In the Know About Dorpers

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Brier Day is building his own herd registered sheep flock MARSHFIELD, MO. - Not all teenagers are addicted to video games. Some spend their summers...

A Unique Feeding Operation

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Through a “trap system,” Hampton Farms supports 900 head of cattle  HARTVILLE, MO. - On a 250-acre farm near Hartville, Mo., in Wright County, Dennis...

Room to Grow

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Phillip Archer returns to the Ozarks to begin his own grass-finished beef operation Laclede County, Mo., native Phillip Archer has found a niche that combines...

Renovations Lead to New Operation

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After more than two decades in the broiler chicken business, the Schnake family sold their flock and closed its poultry barns.

Raising Better Cattle

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Some cattlemen raise cattle with the consumer in mind, while others focus on the feedlot operator, and still others have their own family in mind.  Lonnie McWilliams is a little of everything. Lonnie’s ranch, KD Gelbvieh, is located just west of Sheldon, Mo. KD used to stand for Katie and Dad, and it still does, although “Dad” is the main operator now. When she was in 4-H and FFA, Katie had a lot of success showing their cattle and crossbred hogs. Now, Katie’s kids have their own calves to show. Lonnie and his wife Lora run about 70 cows on their 270-acre farm. Their herd is mostly Registered Red Gelbvieh, though they have a few Charolais and some balancers. 

Building on Exotic Herds

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Growing up in Lockwood, Mo., about a mile from his current farmstead, Charles Obert was deeply frustrated by his father’s refusal to buy exotic animals. Instead his father ran a dairy and raised chickens and hogs for personal use.

Double the Lamb

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Tim Bartkoski has learned a lot. He had some sheep when he was younger, and years later when his daughters wanted animals to show in 4-H, he knew from experience how much easier sheep are to care for and show than a larger animal, so he got back into the sheep business. That was 30 years ago.

A Better, Calmer Approach

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Anyone who has ever tried to keep up with kids in baseball and softball leagues, scouts and church activities knows the meaning of the word challenge. Now double that and throw in 840 acres of grassland, 100 head of Limousin and Limousin-cross momma cows, a few Brangus bulls and a full time 40-hour-a-week job in town, and that describes the  challenges of Greg and Jennifer Fry. Located between Stoutland and Montreal, Mo., the Frys calve their cows in March, wean them in December and feed a 15 percent ration until the grass pastures are ready. "We keep them on grass until they are 700-800 pounds,” Greg explained. Greg works his cattle on his own land and another 500 acres belonging to his brother.

On the Cutting Edge

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Monty Williamson said of his barn full of cutting horses they are “a play pretty that got out of hand.”  In 1992 Monty thought he wanted to get a cutting horse so he bought a couple of fillies to raise and have trained.  “There was a period there where you could sell weanlings at a nice price, so I purchased two, three, maybe four more mares,” he recalled with a smile and a sly glance at his wife, Georgia.  “I had the good fortune of owning a stallion named Docs Halestorm, and the bad habit of keeping all the fillies. Most of our broodmares are Halestorm daughters.” 

Being Sustainable

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After 34 years of teaching, Bill Roberts hung up his hat and retired at the end of the 2010 school year. He spent the last 25 years teaching Agriculture Education at Marshfield High School.

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