Two Daniel-native young producers love raising beef

Eleven-year-old Colter and nine-year-old Trevor are the sons of Erin and Herman Siems. Both boys help their parents on their Angus cow/calf operation and have a passion for beef, ag production and the Western way of life.

Young producer: Colter 

Colter currently has a steer project named Casey. One of his proudest accomplishments is placing in the top 10 at the Sublette County Fair in the Livestock Ultrasound Class during his second year of competing. 

The class looks at retail yield plus percent of intramuscular fat (IMF). The retail yield is based on backfat and ribeye area. Projects weigh between 1,150 to 1,375 pounds, backfat measures less than 0.50 inches, ribeye area is one square inch per 100 pounds with IMF percentage fat more than 4.75 percent. 

He shares his favorite thing to do on the ranch is put up hay. He gets to help mow and rake, and in the mornings, he likes to help run the bale wagon. 

Although his least favorite thing to do – feeding the livestock, especially in the winter months – is relatively easy, Colter notes it can be tiresome. 

Young producer: Trevor 

Trevor is in fourth grade and raises beef. Like many ranchers across the West, he has experienced several challenges while raising livestock. In fact, Trevor recently lost his steer project he was planning on taking to the county fair in July to kidney stones. 

However, Trevor says he’s still planning on taking a cow/calf pair to fair this year.

He says one of this proudest accomplishments was raising a successful steer. 

Additionly, Trevor shares he has a black, eight-year-old horse named Calamity, which he got several months ago, and he is looking forward to spending more time with his horse. 

He says one of his favorite things to do as a young producer is to cut down grass and help his family put up hay. One of his least favorite things to do is calculate feed rations for his beef projects and figure out how much to feed them, as it takes a bit of math calculations on his part.  

At nine years old, he is still undecided on what he wants to do when he grows up, but mentions following in his parent’s footsteps as a generational rancher is a strong possibility. 

In addition to helping his parents ranch, Trevor says he enjoys playing on the trampoline and riding his scooter and bike. 

Lessons learned 

For Erin, raising her boys on their family’s ranch is a not only great lifestyle, but she has also had the opportunity to teach her children valuable life lessons. 

“When Trevor lost his animal, it was a great learning experience. It has allowed my children to see and understand the entire life cycle,” says Erin. “Growing up on a ranch is a very special thing, and there’s not many people who can these days.” 

Erin originally grew up in Colorado but notes her family has been in Sublette County for the last 100 years. 

“My parents gave my husband and I a Hereford bum calf as a wedding gift, and we’ve grown our operation from there,” she says. “My husband’s parents raise beef, and overall, we’re very happy to be in agriculture.” 

Brittany Gunn is the editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.