thestockmanmag

#morethanahobby #thestockman thestockmanmag.com | THE STOCKMAN

Providing the

highest

level of customer service.

Curt works in the auto, benefit, and livestock auction industry, with a deep rooted passion for the agricultural community. He also raises commercial cattle with his wife, Jessica, in Orion, IL.

Charles & Heidi Anderson, Consultant 785.969.4674 | legacylivestockimaging@yahoo.com 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.

Curt Anderson, Consultant 309.644.1419 | curta@frontier.com Melissa, Brandon and their children reside in Fairbury, NE, where they are active in the family Hereford operation, Valley Creek Ranch. She is passionate about helping seedstock producers market to commercial cattlemen.

Ty Bayer, Consultant 715.573.0153 | tcreds@gmail.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.

Melissa McGee Buehler, Consultant/Writer 402.239.9712 | mismcgee@hotmail.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.

Brandon Creamer, Consultant 970.596.4965 | creamer_b_150@hotmail.com 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.

Zac Hall, Consultant 701.595.6887 | zac@fortelivestock.com Alisha lives near Valley City, ND with her fiancé Dan Donnelly.

She is active in her family’s registered Angus operation, Nord Angus in Wolverton, MN. She loves learning what makes each farm and ranch unique.

Travis Hofer / Sage Henderson, Consultants 605.553.2547 | hofercattle@goldenwest.net Coming from a diverse cow/calf operation in Minn., Maria has a passion for agriculture and is excited to promote producers through The Stockman’s social media platforms. She and fiancé, Cade, reside in Mound City, SD on a 5th generation ranch.

Maria Weber, Social Media Manager riawbr@gmail.com THE STOCKMAN | thestockmanmag.com

Alisha Nord, Consultant 701.367.5609 | alishacnord@gmail.com

W

e are real cattle folks, each loaded with seedstock experience scattered throughout the Upper Midwest. We have put the blood, sweat and tears into this industry just like you and know what it takes to promote your program.

We are eager to earn your trust and become a valued part of your marketing plan!

find our media kit thestockmanmag.com

November 2019

Charles and Heidi are also owners of Legacy Livestock Imaging, a photography company that specializes in rural lifestyle photography. They are passionate about helping their customers market their livestock.

5

12 In this Issue Profiles

12 | Maternal Merit

Chestnut Angus Farm builds on maternal excellence.

22

32 | Finding Their Niche

Prairie View Farm uses location to their advantage.

44 | Daringly Diverse

Variety is the spice of life, and the norm at Mid Continent Farms.

Extension Education

32

22 | Keys for Corn Stalk Grazing with Aaron Berger, www.beef.unl.edu

Leading the Way

26 | Sibling Solutions - Part Two with B. Lynn Gordon, Leader Consulting, LLC

Veterinarian View

44

52 | What’s New in Scrapie Regulations? with Dr. Lisa Kellihan, Collison Veterinary Services

Kitchen Stock

56 | Featuring Dianna Nolin

In the kitchen with Dianna Nolin, Nolin Red Angus

66

Sale Barn Study

60 | Slow and Steady Wins the Race with Kirk Lynch, Humeston Livestock Exchange

Straight Up

66 | Featuring Brian Stoller

A conversation with Brian Stoller, Bear Mountain Angus

6

cover image by Legacy Livestock Imaging Austin Trent with Lazy U Quarter Horses Hershey, NE

Katie Delaney Johnson, Managing Editor 507.820.0803 | katie@stockmanmag.com follow us! @thestockmanmag

Editor’s Note

#morethanahobby #thestockman

behind.

Hello again. Anyone else running behind this month? Fall has a way of sneaking up on me every year. I find myself yearning to be outside, lazily soaking up the last bit of warm sunshine, but I never actual make it without a hurried to do list. Harvest is a busy and stressful time of year for many folks, counting the fruits of their labor by the bushel. A time when farm safety needs to be on our minds daily, not only for ourselves, but those who work with us as well.

Paging through this issue, we have an wonderful line up of features this month.

Producers admirably tackling the cattle business in their own way - finding what works for them and running with it. One of my favorite parts of this magazine is learning to appreciate different perspectives from the producers we feature.

Don’t forget to read part two in our ongoing series ‘Sibling Solutions’ with B. Lynn Gordon on page 28. And for the sheep and goat enthusiasts, we have an important update on Scrapie regulations in our Veterinarian View feature on page 52.

Well, that is about all I have for this month, I gotta run get my kids packed and get to a cow show!

Wishing everyone a safe and abundant harvest and a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Katie materials due

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proud member

The Stockman, (Issue 9 |Volume 1), November, 2019 is published ten times per year in January, February, March, April, May, August, September, October, November, and December by Katie Johnson, PO Box 115, Pipestone, MN 56164. Business, Editorial, Accounting and Circulation Offices: 456 41st St., Jasper, MN 56144. Application to Mail at Periodicals postage prices is pending at Pipestone, MN and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Stockman, PO Box 115, Pipestone, MN 56164

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November 2019

publication date

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November 2019 8

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Caliber PRIVATE TREATY AVAILABLE TO VIEW AFTER SEPTEMBER 1ST

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November 2019 10

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November 2019 THE STOCKMAN | thestockmanmag.com

11

Maternal

by Melissa McGee Buehler & Katie Johnson photos courtesy Chestnut Angus Farm

Chestnut Angus Farm builds on maternal excellence in Minnesota.

November 2019

T

12

he beautiful, rolling plains of southwestern Minnesota lay claim to some of the top seedstock producers in the cattle industry. There, nestled between South Dakota and Iowa, near the small town of Pipestone, MN, is where Chestnut Angus Farm calls home.

Chestnut Angus was estab-

lished in 1994, with the union of Glenn and Sherri Johnson.

When the two married, cow herds were also united. Sherri (Butman) Johnson brought six cows that she owned from the Cottonwood Angus Farms herd to blend with Glenn’s established herd of 35-40 head.

As they settled into a new life together, Sherri’s father

encouraged them to choose a name unique to their operation. After noticing their farm site to be the only place in the area that grew chestnut trees, Chestnut Angus Farm was established.

Growing up, Glenn’s father raised pigs before the purebred cattle came into the picture.

Glenn and his dad farrowed

thestockmanmag.com | THE STOCKMAN

)

Merit

above High quality females raise high quality calves at Chestnut Angus Farm. Photo courtesy Katie Bennett.

THE STOCKMAN | thestockmanmag.com

family business her entire life.

Today, the operation includes Glenn and Sherri’s two sons, Wesly and Dawson, as well as, their hired man of nearly five years, Justin Blumer. Glenn commented that without the help of the entire family, the operation would not be able to run at the level it does. They are also fortunate to have helpful neighbors and close friends

willing to assist with seasonal duties whenever asked.

Wesly is a senior at South Dakota State University (SDSU) and is currently on the livestock judging team. He has been involved in the operation since he was old enough to walk and was named National Junior Angus Herdsman of the Year in 2018. Over the last three to four years,

November 2019

out about 120 Spotted Poland China and Duroc gilts each year and sold approximately 65 boars to producers in the surrounding area. They also fed out about 40 steers annually.

Glenn bought his first purebred Angus heifer when he was just a sophomore in high school, ironically, from Cottonwood Angus Farm. Sherri was no stranger to the Angus breed, having been involved in the

13

above The youngest of the Chesnut Angus crew, Dawson Johnson, took home Champion Angus Steer honors at the 2019 National Junior Angus Show.

November 2019

the Johnsons have made sire selections together, but left the mating decisions largely to Wesly. Glenn adds, “mating decisions, sale selections, and show entries are a team effort, but we let Wesly have the final say. A banner means a little more to all of us if the boys are involved in the operation.”

Dawson exhibited the Champion Angus Steer at the 2019 National Junior Angus Show along with the Champion Angus Heifer and Reserve Champion Supreme Female in the 4-H Show at the 2019 Min-

14

above 2018 Black Hills Stock Show Champion Angus Heifer.

nesota State Fair. He is a senior at Pipestone Area High School and prefers to be involved in the field work end of the things. “He is more interested in anything on wheels with an engine,” says Glenn.

In addition to the cattle, the Johnsons keep busy with 1,200 acres of corn and soybeans, 300 acres of alfalfa, and about 70 acres of oats used for feed and bedding. The rich grasslands of southwest Minnesota will support a cow/calf pair on only three acres, when not covered in snow. So, the John-

above 2019 National Junior Angus Show Champion Angus Steer.

sons work to raise all of their own hay hopefully with a little extra to sell as well.

Glenn and Sherri have always been partial to Angus cattle because they believe in their maternal abilities - longevity, feed efficiency, and capacity to be successful when outcrossed with other breeds.

Glenn commented, “We feel they are marketable whether used as feeder cattle or breeding stock, and that makes Angus the obvious choice.”

Glenn has noticed over the years, that no matter what

above 2019 MN State Fair 4H Show Reserve Champion Supreme Heifer. thestockmanmag.com | THE STOCKMAN

kind of cattle they have had in the herd alongside the Angus, they never seem to perform as well as the Angus calves at weaning, even if they appeared bigger.

In today’s industry, where there is extensive use of embryo transfer and in-vitro fertilization, Johnsons do little to no embryo work within their own herd. Sherri stated, “we let our best cows lead us and we’ve always had better luck with natural selection.”

Glenn added, “Our goal with flushing was to produce donor quality females, but we found the females born naturally to be far more fertile than the embryo calves we raised.” In fact, almost all Chestnut Angus calves are natural-born offspring, and rarely do they have sets of full brothers or sisters in a contemporary group. “An old buck once told me never to breed a cow the same way twice,” said Glenn. “After giving that a lot of thought, we changed up our program. A

_____

above The Johnson Family: (l-r) Dawson, Sherri, Wesly, and Glenn Johnson.

good cow will always prevail through the quality of her progeny regardless of the mating.”

Technology has had a great impact in data utilization and the use of EPDs at Chestnut Angus. With it, they are able to select for traits that impact breeding decisions and generate cattle that ultimately match the paper to the animal phenotypically. Glenn notes that data is not their sole source for selection criteria. “There

_____ - Glenn Johnson, Chestnut Angus Farm

November 2019

below Females on picture day prior to their annual Elite Female Sale held each year in November.

Photo courtesy Katie Bennett.

“A good cow will always prevail through the quality of her progeny regardless of the mating.”

THE STOCKMAN | thestockmanmag.com

15

__________ “It is a testament to the cow, giving them the opportunity to produce quality year after year. We believe in that versatility and maternal power.”

_____

- Sherri Johnson, Chestnut Angus Farm needs to be a balance in visual appraisal and genetic merit.

