The Stockman | September 2025

Welcome!

Thanks for joining us! We are a free, premier livestock publication featuring and serving seedstock and commercial beef producers nationwide. Raising cattle is so much more than a hobby; it is our livelihood and our passion. We understand that, and in every issue want you to see not only incredible cattle, but also relatable, entertaining, and informative editorial features for the producer with 5 or 500 head.

To us, you are more than reader or advertiser; you are a beef producer. We are committed to doing our best for you, every day. Please feel free to communicate with us, your input is appreciated.

BILL SCHERMER, Owner/Herd Consultant

641.425.2641 | bill@stockmanmag.com

Bill and his wife, Nancy, have made their living in the cattle industry. He has provided marketing services for purebred and commercial breeders since 1970. Schermer Angus Cattle continues to be active in the NJAA and raises quality cattle near Clarion, IA. As owner of The Stockman, Bill leads by example providing producers with the highest level of customer service.

CHERYL KEPES, Assistant Editor

417.766.0990

cheryl@stockmanmag.com

Working for The Stockman is the perfect combination of two of Cheryl’s favorite things: writing and cattle. Cheryl has decades of experience as a professional writer. She finds great joy in sharing stories about people in the agricultural industry. Cheryl’s family raises registered Angus, Red Angus, and Simmental cattle in Fair Grove, MO.

KIM BANKS, Graphics

507.530.0914

kkbanks@frontiernet.net

Makayla serves as editor, graphic designer, and manager of The Stockman. Her focus and passion continues to provide high quality service and original promotional materials to cattlemen. She and her husband, Jared, raise their four kids, and together they run their family operation, JMF Herefords and SimAngus, near Morris in west central MN.

SARAH HILL, Editorial Writer

307.274.0419

sarahhill1007@yahoo.com

Kim is a graphic designer with many years of design experience. Producing creative marketing materials to help others look their best is what she loves doing the most. She and her husband, Kevin, along with their son, raise grain and have a small commercial cow/calf and feeder operation on the family farm near Lynd, MN.

MARIA OPHEIM, Social Media Manager

507.828.1374 riawbr@gmail.com

Maria, her husband Cade, and daughter Tawnee, of Mound City, S.D. currently reside on their fifth

generation commercial & Limousin cattle and grain operation. Maria also works as a R.N. She is excited to promote producers through The Stockman’s social media platforms!

Sarah lives on a small hobby farm near Arlington, SD, with her husband, Braeton, and their three daughters: Harper, 8, Vayentha, 5, and Aurora, 1. She grew up on a Missouri dairy farm and has an Agricultural Journalism degree from the University of Missouri. Sarah enjoys baking, reading, and gardening.

SAWYER STYLES, Social Media Intern

605-290-6887

sawyer.styles@outlook.com

Sawyer Styles, originally from Brentford, South Dakota, grew up on her family’s registered Angus operation, where she developed a deep connection to agriculture and rural life. She attends SDSU and is just wrapping up a semester studying at Oklahoma State University.

715.573.0153

tcreds@gmail.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. TY BAYER

JAN FORD

800.693.8048

jford17879@aol.com

With her passion for agriculture, Jan brings over 35+ years of advertising sales experience in the beef industry. She and her late husband Norm had a commercial Angus cow herd and grain operation near Tipton, IA, which her sons still manage today.

BRIGHAM AND MEGAN STEWART

785.747.8028

megancollisondvm@gmail.com

Brigham works alongside his parents at Mid Continent Farms, their large, multi-breed cow/calf operation in Kansas. Megan graduated from ISU as a DVM in the spring of 2021 and is a big part of her family’s Angus herd and Veterinary Clinic in Iowa.

CHAD AND BRANDI CLAUSSEN

563.349.5089

chad.claussen@yahoo.com

Chad Claussen and his wife, Brandi, along with their two sons, operate purebred and commercial cow herds in Stockton, Iowa. The Claussen family also enjoys showing cattle, goats, and sheep. Off the farm, Chad works in the HVAC industry and Brandi works as an inventory and harvest coordinator.

RON HINRICHSEN

785.770.0222

rlangus@bluevalley.net

For the past 30 years, Ron, his wife, Lynne, and their two children have owned and operated Hinrichsen Ranch, a registered Angus ranch in Westmoreland, KS. He has an extensive background in the agricultural industry and is excited to put it to work for each of his customers.

CARTER WARD

carterward79@gmail.com

816.261.0891

Carter resides in Plattsburg, MO, with his girlfriend, Mandi, where they help run Ward Brothers Livestock with Carter’s family - their primary focus is Angus show cattle. Carter is also a partner in Campbell/Ward show cattle that specializes in the Hereford breed.

970.596.4965

creamer b 150@hotmail.com

Brandon owns Lazy JB Angus with his parents and sister in Montrose, CO. Raised in the cattle industry, he has a true passion for it and loves marketing quality cattle throughout the US. BRANDON CREAMER

LORA HUTCHINS

615.293.3695

loralea1172@gmail.com

Lora owns and operates Destiny Angus Farm with husband Brian and daughter Morgan in Charleston, IL. They have raised and shown cattle successfully on the national level for several years. They also have owned a production herd with as many as 200 registered cows.

STEVE WOLFF

701.710.1574

swolff318@yahoo.com

Steve is a third generation Hereford breeder - his family has been raising Herefords since 1951. He offers bulls by private treaty every year and has a heifer sale every fall. Steve also enjoys traveling to sales and shows whenever possible and likes camping as well.

Colburn Cattle Company raises top Angus show

Linn Haven Farms spreads its

The Bader family has been in the cattle business a long time, building their reputation for

605.690.6050

community support.

As I write this, we just wrapped up our county fair, and we are still reminiscing on all the events and fun from this past week. The county fair is something our family looks forward to every year, and we love the 4-H program for all it encompasses and teaches our kids. The 4-H Livestock Auction in particular is something that brings me awe every year. Our local community has supported our Stevens County 4-H livestock youth with bringing in over $108,000 during the 2025 auction. These kids have so many opportunities at their fingertips with this kind of support - they can invest in another livestock project for the following year, attend camps or events to gain more knowledge, or even save it for a college fund - the options go on and on! The point is for these kids to keep growing and learning, and hopefully keep them involved in agriculture and livestock. They are the future of our industry after all! It is so reassuring and comforting to see this being acknowledged. Community is so, so important, and we are blessed to have ours.

This September issue is a fun one- lots of fall livestock sales are beginning for both cattle and horses, and there’s quite an impressive offering inside these pages. Mark your calendars with the sale dates and don’t miss out on these great opportunities.

I can almost smell the scent of fall in the air. It’s my favorite season! Our garden is flourishing and I’m so excited for canning and preserving all the produce this fall. In the meantime, we’re clinging to these last few warm days of summer.

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October 1, 2025

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Bridging the Nutrition Gap

Seasonal changes lend to decreased values in your grass. Less protein and lower digestibility can create a gap between what your cows need and available nutrition.

Westway’s liquid feed supplements are a proven and effective way to bridge this nutrition gap!

California

By Cheryl Kepes

photos courtesy Colburn Cattle Co.

