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Cattleman’s Corner Radio
Hosted by Hale Broadcasting · EN
On-The-Air since 1994
57episodes
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Joe Klun on Gelbvieh Traits
2w ago00:02:00Tap to summarizeSummary On Cattleman’s Corner, Brian Hale interviews Joe Klun of Klun Cattle Company in Pueblo, Colorado, about the advantages of Gelbvieh cattle. Klun says he values the breed for its calving ease, growth, maternal efficiency, and ability to maintain condition in tough environments. He explains that his cows, weighing around 1,400 to 1,500 pounds, are versatile and perform well on a variety of rough grazing conditions. Klun also describes the harsh southern Colorado terrain, including poor grass, sagebrush, cactus, and abandoned river-bottom farmland, where the cattle have continued to thrive. Transcript Today we have Joe Klun from Klun Cattle Company, Pueblo, Colorado. Tell me what you like about the Gelbvieh again. "There's just a lot. Good calving ease and the growth, and you get big, mature cows. I mean, the cows that I got, you know, they're probably weighing 1,400, 1,500 pounds, and they're easy fleshing. You can put them pretty much anywhere, and they'll work anywhere you take them. I haven't really had any trouble anywhere that they've been, really, which is a good thing, because I've been just chasing grass and getting pasture wherever I can, when I can. So the versatility of them is one thing that I've found." Tell us about that tough country that you're in, actually. People might want to know what your conditions are like there in southern Colorado. "A lot of river bottom area. I mean, there's not good grass. It's been a lot of, like, Kochia Weed and just nothing good. Nothing that you really want to have cattle on, but it's something that, you know, all the good stuff is taken. You know, being a younger guy, if you weren't already in it, there's just not a lot of options. So I've had to take them to some pretty rough places, you know, lots of Sagebrush, lots of Cactus, or like I said, the river bottom where it used to be farm ground, and then they quit farming it, so now all that grows out there is Kochia Weed and Pigweed, but they handled that just fine." Joe Klun from Klun Cattle Company.
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The Key to the Operation
2w ago00:02:00Tap to summarize"My wife June is the key to the whole operation" That is the impression that we received when talking with Gelbvieh breeder Roger Olsen of Platteville, Colorado. Roger is a Select Sire rep, while June runs the cattle operation on a day-to-day basis. Here is a transcript of today's conversation; Now, here's Roger Olson again today from Mill Iron Lazy V Cattle Company. "One of the things that I failed to mention, Brian, and she is the key to our whole operation, is my wife, June. My way of supporting the herd, I guess, is I am Select Sire Rep here in central Colorado. She kind of maintains the herd herself. We couldn't do it without her. I didn't want to do an interview without mentioning her. This is a family operation, it's a heritage, it's a way of life." Would you give it up for anything else? "No, I wouldn't. And you're right, it is a way of life. I've sold herds before, but I've always ended up with cows again. It's just, like you said, a way of life. And it's good people. I mean, the cattle people that we deal with on a daily basis, yeah, you're right, I wouldn't trade it for anything." That was Roger Olson from Northeastern Colorado's Mill Iron Lazy V Cattle Company.
