Working With Nature Raising cattle in the Alabama heat and humidity can be a challenge. Throw in a location near the southern edge of the fescue belt, and things really heat up. CK Cattle strives to work with, rather than against, those tough conditions. “We want to own cattle and develop genetics that are conducive to this environment,” Bradfield explains. “We want to have cattle that are adapted to our land and our grass. By the same token, we want a forage program that’s adapted to the cattle rather than the other way around.” And it’s definitely a forage-based program. “As much as we love the cattle and being around them, grass is what it’s really all about,” Chuck says. “The older you get, the more you appreciate a good field of grass.” That’s no simple task in the Alabama climate. From dogfennel and Virginia buttonweed to cocklebur and brushy species like privet, the work demands a portfolio approach. DuraCor®, GrazonNext® HL, PastureGard® HL and Remedy® herbicides fit most situations. The target species typically drive product selection and tank-mix combinations. “If we didn’t have these effective herbicides,” Chuck says. “We likely would be completely renovating our pastures every 10 to 15 years.” marketing degree to work creating the annual sale catalog and maintaining the marketing website. “The cattle tend to let us know when it’s time to move to fresh grass,” Chuck says. “We don’t have a set program on paper. But one of our keys is that we always want to stay understocked. I’ve never had to feed a bale of hay in June, and I don’t ever want to.” They seed ryegrass in the fall to help carry cattle through early spring grazing with the goal to have cattle on grass by March 1. Ryegrass fields then get planted to silage corn in May. Meeting a Need With Genetics Heat, humidity and dirty fescue (think fescue toxicosis). CK Cattle has worked to help producers manage this three-headed monster. “We’ve got to raise cattle that can handle a really hot and challenging environment,” Bradfield says. “We’ve put a lot of emphasis on our ability to market slick-hide cattle. We hair-score our cattle every year. We put those scores in our catalog. To our knowledge, we were the first operation — at least in the southeast — to do so.” Ultimately, it’s another way CK Cattle adds value to its product before it leaves the farm. And that supports the profit side of the sustainability equation. But, Chuck says, it’s important to not overlook the other factors. “We’re in an industry where the second, third generations aren’t always coming back,” he says. “Here, we’ve worked to build an environment where the kids feel like they add value. So, it makes them want to come back. I haven’t done a lot in my time besides raise cattle. But I did work to create an environment where my kids were raised on a cattle operation and my grandkids are being raised on a cattle operation, and that’s worth everything.” 31
Chuck Madaris
“The cheapest feed we can raise is grass,” Bradfield adds. “The bottom line is it’s all about ROI. The best investment we can make is making our pastures just a little bit better.” Along with cool-season tall fescue, cattle graze a mix of summer grasses that includes bahiagrass, bermudagrass, dallisgrass and crabgrass. They run about eight groups of cattle, ranging from 60 to 100 head, on approximately 50 pastures. Settling on a large, connected piece of land proved fortuitous. “Suddenly, we were on our own with a fourth and second grader. There were more responsibilities,” Chuck explains. “With the place being in single tract, the kids could be involved safely. We didn’t have to go down the highway. They could be hands-on immediately at that age.” The same advantages play out today, allowing the grandchildren to take on responsibilities. Pasture roads, cattle lanes and alleys connect the entire operation and ease cattle movement. Relying on solid, well-broke, sure-footed horses helps involve the children. “They all started riding when they were probably 5 or 6 years old. So, they can be around us when we are working and be in a safe environment and be an asset to us. The kids feel like we give them value; we don’t just make ’em sit in the back of a pickup truck,” Chuck says. “They feel like they’re actually contributing and making a difference.” A similar philosophy has helped Charlie, Kathleen and Bradfield thrive at CK Cattle. Although everyone steps in to help wherever needed, each brings unique skills and areas of expertise. Charlie is the mechanical one. Outside of tractors and barns, Chuck notes, they’ve built nearly every asset on the farm, from gates and pens to concrete bunks. Bradfield’s emphasis on marketing the cattle has helped the ranch grow through its 10th annual production sale last fall. Kathleen puts her
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