DURHAM SIMMENTALS: THE PROOF IS IN THEIR PASTURES
Tucked between the rolling acres of grain crops in Agri-Ready Designated Saline County near Marshall are the pastures of Durham Simmental Farms. Brothers Justin and Jonathan Durham focus on the development of Simmental and Sim-Angus genetics. These experienced cattlemen know that seeing is more than believing; their cattle’s performance in the pasture is their first measure of success.
Durham Simmentals At-A-Glance
Each Durham household owns their own herd, but the family works as a team to manage nearly 300 beef cows and market their genetics under the Durham Simmental brand. Their priority is to design functional seedstock that can go to work for commercial cattlemen and earn their keep in a real-world setting. Meanwhile, they maintain the kind of eye appeal and quality that can compete in the show ring. Their Simmentals are marketed through online sales in the spring and fall. They sell bulls, show heifers and some replacement females.
The Fields of Agri-Ready Designated Saline County
“There is really good soil where we are, but there are also rocky areas, tree lines and ditches. Raising cattle on these acres creates value from those land spaces,” Jonathan says.
“Pastures are relatively few and far between,” Justin continues. “We have pastures on different farms across 25 miles of the county.”
Agriculture, including food, feed and forestry, contributes $500.4 million in value-added products, nearly 7,700jobs, and adds $523.1 millionto household incomes in Agri-Ready Designated Saline County according to the 2021 Missouri Economic Contribution of Agriculture and Forestry Study.
Why Simmental?
Justin and Jonathan have transitioned from commercial herds to registered Simmentals. The family switch to Simmentals occurred before the brothers had a say in the operation, but the foresight is paying dividends for the family’s current generation of cattlemen.
“Producers can utilize a Sim-Angus bull and breed to any cow, any color and get a good, marketable calf,” Jonathan says.
The breed has experienced enormous change as original Simmentals were yellow or red.
“Simmental is one of the leading breeds in the industry,” Justin believes. “Simmentals are ahead of other breeds in the utilization of breeding hybrids. The breed did a good job transitioning to black hides to meet market demands.”
Proof In Their Pastures
The Durhams make choices based on what they see standing in their fields rather than relying solely on genetic projections.
“We grew up working in sale barns and seeing what commercial producers wanted,” Justin says. “We choose not to overemphasize EPDs.”
“EPDs are a tool we use, but we don’t make decisions on numbers alone,” Jonathan explains. “A lot of it goes back to cow families and genetics that have proven themselves over the years. We put a lot of value in cattle that have consistently produced. We keep a good number of heifers back, in order to keep those genetics in our herd.”
A Commitment to Cattle for Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow
Like so many Missouri cattle producers, a heritage of livestock production is the foundation that the Durham family continues to build upon today. Justin and Jonathan’s grandmother, Edna Durham, still keeps an eagle eye on the herd nearest her house.
“Our dad, Garry, loves it. We love it. Our love of cattle has been passed down,” Justin says.
The legacy continues as Justin’s daughters enjoy showing cattle and Jonathan’s kids will soon be old enough to be active on the family farm. The Durhams recognize that seeds of success can also be planted beyond the farm gate.
“There is a lot of disconnect between town and what we have going on out here on the farm,” Justin shares. “We have an obligation to help people understand if they are willing to ask us questions. I would much rather help them understand how issues such as tariffs affect farmers than have them believe everything they see on the news.”
More About the Durhams
Justin is a district sales manager for Agri-Gold. He facilitates a team of salesmen and supports customer relations. Jonathan is the manager of Ricketts Farm Service in Marshall, a full-service, family-owned agricultural retail business. To diversify their revenue, the Durhams grow cash crops but also utilize those acres to add value to their cattle operation. They cut corn for silage and plant some acres with cover crops for off-season grazing.
The Durham families are members of the Missouri Simmental Association. They are also members of Missouri Cattlemen’s Association and the Missouri Corn Growers Association, both partners of Missouri Farmers Care.