Dream

Colburn Cattle Company raises top Angus show cattle by combining proven results with forward-thinking strategies.

Matt Avila, general ranch manager for Colburn Cattle Co. (CCC) in Visalia, Calif., lives a life he’s envisioned since childhood. But even in his grandest dreams, Matt could not have scripted the fast and vast success he would experience so early in his career.

The life changing moment came when Matt purchased a show heifer for Colburn Cattle Co.’s owners, Ron and Lisa Colburn’s son, Wyatt. That Angus show heifer and her progeny would become household names for Angus producers across the country.

Colburn Cattle Co.’s immense success sky-rocketed more than a decade ago, but the operation refuses to rest on it laurels. The Angus operation pushes to produce relevant genetics and show ring superstars. “I’m very fortunate and blessed to be able to experience that at such a young age. I’m continuing to strive to experience it again,” Matt Avila shared.

CULTIVATING CATTLE KNOWLEDGE

Though the rise to the top emerged rapidly it wasn’t by happenstance. From his earliest days, Matt honed his understanding of the cattle industry. Matt grew up in California working alongside his family, raising and marketing Angus performance cattle.

“I’ve always had a love for Angus cattle, and I remember it being almost like an obsession. I’d always be in the Angus Journals and listening to my family talk to people across the United States about different pedigrees. So, I was always fascinated with pedigrees, even pedigrees that reached back 50 to 60 years,” Matt Avila said.

Matt’s passion for the Angus breed has fueled his journey through each stage of his life. While attending Fresno State he managed the beef facility under the mentorship of Dr. Randy Perry. After graduation, Matt accepted an internship with Express Ranches, following that opportunity he landed a job with Colburn Cattle Co.

Sixteen years have passed since Matt started work for Colburn Cattle Co. During that time, Matt’s

managed the cattle operations transforming the cow herd into a premier show cattle entity. Colburn Cattle Co. sells around 80 Angus show heifers annually.

“I am fortunate to be able to be involved with the Colburn family. They’ve been so great to work for and basically taken me in like family. It’s been a real blessing and

great experience working with Ron and he lets me run this like it’s my own,” Matt said.

STARTED WITH A DREAM

Through the years, Ron and Lisa’s children, Ryan, Tyler, Wyatt, and Abby, were involved in 4-H with steer and show heifer projects.

When Matt first started working at Colburn Cattle Co., the cow herd was comprised of multiple breeds – Angus, Chianina, Shorthorns, Maines, and Simmentals.

After five or six years with the multiple breed approach, Matt guided the operation to turning all its attention to a single breed. “We started transforming the herd into just 100 percent Angus cattle and focusing on selling elite show heifers across the United States to juniors.

And we had a lot of success right out of the gate,” Matt explained.

The soaring success started in 2012 when Matt set out to find Wyatt Colburn a competitive Angus female for the show ring. Matt hit a homerun when he discovered Silveiras Sara’s Dream 1339, a daughter of the famous Silveiras Style 9303.

Colburn Cattle Co. purchased

Sara’s Dream, and she lived up to her name from the start. She swept the shows on the West Coast during her career on the tan bark. But as much attention as Sara’s Dream received in the show world, it was her progeny that put Colburn Cattle Co. fully in the Angus breed’s spotlight.

To date, Sara’s Dream is one of the most renowned Angus females in the industry.

She’s the dam of industry leaders such as Colburn Primo 5153 (sire: Dameron First Class), Colburn Focus, Colburn Inspire, Colburn Creed, and Silveiras Primal plus many champion females.

Her son, Colburn Primo 5153, has developed into quite a legend. His semen sales are in the millions, and he has registered progeny across multiple breeds. Primo’s full sisters ruled the show circuit for years and his progeny bolstered the genetics of countless cattle operations.

Primo’s origins derived out of a mating decision Matt made guided by intuition he refined through years of studying pedigrees and immersing himself in the cattle industry. Matt owned some Dameron First Class semen and had a feeling it would be the perfect match with Sara’s Dream.

“I thought it’d be a really good mating, and it turned out to be something that paid for the farm,” Matt stated. “With getting Primo and all those full sisters that dominated the show circuit across the U.S, winning multiple ROV shows and the biggest multibreed shows in the country, that put us on the platform and got us noticed from there,” Matt added.

STAYING RELEVANT

Colburn Cattle Co. continues to work to develop genetics that lead the Angus industry. One strategy the operation employs to stay relevant is to look outside its own ranks.

“We strive to breed as good of cattle as we can and stay open-minded and know that there are good ones out there and in other breeders’ hands. We’re not opposed to trying to get a piece of those genetics,” Matt said.

The cattle operation utilizes sires from other producers as well as from its own bull battery. Colburn Cattle Co. manages about 20 donor

females, 150 recips, and 30 AI cattle. Though the herd is comprised solely of Angus, there’s still one beloved Charolais composite cow that stays in the donor pen to produce steers.

The cow herd is managed on several types of land. “We have 750 acres up in Orange Cove, where our cattle are run like commercial cattle. It’s very steep, rocky, native ground. So, they’re tough, they got to walk and survive,” Matt explained.

Colburn Cattle Co. also runs cattle on 200 acres at the home ranch, a hundred of those acres are irrigated. The cattle and future show calves move from the native ground to the irrigated lands when it’s time for halter breaking and breeding.

The operation also utilizes native ground in nearby Clovis and Springville. “The native ground is land that we just solely rely on the winter rains to grow feed for cattle. So, it does help out by giving them a break and getting them off the irrigated ground to where they can kind of go out and work like real cows,” Matt shared.

SHOW READY

Colburn Cattle Co. prides itself in selling show calves that are broke, gentle, and ready for the show ring. Matt credits the work of two fulltime employees, Miguel Salomon and Nestor Salomon for their dedication with the show calves.

“These guys (Miguel and Nestor) have been with me for 14 years, so

it’s pretty automatic - all the bugs and kinks are out of it. It works and it makes a big job seem effortless with these guys who are so passionate about it and care about the animals,” Matt said.

Colburn Cattle Co. markets its show calves through private treaty, online sales, and other breeders’ special sales. Once a junior takes

the halter, Colburn Cattle Co. lends its support throughout the process.

Being a part of the juniors’ show journey is one of Matt’s favorite parts of his job. “Seeing a smile on a kid’s face when they win a show means a lot to me. It’s a lot of work. There’s a lot of disappointment in this. So, when you get one that’s good enough and it wins, and you see that kid proud and their family proud, I think that’s one of the biggest rewards of it,” Matt said.

The days are long but Matt soaks in each moment with gratitude. As Colburn Cattle Co. forges ahead with its pursuit of the next Angus legend, a new crop of show kids is entering the operation. The Colburns’ grandchildren and Matt’s daughters are reaching show age – perhaps fanning the competitive flames just a tad bit more and creating room for even more dreams to be realized.

learn more colburncattle.com

Extension Education

Brock Ortner, Nebraska Extension Livestock System Educator University of NE - Lincoln, UNL Beef beef.unl.edu

WHERE SHOULD I INVEST PRE-TAX EARNINGS IN A RECORD-HIGH CALF MARKET?