We consider our marketing area, potential customer needs and use plain old, good sense rather than just chase numbers,” said Glenn. “In my opinion, when we went to breeding more carcass cattle, we began to lose feet, legs, udder quality, and longevity; that just didn’t work for us.”

The Johnsons have been fortunate to raise bulls that have gone on to do some note-

worthy things within the beef industry. Namely, Chestnut Knockout 204 was a member of the 2015 Reserve Champion Pen of Three bulls at the National Western Stock Show and has been used extensively in their cow herd. In his rookie calving season, Knockout sired the Grand Champion Pen of heifers at the 2017 National Western Stock Show (NWSS), as well as, several members of both the Reserve Champion Early and Reserve Champion

Late pen of Bull Calves at the 2017 NWSS. After Knockout daughters entered production, the Johnsons were even more impressed. “The foot quality, udder quality, disposition, and mothering ability has been second to none, these are the leading females in our herd today,” stated Glenn. Knockout and his daughters have gone on to produce top-end bulls and females that have been successful at the highest level not only for Chestnut Angus

November 2019

below Chesnut Angus pairs make their way across a Minnesota pasture.

Photo courtesy Katie Bennett.

16

thestockmanmag.com | THE STOCKMAN

_ but also several other breeders across the country.

The Chestnut Angus Farm location allows them to cater to a mix of customers, commercial operations and registered breeders alike. 2020 will mark their 22nd Annual Production Sale (last Wednesday in February), which includes 60 bulls and a handful of later calving females.

They also hold an Elite Female Sale each Fall (Black Friday) offering select open heifers for show prospects, bred heifers, and mature cows with various calving times to appeal to a broader audience.

Like every producer, Chestnut Angus has had some cornerstone females that they could write pages about who have helped to propel the operation forward. One such dam, Beauty 319, is a 16-year-old herd matron carrying a calf to be born in 2020. Females like her make a lasting impact in a herd with their consistency, longevity and high level of production. The Peg cow family, time and time again, has continued to produce bulls and females that always rise to the forefront moving Chestnut’s program and their customers’ programs forward

THE STOCKMAN | thestockmanmag.com

above Herd matron, WJ Peg 9589, pictured here at nine years of age.

in an effective way. “It is a testament to the cow, giving them the opportunity to produce quality year after year. We believe in that versatility and maternal power,” says Sherri.

Currently, the Johnsons are members of the American Angus Association, with their two sons also active in the National Jr. Angus Association.

For over 8 years, Sherri and Glenn have served as advisors for the Minnesota Junior Angus Association, while Glenn also serves as Vice President of the Minnesota Angus Association.

They are also members of the Minnesota State Cattlemen’s Association and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association.

“It’s important to stay involved, support, and be an activist for our agricultural community during a time when consumers are so distant from understanding what actually happens within the industry,” commented Glenn. “Plus, best friends are made over shared passions - cattle and kids.”

above 2017 NWSS Champion Pen of Heifers sired

by Chestnut Knockout 204.

above 2017 NWSS Reserve Champion Early Pen of Bulls.

learn more chestnutangus.com Chestnut Angus Farm will hold its Elite Female Sale on November 29, 2019 at the farm near Pipestone, MN. For more information contact Glenn at 507.820.1502.

above 2017 NWSS Reserve Champion Late Pen of Bulls.

November 2019

above Chesnut Knockout 204, pictured as a yearling.

17

November 2019 18

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THE STOCKMAN | thestockmanmag.com

19

Join us

December 9, 2019

at the

Cross Diamond Cattle Company Production Sale in Bertrand, Nebraska!

We are once again selling

10 open heifers/show heifer prospects in the Cross Diamond Cattle Company Production Sale.

These heifers will be eligible for the Futurity Show at the 2020 NAJRAE in Madison, Wisconsin!

Randall, Jane and Nicki Adolph

ADPH FALLON B439 G931 – Half Sisters Sell!

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November 2019

2019 World Beef Expo Jr. Show Reserve Grand Champion Red Angus Heifer

Mt. Carroll, IL • 815.297.5457 www.adolphredangus.com

20

thestockmanmag.com | THE STOCKMAN

November 2019 THE STOCKMAN | thestockmanmag.com

21

Extension Education

University research you can use.

article by Aaron Berger, Nebraska Extension Beef Educator www.beef.unl.edu

KEYS FOR CORN STOCK GRAZING orn harvest will be C underway soon in much of

November 2019

Nebraska. Corn residue is a tremendous feed resource for cattle in Nebraska. With Nebraska’s 9 million corn acres and 1.8 million beef cows, there is more than twice the number of corn stalk acres needed for grazing all of Nebraska’s beef cows! The Nebraska Extension Circular Grazing Crop Residues with Beef Cattle is an excellent resource on grazing corn stalks. The following are keys from that resource when planning for grazing cornstalks.

22

KEYS TO CONSIDER • Scout fields prior to

grazing to determine the amount of corn present and to look for piles that could cause grain overload which can result in bloat or death in cattle. If there is more than 8-10 bushels of ears of corn per acre on the ground, a grazing strategy to control corn intake will need to be used.

• Stocking rate should be determined based on corn bushel yield per acre and the average weight of cattle that will be grazing. The Corn

Stalk Grazing Calculator is an Excel® spreadsheet that can be used to calculate this and is available for download or as a mobile app.

• A quick way to estimate grazing days per acre available for a 1200 pound non-lactating cow is to take corn bushel yield and divide by 3.5. For example, 180 bushel yield / 3.5 = 51 grazing days per acre.

• Quality of grazing starts high at approximately 70% total digestible nutrients (TDN) and then decrease to a low of 45% TDN at the

Corn residue is a tremendous feed resource for cattle in Nebraska. Photo credit Troy Walz. www.unl.beef.edu. thestockmanmag.com | THE STOCKMAN

end of the grazing period. The rate of quality decline is dependent on stocking rate and environmental factors such as moisture and field conditions.

• Mature non-lactating, spring calving cows in a body condition score 5 or better will not need protein supplement when grazed at recommended stocking rates according to University of Nebraska–Lincoln research.

• First-calf heifers in the 90 days prior to

calving will need protein and energy supplementation to meet nutrient requirements. Feeding 3.5 lbs per head per day of dried distillers grains would meet this need.

• Fall-calving cows will need additional protein and energy to meet nutrient requirements. Cows less than three months after calving will need 4.5 lbs per head per day of a supplement that is at least 30% protein and 90% total digestible nutrients (TDN) on a dry matter basis. Feeding 5 lbs per head per day of dried distillers grains would meet this need.

• Weaned calves grazing corn stalks with a targeted gain of 1.0 lb per day will need to be feed an energy and protein supplement.

Research has demonstrated that dried distillers grains fed at 2 lbs per head per day when calves are grazing corn stalks will usually meet this targeted gain.

• Deep snow and ice can severely limit the ability of cattle to graze corn stalks. Have a backup plan and other feed resources available to meet cattle needs when this occurs.

University of Nebraska - Lincoln Interviews with the authors of BeefWatch newsletter articles become available throughout the month of publication and are accessible at https://go.unl.edu/podcast.

THE STOCKMAN | thestockmanmag.com

November 2019

Corn stalks can be an excellent, economical resource for late fall and winter grazing in many parts of the state. For more information on grazing corn stalks with cattle visit the Crop Residue section of the Beef Forage Crops Systems page (https://beef.unl.edu/beef-cattle-production/beef-forage-crop-systems).

23

Fabius Creek Angus

Star Search Mature Cow Dispersal

Saturday, November 16, 2019 | 12:00 Noon At the Bloomfield Livestock Market

Bloomfield, Iowa

Selling 310 Head

130 cows and calves - 21 Bred Heifers 18 Fall Open Heifers - 11 Fall Yearling Bulls

Donor Cows Selling:

Lot 1

Lot 7

AAA# 17306309 Hoover Dam’s Full Sister

AAA# 18065039 Prophet x GAR Progress 830 $430,000 Deer Valley Donor

Lot 5A

Lot 4A

Lot 5A

AAA# 19398120 1/17/2019 Sired by Black Magic

AAA# 19398213 1/7/2019 Sired by Ramesses

CED BW WW YW RADG DMI YH SC DOC CLAW ANGLE HP CEM MILK MW MH $EN -2 5.1 90 163 .34 1.61 1.8 1.77 21

.37

95% 95% 1% 1% 1% 95% 1% 4% 30% 3%

.47 15.9 5

30 138 1.6 -58

30% 5% 85% 15% 1% 1% 95%

CED BW WW YW RADG DMI YH SC DOC CLAW ANGLE HP CEM MILK MW MH $EN 0 4.6 103 185 .37 2.20 1.4 1.56 16

CW MARB RE FAT $M $W $F $G $B 89

November 2019

.39

5.9 8

28 135 1.1 -56

4% 95% 55% 25% 1% 2% 95%

CW MARB RE FAT $M $W $F $G $B

.90 1.05 -.019 54 79 149 75 224

97

1% 15% 3% 15% 80% 5% 1% 4% 1%

24

.56

90% 95% 1% 1% 1% 95% 1% 10% 50% 75%

.78 1.26 .002 41 95 146 70 216

1% 25% 1% 40% 95% 1% 1% 10% 1%

For More Information, Contact:

Fabius Creek Angus Dean and Nancy Hougland 29244 Ice Ave | Bloomfield, IA 52537 Home phone: (641) 929-3208 //Dean’s Cell: (641) 208-9626 // Nancy’s Cell: (641) 208-0434 thestockmanmag.com | THE STOCKMAN

Join us for our Inaugural Even t!

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2019 | MADISON, SOUTH DAKOTA SALE TIME: 1 P.M.

Brown P707 Y7108 X Red Six Mile Wild West 0913W

70 Lots including these fancy heifers sell!

Brown P707 Y7108 X Red Six Mile Sakic 832S Call for your catalog today!

Gilchrist Auction Co. Kyle and Lisa Gilchrist 14075 120th St. • Douds, IA 52551 redcowseller@yahoo.com

Kyle: 641/919-1077 • Lisa: 515/669-9945

View this catalog online at www.redcows.net Barb Carruthers 605/496-4277 • Melissa Edmondson 605/480-0303 Steve Koedam 507/920-7594 • Dave Kemen 320/212-2478 Ben Hanson 605/366-0189 • Jeremy Reisdorfer 507/920-0101 THE STOCKMAN | thestockmanmag.com

Brown P707 Y7108 X Red Six Miller Chill 136Y

November 2019

A production of Star G Ranch, Inc.

