Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Capital press. (Salem, OR) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (July 29, 2016)
CapitalPress.com July 29, 2016 A family tradition of eficiency By MATTHEW WEAVER Capital Press PLYMOUTH, Wash. — The Diamond M Ranch recent- ly started a different way of weaning calves. The ranch used to wean its calves at a feedlot, said Justin Hedrick, partner in the ranch with his grandfather, Len McIrvin, and uncle, Bill McIrvin. “We just started weaning them the last few years by ourselves, move cows into a new wheat or green circle with the cows, give them a couple of days, that way they know it’s home,” Hedrick said. “Then you go in, preg- check the cows, and then haul the cows away and leave the calves there. They know that’s home and they don’t try going anywhere.” Hedrick said the change has saved “huge amounts” of money. “We’d have calves in the feedlot for $2 to $2.50 per day per calf,” he said. “They’d be in there for 30 days per herd. Being on circles, we can wean them ourselves for 37 cents per day. It’s made a huge eco- nomic difference for us.” Matthew Weaver/Capital Press Grandfather, Len McIrvin, and grandson, Justin Hedrick, pause from doing maintenance on one of their cattle trucks April 13 on property in Plymouth, Wash. McIrvin and Hedrick are partners with Bill McIrvin in the Diamond M Ranch. Hedrick is also president of the Stevens County Cattlemen’s Association. Justin Hedrick Age: 29 Title: Partner, Diamond M Ranch; president, Stevens County Cattlemen’s Association Hometown: Laurier, Wash. Family: Married, two sons, one daughter Education: Chewelah High School Website: https://stevenscountycattlemen.com It’s the latest move by a long-running ranching family with a history of striving for — and achieving — eficien- cy. In 1973, Diamond M was one of the irst ranches to start bringing cattle from north- MERIDIAN EQUIPMENT Serving the Pacific Northwest Since 1973 8+ acres of Farm and Industrial Equipment! Consignment Auctions in Spring and Fall! We carry all brands of equipment & parts for restoring that old tractor or fixing the new one! Proud Distributor of A & I Products Need Parts?...We Got ‘Em! Parts Man, Jim is your go-to guy jtilton@meridianeq.com West Coast’s m.e. Miller tire distributor AI.OW16-4/#14 4 Meridian Equipment 5946 Guide Meridian, Bellingham, WA 98226 360-398-2141 • 1-800-905-2141 www.meridianeq.com AI.OW16-4/#24 ern-tier counties to southern Washington for wintering, now a relatively common practice. The ranch retains ownership of all its cattle from calving to slaughter. The ranch was also one of the irst in the area to own cattle-haul- ing semi trucks. “We will deinitely look at any new and improved meth- ods, but also we’re real skep- tical,” Len McIrvin said. “If they’re the right kind of cows, there’s a lot of things the feed companies, mineral compa- nies and technology compa- nies say you’ve got to have that really you don’t.” “(For branding), we can run the same number of calves with a four- or ive-man crew as a lot of people can with a 30-man crew,” Hedrick said. Hedrick joined the opera- tion in about 2011. All three partners stress that they are equals. “It’s ‘we,’ not ‘I,’” Len McIrvin said. “It’s ‘us,’ rather than a ‘me,’” Hedrick agreed. This story irst appeared June 17, 2016.
