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Kansas Feedyard Embarks on Liquid Protein Business, Launches Innovative Web Site for Customers by Christy Van Zant Cattle Empire Feedyard in Satanta, Kansas, is making big changes. Not only have they expanded their yards from 85,000 total capacity to 140,000 head, they are also on the ground floor of a new liquid protein business. Additionally, they recently launched a unique and cattle-owner friendly Web site -- all to improve their customer service. "We had to expand to keep our customers satisfied," said Roy Brown, Owner/Manager of Cattle Empire. "We have a two week wait now and our customers must have a place to go with their cattle, they can't wait 30 days to put their cattle on feed," Brown said. "This is the first time in two years that we can feed our own private cattle. We had been feeding them in other yards. We stay full year round," said Brown. "We can now hold 140,000 head of cattle between all three yards. We are currently the 12th largest feedyard in the United States," he said. "Here at Cattle Empire we are unique for our size. The customer can call and talk to the Manager/Owner of the yard as most all of our customers are from the South and Southeast United States. We feed very few local cattle at our yards." "We have also expanded to the protein business. We have 1/4 interest in the new Liquid Protein plant in Garden City, Kansas," said Brown. "Our local protein suppliers are having a hard time keeping up with the demand of all the different feedyards, so a couple of other yards and Cattle Empire went together to get a liquid protein plant started." Performix Nutritional Systems will service all of Cattle Empire yards, the Irsik & Doll Yards and Supreme Feeders. Brown sees the liquid protein industry as a huge growth potential. "The Hi-Plains area is just now going to liquid protein; most all feedyards are still with protein pellets. The liquid protein is more stable and consistent than the pellets," said Brown. "All of our mills are batch mills and nothing is mixed on the trucks. This helps with the feed mixing by adding some moisture and being distributed throughout the batch of feed." Another new venture is on the retail side of the beef industry, The Dodge City Steak Company. "I was approached about this business," said Brown. "My sister DeeAnn Brown of Florida ran with this and made it a success. The corporate gift program is the biggest seller." The beef used in the Steak Company comes from a local packing plant. The beef is aged and cut thick for an old fashioned taste. "People like good tasting beef," said Brown. "We don't have plans to get into the packing or locker business, so we don't use our own beef, but you never know what lies ahead." 
One of the newest ways Cattle Empire has promoted their business is with their Web site. "This Web site has so much potential," said Brown. Cattle Empire hired John Longoria to develop the Web site, www.cattle-empire.net for their customers and to cut down on phone traffic. "We hooked up with the Garden City, Kansas, weather site so our customers could check the weather ," he said. Other advantages to the site include cattle owners can print out information on their cattle, check feed costs, deads, what they died from, doctor bills, days on feed, and ration changes, and have it all at their fingertips. "Although they can still call and talk to me anytime about anything." Cattle Empire's customer base averages 60 to 70 years old. "Not many of their sons are going into the cattle feeding business, and we hope that the new Web site will get them interested. They can check on their cattle anytime, without having to call us during business hours," said Brown. The web site includes the history of Cattle Empire, pictures of the feedyards, the management team and their e-mail addresses. There is a page where you can figure your own break even on a pen of cattle, and it also has the phone numbers and a feedyard location map for truck drivers. "The drivers can print the map phone numbers to have with them instead of getting lost," said Brown. "Dad, (Paul Brown) didn't have this technology nor did he need it, but we feel it is going to be a thing that all feedyards will have." |
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