605 INSIDE
by Melissa McGee Buehler photos courtesy Schrag 605
Operating from the customer’s perspective at 605 Sires + Donors.
January 2020
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f you’ve been in the cattle business long, you know the importance of a quality bull stud or donor collection facility. You also understand that the quality of care given to the cattle is of utmost importance to the owner of the breeding stock. But, not all bull studs are created equally; the Schrag family of Marion, South Dakota, found that out firsthand. In the past, when taking cattle to be collected or flushed, they were not always pleased with the condition and shape of the animals when they returned home. So, when the time came to open 605 Sires + Donors, cattle care
was the top priority of the new venture. About four years ago, Cory & Melissa Schrag saw the need for bull collection services in their area. The Schrags were not new to the sire and donor industry, having owned and operated Dakota Transfers, they provided breeders across South Dakota with embryo transfer and AI services for 15 years. Knowing they wanted things done just right, they sought out John Weston, of Weston Consulting, to guide them in the process of building a bull stud located 35 miles west of
Sioux Falls, South Dakota. John was instrumental in designing the facility that makes it easy to provide the high level of cattle care that was required by the Schrags. In January 2017, 605 Sires opened its doors. Then in 2018, they expanded to offer donor services and rebranded themselves ‘605 Sires + Donors’. 605 Sires + Donors offers quality sire and donor services and has become a satellite site for TransOva located in Sioux Center, Iowa. Cory and Melissa manage the billing, scheduling, and housing of the cows, while TransOva
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