Page 18 - MWC 08-19-2021s

The Midwest Cattleman · August 19, 2021 · P18

Cultivating Cattle &

Creativity in Kansas

by Lilly Platts
The Blew family has been the cost of land in their area.
raising cattle in Kansas for Castleton is the ranch’s home
five generations. The fami- base, and like many places in
ly’s history with the Simmen- the US, rangeland has high
tal breed began in the 1980s market value for hunting,
with many of the tradition- fishing, and farming. The
al bloodlines that solidified cost of leasing allows them to
the breed’s place in the US. run enough additional cattle
The business has ebbed and that the profit and opportu-
flowed with industry chang- nity for expansion outweighs
es, and today, CJ, his broth- the benefit of owning more
er, Russell, and their families land. Blew does plan to move reasons we have been able to we do. We really are in the
grow — we have demonstrat- land rehabilitation business.
run a commercial operation toward purchasing more land
based on Red Angus genet- in the future, but currently is ed that we can come in and We couldn’t do what we do
without leased land. I have
ics. CJ Blew is an advocate continuing to focus on sus- use good stewardship.”
For young people wanting to continuously give credit
for International Genetics taining the leased land. to get into the cattle business, to our land owners because
Solutions, and through his Despite not owning the
commitment to the cattle in- land, the Blew family has or simply expand, the cost of they give us the opportunity
land can be the number one to do what we do.”
dustry, he has become an in- been recognized for envi-
dustry leader with important ronmental efforts, and is barrier. The Blew family’s Balancing Growth and Data
insight into the future of the extremely committed to im- business model is appealing Data and EPDs are some-
intersection between seed- proving every piece of land for anyone dealing with the thing Blew believes in whole-
stock and commercial philos- they utilize. “We have to be dilemma of wanting to grow, heartedly. Currently, due to
ophies. able to differentiate our- and according to Blew, being the opportunity to expand
able to lease land simply
Living on Leased Land selves in some way for the takes seeking out opportu- the cow herd, he is having to
landowners. We couldn’t do
The most notable element nity. “The first thing is, don’t take a more general approach
of the Blew operation is that what we do without the land, be afraid to go where the op- to genetic selection, which
and the relationships we
just over 95% of the land they have with our land owners,” portunities are. We’re spread comes with challenges and
important lessons as a com-
run cattle on is leased. This Blew says. “So, the approach out quite a bit because we’re
comes with many challenges, we take with the leased land willing to do that. They won’t mercial producer. “Through
IGS, we have EPDs on every
but has also allowed the fam- is that we do own it, and that all be close to home,” Blew
ily to expand so quickly that it will be in our family forever. explains. “Have a plan and one of our cows which is real-
ly cool, and I’ve been able to
their cattle and genetics can We utilize every tool we can write it down if you need to,
barely keep up with the room to meet the environmental and then build a team. It’s pull that information out in
the past when we chose our
they have to grow. “We’re and stewardship objectives about building those people
somewhat atypical, in that that we have to improve the around you who will help replacement heifers to sort,”
Blew explains. “Right now,
we don’t have the home place land. Whenever there is an you be better. It’s the people
that has been in the family opportunity to work with a you go to for advice, and the the fact is that we have been
growing so fast that I haven’t
forever that can be the base,” landowner who wants to im- people you depend on. Some-
Blew explains. prove their land long-term, times you may actually pay really been able to do that.
But I also know that’s our
The Blew family decided then it’s going to be a good for it with a consultant, but
to use this model based on find people who can be your goal, and what we are going
relationship. It’s one of the to get to. We want to have
trusted advisors.” more information in our hip
Relying on leased land to pocket to go make those deci-
sustain the entire business sions going forward.”
does come with challeng- In addition to the com-
es. Blew says, “We try to get mercial operation, Blew has
long-term agreements when found a steady market for
we can, but they don’t all Red Angus replacements,
come with that. We’ve gone which means they have had
through plenty of frustrating to incorporate some seedstock
situations where you work philosophy into their com-
your tail off, fixing a place up mercial operation. Whether a
and cleaning it up, and then female is going to stay in his
they sell it or you lose it.” He own herd, or go into someone
continues, “It used to really else’s, he balances maternal
bother us, to put that much selection with the require-
work into something and ment that the genetics are
then watch it go, and I think conducive for a quality final
we finally just came to grips product. Blew explains, “If we
with the fact that this is what weren’t expanding, we would