Angus Takes Laughlin Farms a New Direction

By Brenda Black

First appeared in The Midwest Cattleman, Oct. 1, 2015

Burning rubber on a paved county road can leave a black mark a hundred feet long as a sign of pomp and power. Bob Laughlin of Laughlin Farms prefers to make his mark with a different kind of black along DD highway, that leads through a wide spot in the road known as Foster, Mo. It’s Angus that has him driving successfully down a different route than the one he first knew as a commercial cattleman. The “Business Breed” has helped Laughlin turn a corner and his herd is markedly better.

Since the early 90s, Laughlin has been in the cow/calf business. Before that, during the 25 years prior, he bought cattle to feed out. Laughlin frequented local sale barns and bought the cattle most folks would categorize as “in need of an upgrade.”

“I bought a lot of one-eyed cattle and bulls,” Laughlin admitted.

“I was lucky if half would grade choice,” Laughlin said of his own buying ventures.

Over the past six years, he has done more than upgrade. Laughlin has taken subpar calves and transformed his herd into premium quality beef by using Angus genetics. In 2009 he purchased the high selling female at Briarwood Angus Farms spring sale, a 3-in-1 package. She was an Ankonian Elixir daughter with a November 2008 Hoff Achievement SC 149 heifer and bred back to SS Objective T510 0T26. That same day, he acquired the third high selling bull, a January 2008 son of a long time herd sire at Briarwood Farms, Ankonian Elixir OP33.

While the Laughlin family was a repeat customer of Briarwood genetics, his new vision for buying high quality animals would take his herd to an entirely new level. In 2011 he took home the leading female lot. The High Selling female was a Perry Power Design 715 daughter with a 3-day-old calf out of Briarwood Super 7093. By 2013, a new feature at the Open House event offered “The Pick of the Fall Heifer Calves” at weaning. Jon Laughlin, Bob’s son, won the bid for $2700. He also purchased an excellent Bismarck cow with a Briarwood Super 7093 heifer calf at side. In 2014, the Laughlins acquired two high-end bulls. The first was Briarwood MR Objective 2184 for $4000, a Briarwood Objective 9026 son with Mytty In Focus as a grandsire on the dam’s side. He also purchased Briarwood MR Direction 2107, who goes back to B/R Future Direction 4268 on the top side. They found their home in Laughlin pastures near Foster. This spring another powerhouse joined the bull battery. Briarwood MR Bismarck 3083, by GAR Grid Maker, out of SCAR Super Briarwood 7145 went to the Laughlin Farms for $5500.

Laughlin Farms currently runs approximately 230 mamma cows, utilizing Briarwood genetics also through A.I. Most recently, they’ve begun breeding females with semen collections from their 2014 purchase Briarwood MR Objective 2184. No less than seven registered Briarwood Angus bulls work on Laughlin farms today and nearly 90 percent of their herd is now based in Angus genetics.

The southwest Bates County farm is stocked with multiple groups of approximately 60 to 100 head of backgrounding steers and heifers and weanlings, along with cow/calf pairs and bulls populating their pastures. Laughlin takes advantage of well fertilized ground in which to alternately sow wheat pasture, providing ample grass for housing large, easy fleshing females. In addition, the Laughlins finish fat calves on two large dry lots, utilizing their own ground ration.

“Laughlin is a classic example of what proven genetics can do,” said Curtis Long, owner of Briarwood Angus Farms. “He made his living going to the sale barn and buying underweight, one-eyed calves he could get cheaply. He would give them a shot, turn them out on grass and it became survival of the fittest.

“Then he would feed out the cattle to sell on the grid. When the packers started paying a premium, Bob realized he was missing out. He finally changed his ways from using the poor quality bulls and cows and went to buying Briarwood registered Angus bulls. He could easily contend for the title of ‘Most Improved Cow Herd!’ He started from next to nothing, and is now 80% Choice. Bob would have been lucky to have 20% of his herd grade choice when he first began.”

Though Laughlin’s and Long’s estimates differ slightly on the degree of improvement, the commercial cattleman and his seedstock provider agree the shift upward is measurable and significant.

“Once upon a time, I paid 16 cents a pound for bargain calves,” he said. “Today I have converted my herd to CAB©, feeding many on an all natural ration of corn and DDGs.”

Laughlin’s upgrade has merited a certification from Creekstone Farms, who solicits and purchases proprietary Black Angus genetics, from some of the best in the industry. At Creekstone, Laughlin calves are grading 80-85% Choice. Most recently, 100% of his shipment to Creekstone graded 100% Prime and Choice.

“I wanted better meat to enter competitive markets to obtain a premium, so I decided to go with Angus, the leader in breeds for promoting quality beef,” Laughlin said.

The difference has the Laughlins earning top market returns. Some of Laughlin’s growthy Angus on feed recently weighed 1,500 pounds and brought $1.64 / lb.

“With 1,500 pounds as the average weight,” Laughlin said, “We got over $2,200 a head on the whole pen. Anybody would enjoy that!”

With the improved genetics, Laughlin has also seen a more efficient set of young calves performing well on minimal grain, while grazing Lespedeza.

“I feed the yearling steers and heifers about five pounds per head per day,” he said. The Lespedeza is doing so well this year on the 62 acre pasture where this group is housed, that I have been able to graze 50 head and still have excess for hay or seed harvest.”

The ground on which he runs his Angus influenced steers and heifers is part of 315 acres of land he bought ten years ago. Overall, Laughlin farms about 3,400 acres. He no-tills, and plants winter wheat for pastures.

Angus heifers retained continue to replace less appealing cattle Laughlin used to accumulate. “Several years ago, I owned some Chianina influenced females,” he began. “My wife would help me pull calves before going to school to teach. Now with Angus genetics, calving is no longer an issue. Herd health has improved and the herd looks better too.”

Long contended Laughlin’s turn toward Angus genetics was a smart move.

“Bob has proven his good cattle sense and employed his Ag Econ knowhow for the best way to make money in the beef business,” Long said.

He started to grade and yield his cattle on the grid in 1966, and did until the IBP plant closed in Emporia, Ks. “But, it wasn’t until he began implementing registered Angus genetics.” Long said, “that he truly saw the value of carcass traits and what that could do for his bottom dollar.”

Long added, “He’s an old dog not afraid of learning new tricks.”

Laughlin knows how to feed cattle. In the past six years, he’s mastered how to breed cattle to perform to their maximum capabilities by using registered Angus bulls on commercial females.

“His herd has made a 180-degree turn for the better,” Long concluded.

Though many of the ways the Laughlins operate is steeped in old fashion methods carried out by a two-man operation of father and son, their forward thinking decisions to shift to Angus through A.I. and natural service is a testimony to their commitment to the cattle business. It is apparent that they want to make the most of the land and the facilities along DD farmed by three previous generations of Laughlins. Angus genetics are making that possible and profitable for them.