The record-high calf prices experienced in 2024 and 2025 have left many cow-calf producers with a welcome challenge: determining how to reinvest profits in their operations. While strong cattle markets offer an opportunity to improve long-term profitability, they also bring the temptation to spend pretax earnings on items that may not enhance operational efficiency or performance in future years.

This cattle cycle is unique in many respects. Contributing factors include sustained drought in key production regions, historically high calf and cull cow prices, an aging producer base, and a severely reduced national cowherd inventory. As history reminds us - such as the sharp drop in feeder calf prices in 2016 - periods of high income require careful, strategic decision-making to ensure long-term business success.

One common driver of decision-making during profitable years is tax planning. Many producers consult with accountants to reduce taxable income before the year ends. While this strategy can be valid, decisions based solely on minimizing tax liability may

not support the long-term financial health of the ranch. For example, purchasing a new pickup or piece of equipment before year-end may reduce tax exposure, but these investments should be evaluated on whether they contribute meaningfully to the business’s efficiency or profitability.

To evaluate potential investments more effectively, it’s important to distinguish between tax accounting and economic (business) profitability. Tax accounting focuses on cash income and deductible expenses, often using accelerated depreciation and excluding unpaid labor or owned asset costs. In contrast, an economic profit statement includes the fair market value of owned inputs such as raised feed, land use, and unpaid family labor. It also accounts for depreciation or replacement cost of breeding animals and applies an opportunity cost to owned assets - recognizing that capital tied up in equipment or land could otherwise be earning a return through low-risk investments.

From an economic perspective, investments in capital assets like pickups or tractors should be evaluated by their ability to increase

gross margin (revenue minus direct costs) relative to the overhead they add. A new pickup may not improve revenue or reduce direct costs, but it does increase fixed costs through depreciation and maintenance. On the other hand, investments like cross-fencing, improved water infrastructure, or rotational grazing systems can improve forage utilization, enabling greater production without increasing land base - ultimately improving gross margin.

Another valuable use of pre-tax earnings is to improve the ranch’s current asset position - liquid assets that can be easily converted to cash. This could include backgrounding calves, purchasing stockers for

grazing, or simply retaining cash in savings or a low-risk investment account. While income taxes will still be owed on retained cash, having a strong liquidity position can help service existing debt, buffer against future volatility, or enable the operation to seize opportunities down the road. In many cases, paying taxes is a sign of profitability, and retaining earnings for strategic flexibility can be more valuable than chasing deductions.

CONCLUSION

Reinvesting pre-tax earnings during a strong market can either strengthen or strain the operation

depending on how the funds are used. Evaluating decisions through an economic lens - not just a tax lens - can reveal opportunities to enhance efficiency, productivity, and long-term profitability. The current cattle market provides a rare opportunity to build resilience in cow-calf operations, but doing so requires strategic planning and disciplined evaluation of where and how dollars are invested.

Courtesy University of NE - Lincoln, UNL Beef

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

Don’t let resistant flies come back to haunt your cattle next spring.

Put a big dent in resistant fly populations with a fall application of BRUTE® .

Studies show that the best way to stop resistant flies from attacking your cattle next spring is to hit them with an application of BRUTE® Pour-on for Cattle this fall. BRUTE® controls horn flies, face flies and other biting flies, as well as Gulf Coast ticks and lice.

So make sure resistant flies don’t come back to haunt your herd next spring by treating your cattle with BRUTE® this fall.

Next Level

Diversification

By Cheryl Kepes

courtesy Linn Haven Farms

Linn Haven Farms spreads its assets throughout its broad-based agriculture operation.

Linn Haven Farms has so many proverbial irons in the fire that one might find it difficult to see the flames. Yet, for as long as John Prasil can remember the operation has leveraged the benefits of diversify-

ing its business ventures based in Lisbon, Iowa. John and his business partners’ love for agriculture and knack for multitasking has created a formula for success.

Linn Haven’s team keeps con-

stantly busy with two multifaceted businesses - Linn Haven Farms, an agriculture enterprise, and Linn Haven Land Improvement, an excavation and site preparation company.

The companies are owned and

managed by John and his wife, Julie; their middle son, Carter, and his wife, Jess; along with John’s childhood friend, Adam Morgan, and Adam’s wife, Cari. The trio work together to keep all aspects of the operation running smoothly.

Linn Haven Farms operates a commercial and purebred Angus herd, row crops beans and corn, raises and markets locker beef, as well as custom bales and sells hay. Linn Haven Land Improvement takes on construction dirt work projects such as digging basements, clearing fence rows, building pads, and farm excavating jobs.

John’s greatest passion is running the cattle operation. Adam takes the lead with the construction projects and Carter’s primary focus is on managing Linn Haven Farms’ row crop operation.

Within each aspect of the business operations, there is diversification. “We do a little bit of everything,” John Prasil said. “We are very diversified as far as what we do,” he added.

CATTLE OPERATION

Though each aspect of Linn Haven Farms and Linn Haven Land Improvement profits from unique approaches, the cattle operation reflects the greatest diversification. Linn Haven Farms runs 200 Angus cows on 200 acres in eastern Iowa. The cow herd is split fairly even between commercial and purebred cattle.

John’s long appreciated the growth, maternal nature, and carcass quality of the Angus breed. John’s father and grandfather intro -

duced the family to Angus cattle in 1952. The genetics of Linn Haven Farms’ cattle are heavily influenced by Schaff Angus Valley, Herbster Angus Farms, and Voss Angus.

While Linn Haven Farms continues to seek new genetics to add to the cow herd, the operation has relied heavily on its own cattle ranks to assist in expansion. “For the most part we are raising our own replacement females and retaining as many as we can to grow our operation,” John shared.

Their plan is to increase their cattle numbers with the goal of developing additional marketing opportunities. “We are getting to the point where we are able to of-

fer replacement females to other cattle producers, both purebred and commercial cattle every year,” John stated. “We already offer bulls private treaty and through the Iowa Angus Bull Test Sale annually,” he added.

Additionally, Linn Haven Farms markets steer calves through the local sale barn as feeder calves. In another segment of the cattle business, Linn Haven Farms sells beef direct to customers. “We do have a very good clientele base of people who buy fat cattle from us. We will feed out 30 to 40 head and market them through the locker as quarters, halves, or wholes,” John explained.

Linn Haven Farms utilizes calves from the herd for the direct beef sales. “If we have some tailender steer calves that don’t really fit the group or heifers that don’t turnout or develop the way we want – we have the option to put them in the feedlot, feed them out, and market that beef and gain a premium back out of those calves,” John said.

BULL POWER

Linn Haven Farms utilizes artificial insemination (AI) when breeding its heifers, but only about 10 percent of cows in the herd are bred via AI. John and his partners put in 20 to 30 embryos each year to keep the herd genetics fresh.

Most of the cow herd, both com-

mercial and purebred, are bred through natural service. Linn Haven Farms invests in industry leading bulls. “Honestly with the bull power we have been buying, we are trying to get as many calves as we can out of the bulls we have purchased so we are using a lot of natural service,” John commented. “If you are going to go spend good money and buy good bulls, then you might as well get as many calves out of them as you can.”