25

Leading the Way

How leadership works on the ranch.

contributed article by B. Lynn Gordon Leader Consulting

leaderconsulting.biz

SIBLING SOLUTIONS - PART TWO O

KEY CONVERSATIONS ABOUT LEADERSHIP AND OWNERSHIP IN FAMILY BUSINESSES

In last month’s ‘Leading the Way’ column, we began a discussion that is important and impactful across agriculture ̶ the dynamics of succession in family businesses. We kicked off this topic with a look at “Key Conversations for Roles and Decision-Making with Siblings” and will dig deeper this month, to visit about leadership in succession and sibling ownership options.

November 2019

SUCCESSION LEADERSHIP

26

When a family is facing the transition to the next generation or initiating the discussion about succession planning, a primary question to address is: Who is capable of serving as the next leader? The leadership role had most likely been in the hands of the senior generation, however, as they decide to retire, move on to other opportunities, or are ready the next generation take on more responsibilities, a shift in the leadership of the family business must be addressed.

Succession in a family business is unique to each family. In some cases, there is only one child in

the family to potentially move into the role of leading the business, and in other situations, there may be multiple siblings, that may or may not be involved. Key questions to help families process this impactful family and business change include: 1) What are the leadership responsibilities? If the role is not already clearly identified in a job description, which is rare to find in a family farm/ranch business (depending on its size and scope), the current leader should begin to make a list of their daily roles and responsibilities. Developing this list will create a helpful guide for the future leader to utilize as a roadmap.

2) What will the transition consist of? How long will the current leader remain in the leadership role? Will there be a transition period, or has factors such as health or physical abilities limited the transition period?

3) When will the transition take place? Ideally, it is most effective to have time when the new leader can work alongside the current leader to gain a better grasp of the roles and responsibilities, simi-

lar to a shadowing experience, but this is not always feasible or practical.

4) What are the expectations of the leader? More transitions of leaders fail due to the lack of communication of expectations, than the lack of ability of the next generation, reports the Family Business Consulting Group, an organization that specializes in family business development and issues. The sibling relationship can also add a unique dynamic to expectations. Due to the relationship that exists among family members compared to non-family relationships, siblings fall into the trap of assuming they know how a family member will react and how the system works rather than focusing on the parameters of a successful leadership transition.

5) Who should run the business?

Leaders don’t always have to be family members. More and more family businesses today are incorporating non-family members to serve in the leadership role or on the family board.

thestockmanmag.com | THE STOCKMAN

Operating Owner: Employed and involved in day-to-day operations

Involved Owner: Not employed but genuinely interested in the business and attentive to all issues Passive Owner: Collect dividends and not interested in the business; does not make a conscious decision to remain an owner Investor Owner: Collects dividends and is interested in the success of the business; makes active decision to remain owner.

Proud Owner: Not engaged in the business but proud to be an owner.

OWNWERSHIP OPTIONS What type of owner are you, or do you want to be? The six different kinds of ownership outlined in the chart can help you determine where you fit within your family business. The right answer is, what type of ownership feels right for you? You need to identify what will be best for the business across the family relationship, for you, and for your personal goals. The mindset needed to work in a family business is the same mindset for working in teams. You must be open-minded to the understanding of each other’s goals and roles, and that includes accepting some family members may choose a different ownership level than you or than you anticipated they might select.

Respecting the type of ownership each person represents will help THE STOCKMAN | thestockmanmag.com

in managing expectations and communications across the family and the business.

Utilize the chart below as a guide for who makes the decisions and to what level. Expand or adjust chart to meet the needs of your family operation.

Beyond ownership is the ability to work together with your siblings in the family business.

Remember, we can’t choose our siblings, but we can choose our partners. Are you willing to be a working partner with your sibling? What would the business relationship with your sibling, as your working partner, look like if you take over the ownership of the family business together? If you were able to choose a partner to work with, would it be your sibling, why or why not? If you would select your sibling, then you have reason to believe you can work together, if you would not choose your sibling, then how could you think it will work out.

We often hear of family transition stories that involve the issue of fair versus equal. Should all siblings have ownership?

Should it be equally divided or divided fairly based on a multitude of factors such as current involvement in the operation, geographical location, interest, etc. This question, like many other questions in the generational succession of the family business, requires assessment, prioritizing, and planning. There is no single path to success; all these conversations and issues take time and commitment.

Resource: The Family Business Consulting Group webinar presented by FBCG consultants, David Karofsky and Nicole Zieder.

B. Lynn Gordon, Ph.D., Leader Consulting, LLC. Sioux Falls, SD. 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 http://www.leaderconsulting.biz

ROLES OF OWNERS, BOARD, & MANAGEMENT D = DECISION AUTHORITY Role

I = INFLUENCE/VOICE IN DECISION Owners

Board

Management

ownership succession

D

I

board composition, election, comp

D

I

company values/missions/vision

D

I

I

family policy on employment

D

I

I

senior management succession

I

D

I

dividends/distributions

I

D

business strategy

I

D

I

D

CEO appointment/management business performance

I

D

I

company culture

I

I

D

day-to-day operations

D

November 2019

Governing Owner: Full-time overseer of the business but not involved in day-to-day operations

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November 2019 28

thestockmanmag.com | THE STOCKMAN

faLL pRoduCtion saLe Saturday,

November 23, 2019

11 AM (CST) • AT THE RANCH - 2 MILES WEST OF PALISADE, NE

140 40

RegisteRed Cows & BRed HeifeRs

BeaR mtn BaRBaRa 6574

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deveLoped on a HigH RougHage, non-staRCH diet!

Kg Justified

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Daughters Sell

HooveR no douBt

Selling 1/2 interest in this KG Justified donor

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350

Daughters & Service Sells

CommeRCiaL BRed HeifeRs seLL

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For your free reference sale booklet, contact anyone in the office of the Sale Manager, TOM BURKE, KURT SCHAFF, JEREMY HAAG, AMERICAN ANGUS HALL OF FAME, at the WORLD ANGUS HEADQUARTERS, PO Box 660, Smithville, MO 64089-0660. Phone: (816) 532-0811. Fax: (816) 532-0851. E-Mail: angushall@angushall.com

THE STOCKMAN | thestockmanmag.com

Design by Chrisman Cattle Services

BRIAN & TIFFANY STOLLER 35789 Hwy 6 • Palisade, NE 69040 (308) 285-3313 • (308) 737-6213 cell bearmtnangus@msn.com www.bearmountainangus.com

November 2019

SPRING PRODUCTION SALE • JANUARY 29, 2020

CED +13 • BW -0.6 • WW +77 His Service Sells.

Commercial bred heifers were AI’d to him.

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National Champion Percentage Simmental Female - 2016 AJSA National Classic Congratulations Nikkel Family

2016 Simmental Junior National Champion Percentage Female and Many time Champion Percentage Simmental & Supreme Heifer

CONGRATULATIONS NIKKEL FAMILY

5th Overall Female & Champion Charolais 2016 Kansas State Fair

CONGRATULATIONS NIKKEL FAMILY

Supreme Female Tenn. Agribition Champion % Simmental

CONGRATULATIONS MEIER FAMILY

Supreme Champion Both Rings Kansas AGR 8 Times Shown - 7 time Supreme or Reserve Supreme CONGRATULATIONS NIKKEL, WALKER, AND WALTHAL FAMILIES We are excited for her progeny here in the future Sired by Big Deal

Reserve Grand Champion Red Angus Jr Nationals, 5th overall Kansas Classic, many time champion Red. Congratulations to the Gilliam, Trauernicht, and Ridder Families.

National Champion Red Angus Heifer and Supreme Champion 2015 NILE CONGRATULATIONS LEDOUX FAMILY & ROLLING HILLS SIMMENTALS

Champion Red Angus Female Illinois State Fair Jr Show, Res Divsions National Western and National Jr Show

Supreme Prospect Female 2014 Ntl Western RS Supreme & 5th Overall 2014 KSU Kick-Off Show 3rd Overall Female 2014 Kansas State Fair CONGRATULATIONS HODGES, EVANS & WIEDEL FAMILY

Supreme Heifer & Champion Charolais 2015 Kansas State Fair

CONGRATULATIONS HODGES FAMILY

CONGRATULATIONS LOCK FAMILY

November 2019

JSAR Titan - Reg# 16542035 46th National Champion Charolais Bull Owned With: Ridder Farms, C&H Farms and Dismukes Ranch Sold in our Fall Female Sale

Supreme Heifer Iowa Shootout. Reserve Supreme Heifer All Iowa Showdown where Makayla Houck was also Champion Show person!

Congratulations to her and the Stalcup Family!

Sire JSAR Territory (High selling Angus Bull two years ago by Titan)

30

thestockmanmag.com | THE STOCKMAN

8118 • LCX Perfecto 11B ET • Reg. #: 43940955 BW: 3.3 • WW: 65 • YW: 91 • Milk: 33 • CHB: 105

Selling

125 REGISTERED ANGUS & HEREFORD COMING-2-YEAR-OLD BULLS

20 CALVING-EASE YEARLING BULLS 5 SELECT HEREFORD BRED HEIFERS

STRAIGHT FROM THE HEART OF THE HERD 8128 • Churchill Pilgrim 632D ET • Reg. #: 43940988 BW: 0.6 • WW: 53 • YW: 94 • Milk: 27 • CHB: 97

and A SELECT GROUPS OF REGISTERED AND

COMMERCIAL FEMALES

Dec. 7, 2019

FREDERICKSON RANCH ~ SPEARFISH, SD Videos of all sale bulls will be available Mid-November

8114 • SHF Daybreak D287 ET • Reg. #: 43941049 BW: 3.5 • WW: 66 • YW: 96 • Milk: 26 • CHB: 126

Genetics you should EXPECT Service you DESERVE.

HEREFORD REFERENCE SIRES LCX Perfecto 11B • Churchill Pilgrim 832D ET SHF Daybreak D287 ET • Pyramid Homegrown 5155

She sells!

102F • LCX Perfecto 11B ET • Reg. #: 43941111 BW: 2.5 • WW: 72 • YW: 100 • Milk: 33 • CHB: 105

Dam is a full sister to H FHF Authority 6026 ET! 102F sells safe AI to NJW Historic 81E!

Where the philosophy is the program

Nate: (605) 254-4872 Mark: (605) 642-2139

PyramidBeef.net

www.

/FredericksonRanch THE STOCKMAN | thestockmanmag.com

LCX PERFECTO 11B

We’re selling over 20 sons of one of the breed’s most popular sires: LCX Perfecto 11B!

November 2019

Call for a catalog today!

31

FINDING THEIR

by Hilary Rossow & Katie Johnson photos courtesy Prairie View Farms

>>>

NICHE

Prairie View Farms uses location to their advantage in central Illinois.

