A conversation with everyday Stockmen,
Featuring Barry Nowatzke, Nowatzke Cattle of Michigan City, Ind.
About the Stockman.
"I operate Nowatzke Cattle with the help of my family. Our Angus show and performance cattle operation is headquartered on my childhood farm in Michigan City, Ind. I have personally been raising cattle for 38 years. Along with my family, I hope we can continue for many more."
What about the beef cattle industry excites you the most?
"The thing I’m excited about in the cattle business is to try to make that next “ONE”, the next AI sire, the next national champion female or the next donor that has both elite EPDs and elite phenotype. I do agree with the many breeders who say there’s never been a perfect one, but it sure is fun to try to make that one."
What is your least favorite job on the farm?
"I do not believe I have one single least favorite job on the farm. There are several I don’t look forward to. Some of them are unplugging a chopper, trimming feet, finding an electrical short, fixing a trailer plug for the second time in a week, figuring out why the electric fence isn’t working, thawing a frozen waterer, looking for tools that didn’t get put back, finding all the halters used to tie up gates, and so on."
What is the most used tool on your farm? How old is it?
"The most used tool on our farm is our feed truck. We use this truck like it’s a tractor, like it’s a hay hauler, like it’s a feed wagon, and like it’s a four-wheeler to chase cows, and much more. We would be lost without them. We actually have two feed trucks; one is a 2016, and one is a 2011. I always say Chevy should come to our farm and do a commercial promoting their trucks."
Describe your best day.
"We have been blessed and have had many good days on the farm throughout the years. But if I was to pick a best day that happened on our farm, I would choose the day of our 2023 annual production sale. This sale was a record setting sale that by far exceeded any expectations I ever had. We sold cattle from coast to coast. We were very humbled to have some of the top Angus breeders in the country participate at our sale. We were also humbled to have some of the very best show families in the country here as well. What an awesome day it was!!"
What is your go-to sorting apparatus?
"My go to sorting apparatus is just a plain, old fiberglass sorting stick."
Your favorite non-farm activity to do in your free time?
"My favorite non-farm activity in my free time would be spending time with my family."
The most important lesson you’ve learned in this business?
"I believe the most important lesson I learned in the cattle business is that ultimately this is a people business. Creating relationships with fellow cattlemen is what this is all about. There are a lot of good cattle being bred and sold all throughout the country. Therefore, taking care of customers and creating good, long-lasting relationships is very important. Some of my closest friends are people I have met through the cattle business."
Upcoming Sales:
Saturday, October 19, 2024
Michigan City, Ind.
Photos courtesy Barry Nowatzke
learn more www.nowatzke.com
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