John (left) and Terry (center) Griffith, Griffith Seestock, Wakeeny, KS, accept the 2002 BIF Commercial Producer of the Year Award from Connee Quinn, 2001 BIF president. Their daughter, Kinsey, was also present to accept the award.
2002 Commercial Producer of the Year
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John (left) and Terry (center) Griffith, Griffith Seestock, Wakeeny, KS, accept the 2002 BIF Commercial Producer of the Year Award from Connee Quinn, 2001 BIF president. Their daughter, Kinsey, was also present to accept the award. |
Griffith Seedstock Receives 2002 BIF Commercial Producer of the Year Award
Griffith Seedstock was named the Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) Outstanding Commercial Producer of the Year at the organization’s 34th annual convention in Omaha, Neb., July 12, 2002.
John and Terry Griffith and John’s mother, Connie, are owners of Griffith Seedstock, Wakeeney, Kan. The family has been raising beef cattle in northwest Kansas since 1878 and takes great pride in producing a quality product for today’s consumers. The Griffiths place great emphasis on natural resource conservation and appreciate the unique ability of a cow to convert low-quality natural resources into a high-quality protein source for human consumption.
Located in an area with average moisture of 22 inches per year, the diversified operation is evenly split between dryland cultivation and native rangeland. The diversification allows the cow herd to dovetail with the farming operation. Crop residue and feedstuffs produced on the farm are used for maintaining the cow herd and backgrounding feeder calves. An extensive rotational grazing system, which incorporates alternative water sources, allows optimum use of the native grass.
The Griffiths annually calve about 250 Angus and high-percentage commercial Red Angus cows, with heifers calving in 30 days and cows in 45-50 days. Artificial insemination (AI) is used extensively on all cows and heifers. Replacement heifers are retained from the operation, and steers are backgrounded at the ranch, then fed to finish at commercial feedlots and sold on quality-based grids to capture premiums for improvements made in carcass quality.
Through detailed recordkeeping and stringent culling pressure, the Griffiths have developed an efficient, performance-based commercial cow herd. Several marketing options are implemented to maximize profit when selling cattle. Heifers not retained for the herd are sold as replacements to other commercial producers; cows not meeting retention criteria are sold as pairs at specific times of the year. A select group of performance bulls are sold annually.
In addition to their commitment to producing high-quality beef, the Griffiths are active in industry organizations, their community and church.