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thestockmanmag.com | THE STOCKMAN

Alan’s grandfather and great-uncle started a successful Angus operation holding numerous production sales during the 1960’s. As the Gridley area is ideal for row-crop agriculture, the primary focus of the operation remained in the fields when the next generation took over. Alan’s

dad, Orlan, valued the cattle as a source of 4-H projects for Alan, Cathy, and their siblings; while the crops earned their living. When he was 16, Alan started making breeding decisions for the cow herd. At that point, there were 25-30 purebred cows, and it was a pivotal time for Alan. “It was a unique opportunity; I learned a lot from it, I grew a lot, and I made a lot of mistakes,” said Alan.

His dad was open to letting Alan make decisions and take ownership of those decisions early on setting Alan up for success in his own operation.

Over the last 20 years, the Millers have worked to grow Prairie View Farm into a successful Angus brand. Shortly after they were married, they were fortu-

____

A

lthough Gridley, Ill, is known for its fertile farm ground, this area is also home to Prairie View Farm (PVF), a purebred Angus ranch owned by Alan and Theresa Miller in partnership with Alan’s sister, Cathy Jones, and her husband, Brandon Jones.

A third-generation operation, the crew at PVF prides itself on being a top producer of donor-quality Angus females as well as a destination for herd sire prospects for purebred and commercial cattlemen.

“If we were going to stay here, we needed to focus on what we were going to sell here.

- Alan Miller, Owner Prairie View Farms

____ nate enough to purchase the farm across the road from the PVF home place and started working on growing the herd. Today, the cow herd consists of 200 cows.

Cathy and Brandon Jones manage the grain partnership with the Millers and also sell high-profile show steers.

As pasture ground is nearly

November 2019

The Miller Family of Prairie View Farms l-r Will, Adam, Alan, Theresa, and Amelia

THE STOCKMAN | thestockmanmag.com

33

above The Miller kids flex their muscles in the show ring not only with Angus, but Sim-influence and high profile show steers as well. You may recognize the young man on the wash rack, as his photo was featured on our cover of the August issue of The Stockman. below The typical PVF Angus string, consistently hanging banners for young stockmen around the country.

Corn stalks and byproducts of the ethanol industry are also used.

Alan adds, “It’s not your common western cow scenario.”

Over the past two decades, PVF’s focus has been raising elite heifers. As roughage costs are higher in central Illinois, the Millers were forced to find a lucrative niche for their cattle operation.

Commercial cattlemen are few and far between in Illinois, but the show heifer competition is fierce.

The proximity to large airports in Chicago means relatively easy access to customers from all over the country. “If we were going to stay here, we needed to focus on what we were going to sell here.

It is not the cheapest place to run

cows, so the heifer market was the most logical choice,” says Alan.

Alan and Theresa have three children, Amelia (16), Adam (14), and William (10). All three are involved in showing their own heifers. Rather than compete directly with their customers in the show ring, the Miller kids all show a lot of Sim-influence cattle, but their son, Adam, as excelled showing steers. PVF’s customer have had some outstanding success including the Grand Champion heifer at the 2015 National Junior Angus Show and many champions and reserves at NWSS, regional Angus Junior shows, NAILE, World Beef Expo, and several state fairs. PVF-bred heif-

November 2019

non-existent in the fertile, flat lands of central Illinois, the Millers utilize cooperative herds to raise calves. The donor cows and ET recipients reside at the main ranch near Gridley, but calving is done spring and fall off-site.

Some creativity and resourcefulness is essential in feeding cows with their limited grass acres, so alternate feed sources are used.

Alan says, “Most everything is gobbled up for new homes, corn, or beans pretty quickly, so we utilize a lot of tillable ground and run an intensive rotational grazing program. We do a lot of double cover crops for grazing and harvesting and try to get the most out of the ground for our cattle.”

34

thestockmanmag.com | THE STOCKMAN

pressure on yourself to stay on top, and hopefully that pressure doesn’t pass on to your family and employees too much. Managing the expectations that come with success is a challenge.”

In 2016, Alan was elected to the American Angus Association’s Board of Directors. He is the first person to be elected to the board after also serving on the National Junior Angus Association Board of Directors from 1993-1995.

>>>

“The Angus breed has a lot of really qualified people; it’s very competitive and a great honor to be a part of both the National Junior Angus Board as well as the American Angus Association Board of Directors. If my kids are interested in becoming a part of these associations in the future, I’d encourage them when the time comes.” His AAA Board seat in addition to his purebred operation has his plate full, but he loves the

November 2019

ers have captured many divisional banners at the NJAS since hanging the top honor in 2015 as well.

In each of the past two years, over 50 heifers bred by PVF have shown in the NJAS. “Most people measure success with purple banners,” says Alan, “but once you have built a program capable of winning those banners, it gets really hard to manage the expectations and pressures of staying there. Human nature is to put that

THE STOCKMAN | thestockmanmag.com

35

above In addition to the Miller family, Prairie View Farms employs two full-time herdsmen as well as part-time help from local college students. below a beautiful summer sight at Prairie View Farms.

Angus business and is excited to help guide its future.

Alan and Theresa both work full time on the farm along with two other full-time employees.

As with any owner, one of the biggest challenges for the Millers is finding the right people to help manage the operation while maintaining a good work-life balance for everyone involved.

The partnership with Brandon

36

and Cathy helps everything run at Prairie View Farm. Brandon and Cathy also have two daughters, Charlee and Chandler, that keep them busy!

bulls. The Spring-born heifers are sold via private treaty and in several online sales throughout the Fall, along with some select semen and embryos.

The embryo transfer calves are brought back to PVF from the cooperative farms to market in two waves. Their Annual Production Sale held in the Spring (April) features the Fall-born heifer calves, along with some cows and

PVF Insight 0129 has had a major impact on PVF’s breeding program and reputation as a producer of premier Angus cattle. He has been well-received through the Angus breed and was ROV Sire of the Year three con-

thestockmanmag.com | THE STOCKMAN

>>>

secutive years. As a member of the Millers’ pen in Denver, 2011, he was sold to Express Ranches in The Yards and has created a successful partnership between the two operations. Alan says, “To raise a bull that produces champions and still works for the more performance-oriented herds is a neat deal for us.”

Through their tireless efforts to produce champion heifers and Alan’s work with the AAA, Prairie View Farm has a clear vision for a bright future in the Angus industry. The Miller and Jones families love the great way of life agriculture supplies, but they recognize the opportunities and potential pitfalls of being at the top of their game. Alan states, “For me it is the purebred aspect that adds another level of challenges and complexities. There are so many different directions you can take your program and so many ways you can challenge yourself. It is just so intriguing to learn more pvfangus.com me.”

Prairie View Farms will hold its Fall Open House November 29-30, 2019 followed by their Fall Online Sale series on December 3, 4, & 5. Selling Heifer calves, bred heifers, and embryos.

Contact Alan for details and at 217.840.6935.

above PVF Insight 0129. top Feeding time for sale features at PVF.

“For me it is the purebred aspect that adds another level of challenges and complexities. There are so many different directions you can take your program and so many ways you can challenge yourself.”

- Alan Miller, Prairie View Farms THE STOCKMAN | thestockmanmag.com

37

Gopher The

Purple 39 th Sale

Hutton Bred Heifer Sells

December 13-14 th

Hutchinson, MN McLeod County Fairgrounds Sale Headquarters - Days Inn Hutchinson

<

Elite 8, December 13 after 7:00 pm banquet <

29C x Catapult 109

Showtime Alexa x Desperado

Rampage Bull Sells

Trump Heifer Sells

- embryos sell -

- embryos sell -

11B

Choice Embryo Lot:

A - CKP Della 4124 X C Double Your Miles 6077 ET - or B - JDH Ms 21Z Victor 3Y 11B X JDH AH Miles Ahead 35F ET

*NEW*

Both Sales Will Be Broadcasted L I VE at liveauction.tv

November 2019

Dec. 13th: Selling Embryos, Semen and Pick of Herd, Along With Flushes Dec. 14th: @ Noon, Selling Bulls, Heifers, Breds and Cow/calves, and Steers

38

For Info, Contact Sale Managers: Matthew & Darci Kitchell 701-799-7690 or 701-256-4094 darci.kitchell@gmail.com www.minnesotaherefordbreeders.com

Sale Staff:

Auctioneer: Cody Crum 217-248-7282 Ringmen: Mike Sorensen Alex Acheson Bill Schermer thestockmanmag.com | THE STOCKMAN

November 2019 THE STOCKMAN | thestockmanmag.com

39

SELLING: 35 Open Heifer Calves  35 Bred Heifers  12 Bred Cows 50+ Embryos  Complete Dispersal of Neal Eickhoff 2018-19 Females

November 2019

These females sell!

40

View catalog & videos online (100% video auction) www.sonderupcharolaisranch.com Looking for future donor cows, club calf producers, show heifer prospects or herd bull producers?

>>> It’s All Here! <<<

Tom & Sandy Sonderup 19488 Valley Road Fullerton, NE 68638 (308) 536-2050  (308) 550-0254 cell scrinc@hotmail.com thestockmanmag.com | THE STOCKMAN

Friday, November 29th, 2019 • 2:00 PM • At the farm Pipestone, MN Selling 80 Elite Lots • 40 Bred Heifers, 30 Proven Females & 10 Fancy Heifer Calves

Purchase your next Foundation Female at Chestnut Angus Farm!

Show prospects like this will sell sale day!

Bred Heifers

Many beautiful A.I. bred first calf heifers selling on November 29th.

Chestnut Angus Farm Glenn & Sherri Johnson Family 2242 90th Ave., Pipestone, MN 56164

Proven Females

Offering an elite set of proven females bred to breed leading sires.

GENETICS YOU CAN DEPEND ON! Glenn 507-368-9220 or 507-820-1502 Cell Wesly 507-215-7348 Cell • Justin Blumer 507-696-1133 chestnut@itctel.com • www.chestnutangus.com

Sale Management: Eberspacher Enterprises 507-532-6694 • Val Cell 612-805-7405 • sales@ebersale.com • www.ebersale.com

THE STOCKMAN | thestockmanmag.com

November 2019

Fancy Heifer Calves

41

DARINGLY

Diverse

by Melissa McGee Buehler photos courtesy Mid Continent Farms

Variety is the spice of life, and the norm at Mid Continent Farms.

I n the middle of north central

The Stewart family began farming and raising cattle in 1916, with W.C. Mueller, Gregg Stewart’s great-grandfather.

Gregg is now a fifth-generation stockman and owner of Mid Continent Farms (MCF) in Washington County, Kansas. During World War II, Ray Stewart, (Gregg and Kent’s

grandfather) kept a cowherd and sold mules to the U.S. Army.

Their father, Conrad, was more interested in the cash grain business and feeding out cattle.

