Page 18 - MWC 03-11-2021

The Midwest Cattleman · March 11, 2021 · P18

Missouri Cattleman

on a Milo Mission

By Brenda Black

Ron Locke is a cattleman who “I don't want to be a row crop
runs 60 Angus cows on his 400 farmer, but this is definitely
acre farm near Buffalo, Mo. He's worth it!” Locke said. “For the
a meticulous, intensive grazing past 10 years around here, we've
man with property groomed more had terrible winters and it has
like a park than a cow pasture. been hard to keep condition on
Locke is a retired, disciplined cattle without feed. If I can grow
military man, trained for covert the feed and don't have to bring and in spite of a few catastro- Locke was so intrigued, he
operations. And now, he is a milo ton loads of feed home from the phes. journeyed three hours north to
man, experimenting with a new elevator, I am a happy camper.” A cattleman's meeting in Polk walk their fields and witness
crop and mesmerized with his Locke's upbeat conclusion County first exposed Locke to the their theory in practice. On the
new mission. came via considerable strategies, prospect for grazing milo. Uni- return three-hour drive, his mind
versity of Missouri Extension raced. The ex-U.S. Air Force Spe-
Field Specialist in Agronomy cial Operations Command start-
Rusty Lee and cattle producer ed formulating a plan. Alongside
Harry Cope presented the con- his pristine and diverse mix of
cept of strip grazing milo and forage species, ranging from
the benefits. Lee summarized the cool-season fescue to warm-sea-
system as letting the cattle “have son native grasses and lespede-
a little bit of feedlot in the field. za, he determined then and there
Cut out the combine, the grain to devote one open plot to milo.
bin and the carry back tool and “I was blown away,” Locke
let them consume it in the field.” said. “I couldn't believe the num-
With Lee's assessment, 40% of ber of days they were getting out
the cost of producing a milo crop of it.”
is thus eliminated. Locke ordered grain milo seed

and Friends
Selling sons of these sires

and many more!

7th Annual Bull & Female Sale
Andras Bando B068

March 27, 2021

1 p.m. • At the farm • Strafford, Missouri

Offering Includes…

•18-month and Yearling Bulls
Lacy Full Tank 006D
•Registered Breds & Pairs

•Commercial Replacement Heifers

Contact us today for a catalog:
Rogers Cattle Company & Lile Farms
2868 N. Farm Raod 231 • Strafford, MO 65757
Steven: (417) 241-1302 • Jamie: (417) 241-1526
E-mail: srogersbeef@yahoo.com
Andras Executive Order E018 www.rogersbeef.com