One of John’s favorite bulls Linn Haven Farms purchased is Herbster Southern Breeze 1245, who is a full brother to BUBS Southern Charm AA31. Both bulls have made an impact in the Angus industry in and out of the show ring.

CROPS AND HAY

John, Carter, and Adam plant and harvest 1,000 acres of beans and corn each year. The row crop operation gives them yet another avenue of diversification. They bale 300

acres of their own hay fields and custom bale another 300 acres. Part of the hay operation includes producing square bales to sell to their customers with horses.

A couple of years ago, John and

his team implemented a new strategy to mitigate some of the challenges associated with baling hay during extended stretches of wet Iowa weather. The team now wet bales some of the hay fields.

“That’s been a game changer as far as for us in the hay operation. We utilize all the wet hay that we make, very rarely do we sell the wet hay,” John said. The practice of wet baling allows them to keep up with hay production during the times the weather fails to deliver three to four dry days in a row.

CHERISHED CONNECTIONS

John’s spent decades building relationships with people in the agriculture industry. He started selling feed right out of college. Through the years, John has ventured into seed, fertilizer, and Conklin products sales. The years of networking has created a vast conglomerate of connections and friendships that serve as a cornerstone to the operation and his personal life.

He currently serves as the Iowa

Angus Association President and on the Lisbon school board. In his role as president of the Iowa Angus Association, John travels across the state to as many sales and events as he can to support cattle producers.

While balancing such a diversified operation has its challenges, John and his partners take it all in stride by following their passion for agriculture and devotion to fellow farmers.

UPCOMING SALES: Iowa Beef Expo Angus Sale Monday, February 16, 2026

Iowa Angus Bull Test and Female Sale March 2026

Seeds in Season

contributed article by Justin Fruechte, Product Expert - Ag Renovo Seed, Brookings, S.D. renovoseed.com

FUTURE FORAGE SYSTEMS PLANNING

Fall is approaching fast, and livestock producers can start planning next year’s forage systems. Winter annual forages are a fantastic option to get you the first harvested feed for the year. These species are also excellent for taking advantage of snow melt and early season

rains to better ensure a crop in drier environments.

Since most parts of the Upper Midwest have excellent soil moisture, September looks to be a great time to plant a winter annual. Species like cereal rye, triticale, win-

ter wheat, and annual clovers have long been staples in many forage systems. Now, thanks to improved genetics and targeted breeding programs, new varieties are pushing performance and quality.

WINTER TRITICALE

Known for its versatility, impressive biomass production, and adaptability to variable conditions, winter triticale serves as a reliable option for a spring harvest. Triticale offers a unique balance of high yield potential of rye and the feed quality of wheat. But not all triticale is created equal. Maturity and harvest method are two important factors that should dictate your variety selection.

Triticale is grown across the country, so make sure to select one most suitable for your growing region. Winter survival is also a critical factor, especially in the Northern Plains. True winter types will show better winter hardiness ratings than facultative varieties.

The later maturing varieties will provide a longer harvest window,

which ultimately leads to better quality feed. If you are in a double cropping forage system, an earlier maturing variety will allow your warm season annuals to be planted sooner.

Another characteristic to analyze is if the variety has an awn. An awnless or awnletted variety is much more desirable if you are putting up dry hay, because it prevents mouth abscesses.

FORAGE WINTER WHEAT

Forage winter wheat is also gaining renewed attention. Its nutritional profile surpasses rye, and even triticale at similar stages, with higher crude protein and improved digestibility. The forage varieties like Willow Creek and MTF 1435 are beard-

less and have consistently produced highly palatable hay. These won’t show quite the winter hardiness that rye and some triticale varieties have, so it is recommended that they are planted with ample time in the fall to prevent winter injury.

Annual clovers such as Balansa, Berseem, Mammoth Red, and Crimson have shown the ability to overwinter in mild environments. These legumes contribute free nitrogen and increase crude protein content of the forage mixes when added with the cereal.

Investing in improved winter annual forage varieties can payback in livestock performance and gives your farm operation flexibility and crop diversity. Take advantage of soil moisture now and get ahead on next year’s forage harvest by planting a winter annual this fall.

Photos courtesy Renovo Seed learn more renovoseed.com

Renovo Seed, Brookings, S.D.

The team of folks at Renovo Seed have roots that run deep in farming, agriculture, and in the overall respect for the landscape. They opened their doors in 1987 and continue to walk alongside farmers, ranchers, and landowners across thousands of acres throughout the Midwest.

Sire:

HORSE

A Beef Cattle

Legacy

The Bader family has been in the cattle business a long time, building their reputation for outstanding animals.

By Sarah Hill

Wisconsin is home to not only the country’s legendary dairy industry, but also sports some outstanding beef cattle. Carrousel Farms, Monroe, Wis., is one of those leading beef operations.

BACKGROUND

Ronald Bader grew up on an Iowa dairy farm, later moving to Hartford, Wis., in the late 1960s, where Carrousel Farms began. Ronald, along

with his wife, Norma, began raising Arabian horses and Hereford cattle.

Ronald had a desire to expand the operation in 1979, bringing Carrousel Farms to Monroe, Wis. With the help of his sons, Randy, Brad, and Troy, Ronald began the journey for Carrousel Farms to develop into the thriving operation it is today.

Along with row crops and dairy cattle, Carrousel Farms has a deep background in beef cattle. In the ear-

ly 1980s, the farm had transitioned the herd to primarily Simmental cattle. The later ‘80s found Carrousel focusing more on show cattle and adding Angus cattle to the herd.

During the late 1990s, Carrousel further expanded the herd by adding Limousin cattle. The Limousin cattle went on to be very successful in both the show ring and breeding program.

“We’ve been in cattle for a long time,” Brad Bader said. “My dad gets the credit for helping us grow the operation to what it is today.”

Today, the Bader family consisting of Randy and his wife, Sue; Brad and his wife, Mary, along with their sons, Cameron and Travis; Troy and his wife Janel, and daughters Aspen and Alexa, operate 12,000 acres and 600 head of Angus and Angus-Simmental cattle, along with a few Charolais and Herefords.

Randy and Troy specialize in the row crop side, while Brad, along with his two sons, operate the beef cattle operation. Tim Donovan, longtime manager of the beef cattle operation, has provided abundant expertise in herd management for 24 years.

SHOW CATTLE INFLUENCE

The Carrousel Farms team selects cattle for their structural integrity, phenotype, longevity, and meat quality. Many of the offspring produced are results of an extensive IVF program. Generally, 100 replacement

heifers are kept each year to keep the herd current with the latest genetic trends. The herd strives to produce high quality show steers, registered heifers, and production females.

SHOW RING SUCCESS

The show circuit is familiar with Carrousel Farms cattle. Their cattle have had great success over the years with many national champion and reserve champion bulls and females, along with many state and national champion steers shown by their customers. Carrousel Farms has hosted a club calf sale for the past 38 years, where cattle have sold to customers in numerous states across the United States and Canada.