Gregg remembers, “Dad always said Grandpa was an ‘ole mule skinner’, so Kent and I came by trading livestock naturally.”

Cow-calf pairs were not part of the operation until 1980.

From its humble beginnings, the outfit has always been

November 2019

Kansas, where the sunflowers stand at attention to the midday sun, and the wheat blows in the light breeze, Agriculture is the lifeblood of small communities thriving there. When looking on a map of the United States, near the middle of the country is Washington, Kansas. Just north of the famous flint hills of Kansas, Mid Continent Farms has built a multigeneration family

venture based on a diverse, yet practical cowherd, along with a mixed farming operation.

42

_ thestockmanmag.com | THE STOCKMAN

diverse in its business approach.

Gregg has found letters to his great-grandpa, W.C. Mueller, that were dated by their yellow color and cursive handwriting.

The letters came from farmers throughout Kansas and surrounding states inquiring about registered Polled Hereford bulls, Red Rock chickens, and local inquiries for eggs. Mueller sold a bull for $400, the same price as a new Model T Ford pickup at that time.

Today, MCF raises multiple breeds of seedstock, selling show steers and heifers along with bulls, replacement females and feeder steers. The operation includes Stewart’s immediate family, wife, Debbie and their three boys, Garrett, Brigham, and Tucker. Gregg and Brigham manage the cowherd and farming duties, while Debbie is the “CEO” of the operation. Debbie keeps all the guys in line, while also managing the office, accounting, cattle registrations, payroll, etc.

Gregg’s parents, Conrad Stewart and Deanna Stewart Balthezor serve in supporting roles for the operation. Deanna cooks for the crew most days for lunch along her husband Keith. Conrad isn’t as active in the physical labor, but still acts in an advisory role from time to time. Gregg’s brother, Kent, is a partner in the oper-

above The Stewart family with Grandpa Conrad.

ation, but runs his own herd of cows in Texas, and assists in the marketing of MCF cattle in the south.

started out as seasonal labor for the sale and wanted to stay full time so Stewarts gave them that opportunity.

The MCF crew also includes some talented full and part time help that have a diverse set of skills. Brigham says, “the guys that work for us have to know how to clip cattle, run heavy equipment, cowboy, and be a little bit handy. Throughout out the year, they do whatever we ask of them, whether it be sale preparation on show steers and heifers, calving cows, or harvesting crops, they are all up for any task.”

Many of the employees at MCF

Gregg gives the credit for starting the business to 4-H and FFA. He joined the Farmington 4-H Club when he was seven years old, and because of his brother, he has shown cattle since he was old enough to remember doing so. Gregg also participated in woodworking, cooking, horse, and market sheep projects. His mother, Deanna, was a 4-H leader for several years, guiding Gregg and Kent to do their best in each project. Deanna hauled the boys

“The diversity of the cowherd allows us to sell more cattle.”

- Brigham Stewart, Mid Continent Farms

THE STOCKMAN | thestockmanmag.com

November 2019

_______ _________ 43

above (l-r) Brigham Stewart, friend Wyatt Daines, Tucker Stewart, and Gregg Stewart.

to the steer shows as well.

The brothers enjoyed their steer projects and saw their future in it.

Being members of 4-H provided opportunities for the boys to start livestock judging, which led to FFA and collegiate judging. Both were on judging teams at Colby Community College (CCC) and Kansas State University (KSU).

The Stewarts’ cattle business began to receive national recognition when they visited farms for livestock judging practices. Gregg and Kent would work out a deal with the producer while they were

there to judge. At that time, they started signing contracts to artificially inseminate more than 1,000 cows a year for several different herds, and in return were given the first pick of those calves from each herd. They also bought bulls to clean-up cows for those breeders. At seventeen and nineteen years of age, the boys sought out sales and breeders around the country to begin purchasing cattle to build their cow herd. Conrad trusted their abilities and sense of responsibility, while letting them make their own mistakes.

The boys’ first major purchase was 40 head of bred Chianina heifers from the Mile High Ranch in Colorado, and 40 more cows locally. To this day, Stewarts still have MC Cowboy bloodlines, originating from the first 40 heifers. With the help of their parents and their experiences, the business grew quickly, and the Stewarts needed an official name for their ranch. Recalling a name first used by the Dennis Aherin, a friend on the livestock judging team at CCC, they chose “Mid Continent Chianina” because of their centralized location in the United States. Later, they changed the name to “Mid Continent Farms” (MCF) as their operation began expanding to different breeds and various parts of the country.

Today the operation includes approximately 1,500 acres of tillable crop ground near Washington, Kansas, and two other ranch locations of grazing land in Kansas including the original pasture ground around Washington.

With registered Maine-Anjou, Shorthorn, Charolais, Simmental, Angus, and Chianina, plus a handful of Herefords, MCF runs over 1,000 head of cattle representing various composites of the breeds. Although they are farm-

November 2019

_________

44

“We are not going to jeopardize our cowherd by being too trendy, but we like to stay with the times”

_________ - Brigham Stewart, Mid Continent Farms

thestockmanmag.com | THE STOCKMAN

ers and ranchers, Brigham said their focus in the last 40 years has been on the cattle, and they have always taken a practical approach to raising show steers and heifers.

To achieve functionality in the cowherd base, the Stewarts realized they needed to keep the basics in their herd and bought registered Angus cattle. “We decided to get involved in a big way to bring out the more functional traits of our crossbreds,” Gregg said. The operation started to breed their own Angus cattle when they found it hard to buy cattle that possessed the traits for which they were looking.

“It wasn’t a conscious effort to

become Angus producers,” Gregg shares. “Some show cattle herds don’t concentrate on the big picture. You can’t make practical advancements if you are only focused on phenotype.” Because of the diversity of the herd and the multiple ranch locations, it was becoming costly to keep the Angus herd separate on the Kansas ranch from a resource standpoint. Separating the Angus herd also spread out their marketing efforts and gave the herd its own identity. In 1995, Stewarts joined forces with the Ron Jones family of Benkelman, Nebraska, and created the Jones Stewart Angus Ranch. Jones bought half of the

Stewart interest in the Angus herd and traded his show cattle to the Stewarts. For about 20 years, he handled the development side of the Angus business, because he had the facilities to handle the capacity of the herd. They also had a live auction bull sale in Benkelman while the herd was out there.

About six years ago, the Angus were moved back to Washington. To make them fit, some of the multi-breed cows was downsized to bring the Angus back to north central Kansas. The bulls are now developed in Washington, and yearling bulls are sold through an online bull sale in April, while they also sell bulls

November 2019

below MCF offers value added services that include help finding the right calf, clipping calves before a show, and advice on feeding.

Photo courtesy Legacy Livestock Imaging.

THE STOCKMAN | thestockmanmag.com

45

above MCF Angus herd digging out following a blizzard.

privately throughout the year.

November 2019

Mid Continent bull customers range from large commercial producers to the guys with only 30 cows. The bull business relies on satisfied return customers that keep coming back year after year. Like the rest of the herd, the Angus cowherd is diverse, and

46

they pay attention to calving ease, growth to weaning, and moderate yearling weights. Brigham states, “We breed cattle with power and dimension, longevity, fertility, maternal strengths, excellent skeleton, that are sound on the move. We still like to look at our cows. The cows work for us; we

don’t work for our cows. They graze 10 or 11 months out of the year when the weather permits.

Our cowherd is pretty young and fresh, because we strive to keep up with the trends in the Industry while staying very maternal. We are not going to jeopardize our cowherd by being too trendy, but we like to stay with the times.”

The operation is extremely spread out, which allows for diverse grazing throughout the year. One ranch location is now two hours southwest, and another ranch 30 miles southeast of the ranch, with the remainder of the land right around Washington.

With these three ranches, and varying rainfall in Kansas, Stewarts can rotate the cattle around, and use diversified cover crops and grazing techniques. Brigham states, “We have built our cowherd around our diversity. The diversity allows us to sell more cattle. The heifer sale is a seedstock sale with multiple breeds involved. The steer sale calves come from the same cow base that the heifers come from.”

above The Stewart family with Grandma Deanna.

MCF was one of the first operthestockmanmag.com | THE STOCKMAN

THE STOCKMAN | thestockmanmag.com

California in the west to Maryland in the east and from Canada to Central America.

EYE ON THE FUTURE The next generation of Stewart boys are now an integral part of the operation. After all three

boys attended Butler Community College and Kansas State University (KSU) for their undergraduate degrees, each son chose a different path. Garrett attended vet school at KSU and is now a partner in the vet clinic in Washington. He does all the vet work on the MCF herd. He also per-

above Every chute is MCF with full crew fitting at the American Royal.

Photo courtesy Beverly Englert.

November 2019

ations to use live-bidding via the internet in their sales. LiveAuctions.tv offers live online bidding during the steer and heifer sale.

This yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s steer sale was the 34th consecutive live auction, which makes the Stewarts one of the few producers to host that many consecutive steer auctions in the country. The steer sale was held October 12, 2019 and is always the weekend before the American Royal steer show in Kansas City.

For many years, MCF only held a steer sale so that they could build the cowherd numbers. During that time, they would sell some of their elite show heifer prospects privately or placed them with families to show. Once the cowherd reached optimal numbers, the Stewarts began hosting their heifer sale in the fall, the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

This November will be the 24th heifer sale. For many years, Stanley Stout auctioned the sales, and he was hard to replace after he passed away. Currently, Kevin Went cries the heifer sale, Dustin Glover sells the steers. Cattle have been sold to customers from

47

keting MCF genetics since he returned home to the ranch.

above (l-r) Garrett, Brigham, Tucker, Deb, and Gregg Stewart. below the ranch in Lincoln, KS.

forms 90% of the Embryo Transfer (ET) work as well. Brigham came back to the ranch to manage the cowherd with Gregg. Tucker attended Washburn University Law School and currently works for the Kansas Livestock Association, where he lobbies for the interest of agriculture in Kansas, mainly livestock.

The marketing efforts have paid off over the years. MCF has raised or owned several bulls that have gone on to make an impact on their herd and an others around the country. In recent

November 2019

While at Butler, all three boys judged under Chris Mullinex, and then went on to KSU to judge under Scott Schaake. All the boys were on successful teams, but Brigham was fortunate to win

the High Point Individual Judging Title at the National Contest in Louisville, Kentucky, and set a record in reasons scoring, on that still stands. All three boys were honored with collegiate All-American Awards. Being on the judging teams paid the boys’ way through college to get their undergraduate degrees. Brigham judges several state, regional, and national shows every year. He had the opportunity to judge at Calgary Stampede in July, 2019.

