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For Steve and Lindsay Williams, agriculture and family are their
two passions in life. So, when the opportunity to take the helm
of Midland Bull Test at Columbus MT, arose in 2008, they knew it
was the right fit for their future.
Steve grew up with a love for cattle. His family raised
commercial cattle until his paternal father’s untimely death.
Eventually, his mother Sam married Leo McDonnell in 1988 and
Midland Bull Test became Steve’s new home. He reveled in helping
with the daily operations of herd health, clipping, videoing,
and picturing bulls – all the tasks that need to be done prior
to having a bull sale.
From those experiences, Steve says, “I always had it in the back
of my mind that I wanted to return to Midland. I really enjoy
the people that we are involved with as well as the purpose of
Midland.”
He followed a traditional path: graduated from college at
Oklahoma State University, met and married Lindsay while at
school, and the couple now has three children they are raising,
while also taking on the responsibilities at Midland Bull Test.
But those are amazing accomplishments, when you realize that
Steve is deaf. Here, the couple –who are both in their early 30s
– answers our Five Questions about achieving their dream of
operating Midland.
How do you overcome the challenge of being deaf?
Steve says, “From the time I was young, I was instilled with the
attitude that I may be deaf but it doesn’t define who I am or
determine what I can or cannot do. If I want to do something bad
enough, I’ll figure out a way to get it done. I utilize a lot of
email and text messaging in the vast amount of communication
required to run Midland,” says Steve.
Born deaf, Steve has also learned to utilize lip reading and
sign language to communicate with other people. As a youngster
he had about 15 years of speech therapy to help him hone his
communication skills.
Steve and Lindsay hope to pass that same can-do outlook to their
young children Guy, Grayson and daughter Tenley – two of whom
are deaf as well. The children have received bilateral cochlear
implants to aid their hearing and Steve and Lindsay report that
they are doing “tremendously well.”
How do you balance working together as husband and wife?
The couple says teamwork is the key. Steve manages the
day-to-day tasks of feeding, health and sale activities at
Midland while Lindsay attends to much of the office work and
marketing. Steve credits Lindsay with being the backbone of
Midland as she keeps the line of communication open all the
time.
The team effort at Midland also still includes Leo and Sam as
mentors providing insight as to how they ran the business.
“Experience takes years to acquire, but Leo and Sam are helping
to whittle away at the learning process. With their help, we
will continue to turn out solid bulls and push forward the
worthy programs Midland is known for,” says Steve.
What are some of your goals for the future of Midland?
Steve says they will continue to look to provide the industry
more traits to measure cattle by that are economically
important.
He tells that Leo and Sam had installed the GrowSafe equipment
to measure feed efficiency in the fall of 2007, and bulls
consigned to Midland for 2008 were the first to be efficiency
tested for Residual Feed Index (RFI).
Steve says, “We are proud to be offering the efficiency testing,
both for Midland consignors and summer herd testing as well.
With efficiency testing, we are excited about the EPD being
generated and the possibility for identifying gene markers.
Efficiency is a trait that can help breeders make rapid
improvement without sacrificing other traits.”
He adds, “As time passes, Midland can be expected to introduce
new measurements that are economically viable tools to the
cattle industry. We envision Midland as a central testing
station that provides a level playing ground for top calves
across the nation. We strive to seek out new bloodlines that
will enable breeders to become more profitable and self
sufficient through the traits that we measure at Midland.
What can breeders – consignors and buyers – expect from
Midland?
Steve and Lindsay say their aim is to stay true to the purpose
of Midland: “That is to have every bull sold make a positive
economic impact on the buyer’s herd and be backed by a
quality-oriented and disciplined program that identifies
efficiency and real performance.”
What do you enjoy most about being at Midland?
Lindsay, who was raised with a strong appreciation for
agriculture, says, “We are proud to raise our kids working
alongside of us, the way we were raised. Family is first and
foremost to us, so taking over Midland was really a win-win
situation, a business we respect and love and are able to
combine with family.”
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