WCA Hosts 2018 Summer Tour Event

For Immediate Release: July 13, 2018

Wisconsin Cattlemen’s Association

632 Grand Canyon Drive

Madison, WI 53719

Phone: 608-228-1457

Email: [email protected]

 

Wisconsin Cattlemen’s Association Hosts First Annual Summer Tour

 

Madison, WI:  The Wisconsin Cattlemen’s Association (WCA) hosted a revival of their Summer Tour on Saturday, June 30^th in central Wisconsin. The tour featured three farms in central Wisconsin and despite the unusually warm weather, the tour was a success. The goal of tour fulfilled the mission of the organization to promote networking and education opportunities to Wisconsin beef cattle producers. 

The first stop on the tour was Eron Beef, LLC near Stevens Point, WI.   The feedlot operation is owned and operated by Dave Eron, who feeds both Holstein steers and beef cattle. At this stop, the group was able to see how Dave manages his cattle in a slatted floor facility, and the attendees were able to stay cool in the new facility due to exceptional air flow and design.  One of the major highlights was to see Dave’s management of his feed resources, including by-product feeds, to ensure the cattle get the best possible nutrition.  Matt Brennman said, “One of the take home messages for me was I need to go home and do a better job of managing my feed resources.”  Additionally, the group learned how manure is managed to provide nutrients to the crops growing in nearby fields, which will ultimately feed the next group of finishing steers.

The second stop on the tour was Bula-Gieringer Farms, located near Coloma, WI. The farm operates a herd of approximately 450 cows, both registered and commercial. While enjoying burgers for lunch, the group heard from Kevin Kester, the current National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) President. Kevin shared a legislative update with the group, informing every one of the work that NCBA does each day on behalf of cattlemen in Washington, D.C. Cattle Manager Jay Wodill, along with his crew, shared information on how genetic testing and evaluation are used to increase the genetic quality of the cattle they market.

The final stop of the day was at Matt Brennman Farms near Pardeeville, WI.  Matt was awarded 2018 WCA Cattlemen of the Year at the WCA Winter Conference this past February.  The farm tour included two locations, the first location featured his barns to house donor cows and working facility for embryo transfer.   The second location featured his new monoslope barn for his bull development facility, new sale facility, and handling system.  Matt discussed his evolution from feeding cattle to custom development of females and bulls for his customers. The dinner that evening featured a steak dinner sponsored by Compeer Financial, Linz Heritage Angus, Gaffney Family Cattle, and Murray’s Livestock.

The Wisconsin Cattlemen’s Association would like to extend a special thank you to our tour sponsors, as without their generous support the event would not be possible. We enjoyed a great day touring the diversity of Wisconsin’s beef industry. Please keep an eye out for details on next year’s tour. If you would like more information on WCA, or to become a member, please visit www.wisconsincattlemen.com.