Monoslope barn featured on cattlemen's summer tour
By Carol Stender
cstender@agrinews.com
Date Modified: 08/09/2010 3:28 PM
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MORRIS, MINN. — Koehl Beef near Morris custom raises beef for its customers who live within 10-miles of the feedlot.
The farm, one of seven beef operations featured during the Minnesota State Cattlemen's Association tour, feeds roughly 2, 200 to 3,000 head throughout the year, said Kevin Koehl.
Koehl is a part owner in the operation which is also operated by brothers, cousins, an uncle and his father, he said.
In 2003, the Koehl family started the permitting process for a monoslope barn. EQIP funds were used to build the 100-foot by 600 foot monoslope. The dirt lots were vacated once the monoslope was built, said Kevin Koehl. The new building reduced the heat stress the herd experienced in the dirt lots, she said.
Their monoslope has seven pens. They try to run 180 head through the barn with about 42 square feet per head, eh said.
The pit barn is a 40-foot by 350-foot barn with 60 head per pen which gives them about 20 square feet per head.
A feed bunker has been converted into an open lot.
They have experimented with separated solids for bedding to supplement the straw bedding, he said. The solids can reduce the use of straw by 25 to 30 percent.
The custom feedlot has created a type of synergy that works well with the crop farm. It adds value to the crops including manure as fertilizer.
They also used modified distillers grain in the herd's rations.