Twenty-two-year-old Colton Devore’s goal is to own his own cattle business, but he knows the journey will be a long ride. And he is making that ride on horseback.
“There are advantages to monitoring cattle from horseback because there is no motor noise from a UTV; I can hear signs of illness among cattle earlier and intervene faster,” Devore explained.
“The cattle adjust to a horse being among them and are gentle when guided into a pen. When cattle go through the chute four or five times a year, the less stress, the better. It is safer to sort cattle from atop the horse than on the ground.”
Devore is part of his father’s business, Cattle Wranglers Missouri-Catching Wild Cattle.
The cowboys offer diversified services, including cattle hauling, sorting, processing and catching, which expands their business and client network.
They receive calls from across the state to round up cattle with no facilities, or under difficult circumstances such as motor vehicle accidents. They are the go-to service providers for local law enforcement when cattle are on roads or are hard to handle.
“I enjoy the rush of catching them,” Devore said. “That’s the easy part. Once you catch them, you have to know what you’re going to do with them, and we have a lot of options from atop the horse.”
He explained that his horses go to places motorized vehicles can’t go. They also use border collies, tracking dogs and thermal drones. These additional tools allow the crew to locate cattle quicker, with less stress to the cattle, horses and cowboys.
“My goal is to become vested in the family cattle operation,” Devore added. “I want to background yearling cattle. Getting started with my own business on the farm takes money and time. For now, I see every day as a learning opportunity.”
Building farm for the future
Devore’s grandfather and father have always been cattlemen, and he hopes to join them in ownership.
“My work involves cow-calf pairs, registered cattle and backgrounded cattle. I am practicing reproductive strategy, medications, land management and more,” Devore said. “Maybe I’ll be able to start my own business working through a partnership with someone who is looking to retire. Banking experience is a good way to wait until the time and place is right to start on my own.”
For now, this Agri-Ready-designated Shelby County, Mo., native experiences different farming systems and ranching models working as a hired hand.
“What I enjoy about agriculture is that when you wake up, you can feel if it will be a good day or not,” Devore added. “I take pride in watching the growth of calves that will provide quality beef.”
Opportunities to learn
Devore applies his North Central Missouri College associate of agriculture and natural resources degree with certificates in livestock management and agricultural business with a litany of experiences as a horseman and cattleman, working as a regular contractor for multiple ranches.
He also started auctioneering for regional sales.
“I am learning everything I can and enjoying working for other people,” Devore said. “I manage cattle for hire. I do everything from sorting heifers, removing bulls, to catching animals to be treated for respiratory distress and bad feet.”
And he has built a reputation making good horses for himself and training for others.
The horses Devore trains go to work with him and gain experience on the ranch. They learn ranching, reading a cow, roping and how to look out for themselves and their riders under pressure.
“It is fun to take a horse from scratch, train it to the next level and give it a job,” he said. “I’ve always had my mind set about a career on the ranch.”
Alexander writes from Olga, Mo.