MAC Cattle Co. unveils two new barns to catapult production

PAYSON, Il. (WGEM) - Residents from across the Tri-States gathered for the unveiling of two new production barns at MAC Cattle Co. in Adams County on Saturday.

In Illinois, the beef industry includes more than 14,000 cattle farmers, making it a dominate industry for this area.

The staff at MAC Cattle Co. said they built these two new facilities to increase beef production efficiency.

Around 450 calves are currently growing on the their farm, before they’re sourced for beef.

The process is called back grounding and focuses on the growing of cattle before they’re sent to feedlots.

One of the owners of the fifth-generation family farm, Tim Maiers, said his family became interested in getting barns to house their cattle to make beef production healthier and more efficient.

“They’re out of the elements,” said Maiers. “Out of the wind, out of the rain, out of the snow so the better that they are, the better they’re gonna perform, the better they’re gonna gain, so that’s gonna be good for them, and better health that they’re gonna have.”

The barns aid the cattle company workers in their daily work as well.

The roof allows them to work in extreme weather conditions for longer periods of time.

“It’s better working conditions for us so it kind of helps out the folks, those of us who are trying to care for them,” said Maiers.

Maiers said the new facilities, built by Longhorn Cattle and Swine Confinement Systems, are more environmentally friendly as the flooring is built to allow manure to fall into a fertilization pit to be used on the farm, controlling runoff into local water systems.

Longhorn Cattle and Swine Confinement Systems and MAC Cattle Co. were adamant in making sure that the supplies and workers they were using were all local, mostly coming from the Tri-States.

Longhorn Cattle and Swine Confinement Systems Executive Manager Jonathon Ruzich said the gating for the facility was built in Pittsfield, Illinois.

“People can see that this money that’s being spent is being invested back into Adams County or Pike County or the surrounding areas, it provides for jobs not just for the farm, but other businesses as well,” said Ruzich.

Ruzich said more than 50 Tri-State residents were employed for the building project.

He said his team was able to get construction complete within two years.

Ruzich attributes the speed of the build to using products that are produced locally and avoiding construction setbacks that come with receiving products from across the country or overseas.

Click here to learn more about the beef industry.

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