Business of the Day: Spiritwood Stockyards
When you talk to Pat Jacobson, you very quickly realize this is a person who cares deeply for the interests of cattle producers in the Spiritwood area.
She and her husband, Brian, own and operate the Spiritwood Stockyards – a rare breed of independently owned and operated stockyards.
“It’s personal for us and that’s what makes us different,” she says. “We have been involved in the cattle business in one way or another for more than 40 years. We know what our customers need and we want to make them successful.”
To do this, the Jacobsons have a couple of very unique facets to their business. Understanding that shrink is a major cost factor, they go the extra mile to reduce this by treating cattle well upon arrival. When the animals come in they are immediately sorted and weighed and then fed and watered. The cattle are never mixed with other herds. This reduces stress which keeps the animals from losing weight. Additionally, sorting animals into uniform groups yields better prices.
