Page 18 - MWC 2-2-2023s
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Grass Focused at Bryan Red Angus By Brenda Black
The Midwest Cattleman · February 2, 2023 · P18
Don and Sheri Bryan down. I watch their offspring
raise purebred Red Angus in and see what they are like. It's
mid-Missouri. Their approach not a fancy system, but it works
is uniquely suited to their per- for us.”
sonally defined program, ac- The herd size is modest,
cording to the resources they making such record keeping
possess and the time they sufficient. About 15 to 20 head
have to invest. Don is an IT will run on their 60 acres of pas-
specialist for the University tures. Each evening, “the girls,”
of Missouri, Columbia. Sheri as Sheri affectionately calls the
is a paraprofessional for the females in the herd, wait at the
Hallsville school district. On high-tensile gate, ready to ro-
the farm they merge technical tate to new pickings.
observation and tender care for “For us,” Sheri said, “it's im-
their moderately sized herd. portant to pay attention to the
Their payback is easy-calving, cattle and raise a quality ani- er of Bovine Engineering and ed. We can put the cattle in the
gentle cattle raised completely mal to offer to our customers. Consulting, in the 60s & 70s woods for a while and let them
on pasture. We sell our bulls private treaty witnessed the “bigger is better” stomp around and leave some
“Our vision is to produce and guarantee that they have movement in the beef cattle manure. They keep the brush
functional, efficient, medi- been born and raised on pas- industry. He could understand down a little bit.”
um-framed breeding stock that ture, with no grain. They are the rationale behind the theo- While the cattle are tam-
breed and raise a calf each vaccinated and trained to high ry but ascertained that shifts ing the timber, the Bryans are
year,” Don said. “We evaluate tensile, polywire and rotational too far in one direction do not attacking growth along fence
every animal for its abilities grazing.” usually turn out to be the best rows in their ongoing conser-
and traits.” Daily contact with the herd plan of action. Fry heard about vation efforts to eradicate in-
Methods for evaluation are makes it easier to catch any the teaching of Dr. Jan Bonsma vasive woody species. Those
strictly observational. “Minimal glaring problems at their onset of South Africa and met him in culprits are felled and stacked
attention is given to EPDs,” he and to observe good health and 1972. Bonsma studied cattle in wash areas to slow erosion
said. “Instead, we look directly performance. and their environment and de- caused by water and heavy leaf
at the cattle themselves.” “We don't rely on EPDs,” duced that the bigger-is-better litter. The downed timber also
The Bryans notice if the Sheri said. “We make our de- movement had caused cattle to creates a wind break and shel-
gland system is healthy and cisions based on a cow's or genetically digress. His conclu- ter for native wildlife.
functioning. “Are they calving bull's size -- their maintenance sion was that the introduction Because of the cattle and the
unassisted?” Sheri said. “We weight. Are they healthy? Do of corn and supplements made good stewardship of the Bry-
eliminated that problem years they have an extremely heavy sustainability no longer a feasi- ans, quality forage abounds in
ago.” fly load? We don't want that. ble option in the cattle industry. a diverse mix of fescue, beta
Together, Don and Sheri as- We look for slick hair coats and Fry, along with Jim Gerrish, grasses like big blue stem, or-
sess if all measurements are good feet.” an independent grazing lands chard, timothy, lespedeza, and
proportional on that calf being Don's grandparents intro- consultant and columnist in white and red clover.
raised. duced Red Angus to Monroe The Stockman Grass-Farmer “We have seeded in the past,
“From the hooves up,” Sheri County Missouri in the late magazine are two go-to sources but not for several years,” Sheri
said, “we look at what that bull 1960s. His Dad and Mom once for Don and Sheri, said. “Grazing management of
or cow is telling us.” served as president and secre- “We also get interesting doing rotational has helped a
Though Don is the comput- tary/treasurer, respectively, of ideas and inspiration from a lot of that.”
er expert, it is Sheri who keeps the Missouri Red Angus Associ- group of like-minded produc- During different times of the
the notations on each animal ation. However, it is other pro- ers in northern Missouri called year, different grasses are in
for reference. “I create a basic ducers who have primarily in- “The Green Hills Farm Proj- bloom and provide enough for-
folder for each one,” she said. fluenced the management style ect,” Sheri said. age to nearly feed the herd all
“And I make notes through the this third generation of Bryan Tested theories and out-of- year.
seasons. If somebody slicked Red Angus embraces. the-box philosophies compel “Typically, we don't put fer-
out really good, I write that The late Gerald Fry, found- the Bryans to stick with moder- tilizer on,” Don said. “We do
ation and take a more natural apply lime when needed and
approach to their beef venture. clip some pastures at certain
Their compact Red Angus bulls points to help with weed con-
will weigh 1,500 and females trol. Granted, you're going to
top out around a 1,000 pounds have weeds here and there; but
at maturity and, according to it does get trampled down to
Don, are the ideal fit to test the make soil cover.”
experts' ideologies and postu- A similar mindset to encour-
late a few possibilities of their aging native fauna and flora, is
own. Using quiet cattle to im- the Bryans approach to limit-
prove the land is one of their ing outside influence on their
grass-laboratory endeavors. grass-grown, gentle genetics.
“We use the cattle to take “Our preference is to run a
care of our farm,” she said. “We closed herd and raise our own
try not to brush hog, but have replacement heifers,” Don said.
clipped the pastures as need- “When we do have to buy, we
