Gregory Miller, M&H Livestock
Cattle Handing System
Grant Award: $6,000
Gregory has upgraded his corral/chute working facility, significantly improving cattle handling at the farm. He has purchased and installed commercial quality heavy duty chutes, panels and cages as well as improving the ground base with gravel so that cattle are no longer worked in the mud.
With the improvements, calves and cows are now worked in sanitary conditions. The new equipment creates a less stressful environment for the cattle while they are worked. This project also allows Gregory to be self-sufficient as a one-man operation, which is important when addressing emergency situations.
Gregory said the working facility also helps him improve the genetics of his herd now that he has the capability of artificially inseminating the animals. He can keep his own replacement heifers, which cuts out the expense of buying replacements each year.
Gregory plans to sell replacement heifers to neighbor farmers. Any remaining calves are shipped to the Midwestern feed lots through Hodges Livestock Network. He is also increasing the number of customers that buy his beef through advertisements, signs and word-of-mouth.
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