CONTINUING THE LEGACY

Ronald and Norma Bader established a legacy of excellence at Carrousel Farms, a tradition that has been upheld by Randy, Brad, and Troy, and is poised to continue with the next generation. UPCOMING SALE: Sunday, September 28, 2025 Online with SConlinesales.com

G RANC

TKC 2044 ADVANCE K BARON 4069 (Reg. #P44591858) Dam: TKC 8018 LADY BARONESS 2044

These bulls were turned out at our foothill ranch with native feed from December to mid-May.

These bulls will be featured in the Vintage Angus Carcass Maker Bull Sale.

20 Bulls will be offered in the Vintage Angus Carcass Maker Bull Sale

SEPTEMBER 4, 2025 | NOON at our foothill location in La Grange, CA

offered

5139R

TKC ADD A FEW DOLLARS 4105 (Reg. #P44575515)

883F

Tim & Kara Coleman, Owners

Tyler & Kathryn Coleman

Tim 209-968-7232 • tim@sierraranches.net

Kara 209-613-6062 • kara@sierraranches.net

Tyler 209-613-5872

P.O. Box 577980, Modesto, CA 95357 www.sierraranches.net

TKC 1111 RED WINE 4028 (Reg. #P44583856) Dam: TKC

On Tour:

Carlson Farms

Rob, Ross, Reid, and Lane

Carlson Families - Murdock

vos cattle company

Ryan and Mallory Vos - Hadley (on display at Carlson Farms)

1883 herefords

Phillip and Shereen Hauge - Sunburg (on display at Carlson Farms)

Cardinal Creek Cattle Co.

Robert and Rochelle Orsten Family - Willmar

geislinger’s lakeview farm

Junior Geislinger Family - Watkins (on display at Cardinal Creek Cattle Co.)

Walsh farm, llc

Walsh Family - DeGraff

jmf herefords & simangus

Jared and Makayla Flower Family - Holloway

Hereford

20, 2025

registration: 7:00 - 8:00 am @ Carlson farms 1470 10th St. NE, Murdock, MN 56271

BUILT FOR THE STOCKMAN. NO POWER NEEDED. From scorching summer heat to bone-chilling winter, the Energy‑Free HydroStation MAX delivers fresh water year-round without electricity. Safe, durable, and nearly worry-free — just anchor it, fill it, and let nature do the rest.

Sunday, September 21, 2025 1:00 PM CST | Shelbyville, IL

Selling Simmental & SimAngusTM Fancy Open Heifers, Bred Females, Donors, Steers and One Herd Sire

GUEST CONSIGNORS Travis Farms Rodney, 618-843-5264

Hillstown Farms Joey, 618-978-0531

JR Simmentals Jess, 217-248-8447

Fox Creek Cattle 618-843-3276, Travis 618-553-8865, Brock

Jeff and Justin Lewis 217-251-2400, Jeff 217-251-5020, Justin Black Diamond Genetics Larry, 217-433-0242

Huenefeld Simmental Farms 402-764-0981, Matt 815-238-6641, Steve

Emily Ivey 865-254-2998

Double J Ranch Dale Jr., 715-965-1356 Reiny Way Acres Kent, 715-573-7891

SALE CONSULTANTS

Roger Allen 715-684-9222

David Guyer ...... 812-243-1676

Larry Martin ...... 217-433-0242

Greg Miller 608-778-8785

Doug Parke 859-421-6100

Drew Hatmaker 423-506-8844

Ryan Haefner 815-499-0522

Adam Swigart 309-826-3809

Brandon Rutledge 217-369-6729

Emily Ivey ........ 865-254-2998

Dalton Lundy ..... 502-727-6898

Bob Dwyer 309-337-1404

SALE STAFF

Cody Lowderman Auctioneer 309-313-2171

Dan Naughton 217-304-6502

Austin Rincker 217-825-5248

Zach Rincker 217-690-6845

Veterinarian View

IHealth & Reproduction questions answered and explained.

contributed article by Dr. Vince Collison Collison Embryo and Veterinary Services, Rockwell City, Iowa collisonembryoservices.com

RETHINKING PRECONDITIONING PROGRAMS FOR CALVES

t is that time of year where we are starting to do preconditioning work on calves to prepare for weaning. Last month, I wrote an article about “Less is More” and feel that this can also apply to preconditioning as well.

For many producers, you are locked into certain vaccination requirements if you are trying to produce calves for the Iowa Green Tag or Gold Tag programs. But if you are not locked into a branded vaccination program, you can have some leeway to simplify your preconditioning program.

EVALUATE PROTOCOLS

We have many more vaccine options available to us every year and I feel producers often feel they need to keep adding more vaccines to keep the calf health high. The problem I’ve seen is that you can give so much vaccine that you are just blitzing the immune system to the point where your calves are at higher risk of having reactions or poor responses due to receiving too many antigens at once.

I think the question we need to ask is, “What is the main problem I’m trying to prevent in my calves?” At weaning time, for most of us, it

will be Bovine Respiratory Disease (BRD). Control for BRD can be as simple as a single injection of a 5-way viral vaccine combined with a Mannheimia haemolytica toxoid.

One other thing you will want to control is internal parasites. Parasite control at preconditioning can help reduce the suppressive effects of internal parasites and add substantial bloom to the calves by the time they are weaned and help the calf respond better to the vaccines that are given. This would be a basic program I would recommend for someone wanting to vaccinate 2 to 3 weeks prior to weaning.

VACCINATION PROTOCOLS

At weaning we like to follow up with just a single injection of a 5-way viral vaccine. The main reason we like to booster the 5-way viral vaccine is for protection against BRSV. BRSV is more difficult to vaccinate against, and a booster will greatly improve the response to vaccine.

We have recommended this program to many and have had good results with it. By keeping it minimal, your calves will get what they need to prevent post-weaning BRD and keep vaccine stress to a minimum and response to vaccine antigens high.

PARASITE PROTOCOLS

Along the lines of parasite control, it would be good to feed a coccidiostat during the first 3 to 4 weeks after weaning. Coccidia often will be associated with BRD outbreaks and control during this time is important for the prevention of BRD.

We will sometimes get some producer resistance to treating for internal parasites prior to weaning, since the cows are not also getting treated at the same time and calves will still be on infested pasture for 2 to 3 more weeks. Our feeling is that the bloom up that calves will experience after parasite treatments will better prepare them for weaning as well as help to improve their response to the first round of vaccine.

OTHER VACCINE CONSIDERATIONS

We left out Clostridial vaccine in the preconditioning program listed to help reduce vaccine stress and to simplify the program for BRD prevention. Clostridial vaccines can really heat up calves and it has been shown that calves that receive 7-way Clostridial vaccine will lay around considerably more over the next 2 to 3 days than the calves that didn’t receive the 7-way vaccine.

I’ve had reports from some of our clients stating that they’ve really seen calves get setback after using a 7-way vaccine on their calves. Also, many calves have already had a Clostridial vaccination during the neonatal period or just prior to going to grass.

There are many other vaccines available for various respiratory diseases such as Corona virus, Mycoplasma bovis, and Histophilus

somnus. These vaccines should be tailored to the individual herd’s needs and may or may not be needed. They can be more complicated to implement and take away from the simplicity of the program listed earlier. Often these vaccines will be better implemented prior to the preweaning program. It is important producers work closely with their herd veterinarian prior to weaning to develop a program that works the best for their herd.

