First-generation beef producer builds family business

<p>AWARD WINNERS: Doug and Maria Bichler have a diversified cattle operation in south-central North Dakota.</p>

<p>CUSTOM FEEDER: Doug stands in one of the pens of cattle he raised. He and his wife run a cow-calf operation; sell Red Angus, Simmental and SimAngus seedstock in the U.S. and Canada; custom feed cattle; and grow corn, alfalfa, oats, triticale and several other crops. “I just knew at a very early age I wanted to farm,” Doug says.</p>

<p>CENTURY FARM: The Bichler farm headquarters is surround by the prairie near Linton, N.D. The farm, which has been in the Bichler family for 100 years, was originally a diversified operation. Doug had hoped to become a dairyman after graduating from college, but before he graduated his father had to sell the dairy cows. After graduating from North Dakota State University with an animal science degree, Doug became a county Extension agent. He also partnered with his father in a cow-calf enterprise. To increase their feedlot’s capacity, Doug worked with the local soil conservation district and the Natural Resources Conservation Service to build a waste handling system.</p>

<p>ROTATIONAL GRAZING: The Bichlers move cattle home to be ultrasounded for pregnancy. They use prescribed grazing schedules for their cow-calf pairs to help conserve moisture and increase forage production.</p>

<p>CLOSE CALL: Doug, shown here working cattle, lost an arm in a baler accident in 2017. With the help of family, friends and the state stockmen’s association, he learned ways to adapt. Now, he is active in every aspect of the farm, from working cattle in the chute to driving tractors.</p>

<p>BULL SALES: Doug checks yearling bulls, some of which they sell to other cattlemen in the U.S. and Canada.</p>

<p>DIVERSIFIED FARM: Doug inspects a field of alfalfa. Diversification helps make their operation successful. “We do some niche marketing programs,” he says. “We sell some freezer beef to add value to what we would call those misfit cows — those that don’t fit into any of our marketing scenarios like our purebred sales.” Maria adds to the direct sales aspect of the farm by incorporating chickens and sheep. “We’ve been coined as the Old McDonald farm in our area by several people,” Doug says. “That’s just fine with us.”</p>

<p>FUTURE IN AG: Doug and Maria Bichler want their daughters Amelia, center, and Therez, right, to have the opportunity to be involved in agriculture someday, if they are interested. Because they hope all young people should have that chance, the Bichlers created a livestock scholarship. “It basically encourages and provides some financial support [for youth] to purchase a large animal of their choice to try to help them not only foster an interest, but also to hopefully get them to start in agriculture, like we did,” Doug says. “We're trying to make young people realize that you can start young and small and still grow a business,” Maria says.</p>