|
He
has one full-time and one-part time farm hand.
In
the early 1990s, Hardin began to look at shipping his cattle to
stockyards out West. He had tried shipping cattle to Florida after local
processing plants closed, but the outcome was not what he was looking
for. He now ships two trucks of calves every month out West. Hardin
retains ownership of the calves until they are sold. He said he prefers
it that way.
One
of the main concerns at the present time is how to feed the animals once
they are shipped. Hardin said the increased demand for corn for ethanol
production has caused feed prices to soar. Couple that with the
increased cost of shipping the feed to the West, and producers are
finding it less expensive to keep their stock longer.
"I
can feed the animals cheaper here," said Hardin. "I hold
steers to 875 to 900 pounds. Heifers I hold to about 800 pounds."
Hardin said the animals usually leave the feed yard for processing at
1,200 pounds.
Local
Animals Are Best
Asked
about his source of cattle, Hardin said he believes in the local supply.
"I
purchase most of my animals from the Natural Bridge Stock Yard,"
said Hardin. "The animals are in good shape."
Hardin
said he likes that the animals come into the Natural Bridge yard in
Winston County on the day of the sale and have less stress loss.
Additionally, the animals come from local producers and the yard is near
Hardin’s farm in Lawrence County.
Occasionally,
Hardin will purchase cattle from a producer, but he prefers to do his
business at the sale barn. To keep his volume at a steady level, Hardin
said he buys every week and sells every month.
"This
process works to our advantage," said Hardin. "We can regroup
calves as we need to and keep the volume constant."
Hardin
said this way has advantages over his previous method of purchasing
calves in the fall and then selling them in June. The main advantage
Hardin sees is that he can continuously regroup the calves for shipment.
In
a year, Hardin said he will ship 1,200 to 1,400 head out West to feed
yards.
High
Volume, Low Acres
At
any given time, he has 350 cattle in feed yards and 500 at his farm in
Moulton. Those 500 head are held on approximately 200 acres of pasture.
By having such a high number of cattle on such a small parcel of land,
Hardin is always looking for feed sources.
"We
depend on commodity feeds," said Hardin. "We use some grass,
if we have it."
He
stays flexible on his feed source, using whatever is available at the
time. Hardin believes that by staying flexible he can offer a higher
quality feed to his herd at a lower cost.
"They
get the nutrients they need," said Hardin. "That’s what is
important."
The
breed of animal also plays a role in delivering a good product at
market. Hardin said that many times the Charolais cross and the
Simmental cross breeds gain better, but that the Angus sometimes grades
better.
He
attributes the Angus popularity and demand to the massive promotional
campaign launched by the breed.
"There
is a high demand for Angus beef," said Hardin. "Advertising
has influenced the public demand."
Because
of this, Hardin said some of the more traditional "meatier"
breeds are lagging behind.
Observation
Is Key
In
order to keep his animals healthy and in top shape, Hardin believes he
must constantly observe his herd.
"The
key to it is the observation of the calves," said Hardin.
"Experience teaches you what to look for. It’s hard for me to
train anybody what to look for."
Hardin
likes to observe his animals from a distance, when they don’t know he’s
looking at them. He said this is one of the best ways to detect a sick
calf.
"Most
calves—even the sick ones—will raise up when you come near
them," said Hardin. "If you look at them from several yards
away, you can tell more about their condition."
To
help him with the monitoring of his herd, Hardin recently purchased a
hydraulic squeeze chute and scales from the Lawrence County Exchange in
Moulton.
"The
scales really help us keep up with the herd," said Hardin. "We
can track their weight gain easily and if a calf isn’t thriving, we
know it right away."
Hardin
uses electronic ear tags on his herd to make record keeping a snap. A
small hand-held computer stores the information about each calf.
Hardin
said he weighs each animal as it is brought to the farm and again after
booster shots are given in about two weeks. The animals are weighed a
third time after four to six weeks to ensure each is thriving.
Only
at signs of sickness does Hardin use antibiotics.
"If
you watch your cattle you will know if they are sick," he said.
"There’s no need to give antibiotics if they’re not sick."
A Good
Education
Hardin
has built his cattle operation on the solid foundation of a good
education. He graduated from Auburn University in 1960 with a degree in
animal husbandry and nutrition.
Even
though he says a formal education is not necessary to be a successful
producer, Hardin is glad he had the opportunity to receive the
schooling.
"It
gives you the background to acquire knowledge," he said. "It
gives you the contacts you need in your field of study."
All
three of Hardin’s children attended Auburn University as well.
Family Is
Most Important
If
you want to see a twinkle in his eye, ask Hardin about his three
children or his seven grandchildren. Hardin said the one thing in his
life he is most proud of is that he and his wife, Barbara, raised three
faithful children.
Hardin
is an elder at the Moulton Church of Christ.
Susie
Sims is a freelance writer from Haleyville. |