His travels around the country have been a key factor in mar-

Through growing up in the business and with the beef industry in their blood, the next generation of Stewarts knows the operation isn’t always sales, shows, and having fun. With the help of Gregg’s three sons, the ranch is using innovative new ideas to help the business continue to grow and evolve. The Stewarts also offer value-added services including helping clients find a show calf, helping clip before a show, and offering advice on feeding. “Customers may buy a calf,” Brigham reveals, “but they are also getting the service we can provide for them.” It is common to see some of the Stewarts at many shows around the country. “Even though we are working with clients and sales, we consider shows our vacation. We help with the show preparation for the cattle we sold or own a piece of and enjoy our time away from the farm,” Brigham says. The operation is gaining more national exposure by providing these services to their customers.

48

thestockmanmag.com | THE STOCKMAN

years, JSAR Rodman and JSAR Titan have been heavily used for their look and maternal merit.

Other Angus bulls like EXT, OCC Doctor, Gambles Hot Rod, Opportunity, and Journey make up an integral part of the cow base and can be found in many of the pedigrees today.

The consistency that is found in the cowherd has not been an accident. Brigham shared, “It took us quite a while to start flushing cows, because we needed them to

be proven against their contemporary groups of about 100 head, to see if they were at the top end.

A cow had to establish herself by producing several top-end natural calves by different matings to land in the donor pen.” After years of doing Embryo Transfer work, the Stewarts are more confident in flushing females with proven maternal lines earlier in production but like to evaluate the situation carefully before making that decision. “The bottom line

of the operation is still based on the cattle that aren’t going to be show cattle.” Brigham stated, “When it’s all said and done, we sell 75% of our male progeny by the pound, so we want to produce maternal cattle without sacrificing carcass merit that will make money for both our operation and our customers.” learn more midcontinentfarms.com Mid Continent Farms will host its Top Cut Female Sale on November 30, 2019 in Washington, KS. For more information contact Gregg at 785.325.2089.

November 2019

below MCF Bohannon, National Champion Charolais Bull. Photo courtesy Legacy Livestock Imaging.

THE STOCKMAN | thestockmanmag.com

49

Fall Hair Care with Kirk Stierwalt The cooler temperatures make it easier to grow hair but the dry air is another challenge. Moisturizing is key during the winter months. It’s very important to replenish natural oils to keep the hide and hair healthy and fresh. How do you restore the natural beauty of your calf’s hair coat? Kirk Stierwalt recommends a leave-in conditioner.

How to apply: 1. Wash or rinse your calf. Blow and comb your calf’s hair until it is almost dry.

Kirk s Leave-in conditioner recipe Mix one part liquid ProCharge to three parts ProPolish in a spray bottle.

2. Blow in the leave-in conditioner by holding the spray bottle in front of your blower hose and apply while blowing the hair. Remember to blow all the hair forward and up.

3. After you have blown in the leave-in conditioner, Kirk likes to use the Wide Range Fluffer Brush to work the product into the hair, while pulling all the hair up and forward. Continue to brush and blow the calf until completely dry.

It is important to note, however, if you do not have a heated barn and it is under 40°, it may not be safe to wash your calf.

During this time, you can still work hair by blowing in Kirk’s leave-in conditioner and brushing.

November 2019

WHy it works:

50

ProCharge is formulated with olive oil and other conditioners to nourish and restore hydration. It also contains clove oil, a high quality essential oil that stimulates the hide and promotes hair growth. Clove oil is a natural antimicrobial and antiseptic, making it a great asset for maintaining hide health, which is another reason why it’s perfect for cold weather.

ProPolish works well with ProCharge because it adds shine while improving hair quality and manageability. It is a lightweight product that we love in the summer because it helps repel dust and dirt while protecting hair from the harsh environment. Even though it’s cold outside we still need to protect our calf’s hair coat from the harsh sunlight. thestockmanmag.com | THE STOCKMAN

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Fluff It Up I N N O VA T I O N M A T T E R S .

• Great for pulling dead hair follicles from the undercoat • Barrel-shaped head is ideal for working around various angles and curves of the body • Wooden handle provides comfortable grip

Quality. Heritage. Innovation. Commitment.

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#morethanthebanner 19-2715-LV-DAD

November 2019

• The Wide Range Fluffer’s long ball-tipped bristles reach down to stimulate the undercoat while short fiber bristles help fluff the longer top hairs for greater pop and bloom

51

Veterinarian View

Health & Reproduction questions answered and explained.

contributed article by Dr. Lisa Kellihan, Associate Veterinarian Collison Embryo | Collison Veterinary Services, Rockwell City, IA

collisonembryo.com

WHAT’S NEW IN SCRAPIE REGULATIONS? For many years, the sheep and

November 2019

goat industries have been cooperating with the United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) in a program designed to eradicate scrapie from the U.S. Scrapie is a Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy (TSE) disease that affects the central nervous systems of sheep and goats and is always fatal once clinical signs develop. It is also related to Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE or “Mad Cow Disease”) in cattle. Additionally, the presence of scrapie in the U.S. costs the sheep and goat industries an estimated $10-20 million a year from production losses, lost exports, and increased production and disposal costs. A major component of the scrapie eradication program is disease

52

traceability, including official identification and recordkeeping requirements for sheep and goats moving across state lines. While sheep of nearly all classes have always required official identification for this purpose under scrapie regulations, certain classes of goats have been exempt. However, updated scrapie regulations went into effect in April of this year that eliminated those exemptions, making official identification requirements for goats the same as those for sheep. These new regulations also made some changes to recordkeeping requirements. All of these changes were made in order to further increase scrapie disease traceability and move our nation closer to being officially declared free of scrapie.

What do these regulation changes mean for sheep and goat

producers? For many producers, likely no adjustments are needed. However, goat producers and those who move animals in slaughter channels or who move unidentified animals across state lines will notice these changes the most. One of the biggest changes is that official identification is now required to move all goats 18 months of age or older, including slaughter goats. Additionally, sexually-intact goats under 18 months of age moving for purposes other than slaughter or feeding for slaughter are now required to have official identification, with a few exceptions. Another notable change is that sheep and goats moving in slaughter channels and those moving without official identification to a market or premises where they will then be identified are now required to have an owner/hauler statement. This statement must include group/ lot identification, if applicable, and all other information necessary to appropriately identify the animals in the group. Some states have developed their own

thestockmanmag.com | THE STOCKMAN

owner/hauler statement forms to ensure that all necessary information is provided, so check with your state’s agriculture department if you intend to move sheep or goats that require an owner/hauler statement. For a complete description of all of the scrapie regulation changes and exceptions that went into effect in April 2019, visit APHIS’ scrapie website at www.aphis.usda. gov/animal-health/scrapie.

APHIS has approved a wide range of identification methods for use as official identification for the purposes of the scrapie eradication program. Currently, producers may use visual only scrapie eartags, RFID scrapie eartags, and RFID implants from APHIS-approved manufacturers. In addition, breed registry tattoos and flock ID tattoos may be used as official identification under certain circumstances. Be aware that visible eartags are the only acceptable form of official identification for sheep and goats that are in slaughter channels or moving through livestock markets and require official identification. Similar to the cattle industry, APHIS is working with the sheep and goat industries to transition to electronic identification over the next few years.

This would improve our nation’s

ability to quickly trace exposure and disease in the event of any outbreak. APHIS’ goal is to start to transition to electronic identification for sheep and goats by Fall, 2020.

Another important aspect of the recent scrapie rule changes is that it incorporates into regulation APHIS’ policy to use genetic testing to identify genetically resistant and less susceptible sheep for exemption from destruction and to relax interstate movement restrictions on these individuals when an infected flock is identified. While scrapie resistant genetics in goats has not been formally recognized in the U.S., promising research findings have been made in this area in recent years. As a result, the USDA is considering conducting a herd genetic cleanup pilot project in goats similar to that done for sheep in the early days of genetic resistance in sheep. This would be an important step in the preservation of valuable genetic lines that goat producers have spent many years developing. Breeding for genetic resistance in goats would also provide another tool for combating scrapie, especially when used in combination with good herd health management practices.

KEY TAKEAWAYS: • Do not buy or sell sheep or goats 18 months of age or older for any purpose unless they have official identification.

• An owner/hauler statement is required when moving sheep or goats in slaughter channels or when moving unidentified sheep or goats, with some exceptions.

• An Interstate Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (ICVI) is required for sheep or goats crossing states lines that are not in slaughter channels, with some exceptions.

• A record must be made when official identification is applied to a sheep or goat, or a sheep or goat is acquired or disposed.

These records must be kept for 5 years after the animal dies or is no longer owned by you.

• Check with your state’s agriculture department for state-specific hauling and identification policies.

• For a complete description of all of the scrapie regulation changes and exceptions that went into effect in April 2019, visit APHIS’ scrapie website at www.aphis.usda.gov/animal-health/scrapie. learn more collisionembryo.com

November 2019

Dr. Lisa Kellihan is an Associate Veterinarian at Collison Embryo | Collison Veterinary Services in Rockwell City, IA.

THE STOCKMAN | thestockmanmag.com

53

Every DECISION Impacts GENERATIONS

SOMETIMES IT’S OK TO

VENTURE OFF THE

November 2019

3.24.2020

54

Zac Hall 701.595.6887 | Ian Hall 701.720.4966 | Levi Hall 701.720.6652 ANGUS • SIMANGUS

WWW.HALLSTOCKFARM.COM thestockmanmag.com | THE STOCKMAN

All sales hosted by www.ShowCattleConnection.com

DECEMBER 3rd Fall Online Heifer Calf Sale

DECEMBER 4th Fall Online Bred Heifer Sale featuring Spring Calving Bred Heifers.

DECEMBER 5th Calves are available for viewing anytime. Visitors are always welcome!!

PVF Open House Friday & Saturday, November 29th & 30th. Stop by anytime!

ALAN & THERESA MILLER | 217.840.6935 | pvfangus@gmail.com | www.pvfangus.com ORLAN & CAROL | BRANDON & CATHY JONES | 309.370.1081 KYLE CHRISLAW THE STOCKMAN | thestockmanmag.com

|

608.751.9640

CURTIS HARSH

|

November 2019

Fall Online Embryo Sales featuring future sibs to many of our champions.

740.272.0339

55

BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP Tell us about yourself.

“

Dianna Nolin

2 lb butternut squash 1/8 tsp ground red pepper (or other winter squash of choice) 1/2 cup light cream 2 medium apples ground nutmeg to taste 2 14 oz. cans vegetable or chicken broth Peel squash and cut in half lengthwise. Remove seeds and discar d. Cut into 1 inc pieces and set aside. h Peel apples if desired, core and cut into 1 inch pieces.