Transcribe →Meet Gelbvieh Breeder Roger Olsen
2w ago00:02:00Tap to summarizeRoger Olson's Cattle Operation: Roger Olson is involved in a family-run cattle business in eastern Colorado, operating the Mill Iron Lazy V Cattle Company. The operation specializes in registered Gelbvieh cattle, a breed chosen for its maternal traits, feed efficiency, and adaptability to pasture conditions. Despite challenges from area development and droughts, the cattle have performed well, and Olson maintains a mix of pasturing and feedlot strategies. They also host an annual bull sale, the Pot of Gold Bull Sale, which has been successful over the years, with strong sales of both bulls and heifers. Broadcasting and Community Engagement: The interviewer, Brian from Hale Broadcasting, discussed how their radio broadcasting covers agriculture in multiple states, including a focus on cattle operations. Hale Broadcasting provides both radio and podcast formats to share insights from the agricultural community, emphasizing personal interviews rather than traditional news reports. The program celebrates a long heritage of cattle operations and promotes sharing stories and information within the community, highlighting its rootedness as a way of life. Online Presence and Advertising: Roger Olson mentioned utilizing the website gelbviehbulls.net for promoting their annual bull sales. They also engage in various advertising channels, such as postcards and regional publications, with word-of-mouth playing a significant role in their sales success. Although initially lacking in social media engagement, Olson's operation recognizes the growing importance of digital presence. Family and Heritage: A significant highlight is the role of family in the operation, with Roger attributing much of the success to his wife, June. This underscores the operations as not only a business endeavor but also a lifestyle choice deeply integrated with family values and traditions. Transcript Today we have Roger Olson, a Gelbvieh breeder from Colorado. How did you get started in the Gelbvieh, Roger? Well, in 1970, my dad bought a group of three-quarter blood Gelbvieh cattle from a gentleman in South Dakota. There was 75 head there. The Gelbvieh breed has always been really, really good for us. We've always just stayed with it. Why do you think that is? They check all the boxes, as far as maternal traits, feed gain, their do-ability as far as pastures are concerned, docile disposition, very fertile cattle. We have just a super breed up every year. The cows have just not ever let us down. Even drought years, like we are having this year, just having phenomenal calves. Like I said, they've always treated us very well. They've never disappointed. We have an annual bull sale, pot of gold bull sale, over in Montrose, Colorado, every year, last Friday in February. I have been doing that for 35 years and have just been a successful bull sale and sell feedstock. They've always just been really good for us. What kind of country is that where you are? Is that good for raising cattle? It was good at one time. We're being invaded by subdivisions and investment groups and stuff like that, so we're having a hard time as far as finding pasture and feed. It's becoming a challenge. Your location is Platteville. Where is that? Fifteen miles south of Greeley, up in the north central. That was Roger Olson from northeastern Colorado's Mill Iron Lazy V Cattle Company. That's going to do it for today's Cattleman's Corner.
Transcribe →Meet Gelbvieh Breeder Joe Klun
2w ago00:02:00Tap to summarizeJoe, the owner of Klun Farms & Cattle, discussed his background and journey in the cattle business. Growing up on a farm that has been in his family since the 1900s, Joe has been involved with agriculture from an early age. After starting a separate career in telecommunications focusing on low-voltage fiber optic lines, he has spent over a decade building this business alongside his cattle ventures. Joe’s passion for cattle was revived post-high school by trading his initial herd for equipment, eventually leading him to focus on breeding registered Gelbvieh cattle, which he admires for their calving ease, growth potential, and versatility across tough environments. His approach includes stringent culling and using top genetics through Artificial Insemination (AI) for herd improvement. Joe also shared details about his telecommunications business, which operates statewide in Colorado and extends to other states for projects motivated by pay incentives, such as post-hurricane work in Florida. Now employing 12 people, he is expanding his operations by branching into other areas, including transportation and logistics. Marketing and Sales Strategy for Cattle Joe's cattle sales primarily occur through word-of-mouth and private treaty rather than formal auctions, resulting in satisfied, repeat customers. He shared his thoughts on pricing strategies and the challenges of running a formal sale, noting that while his herd isn't large enough to produce big catalogs, he successfully sells bulls privately. Joe appreciates the rarity and demand variance between black and red Gelbvieh cattle, with preferences influenced strongly by consumer opinion on color. Joe has plans to advance his marketing by considering web presence, having recognized earlier attempts to build a website as time-consuming amidst his other responsibilities. He acknowledges the importance of marketing in reaching broader audiences and expressed willingness to explore professional help to establish an online front for his cattle operations. Challenges and Community Involvement Joe also touched upon the challenges of cattle farming on suboptimal pastureland in southern Colorado and the measures he takes, such as providing protein and mineral supplements to maintain cattle health. Despite prior issues like nitrate poisoning in feed, he has been able to manage herd health effectively. Finally, the discussion included future aspirations and strategies around improving his herd's genetics and maintaining customer relationships through robust guarantees on his bulls. He emphasizes ensuring customer satisfaction for the longevity and reputation of his business. Potential Collaboration Concluding the interview, Joe was offered a promotional opportunity from Hale Broadcasting for marketing support at a discounted rate, highlighting the mutual benefits of promoting the Gelbvieh breed further. The conversation capped with friendly exchanges and best wishes for Joe's multifaceted endeavors in agriculture and telecommunications.
