Spotlight

As a freshman in high school, Austin Schweitzer dove into the cattle business. He started his herd of two commercial cows with his late grandpa, Jim Wehrs. Those two cows soon turned into a small herd that he continued to run on family pasture throughout college. While attending the University of Nebraska- Lincoln, Austin worked at the UNL’s Research Cow Calf unit in Mead, NE. While working there,…

York Creek Red Angus of Herman, Nebraska got its start in 1997 when Jon Potadle and his son Kurt purchased eleven heifers and a bull from Petersen Red Angus near Purdum, Nebraska. At the time, Potadles didn’t market any seedstock, instead, they ran their registered herd as a commercial herd. Kurt’s son, Grant, was heavily involved with the operation as a kid, helping his dad sort through bull sale…

Ruggles Angus, located near McCook, NE, entered the purebred business in 2015 when Jeff and Kelcy Ruggles purchased 500 head of registered cows from Mill Bar Angus, owned by Mick and Marlene Cox of Hayes Center, NE. Jeff and Kelcy had been long-time customers of Mill Bar Angus while they were developing their commercial herd, so it was only fitting for the couple to have the opportunity to buy Mill…

Carl Dethlefs & Sons Angus was established by Carl Dethlefs in 1950 when he bought his first set of registered Angus cows to stock his operation near Rockville, NE. A few years later, Carl and his son Jerry started hosting an annual bull sale. Fifty-five years later, that bull sale is still going strong.  

Today, there are three generations living and working on the ranch, Jerry and his…

In 1962 Lawrence and Thelma Reicks founded the Reicks Ranch in central Nebraska. They started their herd with registered Charolais cows and held their first two bull sales in Broken Bow, NE in 1981 and 1982. The following year, they decided it was time to build a sale facility at the ranch and proceeded to host their first sale at home in 1983. At the height of the Reicks’ Charolais business, they…

Every year, the ranchers of Arthur County, Nebraska, combine forces to assist one another with more than 20 brandings. From weaning and shipping calves to school carpooling and family emergencies, the cattle community comes together when need is great.

America’s sheep farmers faced a major battle in July 2020 — and it wasn’t the pandemic. 

In Greeley, Colorado, the second largest lamb processing facility in the nation, Mountain States Rosen, was up for auction. Greeley FAB LLC, a Mountain States subsidiary, was set to win the bankruptcy auction with a bid of $10 million and retain the plant and its 222 employees. 

That is until…

Livestock Digital sits down with Chris Beutler, its founder, to discuss the business, marketing livestock and what to expect from the company’s expanded efforts.

Tell us about yourself.

Chris: I grew up in northeast Nebraska on a homesteaded farm next to my great grandfather’s original homestead. We had cattle, hogs, sheep and horses, including two Quarter Horse stallions purchased…

In 1968, brothers Ron and Leroy Bieber were in search for land to develop a cattle herd. Even more, Ron was looking for the right place where he and his wife, Lois, could put down roots for a family. Eventually, they found a grassland oasis in north central South Dakota.

Fifty years later, the third generation of Biebers has returned to the family’s operation near Leola. Ron’s granddaughter…