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Tour puts cattle farms in the spotlight

MSCA Summer Beef Tour brings hundreds to Lyon, Lincoln Counties

By Deb Gau 4 min read

MARSHALL -- It was early in the morning, but the Lyon County fairgrounds was already packed with a crowd of more than 500 people. Visitors from as far away as Wisconsin and Canada were waiting to board buses headed out to area cattle farms.

"It's cool to see the excitement, and the support of people from around the state," Lyon County farmer Todd Meulebroeck said Tuesday.

Meulebroeck Farms was just one of the stops on the Minnesota State Cattlemen's Association's annual Summer Beef Tour this year. Tour attendees visited a variety of cattle operations spread around Lyon and Lincoln counties.

"This brings a lot of attention to the cattle industry, and we need that, especially in Minnesota," said Kaitlyn Root, executive director of the MSCA. Minnesota might not be the first place many people think of when it comes to raising beef, but the state is home to around 18,000 beef producers, she said.

The MSCA partners with regional affiliates around Minnesota to organize the Summer Beef Tour. This year, the MSCA worked with the Southwest Cattlemen's Association to focus on area cattle operations.

"We look for leaders in the industry, folks who are willing and able to share their operations, and they're good at telling their story," Root said. "And then we also try to have a few stops that may have made some recent improvements because we know that producers are always looking to improve."

An estimated 550 to 600 people arrived at the fairgrounds Tuesday morning, Root said. Together with area vendors, a total of around 700 people were expected for a steak supper at the end of the day

Stops on this year's tour included the Coon Creek Cattle Co., Loyson Farms, Chandlers Triple C Feeders and Meulebroeck Farms in Lyon County; and Delaney Herefords, Vos Feeders and Weber Land & Cattle in Lincoln County. Groups also toured the Archer Daniels Midland corn plant and Ralco's Innovation Center and research farm in Marshall.

The Beef Tour showcased different types of cattle farms and facilities, from feedlots to cattle breeders.

Jeremy Larson, of Coon Creek Cattle, spoke about his experiences using rotational grazing for Limousin cow-calf pairs.

"I first started rotating cattle in 2003," Larson told one tour group. "Going from continuous grazing to an 11-paddock system, I seen a 200% increase in my first rotation system. So that's kind of what got me started on this."

Larson also spoke about using cover crops, and his work with the Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Other cattle operations featured on the tour included different infrastructure, like deep pit barns for feedlots. In a deep pit barn, cow manure falls through the barn's slatted floors directly into a manure pit. Doug Loyson, of Loyson Farms, said the manure collected by the deep pit barn at his farm could be applied to about 350 to 400 acres of land.

"With the price of fertilizer these days, it's a pretty big asset," he said.

Area producers said it was exciting to be able to share about their cattle operations with other producers.

"It's an honor to be part of the tour, and show what we've got," said Jesse Weber of Weber Land & Cattle. Weber got started raising cattle at the age of 13 with a Hereford heifer. Today, Weber breeds red Angus cattle near Lake Benton.

Loyson also said it was an honor to be part of the tour. "And it's exciting to be able to network with other farmers," he said. Troy Chandler, of Triple C Feeders, said another important part of the event was the chance for representatives of the industries and vendors that work with farmers to see cattle operations in person, and to connect with other producers.

Opportunities to learn more about different cattle operations, and to network, were a big part of the draw for the Summer Beef Tour, attendees said. Dale and Linda Lueck traveled to Marshall from Aitkin, in northern Minnesota. The Luecks said it was interesting to see how both the landscape and farming were different in southwest Minnesota. Dale said over time, there has also been a shift toward building facilities like large barns for cattle feeding operations.

"Years ago, they were all open lots," he said.

Gary Pronschinske traveled to southwest Minnesota from southwestern Wisconsin for the tour. Pronschinske said he was interested in seeing different cattle handling facilities, as well as the changes in cattle operations in southwest Minnesota compared to 25 years ago.

"I think there's just a lot to learn, and that's what really excites people," Root said of the Summer Beef Tour. "So many of these operations, a producer can go to and learn something, see something new, get some new ideas and bring them home to their operation."

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