Your nutrition, environment, and overall herd health are some of the many factors that can affect what you do for your herd and how well they respond. Advice from your herd veterinarian is the best way to help assess your program and determine what is best for your herd.

learn more collisonembryoservices.com

Dr. Vince Collison is co-owner of Collison Embryo and Veterinary Services PAC in Rockwell City, Iowa.

In the kitchen with

VeaBea Thomas

Thomas Ranch - Harrold, S.D.

Troy and I were married in August of 1985 (Yep, that’s 40 years!). We own/operate Thomas Ranch in Harrold, S.D. Our daughter, Cally Thomas Kindred, returns home frequently to help with sales and other events. We are seedstock producers with Angus, Red Angus, and Charolais cattle. We host our annual bull sale the second Tuesday in April (Tuesday, April 14, 2026.) Our private treaty calf sale is the third Wednesday in September (Wednesday, September 17, 2025).”

What is your favorite cooking tip or trick?

“

Everyone who works here at Thomas Ranch eats lunch together at our sales facility Monday through Saturday. I do most of my grocery shopping 50 miles from the ranch, so we try to keep plenty of supplies on hand. We have a “grocery list” on the counter and try to keep it up to date. One bonus we do have is that my house is only a quarter mile away so if we don’t have something at the sale barn, hopefully I might have it at the house. The other trick we have here is we do a lot of “improvising” if we don’t have something we modify. When I say “we” I’m referring to Laura Tostenson. She has worked here with us for 10 years and we tag team cooking. This is really nice, neither of us have to take the task every day. We have a hunting operation in the fall. Our good friend, Daphne Davis, from Illinois comes and helps us with cooking during the hunting season. We have a lot of fun when we all get to going in the kitchen.

STOCK Kitchen

Cowboy approved recipes used by our favorite country cooks.

What is your most requested dish or what is your favorite thing to make?

I think the most requested dish would be a corn casserole dish that we make. The funny thing about this is that we have about five versions of this dish and there is no way you can go wrong when you use butter and brown sugar.”

Where did you learn to cook?

I honestly don’t remember learning to cook. As I mentioned before, we all eat together every day, so I suppose cooking was just a necessity. We grill a lot of our meals; hamburgers are an easy go to for us. Laura and I really do enjoy each month when The Stockman comes out and we check out the Kitchen Stock feature and try some new recipes. When the guys come in, we say, “It’s new recipe day.” It’s fun to see if they give a thumbs up or down to the new recipe.” “

BACON AND BROWN SUGAR CHEX MIX (AKA: CRACK PARTY MIX)

VeaBea Thomas

6 c. Crispix cereal (or 3 c. rice cereal and 3 c. Corn Chex cereal)

6 c. Wheat Chex cereal

6 slices bacon well cooked, then diced

1 c. craisins (more if desired)

1 c. mixed nuts (more if desired)

1 c. butter

1 c. brown sugar

1 c. white chocolate chips

Step 1: Put cereal, bacon, craisins, and mixed nuts in a large pan, like a jelly roll pan with high sides. Step 2: In a saucepan; melt 1 cup butter and a little of the bacon grease if you want and 1 cup brown sugar. Add a little sriracha if you like it spicy. Simmer for 2 minutes. Step 3: Pour butter and brown sugar mixture over the cereal mixture, stir well. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes. Step 4: Remove from oven, stir and bake another 10 minutes (20 minutes total). When it’s completely cool, add 1 cup white chocolate chips. Make sure it’s cool or chips will melt.

Note: You can’t eat just one handful.

PRIVATE TREATY STEER & HEIFER SALE:

Wednesday, September 17, 2025

At the ranch near Harrold, S.D.

What is your least favorite job in the kitchen?

Since we do feed everyone six days a week, I’d have to say coming up with the meals. Laura and I both joke that as long as we didn’t have to make it, “It’s great.””

THREE MEAT PASTA ALFREDO

VeaBea

Thomas

1 lb. ground beef, cooked and crumbled

1 lb. pork sausage, cooked and crumbled

1 lb. bacon, cooked and crumbled

1 box penne pasta

1 large jar of alfredo

Step 1: Season ground beef and sausage as desired, we like to add onions to the meat mixture. Cook beef and sausage togeth- er until browned. Step 2: Cook pasta according to directions on package, drain after cooking. Step 3: Put all the ingredients (meat, pasta, alfredo) together in a large baking dish. Sprinkle with any variety of Parmesan or Romano cheese that you like. Step 4: Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Notes: I had this at an Italian restaurant one time and had to come home and try to recreate it. The guys really like this dish. When we are weaning calves, I will make this in a heavy-duty pan - it travels well to the pasture.

CORN CASSEROLE

VeaBea Thomas

1 can cream corn

1 can regular corn (we usually use corn that we freeze ourselves)

1 stick butter, melted

1 box corn muffin mix

1 c. sour cream

½ c. brown sugar

Step 1: Stir all ingredients together. Spray baking dish with a nonstick cooking spray. Step 2: Pour all ingredients together into pan and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Take out of oven and let rest for 15 minutes before serving (this lets it set up a bit).

Notes: OK, this is where the variations come in, depending on what we have. Sometimes we use or include cream cheese, or half and half. Another fun addition is green chilis.

Sale Barn Study

contributed article by Roman Schooley

Bloomfield Livestock Market, Inc., Bloomfield, Iowa bloomfieldlivestockiowa.com

A review of the current cattle market.

WELCOME, ROMAN!

Longtime sale barn operator and seasoned cattle producer, Roman Schooley, shares his market insights and expertise in The Stockman’s Sale Barn Study.

MEET ROMAN

My name is Roman Schooley, and I’m honored to be a part of The Stockman. I want to thank Bill Schermer and The Stockman group for asking me to represent the livestock barns for the current market report.

I’m from Bloomfield in the southeast corner of the state of Iowa. I am a third-generation livestock owner operator at Bloomfield Livestock Market with my brother, Tyler. Our wives, Elizabeth and Kallie, help with the bookkeeping/clerking side of the business.

My uncle, Phil, and my grandpa, Art, took over the sale barn from the Reno family in 1969. My father, Ron, along with my uncles, Wayne

and Dave, came down in the early 1970s from Washington, Iowa to assist in the operation. While my dad, Wayne, and Dave have retired, Uncle Phil continues to be an integral part of the auctioneering and marketing.

Our family has been invested in the livestock auction for over 56 years and running. In 2003, I started Schooley Cattle Co. with the aspirations of breeding SimAngus cattle that would thrive in southeast Iowa for our commercial customers. Our operation continues to grow with our 550-head herd of registered Simmental and Angus.

We have an annual production sale at the ranch, selling 18-month to yearling bulls as well as select open and bred heifers. Our breeding program is focused on producing cattle that excel in performance, carcass traits, and maternal longevity. Cattle that meet the demand of the seedstock producer, commercial cattleman, and the consumer.

My objective each issue is to provide accurate, factual information pertaining to the cattle markets as I see it at the current time.

