BEDFORD, Pa. — Maple Valley Cattle Company, owned by Mike and Amanda Butterfield along with daughter Evelyn, were awarded the 2020 PA Beef Quality Assurance Award. Each year, the PA Beef Council (PBC) awards one farm family that showcases outstanding commitment to BQA with this award.
The Butterfields first started their operation with cow-calf pairs in 2007, but then transitioned to a dairy operation from 2010-2018. They purchased a farm in 2018 and transitioned back to beef, with a herd of 60 head of commercial cows. With the new farm purchase, they began converting traditional row crops to intensive grazing units for their cattle.
Conservation is important to the team at Maple Valley Cattle Company. They have outlined plans for a wildlife refuge as well as a butterfly environment among their grazing paddocks. The Butterfields also utilize by-products in their feeding program, using spent distiller’s grains from a local distiller as part of their feed ration.
The Butterfields have a close working relationship with their herd veterinarian and emphasize disease prevention and herd management. With meticulous records and protocols, the Butterfields see value in the BQA program through premiums on their cattle. They work closely with a local feedlot to market their weaned calves with a number of the calves coming back to Maple Valley as freezer beef and directly marketed to local customers.
Playing host to a BQA workshop in 2019, Amanda said “it’s important for us to help spread information to others about the importance of BQA. We were glad to host a workshop where producers learned more about best management practices for their operations”.
To learn more about the BQA program, contact Courtney Cowden Gray at cgray@pabeef.org or 1-888-4BEEFPA.
–Courtney Gray, PA Beef Council