The Corlett family has been milking since 1941
WILLARD, MO. – Corlett Farms began in 1846 with the founding of two farms, which were combined into the 282-acre operation it is today. The farm near Willard, Mo., is rich in family history and will celebrate its bicentennial birthday in the next 20 years. Hard work, perseverance, and strong family ties have held this family and farm together for decades. The family has high hopes of continuing for decades with the new generation of Corlett farmers growing up on the farm. The dairy farm portion began when Wesley Corlett’s grandfather, T.W. Wadlow, built the first milk barn (still preserved) in 1941. Wesley’s father, Leroy Corlett, updated the milking parlor in the 1970s by adding on to the existing barn. Wesley and his wife, Annette, raised two sons and a daughter on the farm, David, Daniel and Diane (Corlett) Moizer. After a long illness and the passing of his brother David in 2020, Daniel stepped in to take over the dairy farm and small Angus operation with his wife, Jennifer, and their four children beside him. Jennifer grew up in the country but had no farming experience before marrying Daniel.
“Dan’s love for the farm poured over on me, and I quickly fell in love with him and this way of life,” Jennifer said. “I still have a lot to learn, but some of my favorite things are taking care of the calves, wood cutting, and working side-by-side with him and my family.
“I dislike that it is hard to get away from the farm for fun getaways, but we make it work. We are incredibly thankful to all the family who came before us and for their hard work, dedication and smart financial decisions, which have allowed us to step into this opportunity to continue on the family farm.”
Daniel has been milking cows since graduating from high school in 2007. His father, Wesley, still works the farm but is phasing out to enjoy retirement with Annette.
In the family tradition, Daniel has continued to milk the Guernsey breed of cows that his father and grandfather started within the early days of the dairy.
“I like the quality of the milk from the Guernsey cows and the fact that they have good, easy-going personalities. They are easy keepers,” Daniel said.
While the Corletts favor the Guernsey breed, they have done some cross-breeding with Jerseys and Holsteins.
“We have recently cross-breed with Red Holsteins and Brown Swiss,” Daniel explained. “We are looking for the first cross vigor (first crosses will have the vigor to produce heavy milkers). Also, mixing in the Holstein and Red Holsteins will boost volume and increase the price of calves.”
Corlett farms milk 72 cows. In addition to the milkers, the herd also consists of 20 dry cows/springer heifers, 24 breeding heifers, and more than 70 yearlings or younger calves.
In addition to their 282 acres, the Corletts rent 276 acres. The farmland is used for grazing, growing hay, growing alfalfa and wheat, grow silage, and some corn to help sustain the herd. The only supplements are mineral and white salt blocks. The only time antibiotics are used on cows is when mastitis is present.
“If we have to treat them for mastitis, we dump all treated milk for recommended holding time and don’t sell them for slaughter if they are being treated,” Daniel said.
The Corletts deworm all cows and calves twice yearly using Safeguard liquid and pellets as part of their livestock protocols. The farm has also begun implementing an AI breeding system. Daniel said the herd is primarily bred via natural cover, but he wants to compare AI calves to those born via natural cover. Breeding begins around the age of 1 ½ years. “We like to shoot for calves to drop around spring and fall,” Daniel explained. “March to July 1 and September to December. Any time during those periods usually brings us good outcomes, but July and August are too hot, and January and February are just too cold and hard on cows and newborn calves.”
Daniel is very selective about his genetics.
“In our cows, we are always looking at milk volume, udder quality and good body conformation,” he said. “In bulls, we look at the family history and outcomes for producing healthy, strong calves.”
During the last few weeks before birthing, cows are checked closely to ensure a smooth birthing process. Bull calves are sold, but heifers remain in the herd as the “next generation of milkers.”
Calves are weaned at 8 weeks and eat full grain and grass. Hay is gradually introduced after three months.
“We have been cross-breeding with beef bulls for extra income, and we will castrate young bulls between ages 3 to 6 months when the vet is available to calf hood,” Daniel added.
The cows are kept under a watchful eye to ensure high-quality milk. “To maintain a healthy herd, we constantly re-evaluate our processes. We want to maintain a good milk average daily, low cell count with a higher fat content in our milk,” Daniel said. “The market is volatile and not always in our favor, so to keep the farm from heading south financially, we use Dairy Margin Coverage insurance to help with depressed prices. At this time, all agriculture is having a hard time with rising fuel costs, fertilizer, and machinery. It really is a safety net for us.”
Corlett Farms has been a part of the landscape of Greene County for generations, and Daniel plans to keep it going for generations to come.
“This family farm must survive,” he said. “Jennifer and I want to keep milking as long as the farm is able to sustain itself. We want our children to be able to keep it going for generations to come. Right now, our children – Harleigh, Aurora, Weston and Lily – are all helping. Harleigh, the oldest, helps milk cows and loves entering her show calf in local fairs. Aurora helps feed calves and shows her calf in fairs as well. Weston collects fresh milk with colostrum and pours it into the bottles for newborn calves. Little Lily loves feeding calves and feeding cows with her parents. Being in the barn and doing chores as a family builds character, responsibility, and a love for the family farm.
“I have loved this farm since I was a kid,” Wesley said. “My dad, Leroy Corlett used to say, ‘There are lots of easier ways to kill yourself, but none as enjoyable as farming’…I agree.”
While Wesley and Annette are readying themselves for retirement, Wesley can still be found driving the old tractor and hanging out in the milk barn, watching as the Corlett legacy continues to play itself out through his grandchildren.
