14 NEBRASKA CATTLEMAN November 2025 on the cows that are or not producing as well to make precise culling and genetic progress decisions.” “We also love our calving cameras,” Cyndi exclaims. “Technology like calving cameras, satellite radios for remote work areas and better cell service makes us more efficient.” Their commitment to adopting innovative practices earned the family the respected Beef Improvement Federation’s 2018 Seedstock Producer of the Year honor. Building Bulls and Relationships Selling nearly 250 coming 2-year-old and yearling bulls annually, the Van Newkirks stand by their cattle for their consistent quality, breed-leading carcass traits, longevity, docility and a maternal focus. This reputation has led them to have a successful annual bull sale with nearly 85 percent of their bulls going to repeat buyers from across 20 states. “Our business has really grown over the years, and we have built the backbone of this operation on our repeat customers. They make us successful,” Joe says. The Van Newkirk’s guarantee “under-promises and over-delivers” which continues to bring back repeat and generational customers. “Our customers are the best customers in the world, and they’re our best advertising,” Joe says. “We want our customers to do well and to make money. We spend a lot of time helping them market their cattle.” Cyndi adds that many of their customers span three generations, from the grandfathers who started buying cattle to their sons and now their grandsons. While the Van Newkirks still run their bulls through the auction ring in their sale barn on the ranch, the sale has progressed, starting with using Superior Livestock Auction to help market bulls, and more recently bringing in DV Auction and LiveAg for buyers to purchase online. Multi-Generational Teamwork When Joe and Cyndi took over the operation, they built on what Joe’s parents and grandparents started. Kolby returned full-time in 2011, and the transition has unfolded naturally – beginning with daily 5 a.m. coffee and conversations. “Nobody bothers you at five in the morning,” Kolby jokes. “But it’s absolutely the best time of every day for Dad and me to have our day and week ahead figured out.” Joe began handing over decision-making to Kolby early in his return to the ranch. While attending UNL, the Van Newkirk children took a class on returning to and taking over the family business, taught by Dave Specht. Later, Specht held a seminar near Oshkosh that the family attended and gained valuable insights from. “I always knew that this was where I was going to end up,” Kolby adds. “From the time I was a young kid, I had a real interest in cattle genetics, which is obviously an important part of our business.” While Joe says Kolby and Travis do most of the heavy lifting today, Kolby attests that his dad hasn’t slowed down and has embraced new technology used on the ranch. And the next generation of Van Newkirks are already learning work ethic by helping bring in the hay crop and cattle, and even running an online kids store. “We wanted the grandkids to start learning some skills, so we let them start a little kids store on our website,” Cyndi says. “It’s been really good for them, and a learning curve, especially when they’ve lost money on shipping products overseas!” Joe adds that ranch life can be a pretty picture to a young grandchild, but they want them to get their feet wet. BUILDING BULLS, BUILDING LEGACY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13
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