The 2012 Missouri Beef Tour will be held in Lawrence County near Mt. Vernon on Aug. 25 according to Eldon Cole, a livestock specialist with University of Missouri Extension.
The tour begins at 12:30 p.m. at Shiloh Land and Cattle Company, which is owned by Darrel and Anita Franson. The Fransons run 60 fall-calving beef cows on around 115 acres with some rented pasture.
Their operation features fixed-time artificial insemination, management intensive grazing, novel endophyte fescue, the use of steer feedouts to determine their herd's post-weaning and carcass performance. Darrel uses an extensive set of computerized records to see how his beef/forage enterprise is faring.
Farmers Tour Southwest Missouri Beef Farms
From Shiloh, the tour heads west to Jackie Moore's farm where he receives and develops lightweight calves to a market weight of 800 pounds. Moore uses various by-product feeds such as distillers and peanut meal. He's gearing up to feed droughty corn silage this winter. Health protocols for receiving calves will be discussed.
The third stop is north of Stotts City on Missouri 97 at Dustin and Cynthia Schnake's farm. The Schnakes are a young couple who are working with Clif and Alice Harrington to expand their beef cow operation. "The Harrington's are slowing down and their place joins the Schnake's so it's a natural expansion opportunity," said Cole.