Kerkhoff Cattle Company
Kerkhoff Cattle Company is a fourth-generation family farm in Redwood County. Butch Kerkhoff took over feeding about 400 head in 1965 after the passing of his father. Butch grew his feeding operation to 1,700 capacity in 1994. In 2003, his son, Brandon, graduated from South Dakota State University and returned home to farm. Over the next decade, the family expanded their cattle operation.
Currently, the Kerkhoffs finish 7,500 head annually while farming 2,500 acres of corn and soybeans. The family feeds primarily black steers weighing 800 to 1,000 pounds that originate from South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana and Minnesota. Kerkhoff Cattle Company has three full-time employees and five to six seasonal employees that help in the spring and fall. The farm’s employees are like family and the Kerkhoffs say they couldn’t operate without their help.
Brandon is the owner of the feedlot and his wife, Casey, handles the office and bookwork. The couple has three children, Grady, Veda and Westin. Butch handles much of the trucking and serves as a consultant. Butch’s wife, Sally, also helps with the office and bookwork.
Brandon and Casey help coordinate and coach a variety of sports their kids are involved in. They are members of the Cedar Mountain Booster Club. They’ve also participated in Ridgewater College ag internships over the years. Brandon and Grady work at the Minnesota State Cattlemen’s Association’s tent at Farmfest and are members of the group. Butch and Brandon are also members of the Redwood Area Cattlemen Association and Brandon was chosen as the RACA Cattleman of the Year in 2015. Kerkhoff Cattle Company was one of the stops on the state cattlemen tour in 2014. Brandon is a member of the local Jaycees.