Transcribe →Flood Irrigation in Arizona
3w ago00:02:00Tap to summarizeOur co-host David Woodruff has David Lamoureux, and they were talking about flood irrigation practices in Arizona. "Yeah, well, it's out south. It's about halfway between Phoenix and Tucson, down south of Eloy, a little place called Picacho, down there by Picacho Peak." And it's all flood irrigated? "Right." When you come on raw land in Arizona and you go to flood irrigate it, there's a little bit of leveling involved, or is there a lot? How do you do it? "When we bought this farm, it was already being farmed, but we went in and laser leveled it and put cement irrigation ditches in and turnouts, and so it had where we could flood irrigate it and take care of the water, and it does a great job. But in Arizona, that farm down there was part of the CAP, the Central Arizona Irrigation Project. We got cuts on our water, so we don't have all the water that we used to, so that's been hard for us. Part of the old Santa Cruz River bottom runs through our farm, and we've got that fence, and we run cows down there in the mesquite, so when you get the rains, you get some good desert feed. But where we're at in Arizona, unless you have flood irrigation, you just don't do much. But it's just a bonus when you get some rain." Dave Lamoureux on the Cattleman's Corner.
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Conditions in Southwest Kansas
3w ago00:02:00Tap to summarizeNow here's more with my conversation with Cole Buffo from southwest Kansas. Do you raise your own feed? "Yeah, we do all our own alfalfa. We've got about 140 acres of alfalfa ground that we put up. We can usually get about four cuttings a year out of, and it's all along the creek. So, I mean, it's usually pretty decent for us." How's your moisture this year? "We're a little dry. I know we're trying to figure out when to start planting milo. It would be nice to get a little rain to get a little moisture. Wheat's kind of turning. I mean, it's either turning, dying, and got frost all in the same little bit." Is it going to be zeroed out by insurance? "We haven't fully got that far in getting it all checked out yet with insurance. So, they'll tell us that we'll still have to cut it." Do you ever swath it? "Sometimes we do. A lot of times we may. Our big focus is cattle, so we run registered, and then we've got a commercial herd. So, we'll do a lot of grazing on it. We don't do much swathing of wheat. We'll just either graze it or out or cut it for grain." Do you do all of your own cutting? "Yeah, yeah. We do all our own cutting. I mean, we're primarily wheat, alfalfa, and milo. It's our crops, and then cattle's kind of our mainstay, I guess." Yeah, so how many years have you been doing the cattle now, did you say? "I've been in the cattle business, I'd say, 25 years, but my in-laws, they've been in it. I mean, my wife's the third generation to be taking over the family farm, and our kids will be the fourth. I mean, they've been doing it since the early 1900s." Cole Buffo from southwest Kansas. Thanks again for listening, and may God bless. I'm Brian Hale.
Transcribe →Meet Cole Buffo of Jetmore Kansas
3w ago00:02:00Tap to summarizeI have Cole Buffo on the phone with me with Buff Tuff Cattle Co, if I've got the name right. Welcome to the show, Cole, and if you don't mind, just kind of give us a background on that name there and how you got started in the cattle business. "Yeah, so it was actually a nickname, a buddy of mine that I grew up with kind of gave me back when we were in middle school. And I mean, I got started when I was in grade school with cattle, we started in the Simmental and then kind of dispersed and then got back in the Gelbvieh side of it. And then now that after college, I married my wife, Cassie, and we moved to Jetmore, Kansas north of Dodge city. She and her family had an established Red Angus operation. So now we got Gelbvieh with our Red Angus. We were primarily red and we've kind of got into the black because we had a few customers needing some black bulls. So we started doing some cross breeding to compliment our customer needs." "Like on the Red Angus side, a lot of guys have been crossing Angus in to incorporate Angus genetics on the Red Angus. So they're getting black, red carriers, and then they can get black or red calves depending on what they're breeding. And that's kind of what we've been playing with a little more on our Gelbvieh side. If we trying to breed for homo black bulls, but if we get a red bull out of a black cow, we still know we can sell it." Do you have a sale each year? "Yeah, so it's usually, I would say the last Friday in March, I guess next year might be a week later with Easter season. We used to be private treaty. Now we're gone to an open house, silent auction type format where we do invite everybody in kind of low key, like all of our buyers kind of see what the bulls are and see how they are. And then it's just kind of a silent auction format." That was Cole Buffo from Buff Tuff Cattle Co. 22918 NW Highway 156, Jetmore, KS 67854 is the address for Hayes Red Angus, a cattle ranching operation and member of the Red Angus Association of America. The property also serves as the headquarters for Buff Tuff Cattle Co., which specializes in raising Gelbvieh, Balancer, and Red Angus cattle.