MARKET INSIGHTS

As summer winds down and kids get ready for school to begin, the markets continue to soar to new records. Boxed beef cutouts continue to be very aggressive with choice cutouts $390.58 and select cutouts at $365.64. That’s a bigger spread than we’ve seen all summer and seems to be trending that way. Slaughter is down nine percent year to date. Which is helping this fat cattle market stay strong.

Fat cattle in the South are bidding $2.33 to $2.35 this week, and the North is getting bids at $2.40 to $2.45. The auction barns are selling fats from a range of $2.38 to $2.52. The cow and slaughter bull prices continue to rise due to low supply numbers. Bull range is $1.85 to $2.40 with cows $1.35 to $1.80.

The feeder calf runs have been slow throughout the summer due in part to exceptional rainfall, and lower cattle numbers. All throughout the Midwest, rains are keeping

these yearlings out on grass. Your CME index, at the time of print, sits at $342.69 which is yet another record in progress.

As we continue into fall, I see exceptional demand for feeders, as the yearlings and fed cattle continue to soar into new price ranges. Supply will be tight, and many farmers will have an abundance of feed to speculate with purchasing cattle to background or finish.

August 27 is our Annual BBQ Sale (56 years), we will offer many yearlings coming off grass. It will be a good time to find replacement heifers to breed for fall. There will be several loads of yearling steers to hit the February board which currently stands at $2.33. Early bird calf sale will be September 10; we are expecting good runs of fancy calves to present to the backgrounders who will be ready to fill their yards.

We had a breeding stock sale the second week of August and demand

for fall calving cows was very aggressive with top fall cows bringing $4,000. Light test on pairs as it’s too early to see them trade. If our slaughter cows continue to stay strong that will keep the bred market very aggressive as we head into early winter runs.

I see several bred heifers coming to market this November through January as many were purchased for breeding. I’m projecting farmers will be looking for opportunities to feed up the surplus of pasture and hay, that will likely keep the bred markets very active going into winter months.

Harvest is just around the corner, and it looks like it will be keeping the farmers busy for some time. I’m praying that you have plentiful crops and that you stay safe. If you have any questions on the markets or want to consign cattle, give any one of us a call at the barn. We love to talk cattle!

God Bless - Roman Schooley

Roman Schooley, Bloomfield, Iowa

Roman Schooley owns Bloomfield Livestock Market and Schooley Cattle Co. in Bloomfield, Iowa. As president of Schooley Cattle Co., Roman leads the breeding decisions of the seedstock operation which consists of 550 registered Simmental and Angus cows. Schooley Cattle Co. utilizes IVF to produce breed leading genetic advancement. The company hosts an annual production sale the first Friday in February at the ranch; selling 18-monthold and yearling bulls and a select group of open and bred heifers. Roman also owns and assists in the operations at Bloomfield Livestock Market which primarily serves producers in Iowa, Missouri, and Illinois. He and his wife, Elizabeth, have three children: Hannah (23), Haven (20), Houstin (17), and one grandson, Weaver (2 months).

In the News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MEMORIAL TRIBUTE TO DR. KEITH BOLSEN

A special memorial tribute to the late Dr. Keith Bolsen, a pioneer in silage research and education, was held during the dinner program at the International Silage Conference on Monday evening, July 21, 2025, at the University of Florida in Gainesville.

This global gathering of silage researchers, industry leaders, and students paused to honor Dr. Bolsen’s extraordinary contributions to the science of silage and his steadfast advocacy for silage safety. Widely regarded as a founding father of silage education in North America, Dr. Bolsen’s impact reached across borders and generations.

The tribute also recognized the vital role of his wife, Ruthie Bolsen, who stood beside Keith through decades of teaching, travel, and outreach. Reflections from the Bolsen family, former graduate students, and silage safety advocates will be shared.

In conjunction with the memorial, the Kansas State University Keith Bolsen Research Symposium and Graduate Competition was officially announced. This new initiative will honor Dr. Bolsen’s lifelong commitment to mentoring young scientists and fostering practical, applied research in forage preservation. Support for this program is encouraged.

“Dr. Bolsen’s legacy lives on through the people he inspired, the safety culture he championed, and the science he advanced,” said Dr. Hugo Ramirez, TECNOFOR.

“This memorial is a chance for all of us to express our gratitude and continue his work.”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE NEW AHIR® PROGRAM RECOGNIZES HERDS COMMITTED TO DATA COLLECTION

The American Angus Association® launched a new recognition program, Data Driven Herd, in August 2025.

Members of the American Angus Association® have built the largest single beef breed database through a commitment to data collection and participation in the Angus Herd Improvement Records (AHIR®) program. The database supports the National Cattle Evaluation (NCE) run weekly by Angus Genetics, Inc. (AGI®) and used by Angus producers across the world to make selection decisions. Continuing to contribute new phenotypes to this database ensures the NCE’s Expected Progeny Differences (EPDs) and Indexes continue to describe the Angus population as accurately as possible.

“We rely on our members to submit good data; it benefits every breeder, so we wanted to find a way to recognize those breeders that go above and beyond,” explained Smitty Lamb, chair of the Association’s Board of Director’s Breed Improvement Committee.

Board members have spent several years discussing ways to recognize breeders for their commitment to data submission. As a result of those discussions, in August 2025, AHIR® launched the Data Driven Herd recognition program which recognizes herds who contribute a set of phenotypes on multiple traits of their choosing

each year.

“Some of these phenotypes are hard to measure; we know it’s time consuming, we know it’s expensive, but our database and selection tools would not be what they are today without these submissions,” said Lamb. “This recognition program highlights the herds who have made the commitment; gives them some visibility and just really it is a way of saying thank you for submitting the data.”

Qualifying herds will be recognized annually at Angus Convention at one of three levels: bronze, silver, or gold, and will have access to that year’s logo to use for marketing. The complete list of Data Driven Herds will also be available on Angus.org for reference throughout the year. Levels will be determined based on the number of traits submitted on a percentage of the individual herd’s population.

“We are fortunate to have herds of all sizes that are committed to submitting records to AHIR so we wanted to make sure that members could take part in this program no matter the size of their operation,” said Esther Tarpoff, director of the American Angus Association’s Performance Programs. “When setting minimum percentages required for each trait, we considered what would be realistic for an operation to collect in a perfect scenario and then adjusted to allow room in that number for differing production practices.”

For example, scrotal requires a minimum of 20%. For a herd with 100 cows enrolled, at least 20 yearling scrotal measures are required. Twenty percent is required for scrotal as we consider approximately 50% of a calf crop will be bulls, and not all those bulls will remain in the herd until yearling age.

In the News

(continued...)

HOW DO HERDS QUALIFY?

The first step to qualify is for a herd to be actively enrolled in AHIR’s Inventory Reporting program with at least five cows enrolled. The whole-herd reporting program allows AHIR® to determine a base population and minimum required phenotypes for each trait.

In addition, a herd’s registration during the award year must equal at least 50% of the active cow herd inventory. For example, if a herd has 50 cows enrolled in Inventory Reporting, there must have been at least 25 animals registered during the award year.

Bronze Level: To qualify for the Bronze level, a herd must also submit at least 8 traits, meeting the minimum number required for the individual herd, which is based on the number of cows enrolled in Inventory Reporting.

