Dairy farmer Steve Hoffman of rural New Ulm leads a farm tour Thursday. Along with South Central College Farm Management instructor Wayne Schoper, the group also toured farms near Sleepy Eye Thursday.

NEW ULM — Area producers said they’re bullish on the beef market and getting variable yields on the bean and corn harvest underway.

Milroy farmer Andrew Vroman said public demand has a lot to do with it.

“The cattle market is pretty strong right now. There’s high-priced cattle coming in and going out,” said Vroman. “Consumers want to eat beef off the grocery store shelf. It’s caused the market to rise most of the summer.”

Hoffman Dairy farmer Steve Hoffman said Angus Holstein crossbred beef-dairy cattle can bring $500 and Holstein cows $300 to $400, figures he considered pretty good.

Schoper said producers have to balance high cattle prices with high input costs to determine if and how much cattle they want to sell.

“Fertilizer prices are very high, but manure can be tested and applied accordingly,” Schoper said.

Vroman said fall harvest yields vary but he sounded optimistic.

“The corn yield is better than we expected with the drought. We expected 170 bushels, but we’re tickling 200 bushels. Its decent for the moisture we had for sure,” said Vroman.

“We’re are 22 percent corn moisture, which we love. We’re using corn for feed. We raise lots of cattle and make a lot of wet feed,” Vroman said.

He said the bean harvest is done with up to 80 bushels an acre, which he called “phenomenal.” “We’re happy,” said Vroman.

“We’re on track for a good harvest. The August rain was good, a big deal,” Schoper said. “Bean yields are extremely variable. Lighter soils bring 30-35 bushels an acre. Area with more moisture and good fertilizer bring 65-70 bushels on the top end.”

Vroman said he doesn’t pay a lot of attention to the pork market.

“It was low before this season but rallied in the summer. Everything we sell for pork is on a contract set for a few years. They are our own pigs.” Vroman said. “We feed 35,000 Duroc-mix pigs a year. We own sow shares. They come from South Dakota. We run all pigs for our own nursery and run some through finishing barns. About half go through contract barns in southwest Minnesota and northern Iowa.”

Vroman said most of his feeder cattle come in from North and South Dakota ranch pastures, sometimes sale barns, weighing 950 pounds.

“We feed them out 1,550 to 1,600 pounds. Mostly black Angus, with some colored ones mixed in,” said Vroman.

He said computer technology has changed farming.

“We can make planting decisions with feed and fertilizer mixes down to each foot of land instead of using a blanket approach for the whole field,” Vroman said.

“All livestock cattle and hog manure help us get to a nice level to grow nice crops,” he added.

Hoffman said New Ulm wastewater treatment plant sludge is applied to his fields as fertilizer.

He credits improved genetics to DNA testing of every newborn calf as key to improving herd health.

“With testing, our genetics have improved so much, especially on health traits. What a great thing,” said Hoffman.

Hoffman said most of his beef cows spend the spring, summer and fall on the pasture, but not so much for dairy cows.

“I love seeing cows on pasture. We gave them the option of staying in the barn or going to the pasture. The gate was open,” he added. “The dairy cows would eat and drink some water in the barn, go to the pasture for a half hour and come back in, so we decided to leave them in the barn. That’s where they liked it because it’s hot out there and there are lots of flies and other insects. We could control it more in the barn with big fans for moving air and sprinklers when it’s really hot.”

Hoffman Dairy farmer Steve Hoffman of New Ulm and South Central Farm Management instructor Wayne Schoper led a farm tour for about 40 German musicians with the New Ulm Oktoberfest band Neu Ulm Blaskapelle Thursday.

A German musician asked if there is anything romantic about being an American farmer or cowboy.

“Absolutely. I’m a romantic,” Hoffman said, as the Germans and Americans laughed.