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2003 Customer Tour...
...to
Decatur County Feedyard at Oberlin, KS,
and EXCEL Processing at Dodge City, KS
Our customers pose for a photo
outside the
EXCEL Processing Facility in Dodge City, Kansas.
Kevin Unger (back to the
camera) explains the sorting process to our customers during the
tour of Decatur County Feedyard, Oberlin, KS.
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An overview of the sorting
facilities. Two alleys can be run simultaneously. Approximately 600
head of cattle are measured and sorted each day, six days a week at
Decatur County Feedyard. Note the cleanliness of the facility! |
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In the first chute,
cattle are simply allowed to stand freely and quietly. Nothing
happens to them in chute 1. In the second area just ahead of the
first chute, each animal is photographed and a frame score is
determined from this measurement. The animal passes through the
white area and a red light beam obtains the necessary information. |
The third stop for the cattle during the sorting process is the
ultrasound chute. Fat thickness and ribeye area are measured. |
Kevin Unger (left)
explains the ultrasound information to Henry Hill (right). |
Weigh chute. |
A better photo of the
chute where cattle are frame scored. This steer is just leaving the
frame score chute and entering the weigh scale. |
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At this last chute
area, any vaccinations are administered, and the computer figures
the end weight of the animal. To the right you can see the computer
screen as Kevin Unger explains the process to our group. Animals are
released from this chute and go to a pre-determined sorting pen to
be grouped with cattle their own type and kind and finish rate. |
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This calf
has just been released from the final processing chute and will make
its way to a pen of cattle that are similar in type and kind. All
sorting is done electronically-gates on the chutes and on the
sorting pens are all automatic. |
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Returning sorted cattle to
their appropriate pens. |
The power box that runs
this whole sorting process!! |
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There are six possible
sorting pens for cattle coming out of the facility. Pictured here
are the gates for pens 1-3. Cattle have access to hay and water the
entire time they are in these pens, and they are returned to their
feed pen efficiently and quietly, as noted in the next picture. |
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Harry
visits with Larry Becker about the facilities at Decatur County
Feedyard. The type of sorting process implemented at DCFY is unique
to the industry. After a bus tour of the feedlot area and feed mill,
there were lots of questions and much discussion at the evening
steak supper hosted by Warren and Carol Weibert.
Thank
you Decatur County Feedyard for a very educational tour and
providing our customers with another marketing avenue! |
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The group enjoyed the tour of
the EXCEL Processing Facility the following morning in Dodge City. It,
too, was a very educational and worthwhile experience, and we want to
thank Kevin Unger for organizing this portion of our trip.
Finally, thanks to our customers who could join us on our journey! We
appreciate you taking time out of your busy schedule to be with us to
learn more about the beef industry!
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