Ranch life at Sandhill Farms

Last week I was fortunate enough to spend spring break at Sandhill Farms, a Hereford seedstock operation in Haviland, Kansas. Sandhill Farms is owned and run by the Schultz family, of which I attend Kansas State University with Tyler and Courtney, who are both studying Animal Science.

The Schultz Family. Such wonderful people! From L-R: Courtney Schultz, Brooke Warner (nee Schultz), Travis Warner, Tyler Schultz, Georgie Lawrence, Kevin Schultz and Vera Schultz.

At this time of year for the Schultz's, the calving season is coming to an end just as sale season is beginning! There is a lot of preparation that goes in to the Sandhill Farms annual production sale, selling bulls and females as well as commercial hereford and black baldie heifers. 

As I mentioned, it is bull sale season and the week started off with a short trip to Claflin, Kansas to attend B & D Herefords and Beran Bros. Angus bull and female sale.

Bull Sale Season!

The sale was held as a video auction where cattle were shown on a pre-recorded video and auctioned off accordingly. 

Rather than bringing the cattle into the barn, they were displayed on these television screens.

Some of the commercial cattle on the TV screens up for auction. The black baldie is a popular cross in this area.    

Days were spent checking cows that were due for calving, sorting through bulls for semen testing, vaccinating cows and sorting and tagging sale heifers. I also had the opportunity to go to the local sale barn as well as ride around with Kevin and Tyler, showing bulls to clients and learning about how they evaluate their bulls. Almost every day consisted of three jumpers, thermal underwear, a pair of gloves and a cold Kansas wind, but it was great fun!!

Moving some of the sale bulls.

This is what they call a semi in the US. The height of the crate from the ground is adjustable to allow for variation in slope when backing up to a chute, which I thought was pretty neat. 

This is Courtney guiding her grandfather Ron Schultz in to the chute before loading bulls.  

These corrals are portable and are a common sight about Kansas.

These are some of the Sandhill Farms commercial sale heifers on offer in the upcoming annual sale. I  caught them at feed time!

I went to the weekly cattle sale held in Pratt, Kansas and watched the sale of some young cattle. I was astounded at the money that young heifers made or at least for those that I saw being sold. Cattle prices are very high in the US at the present with the cattle population at a low since the 1940's. Young black baldie heifers with an average weight of 859 lbs (390 kg) brought US$1308/head. 

Young black baldie heifers at 839 lbs (390 kg) were making roughly US$1300/hd.

    At the beginning I could barely follow the auctioneer! Have a listen to this!

                        

               

I found the set up of the sale barn interesting. It was like I was sitting up ready to watch a movie at the cinema....only not. 

I got the opportunity to take so many photos on the beautiful Sandhill Farms property as well as see some American wildlife! Here are some of my favourites.

The heifer paddock at sunset.

This is an old American barn on the Sandhill Farms property.

My first sighting of an Armadillo!

This skunk didn't stink...which is rare so I'm told.

        

Driving on the wrong side of the road in a pickup!

A couple of the many calves born this season. These two were just chillin'.

It isn't called Sandhill Farms for nothing.

The sunsets. They were just beautiful.

I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to experience an American ranch this past week. The Schultz's are a wonderful family who run a very neat seedstock operation. It will certainly be one of my favourite experiences and memories to take back to Australia with me!