Darron and Jeannia Uhl Named NALF “Commercial Producer of the Year”
Dean Summerbell, Executive Secretary of HLA, recognized Shelly and Doug Henley of Britton, South Dakota, Darron and Jeania Uhl of Battle Creek, Iowa, as well as Marci and Curtis McClellan of Guthrie Center, Iowa, as outstanding commercial producers.
Darron and Jeania Uhl of Battle Creek, Iowa, were selected as the North American Limousin Foundation (NALF) Commercial Producer Of The Year for 2023. The award was presented at the NALF Award Ceremony and Genetics On Ice Benefit Auction January 1, 2024 in conjunction with the Cattlemen’s Congress in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
The Uhls have been farming, feeding cattle and operating a cow herd since 1996. They run a 200-head Angus-crossbred commercial cow herd and feed 1,000 head annually. Over the years, the operation has grown to about 2,000 crop acres.
In addition to their own home-raised calves, they also purchase Limousin-cross calves. The Uhls purchase their bulls from Leonard Limousin of Holstein, Iowa.
They market their home-raised calves at 1,500 lbs. at 16 months of age. They strive to hit a Yield Grade 1, Choice with 65-66% yield. Feed conversion is a major consideration, and they only purchase bulls that have feed conversion of at least a 5 lbs. to 1 lb. (grain to gain). They also select bulls with an YWT EPD higher than 130 and an actual ribeye at 12 months larger than 16”. They sell directly to Cargill in Schuyler, Nebraska. All of the calf crop is sold as finished cattle, mostly on the grid.
The Uhls strive to maintain 95% of the calf crop that will weigh over 700 lbs. at seven months of age. In the next few years, they will try to expand their home-raised herd to 300 cows because their two sons are interested in joining the operation.
The number one priority for Darron is weaning weight plus final harvest weight. They are cognizant of docility as the behavior of the calf contributes to higher weight gain. Darron said Limousin bulls have always been easy to work with, and in his 30 years using Limousin bulls, they have never experienced a bull with a bad attitude. The Uhl family relies on detailed records for analysis in determining their following year’s herd goals and improvements.
Darron is a member of the Iowa and Ida County Cattlemen’s Association, and he has served in various service positions within their church. The Uhls were nominated for this prestigious award by Mark Leonard, Leonard Limousin of Holstein, Iowa, and the Iowa Limousin Association. Congratulations to Darron and Jeannia Uhl!