Silver Level: To earn Silver level recognition, a herd must report at least 10 traits, meeting the minimum number required for the individual herd.

Gold Level: To earn the top recognition level, Gold, a herd must also be earning Inventory Reporting’s MaternalPlus® status, and submit at least 12 traits, meeting the minimum number of required phenotypes for each trait.

Association members can track their current status and progress towards the Data Driven Herd award levels in their AAA Login account. Members should look for the green button “New AHIR Data Driven Herd Recognition Program” located in the AHIR® section on the home page to access their personalized dashboard.

The award year runs October 1 – September 30 to align with the Association’s fiscal year. The first set of Data Driven Herds will be recognized at the 2025 Angus Convention in Kansas City, Missouri, Oct. 31 – Nov. 2 and will be based on data submitted between Oct. 1, 2024 and Sept. 30, 2025. Learn more about the Data Driven Herd recognition program here.

-Written

by

Jessica Hartman, Communications Specialist

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STOCKMAN traight

About the Stockman.

My name is Joshua Berg. I am 47 years old and a third generation Shorthorn breeder. I also am a corn and soybean farmer located in western Mitchell County, Iowa. I have been married to my wonderful wife, Ashley, for 21 years and have four awesome daughters. We are members of the American Shorthorn Association as well as the Iowa and Minnesota State Shorthorn Associations. We are also members of First Lutheran Church in Saint Ansgar, Iowa. Madeline is 19 years old and a sophomore at SDSU. Kaitlyn is 17 years old and a senior at Saint Ansgar High School. Lauren is 15 years old and a freshmen at Saint Ansgar High School. Autumn is 11 years old and in the sixth grade at Saint Ansgar Middle School.

My parents are Kendrick and Theresa Berg of Osage who I farm with and raise Shorthorn cattle. They single handedly laid the groundwork years ago with showing Shorthorns as a family in the seventies and eighties with my brothers and me. My dad was instrumental in guiding me to the type and kind of cattle that we are raising today here at Berg Shorthorns. I am proud of my dad and what he, along with Pete Hunter and Doug Rathbun did showing pen bulls in Denver. What dad completed in Denver from 1979 to 1985 was impressive!

We have seedstock breeding Shorthorn cattle along with Shorthorn and Shorthorn Plus show cattle that we raise, exhibit, and sell as a family. Our cow herd consists of 15 commercial recip cows, 25 purebred Shorthorn cows, and two herd bulls. We do an extensive amount of ET work with Westwood Embryo Services Inc. that helps us dial in to specific pedigrees along with correct DNA parentages that we are striving to produce in our Shorthorns. With an all-out greater enhancement on EPD’s and technology, we try to match with a good phenotype pattern as well to create the best of both worlds. We also use sexed semen in the operation as much as we can and try to maintain an emphasis on producing good iso -

line females which are the foundation blocks of our operation.

I am a past board member of the Iowa Shorthorn Association, and my wife is currently the treasurer for the Iowa Shorthorn Association. My two daughters, Kaitlyn and Madeline, are on the Iowa Junior Shorthorn Board where Madeline is currently serving as the president. Madeline is also the breed delegate serving on the Iowa Junior Beef Breeds Association. I currently am serving as the vice-chair of the National Show Committee for the American Shorthorn Association. I have also judged state breed junior shows, regional state fair shows for multiple breeds, and junior jackpot shows throughout the Midwest and Western United States.”

A conversation with everyday Stockmen, Joshua Berg

Berg Shorthorns - Osage, Iowa

Describe your best and worst day.

The best days on our farm are the winter calving season. Ashley and I take care of all the calving on the farm. We really enjoy the new crop of calves that we have invested in and created to be born for our girls and customers. We invest a lot of time and money in our ET program, so we get excited and act like kids at Christmas when we get our new calves hitting the ground. That is what I love about Shorthorns, each calf is different, they can be red, roan, or white. It is like a Christmas present every time they are born because you do not know what you are going to get.

The worst days on our farm are usually associated with too much rain, or snowstorms. We are up here in North Central Iowa, and we are flat and black unless you are close to the Cedar River Basin. The heavy rain events are the worst days for the cattle and especially the grain farming operation due to flooding.”

Your go-to sorting apparatus?

Polaris Rangers! On the farm, with the full time and part time guys we nicknamed it, “The Horse.” We have three Rangers on three separate farms. One Ranger is at Kendrick and Theresa’s so they can check cows daily and refill mineral and creep feeders at the cow pastures.”

What is the most used tool on your farm? How old is it?

My New Holland L220 skid loader is a 2013. I just love the thing. I use it every day! Whether scraping show barn pens in the summer, or bedding cows in the winter, or moving seed boxes in the spring and picking up rocks in fields - it’s just handy.”

STOCKMAN traight

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

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

I would have to say in 2015, when we bought Sull Red Value from Josh Elder at Sullivan Farms as our new herd sire, he probably had the biggest impact in our operation. In 2018, Madeline had reserve bred and owned champion heifer in Madison, Wisconsin at junior nationals. This summer, Kaitlyn won the bred and owned champion with a Dream maker daughter out of Madeline’s 2018 reserve bred and owned cow.

The Red Value daughters in our operation are getting some age but are probably the building blocks of our current herd today. They are predominately all solid red, big-footed, deep, big-hipped and powerful cows. Bred with todays syndicated bulls we can provide some elite show heifers.”

I really enjoy in my free time, when available, to go up north. Leech Lake, in Walker, Minnesota is probably my favorite spot to spend time with Ashley and the girls for some rest and relaxation. I really enjoy being up on Leech Lake on a cool morning and listening to the loons while fishing the points in Walker Bay for walleyes.”

What about the beef cattle industry excites you the most?

I have to say, just the absolute positiveness that every sector is feeling in the beef prices currently. Whether you are a cow/ calf operation with 25 to 250 cows this opportunity coming up this fall to sell those feeder calves is at record prices. For the fat cattle guy, what an unprecedented time to be feeding fat cattle. There has been a lot of blood, sweat, tears, and sacrifices given to raise and market these animals and it’s finally time for producers to get paid for their hard work and time!”

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

The best lesson that I have learned in the business is surround yourself with good honest, solid reputable people. People who want to learn, grow, and want to do the best possible job they can. For me, five years ago I could tell that my kids were growing, getting older and wanted greater experiences with the livestock than I could provide. Between crop farming, flushing cows, setting up recips, and calving, my time with them daily was getting less. My ability to go to jackpot shows does not allow me to be available due to the grain side of the farm operation. I mainly could only find time to go to the state fairs, otherwise I was too busy and needed to be home taking care of everything else. I felt as a father that I could not take them to the success or have the opportunities they wanted on my own. I knew that you only take your kids as far as they want to be led, so that is when we started to work with some of the absolute best operations in the seedstock business and show cattle, to take Berg Shorthorns and our kids to the next level. We found the best fit of leaders for each one of our children’s personalities that would influence them in a better, more positive manner to become more professional, hardworking, and respectable. These hardworking families and individuals are the absolute reason for the success at Berg’s Shorthorns, and we are grateful to them.”

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