CALF_News_October_November_2020

44 CALF News • October | November 2020 • www.calfnews.net lot was established. The labor saved by this move was instru- mental to a ranch that, by then, was becoming short of help. Additionally, the backgrounding business provided a more dependable and regular cash flow, easing financial risk. The elder Kohlscheen ran grass yearlings of his own and raised feed for the operation. The boys helped when they could. Backgrounding Emerges With Tyler still at Valentine and Jon off to college, things were trying at home. With a sly smile, Jon says that when he departed for college, there was no one left at home “to open gates for Dad.” Feeding became a challenge to the elder Kohlscheen, and his knees wore thin. Before too long, he decided to get serious and revamp the backgrounding operation. In about 2010, new facilities were built, including lots with fenceline bunks, a spacious feeding alley and modern working facility. All the older pens were retained, as well. Don was ready to lure his sons home. Today, the backgrounding business houses 1,000 cattle. Labor is split according to each man’s interests and abilities. On most mornings, Don runs the loader tractor while Tyler operates the feed wagon. The ranch has also returned to running cows, due to the interest of the two sons; 500 pairs of commercial Angus graze YOUNG STOCKMAN Continued from page 35 on owned and rented grass. Tyler and Jon make the majority of decisions affecting cow herd management, often includ- ing thoughts from their dad. Decisions are respected,“but it’s always got to be ok’d by the boss,” Jon says. The two provide all the labor during calving. Jon is in charge of health and rides through the pairs each morning. Calves are handled in the traditional method of rope-and-drag during branding, and horses are the main mode of transportation while doing any pasture work. Don feeds pairs with a feed wagon after calving begins, and is in charge of the background- ing lot and farm ground. Labor is now adequate and everyone is capable of doing all necessary jobs, filling in or taking over when need be. Machinery and Feed Like it or not, every farm and ranch needs machinery, and someone has to run it. Tyler is a good man handling a combine or grain cart during harvest. All feedstuffs are raised on site, so haying and row crop activities must be handled by every available family member. Although they’d rather be horseback, the young stockmen don’t mind some tractor time,“Because we know it’s for the cattle.” The backgrounding lot requires silage, wet ground corn, whole shelled corn, wet distillers grains and home-raised hay. The only purchased feed they receive is protein balancer pel- lets. Cow feeds include alfalfa, cane, prairie hay and millet. Manure from the lots is stockpiled and used on their own farm ground. Soil testing is used annually, as well as manure and feedstuff analysis. Down Time Both brothers enjoy competing in ranch rodeos, but time constrictions limit them to three to five per year, staying in Nebraska. They are currently breed- ing and starting their own colts. Looking forward, the two would like to expand their cow herd, and are always on the lookout for more grass. Although the backgrounding lot is not their first love, Tyler reminds us that it is instrumental to the overall success of Kohlscheen Farms, providing solid cash flow and financial security. They would some- day like to retain ownership of their own calf crop and finish them out to see what they’d do on the rail. Cattle feeding has become second nature to the team. Final Thoughts “You can’t really call it a job if it’s your way of life,” Jon says. Tyler, with the last word and a big smile, gives some seriously good advice.“Arguments are inevi- table. You just better get over it.”  The Kohlscheen brothers run their cow herd with horses. They both gathered experience working in “big country,” on ranches running up to 13,000 cows.