In a lar ge saucepan combin e ½ cup water, squash, app les, vegetable broth, and red pepper. Cook covered, ove r medium heat, for 20 min utes or until squash and app are ver y tender. les Transfer ¼ of the squash mix ture to a blender or food pro smooth. Repeat with remain cessor. Cover and blend unt ing por tions. il Return all of the mix ture to saucepan. Bring just to boi ling. Reduce heat and simme 5 minutes. Stir in light cre r am. Season to taste with salt.

Ser ve in bowls with a sprink le of nutmeg.

November 2019

My husband, Mike, and I met at Iowa State University in 1968. I have a B.S. degree in Food & Nutrition and he in Forestry. He took me home to see his family farm in Monroe and this Des Moines city girl knew right away it was where I wanted to be!

We married in 1973, and both of us worked full time jobs to buy into the farm. I became a Food Stylist and Test Kitchen Home Economist for Meredith Corporation in Des Moines, while Mike drove truck for United Parcel Service. In 1986, we moved to the farm and took over operations with Mike’s dad. We continued working full time jobs to support the farm and bought our first Red Angus cow in 1988.

Today, our family farm is a combination of row crops, wildlife habitat, and purebred Red Angus cattle. We have an annual Bull and Female sale in April with Pladsen Red Angus in Waukon, IA, and have sold bulls at the Iowa Beef Expo since 1993. There are now three generations of Nolins exhibiting and selling cattle.

My daughter, Jessica, and her husband, Wyatt, help break and show cattle with their two children, Sasha and Brock. My son, James, and his wife, Cassia, and their children, Allias, Seriah, and Asaiya; and my son, Daniel, and his wife, Janna, and their children Gus and Annika help out as well. We have exhibited cattle for over 30 years at the Iowa State Fair. It has been exciting to see grandkids helping out more at the farm and showing their cattle in 4-H just like their parents did. I also enjoy vegetable gardening and raising flowers. I started the ‘Chicken Kitchen’ with my grandkids - we cook, bake, laugh, play, and I love it!!!! learn more facebook.com/nolinredangus

56

thestockmanmag.com | THE STOCKMAN

BACON CHEESEBURGER LASAGN

Where did you learn to cook?

“

I helped my mom in the kitchen. There were seven kids and we were always hungry. I liked to read my mother’s Better Homes and Gardens red plaid CookBook; who would ever have guessed I would be a food stylist for that very book?!

Favorite tips and tricks.

“

”

Before preparing a recipe always measure out all the ingredients. That way, you will not miss adding an anything.

”

FRENCH TOAST CASSEROLE Dianna Nolin

1 cup packed brown sugar 1/2 cup butter 2 Tbsp light corn syrup n bread, sliced 1-in. thick 1 pound loaf unsliced cinnamo 8 eggs, beaten 3 cups light cream 2 tsp vanilla 1/2 tsp salt or maple syrup 1-2tablespoons orange liqueur brown sugar, butter, and In a medium saucepan, combine ture comes to a boil. corn syrup; cook and stir until mix Boil, uncovered 1 minute. casserole dish. Arrange Pour into a 3-quar t rectangular ar mix ture. Combine bread slices on top of brown sug . Pour over bread eggs, light cream, vanilla, and salt rs. hou slices. Cover and chill 4 to 24 w casserole to Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Allo n preheats. Bake ove le whi re atu stand at room temper until top is puf fed and uncovered for 40 to 45 minutes r the center comes out browned and knife inserted nea s. clean. Let stand 15 minute le syrup, if desired.

Drizzle with orange liqueur or map Ser ves 8.

In the kitchen with

Dianna Nolin

Dianna Nolin

A

9 dried lasagna noodles 1 lb. lean ground beef 1 large onion, chopped 1 Tbsp yellow mustard 2 1.3 to1.5 oz. envelopes chedda r cheese or four cheese sauce mix 2 1/2 cups milk 4 oz. shredded mozzarella che ese (1 cup) 4 oz. shredded cheddar cheese (1 cup) 8 oz. bacon, crisp cooked, dra ined, and crumbled Chopped fresh tomato Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Ligh tly coat a 2-quar t casserole wit h cooking spray; set aside.

Prepare lasagna noodles accord ing to package directions; drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside.

In a large skillet brown ground bee f and onion; drain fat. Stir in mus tar d and cheese sauce mix. Add milk; coo k and stir until thickened and bub bly.

In a small bowl combine cheeses.

Spoon about 1/2 cup of the che ese sauce over bottom of prepared bak ing dish. Top with 3 noodles, 1/3 of the remaining cheese sauce, 1/3 of the bacon, and 1/3 of the cheese.

Repeat layers twice, setting asid e the remaining 1/3 cheese to spr inkle later.

Bake covered for 35 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle wit h rem cheese. Bake uncovered 5 minute s longer or until cheese melts. Spr aining inkle with tomatoes, if desired.

Let stand 10 minutes before ser

ving. Makes 8 ser vings.

What is your most requested dish and your favorite thing to make?

“

I love to experiment with flavors so Mike and my kids have been my taste panel for years. But, my most requested dish is chicken or beef and noodles with homemade mashed potatoes.

What is your least favorite job in the kitchen?

“

”

Clean up, especially after canning or cooking with the grandkids.

But, they help me!

”

n e ch Kit

STOCK

Cowboy approved recipes from our favorite country cooks.

THE STOCKMAN | thestockmanmag.com

November 2019

Nolin Red Angus - Monroe, Iowa

57

In the News HINKSON ANGUS RANCH NAMED BIF SEEDSTOCK PRODUCER OF YEAR BROOKINGS, South Dakota – The Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) presented Hinkson Angus Ranch, Cottonwood Falls, Kansas, the BIF Seedstock Producer of the Year Award on June 20 during the group’s annual meeting and symposium in Brookings, South Dakota.

This national award is presented annually to a producer to recognize their dedication to improving the beef industry at the seedstock level.

Hinkson Angus Ranch is located in the Flint Hills region of east central Kansas, 12 miles southeast of Cottonwood Falls.

This region is the largest portion of the tallgrass prairie left in North America. The ranch was purchased in March 1984, when Frank Jr., wife, Marilyn, and children, Trey and Tyla, moved from West Texas with 90 head of registered Angus cows. These cows stemmed from the original registered herd started by Frank Sr. in 1959 near Lazbuddie, Texas.

November 2019

Today, Hinkson Angus Ranch is owned by Frank Jr. and his son,

58

above Hinkson Angus Ranch, Cottonwood Falls, Kansas, was named the 2019 Beef Improvement Federation Seedstock Producer of the Year during an awards ceremony June 20 in Brookings, South Dakota. Pictured are (from left) Burt Rutherford, BEEF magazine, award sponsor; Marilyn and Frank Jr. Hinkson; and Lee Leachman, 2018-2019 BIF president.

Trey, who is the fourth generation on the ranch and manages the daily operation. Hinkson Angus consists of 5,500 acres of owned and leased land, and 200 fall- and 175 spring-calving registered Angus cows. An additional 1,000 commercial heifers are purchased each year, with the majority coming from Hinkson bull customers.

The focus of the Hinkson family is to produce practical, balanced-trait seedstock that will work at an optimum level in all phases of the beef industry in a real-world environment. Over the years, the Hinksons have been early to adopt new advances and technology within the livestock industry. A small herd of registered Charolais cows was added

in 2017, in response to the needs of some of their commercial customers to add terminal genetics.

The Kansas Livestock Association nominated Hinkson Angus Ranch.

More than 500 beef producers, academia and industry representatives were in attendance at the organization’s 51st annual convention. BIF’s mission is to help improve the industry by promoting greater acceptance of beef cattle performance evaluation.

For more information about this year’s symposium, including additional award winners and coverage of the meeting and tours, visit BIFconference.com.

For more information about BIF, visit Beefimprovement.org.

Have News to Share?

Belong to a breed association or youth organization? Send us your newsworthy items to share with our readers free of charge! Email press releases and photos to katie@stockmanmag.com. thestockmanmag.com | THE STOCKMAN

HL Ms. Primo F01

Sire: SK Smooth Criminal • PB March

Sire: Colburn Primo 5153 • Fall SimAngus™

HL Ms. Judge F2

HL Ms. EO F15

Sire: SPG The Judge • SimAngus™ • Bred to OMF Epic

Sire: WC Executive Order • PB SM • Bred to KBHR Sniper

HL Ms Carver F708

Bambi 028F

HL Ms. Fast Money F88

Sire: TKCC Carver 65C • SimAngus™ Bred to Bridle Bit Rembrandt D630

Sire: HL Kick Start CT50 • 3/4 SM Bred to KBHR Sniper

Sire: Hooks Fast Money • PB SM Bred to Black Irish Kansas

HEARTLAND ALL THESE SIMMENTALS SALE MANAGEMENT Tom & Cora Lynch • Nashua, IA 50658 FEMALES 507-532-6694 • 612-805-7405 • Catalog Phone 641435-4048 Cell 563-380-1098 SELL! sales@ebersale.com online at www.ebersale.com Kirk & Mary Lynch • New Hampton, IA 50659 THE STOCKMAN | thestockmanmag.com

Cell 563-379-1190

November 2019

HL/WM Ms. Smooth

59

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

SLOW & STEADY WINS THE RACE W

ell we all knew that is was going to take some time to recover from the collapse we saw in August, and we knew it wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t come back as fast as it fell, but we have seen a slow but steady improvement in almost all facets of the cattle market. I think we will see this continue as we head into late fall, and we should be bounce back fully by early 2020. We all can use a jump in the markets, but I think time is our friend in the coming months.

November 2019

With that being said, we have seen the prices for fats pick up over the last month, and that trend will continue. With the improvement in fat prices, cheap feed, and a strong board for the first of next year, we have seen that the feeder market is starting to take off. This should continue as long as feedlots are able to get some feed made and bedding put up to handle feeder calves. I know

60

of a hand full of guys who feed anywhere from 100-500 head that are waiting to buy calves until they have feed in the bunker and stalks for bedding. The feeder market should continue in an upwards trend as the fat market does the same; I truly believe that this feeder market is just about to catch fire.

The slaughter cow market has been steady-to-strong, and it will be tested in the next couple months as more cull cows will be coming through the barns.

Slaughter bull market has been very strong, but it will also be tested over the next few months.

We are starting to see a few bred cows being moved; the market has been good especially for this time of year. I believe that producers are not afraid to buy them this early in the year because they have access to cheap feed and grass which has been an

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.

issue in past years. We are going to start to see a few fall pairs move, and I think there could be some value in those cattle. Like I said, I think the feeder prices are going to catch fire, and we all know that these fall calves are extremely valuable in the spring when people are looking for calves to turn out on grass. I think feeders could be a very solid investment short-term and longterm.

