December 28, 2016

The Iowa Cattlemen’s Association welcomed a new president at their annual meeting Dec. 10 in Ames. Mike Cline is a fifth-generation cattle producer. He attended Iowa State University for one year before returning to his family farm to live out his passion of beef cattle production. Cline and his wife, Linda, operate a crop and Angus-based commercial cow-calf herd in Fayette and Clayton counties in northeast Iowa. Their farm is near the town of Elgin.
Cline first became involved with the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association in 1993 by attending the Young Cattlemen’s Leadership Program. Since 2008, Cline has been a member of the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association board of directors. He has served as chairman of the Beef Products policy committee and for the past two years has served as president-elect.
Extensive experience in serving the cattle industry
Before agreeing to serve on the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association board of directors, Cline had been elected in 1993 to the Iowa Beef Industry Council (IBIC) board. While on the IBIC board he served in all officer positions and also represented Iowa on the National Cattlemen’s board of directors and the U.S. Meat Export Federation. In 2001, Cline was appointed to the Cattlemen’s Beef Board, where he served two years on the executive committee and two years on the operating committee.
“We need to continue to position Iowa cattle producers as a source of high-quality beef, using environmentally safe production practices. As economies grow around the world, so will the demand for our high-end product,” he says. “While environmental regulations and other policies need our constant attention, access to international markets is key for continued growth in Iowa’s beef industry.” Working together with the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association members and board of directors, Cline will lead the association for 2017.
Outstanding Commercial Producer
Every year, the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association recognizes an outstanding commercial producer who goes above and beyond to make the beef industry the best it can be. This year, ICA honors Lyle and Linda Kenobbie.
From Greenville in northwest Iowa, Lyle and Linda own and operate Walking L Ranch, a commercial breeding herd of 150 cows and row crops. Lyle and Linda have been in the cattle business for 47 years. Starting in 1968 with 20 head of cattle, Lyle and Linda have weathered many storms over the years, starting in 1975 when a blizzard killed most of their cattle. To rebuild, Lyle bought a load of cattle from South Dakota. While working to build the herd back up, Lyle sold a majority of the herd during the 1980s farm crisis. Walking L Ranch has since been growing and expanding.
Described as “self-efficient,” Lyle never considered any job out of reach when working with his cattle. He does most of the “vet work” himself, such as pulling calves during birth, castrating bulls in the spring and vaccinating. Lyle has also branded his cattle for a number of years.
Management and use of data
Selecting well-dispositioned medium to low birth weight bulls and using a tub grinder to increase feed quality were two improvements made over the years to grow their successful commercial operation. Lyle has kept performance records for all 47 years, using them to make breeding and culling decisions. This management and use of data has allowed Lyle and Linda to market their calves through the local ICA sanctioned Green Tag sale yearly in Spencer.
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