Even though we made the decision to start Schaendorf Cattle Company in 2015, our story really began long before that. Members of my family have been farming in West Michigan since back in the late 1800s. The best starting point for our story is in in 1994 when my dad, John Schaendorf, started a small dairy farm located just outside of Hopkins, Michigan. He began with modest 30 cow dairy farm nested upon eighty acres of land.
At that time, I was only ten years-old. Everyday chores and farm work were a family affair. I never thought twice about getting up early and doing the work before school or staying out late after school. The farm work and animal husbandry were something that my mom, dad, sister and I always participated in. We always took care of our animals first. That ideology was taught to me at a very early age and still holds a priority in how we conduct business today. Our cows and our land are our livelihood and were always revered as priority one; that will never change for us.
By the time I graduated High School, with lots of hard work, our farm had expanded to a herd of nearly eight-hundred head. That was quite a change from where we started, but our foundation of caring for our animals was still the same. Fast-forward again to today, add in some more diligent labor and you will find that our dairy farm milks about twenty-six-hundred cows and houses the same number of young stock animals from birth to 2 years of age.
From the time, we started farming up until 2016, we always sold our bull calves (males) as many farms in the industry do. We witnessed first-hand how the beef cattle industry was raising their animals and we thought we could do better. After all, we had a steady supply of great livestock, all we needed was a the right facility.
After months of research and planning we broke ground for our new beef facility in the early spring of 2016. After excavation, building and a few finishing touches, our state-of-the-art steel structure was erected. The barn was designed with the cattle in mind. In their home, our animals have an abundance of room to roam, clean food and water and consistent access to a dry, comfortable place to lay. Speaking of comfort, the elevated roof on south side of the barn allows for natural air-flow which contributes to cooling on warm days without the need for fans. Our design keeps our cattle cool and saves energy. This is an dual benefit adds to overall sustainability which we take very seriously. In addition to all of that, the barn is laid out with our staff in mind. Our employees can easily move our cattle throughout the barn with minimal effort and time in a way that ensures the safety of the animals and people alike.
Over years, our farm and overall operation have seen a large number of changes, but with all of that change our commitment to animals and environment has stayed the same. Weather it be caring for a newborn calf or making sure our beef cattle are comfortable and in dry living conditions, we are always looking out for the animals.
Thank you for your support and interest in our company.
Best regards from my family to yours!
Ben Schaendorf