All in all, I think things are moving in a positive direction as it needed to be. We knew it wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t going to come back overnight, and it was going to be a slow and steady crawl back to where we were, but we are getting there. If we can be of any assistance to you, just give me or the guys at the barn a call. Until next month, have a safe and bountiful harvest!

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

thestockmanmag.com | THE STOCKMAN

H U M E S TO N

Annual Bull & Female Sale Last Friday each September

L I V E S TO C K E X C H A N G E

J.L Jeffries

1026 North Front Street P.O. Box 407 Humeston, Iowa 50123 Phone: 641-877-6092 | Fax: 641-847-5117

419526 E. 1070 Rd • Checotah, OK 74426 Home: 918.473.6723 • Cell: 918.638.3317 Fax: 918.610.0016 Email: jeffriescattleco@windstream.net

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November 2019

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WHERE QUALITY & PERFORMANCE MEET!

ACRES Top 1/3 of Bulls For Sale and a Select Group of Females Greg Wood 712-260-5691 PVF Insight 0129

Chris Wood 712-260-5692

Bruce, LeeAnn, & Taylor Waugh 14495 390th St W, Goodhue, MN 55027 cvrangus@yahoo.com | 507.381.1570

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Classifieds Rockwell City, Iowa Dr. Timothy Collison - 712.395.0169 Dr. Vince Collison - 712.830.5119 Follow us on Facebook for updates!

For Sale: by P.T. Reg. Angus bred

females can include sisters to KM Broken Bow & daughters. Create your genetic opportunity!

Kent and Kyle Musfeldt 712-210-1170; www.kmcattle.com

For Sale: Classified Ad Space.

Text only. $30/issue. It’s quick and easy, email your ad to us at office@stockmanmag.com.

Chisum Peterson SEEDSTOCK SALES … OUR SPECIALTY

office 605.234.4214 mobile 605.730.4214 fax 866.399.5622

310 sorensen drive » po box 498 » chamberlain, sd 57325 chisum@petersonlandauction.com » petersonlandauction.com

THE STOCKMAN | thestockmanmag.com

November 2019

1940 250th St., Humboldt, IA 50548 515-332-2834

63

November 2019 64

thestockmanmag.com | THE STOCKMAN

Thank you to our Advertisers!

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Legacy Livestock Imaging Linz Heritage Angus Mid Continent Farms MN Go-Pher the Purple Sale Nebraska Hereford Association Prairie View Farm Pyramid Beef/Fredrickson Ranch Reds on the Prairie Sonderup Charolais Ranch Inc. Sonstegard Cattle Co Sydenstricker Genetics Talon Crest Farms TK Angus Wall Street Cattle Co Weaver Leather Western Edge

The Stockman magazine is published ten times per year. The Stockman magazine, 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.

THE STOCKMAN | thestockmanmag.com

November 2019

Index

65

Most used tool on your farm and how old is it?

“ “ “

The side-by-side. It’s less than a year old and has more than 2,000 miles on it.”

Your go-to sorting apparatus?

My hands and body.”

The most important lesson(s) you’ve learned in this business?

“

The best day is sale day because all our hard work throughout the year is rewarded and we get to see so many friends.

The worst day was a couple years ago when we had a blizzard during calving season and snow had drifted in so many places that it made it extremely difficult to check, feed and take care of the cattle. I figured we’d have a disaster and lose a pile of calves, but we got everything taken care of and only lost one calf. I realized how tough a calf can be that day.”

Which animal (of any species) has left the greatest impact on you?

“

Bear Mtn Jamie 512. She is a female we raised who won the National Jr. Angus Show in Denver in 1997 and the Western National Angus Futurity. Not only was she a many time champion, but a darn good producer. A large portion of the cow herd traces back to her in one way or another.

Her sons performed well and held up for the customers; her daughters have made tremendous cows.

The ones that do well for us in the show ring usually go back to her.”

November 2019

You’ve got to keep on keeping on. There are many challenges to ranching but you just need to figure out how to make the best of each situation and keep moving forward.”

Describe your BEST/WORST day on the farm.

66

thestockmanmag.com | THE STOCKMAN

A conversation with everyday Stockmen,

Brian Stoller Bear Mountain Angus - Palisade, NE

Your favorite non-farm activity to do in your free time?

“ “ “

Going on a cruise.”

What is your least favorite job on the farm?

Tattooing.”

What about the beef cattle industry excites you the most?

The fact that there are so many good people involved in the beef industry with more or less the same goals.”

left The Stoller family l-r Reagan, Brian, McKinley, and Tiffany.

About the Stockman.

“

My parents bought our first Registered Angus heifers in 1987 which means I’ve been in the Angus business for 33 years.

I grew up in the Sierra Nevada foothills of California in Angels Camp. In 2001 my parents and I moved to Melba, Idaho where we purchased Foote Acres Angus. That is where I met my wife, Tiffany. We moved to Palisade, Nebraska in 2008 and don’t have plans on moving again. Tiffany and I now run the ranch by ourselves with our 2 daughters, Reagan, who is 19 and attends Oklahoma State University, and Mckinley, who is the best 8 year old helper ever.

Fall Production Sale Saturday, November 23, 2019 Annual Bull Sale Wednesday, January 29, 2020

learn more bearmountainangus.com

November 2019

right The Stoller girls loading up for the 2019 NJAS, where Reagan was elected to the National Junior Angus Association Board of Directors.

THE STOCKMAN | thestockmanmag.com

67

Featuring the Get and Service of:

+56 +150 +222 $C +344

+80 +143 +223 $C +369

$M $F

SydGen Faith 6023 WW

YW

RADG

YH

SC

Doc

HP

CEM

$B

CED

BW

+9

+1.8 +74 +138 +.33 +1.3 +1.58 +13 +13.3 +10 +21 +80

MILK

CW

Marb

+.87

RE

Fat

+.77 -.045

Number 2 $F and Number 3 $Beef Sire on the Young Sire Summary. Selling our first progeny by this now-

deceased son of the $170,000-valuation SydGen FATE 2800, an anchor in our program and the Number 2 $B sire on the Main Sire Summary at his accuracy level. FATE will have a strong influence on this offering through direct progeny, the Faith progeny and several of the featured lots out of his daughters. The top weaning spring heifer calf will be a Faith daughter of a featured “Whiskey” daughter; and the Number 2 $B Value of the bull calf division will be a February 2019 son of Faith out of a 2 Bar Deaf Smith daughter.

Other Sale Features:

• 65 head of sale cattle post +300 $C Values or higher. 140 head are in the top 5% or better.

• Lot 1 is the Number 1 $C female at SydGen. Currently recording +$355 on that index, she is a fall yearling daughter of Exceed.

$M

$F

SydGen Enhance CED

BW

WW

+15

-.1

+68 +136 +.35

YW

RADG

YH

SC

Doc

HP

$B CEM

MILK

CW

Marb

RE

Fat

+.7 +1.99 +37 +11.3 +12 +30 +69 +1.12 +.79 +.006

The Definition of Multi-Trait Excellence!

The $60,000-valuation co-top-selling bull of our 2015 sale has now proven his value for multi-trait excellence and the $Combined Index. He also ranks in the top 1% for Docility, RADG and $F; the top 2% for CW; the top 3% for YW, $G and SC; the top 4% for CED, Marbling; and the top 10% for $M and $W. This will be our largest offering of Enhance progeny and will include several paternal brothers and sisters as well, by SydGen Exceed 3223. Perhaps the most widely used AI sire in the breed, five half-interest daughters have sold for $145,000 to $310,000 this fall, at Express, Riverbend and Ankony.

22nd Annual SydGen Influence Heifer Sale

After our production sale, at about 7 pm, we will host our annual commercial heifer sale at Callaway Livestock Center at Kingdom City, MO. Several of our best customers will sell about 120 head of top commercial bred heifers.

If you sort the top 100 $B Sires on the Main Sire Summary, 11 carry the

SydGen prefix, and another is co-owned. Yet, we don’t “chase” $B any • Progeny of Bakers Northside 6007, SydGen Rock Star, harder than we “chase” Docility EPD or Heifer Pregnancy or any other SydGen Big Branch, EXAR Stud 4658B, SydGen Exceed single trait. We apply intense selection pressure for all measurable traits to 3223, Connealy Cool 39L, Mead Magnitude, SydGen produce cattle that can do it all, and end-product merit is certainly a part Omaha, SydGen Blacksmith 4010, SydGen Wake Up of that equation. We think that will become very apparent as the influence of $C grows.

Call 9446, SydGen Trust 6228, SydGen Black Pearl 2006, SydGen CC&7, SydGen Black Diamond 2769, SydGen Selling: Aim, HPCA Early Bird 65, BCA Patriarch 4113, BDAR 60 Bull Calves 90 Fall Yearling Heifers Tycoon C30, BCA Jeremiah 5103, SydGen Resolve 7132, 108 Fall Yearling Bulls 44 Spring Heifer Calves SydGen Expansion 5917, Sitz Royal 9784, ECO Lombardi, 68 Fall Pairs 53 Spring Bred Heifers MOGCK Sniper 16, SydGen Merit 6553, SydGen Sizzle, 32 Spring Calving Cows 1 Herd Bull SydGen Blueprint and SydGen 928 Destination 5420 will 3 Embryo Lots also be highlights of this sale offering. ®

• The entire set of bulls offered will average +8 CED, +115 YW, +.26 RADG, +22 Docility, +12.9 HP, +10 CEM, +30 Milk, +52 CW, +.76 Marbling, +.70 REA, +0.00 Fat, +63 $M, +70 $W, +99 $F, +160 $B and +$271 $C as of this writing, which would be above the top 10% of non-parents for the $C index.

Eddie Sydenstricker eddiel@sydenstrickers.com Sydenstricker John Deere Fax (573) 581-5991 Office (573) 581-5900 Kim Sydenstricker-Monte

1997 CAB Seedstock “Commitment to Excellence” Award 2001 BIF Seedstock Producer of the Year Award. Founding partner in ORIgen, Inc. For more information on the sale offering, or semen or certificates on any of our AI sires, please call 573-581-1225. Stop by any time to preview the sale offering.

Complete catalog available online; mailed with November Angus Journal; or on request from the Farm Office.

Check www.sydgen.com for updates as we get closer to sale day.

P.O. Box 280 Mexico, MO 65265 www.sydgen.com

EPDs as of 10/9/19

Ben Eggers (573) 473-9202 eggers@socket.net Bub Raithel (573) 253-1664 Farm Office (573) 581-1225 Darla Eggers

Kyle Vukadin Joe Strauss Kenneth Roberts Kyle Tate