During last week’s feedlot tour coordinated by Warren Rusche, SDSU Extension Beef Feedlot Management Specialist, in collaboration with the South Dakota Cattle Feeders Council, an affiliate of the South Dakota Cattlemen’s Association, Firesteel Ranch owners Jeff and Cory Burg explained the different management practices they employ in order to optimize performance on their Wessington Springs feedlot.
“The six sites chosen for this tour represent a cross-section of housing systems and management strategies,” said Rusche. “One of our goals was to demonstrate the variety of options available and to highlight that cattle can be fed successfully in South Dakota.”
The Burgs shared information with the group about how Firesteel Ranch maximizes herd health in their feedlot that uses a combination of open pens and a 600-head slatted floor barn to optimize labor and cattle performance.
“We shared information about some of the little things we do to get the maximum out of the cattle,” Jeff said, adding that he and his brother Cory have attended many different tours themselves in order to learn how to improve upon their operation when it comes to herd health and environmental responsibility. “Most of the people on the tour were looking for ideas on expanding or enhancing what they already have. There were a lot of good questions.”
In addition to scraping pens every couple of weeks so manure doesn’t build up, the Burgs also clean the livestock drinkers every two weeks to prevent debris buildup and encourage cattle water intake.
“We also spray cattle for flies every couple of weeks so they are more comfortable — which drives intake and in turn drives gain and performance,” Jeff explained “Additionally, during the tour we went over how all of the run off is contained and goes into our lagoons, which we then spread on the land according to nutrient needs.”
After the tour, attendees headed to the Wessington Springs business district to enjoy a catered lunch at Sweet Grass Eatery.
“It was nice to highlight our local offerings in town to the 40 plus people on the tour from around the region,” Jeff said. “The tour was an effective way to provide cattle feeders and producers the opportunity to view a variety of cattle feeding facilities and practices. I already had one of the people on the tour call me with additional questions about our management practices.”