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From California to Montana
3w ago00:02:00Tap to summarizeWelcome to the Cattleman's Corner. I'm Brian Hale, sitting in for the late Howard Hale, as we continue his legacy of speaking with cattlemen and women from around the globe. We're talking to Ted Delagana. Ted is now from Conrad, Montana, but used to be in, was it the Central Valley in California? "Central Coast, is what we call it." You were involved in agriculture down there? "Yep, all my life." What kind of things did you do? "We always had cattle, and then worked for different places that had cattle, and always raised our own hay for the cattle up until when we left. And then I worked for a large place that we farmed about 3,000 acres of dryland grain and hay. Hay there is all oats and barley hay, so it's all just grain hay." On this side of the Madison line, my dad always called it green feed. "Pretty much. We had a whole different world there, a lot of rain down there. So, why did you have the cereal grains for hay, or green feed as we call it up here, instead of like something, perennial grass? Not many, we hardly had, a lot of alfalfa hay, a lot of alfalfa, but perennial grass like they have here, almost zero. The ranch I worked for we summer followed, but where I lived, we planted winter so every year. It was just a rain thing, I think, you know, the amount of rain we get." Could you get more tons per acre off of doing green feed? "There was alfalfa ranches around and they would get a ton and a half per cutting or so, I'd say, and cut five, sometimes six cuttings. But with our grain hay, we'd get as much as five times the acre on grain hay. You know, we were all selling to cattlemen, feedlots, and then we got fancy stuff. We started growing what they called forage mix. It was a mix of beardless barley, beardless wheat, and a couple varieties of oats. And we'd sell those to the racetracks like Santa Anita and a lot of horse people." Ted Dalagana from Conrad, Montana with our co-host David Woodruff.
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From 4-H to Selling Bulls
3w ago00:02:00Tap to summarizeKory Ostrand of Ostrand Angus, located in Mason City, Nebraska, discussed the origins of his involvement in livestock. Kory detailed how he used money from selling a 4-H steer to purchase a registered Angus heifer at the age of nine, marking the beginning of his journey into registered cattle breeding. His family's ranch has been operational since 1884, making him the fifth generation to run it. They are strategically located about 50 miles northwest of Kearney or 30 miles southeast of Broken Bow, an area known for its quality cattle farming conditions. The Ostrand program focuses on a balanced trait approach, offering a diverse range of bulls and heifers, including calving ease and power bulls. The interview highlighted their strategy to enhance buyer access through online platforms and emphasized maintaining buyer engagement even in variable weather conditions. Hale Broadcasting is assisting in promotional efforts for the sale, offering additional advertising services on their platforms. Listen in to an interesting story on how Mason City, Nebraska Angus Breeder Corey Ostrand got his start with a wise investment. www.ostrandangus.com
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Successful Sale at Sugar Valley Stockyards
4w ago00:02:00Tap to summarizeNow let's check in with Dan Reardon of Rockin' R Red Angus, who had moved his operation from the high country in Colorado to just a few miles south of McGrew, Nebraska. How did your sale go, Dan? "We were really, really thrilled with the sale, and how it went, and the feedback on the bulls. You know, it was a really challenging time." "The two days before the sale is when the big fire hit, and so friends and customers just scrambling and dealing with the fire, and we were kind of wondering on our end what we should do, and we decided to still hold the sale on that Saturday, and all that fire started Thursday, and we were really blessed with the amount of people that showed up, the amount of people that bid, so we were really, really excited and really happy, despite what was going on in the community. We definitely had some out-of-town buyers. We sold bulls as far east as Illinois, and obviously sold quite a few to Colorado, and Kansas, and a bunch to Nebraska, Wyoming, South Dakota." "So, yeah, we had a pretty good representation as far as geography. I cannot speak highly enough of the crew over at Sugar Valley. We were very, very happy. We were extremely impressed with how professional they were. We feel like we found a home, for sure, for our sale. The people there were just so nice, so professional. We couldn't have asked for a better partnership than what they did for us over there. That was Dan Reardon talking about the successful sale they had at Sugar Valley Stockyards in Gearing, Nebraska." Find my longer interview with Dan on cattlemanscorner.com, as well as hundreds of other interviews.
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