?Old McDonald?s Farm? has a cattleperson of the year

BY BROOKS TAYLOR

Mt. Pleasant News

SALEM ? With a few chickens, some sheep, a horse and 64 head of cattle surrounding the farmhouse, Darrell Moeller jokingly refers to his farm as ?just like Old McDonald?s Farm.?

The livestock variety is largely for the 11 grandchildren, who visit frequently, to enjoy, said Darrell?s wife, Joyce.

But it?s the cattle that earned Darrell the 2016 Henry County Cattleperson of the Year award at February?s Henry County Cattlemen?s Banquet.

Cattle have been a staple in Darrell?s life since his days growing up one mile west of his current farm, which is located southeast of Salem. As an adolescent, he remembers milking Shorthorn cattle by hand morning and night with his seven brothers.

Moeller began his cattle operation in 1960. He currently has 64 head of Simmental Angus cattle, which is about the size of herd he prefers, although he admits having 80 head at one time.

Joyce says raising cattle is hard work and says one of the reasons the cattle operation has been profitable is because of the amount of work put into it and also good help from others. ?We?ve worked hard,? she began. ?It really takes a village to raise cattle and our best friend is Dr. Wickham, a Mt. Pleasant veterinarian. He?s really good.?

Darrell also said Phil Schooley, of Bloomfield, deserves some of the credit. ?He helps me pick out my bulls,? he noted.

In the past, the cattle operation was a family affair as sons Steve and Jeff, as well as daughters Jeanne and Carrie helped with the chores. ?The girls actually were more involved, particularly in 4-H, than the boys,? Joyce remarked.

The Moellers formerly could add hogs to their list of livestock, but abandoned the feeder pig operation 20 years ago. ?I just got tired of them,? Darrell explained. ?Right after I got out of it, the market price for hogs really dropped so I was glad I got out of it.?

He figures on keeping cattle as long as he can. ?I like them, they are nice to have around,? he said.

Joyce agrees. ?This is a good spot for raising cattle (a 40-acre area surrounding the farmstead) because this land really can?t be used for anything else.?

Darrell said he sells cattle in October and November. He tries to market his steers at between 680-700 pounds and heifers at between 600-650 pounds.

There have been many improvements in the industry in the 56 years the Moellers have been raising cattle, Joyce said. ?The sire is the biggest improvement. The bulls have really improved and the cattle produce better meat nowadays than before. The vaccination program also is much better.?

Darrell added that the feed for the cattle has shown marked improvement.

Although the market currently is on a downward slide, Darrell said he?s traveled that road before. ?It will be profitable for at least another year. I got $1,750 a head for steers last year and it will probably be around $1,350 a head this year and down to $950 next year.

?The drought in Texas (leading to less production in the state) helped us in prices the last few years,? he continued. ?However, if people keep expanding their herds, there is only so much beef that can be eaten. We?ve been though the ups and downs for years.?

The key to longevity in the industry, Joyce said, is to hang in there. ?When prices go down, you can?t sell off. You have to hang in there for the long term.?

In addition to the livestock, the Moellers also have a corn and soybean farming operation. In fact, he said he began planting corn this year at his earliest date ever, April 16, and will be sowing soybeans soon.

He said he was surprised, but not shocked to receive the cattleperson of the year award. ?I figured I was going to get it some year. My neighbor got it the year before I did. It was a very nice gesture for an ordinary livestock producer who really enjoys and loves his cattle.?

Besides farming, he has worked other jobs. He worked at the Mt. Pleasant Goodyear (now Veyance Technologies/Continental-Conitech) manufacturing plant for six years in the 1980s and also sold seed corn. Although he says he ?hasn?t slowed down yet,? the 76-year-old knows he can?t keep up the pace he did 50 years ago.

Joyce says the second job for Darrell, although costing him rest, was a savior. ?Working in town helped us keep the cattle herd,? she acknowledges. ?If he wouldn?t have had the second job, we would have had to sell them.?

One of his favorite activities is attending various livestock auctions. He enjoys visiting with others at the auctions, and the auctions serve as a good tag-along event for the grandchildren. In the summer, he goes on several tractor rides with his restored John Deere 2510.

So, how much longer will the Moellers raise cattle?

That is dependent on three variables.

?It depends on my health and prices,? he commented. ?Why keep a cow herd if you can?t make money??

Joyce chimed in with the third variable ? the grandchildren. ?It really depends if the grandkids want us to continue.? If the grandkids have an interest in cattle, he said, the herd will be kept.

It has been a good life, Joyce concludes. ?Living life on a farm has given us a great life.?