McCurry Bros. Angus: Pioneering the Way with Predictable Angus Genetics and Cattle Feed
Management : Cow & Calf
Management : Replacement
Nutrition : Supplements
Pioneers. It’s the only way to describe the McCurry family from Sedgwick, Kansas.
Last year the family celebrated 90 years in the registered cattle business, where Angus roots run deep. So deep, in fact, that the cattle they currently raise trace back to the first Angus cattle brought to the U.S. in 1873. See the McCurry Bros. Angus historical timeline below.
Today, the diversified operation is owned by Barry, Geoff, Brad and Greg McCurry. They run about 500 registered cows and grow corn, soybeans, alfalfa and cotton.
The McCurry’s have had several successful Angus cattle sales over the decades but now focus on selling bulls and females private treaty.
“Our legacy is built on cattle with predictable Angus genetics,” says Greg McCurry. “By pairing those Angus genetics with predictable cattle feed, we’re taking the guesswork out of things.”The path to predictable cattle feed.
Predictable cattle feed is exactly what the McCurry’s were looking for when they sold the McCurry Bros. elevator in 2000. They needed an alternative to mixing their own cattle feed.
“There were a couple of local, custom mills and co-ops that did a nice job and we could use our own commodities,” says Greg McCurry. “We kept coming back to Purina because their products were predictable, reliable and came with the support we needed. We’re never just looking for a product – we’re also looking for the service that goes with it.”
The McCurry Bros. have a great relationship with their Purina dealer, Woodard’s of Maize, Kansas, and with other Purina team members who visit and go through the herd.
“We’ll discuss everything from fly control to seasonal nutritional needs and challenges beyond nutrition,” says Greg McCurry. “Everyone is looking out for our best interests, and it’s really been a great relationship.”
“Accuration® products allow us to maintain or tune up body condition,” says Greg. “That’s particularly important when it comes to our bulls. We need to make sure they’re in top shape when potential buyers come visit. It also works great when we’re trying to condition bulls and young females for breeding.”
“Because intake is so consistent, we always know how much the cattle will eat and what our cattle feed costs are going to be,” adds Greg McCurry.
The cattle at McCurry Bros. run like range cattle and aren’t given special treatment just because of their Angus genetics.
“Accuration® supplements allow us to run cattle on poorer quality, coarse forage and maintain performance. We also rely on Accuration® Liquid Supplement for extreme situations, like harsh winters,” he adds.
Greg also appreciates not having to carry buckets of cattle feed because the cattle have continuous access to supplement, so they’re not waiting at the gate for a pellet or cube delivery.
“Genetics, feed and management make up a three-legged stool. Without one of those things, the stool falls to the ground,” says Greg McCurry. “We’ve all seen tough times and it’s common to want to skimp on something. The last thing we want to do is have open cows or heifers that won’t cycle.”
“We’ve got an incredible amount of effort, labor, time and money wrapped up in our cattle. So, we’ve got to make sure the females are in good shape and cycling in range conditions. Supplementation is a key strategy we use to do that,” he adds.
The McCurry’s, like many farmers, are looking for ways to stay sustainable and successful for decades to come – for them it gets back to making smart decisions and hoping the markets turn in the cattlemen’s favor.
“We’ve got to make smart decisions, especially during tough economic times,” says Greg McCurry. “We look for things that are predictable and dependable. Things that do what they’re advertised to do. We plan to use Purina for years to come.”
1913: Johnson Workman, Walter McCurry’s brother-in-law, established an Angus herd descending from George Grant’s cattle.
1928: Walter McCurry bought the McCurry family’s first Angus cattle, two heifers, from Johnson Workman. Walter farmed along with his wife Cora in Geneseo, Kansas.
1934: Walter and Cora moved with their six children to Sedgwick County, Kansas, where they continued farming and raising Angus cattle.
1956: Walter dispersed the Angus herd.
1958: Walter’s five sons formed a partnership and ran 100 registered cows, using elite Angus bulls. The herd expanded and grew. The brothers started exhibiting at cattle shows and exhibited the Grand Champion bull at the Kansas Futurity. The family also became involved with state and national Angus leadership positions.
1962: The brothers purchased the McCurry Bros. elevator in Mount Hope, Kansas, which developed into a thriving business offering feed, fertilizer and more.
1968: McCurry Bros. exhibited the Supreme Champion at the Western National Angus Futurity.
1996: The family exhibited Sedgwicks Rebar, one of just five Angus to win the “triple crown”, which includes the All-American Angus Breeders Futurity, North American Livestock Exposition and the National Western Stock Show.
2000: The elevator is sold, but the cattle operation remained.
2007: The next generation of McCurry’s, including Greg, Brad, Geoff and Barry buy out the previous generation. They implemented an estate plan they and their fathers had worked on for years and began buying the founding partners out over time.
2010: The McCurry Bros. raised the Grand Champion female at the National Junior Angus Show.
2019: Today, the diversified operation is home to about 500 registered Angus cows and row crops including corn, soybeans, alfalfa and cotton.
Interested in more stories like this? Read how White Oak Ranch saved time and boosted cattle performance by making a nutritional switch.
Does your cattle nutrition program stack up? Find out with a Proof Pays trial.
Last year the family celebrated 90 years in the registered cattle business, where Angus roots run deep. So deep, in fact, that the cattle they currently raise trace back to the first Angus cattle brought to the U.S. in 1873. See the McCurry Bros. Angus historical timeline below.
Today, the diversified operation is owned by Barry, Geoff, Brad and Greg McCurry. They run about 500 registered cows and grow corn, soybeans, alfalfa and cotton.
The McCurry’s have had several successful Angus cattle sales over the decades but now focus on selling bulls and females private treaty.
“Our legacy is built on cattle with predictable Angus genetics,” says Greg McCurry. “By pairing those Angus genetics with predictable cattle feed, we’re taking the guesswork out of things.”
The path to predictable cattle feed. 
Predictable cattle feed is exactly what the McCurry’s were looking for when they sold the McCurry Bros. elevator in 2000. They needed an alternative to mixing their own cattle feed.“There were a couple of local, custom mills and co-ops that did a nice job and we could use our own commodities,” says Greg McCurry. “We kept coming back to Purina because their products were predictable, reliable and came with the support we needed. We’re never just looking for a product – we’re also looking for the service that goes with it.”
The McCurry Bros. have a great relationship with their Purina dealer, Woodard’s of Maize, Kansas, and with other Purina team members who visit and go through the herd.
“We’ll discuss everything from fly control to seasonal nutritional needs and challenges beyond nutrition,” says Greg McCurry. “Everyone is looking out for our best interests, and it’s really been a great relationship.”
Dependability spans all life stages.
A product line the McCurry’s have relied on over the years is Accuration® feeds and supplements. They use Accuration® feed for nearly every life stage, from calves and heifers to cows and bulls.“Accuration® products allow us to maintain or tune up body condition,” says Greg. “That’s particularly important when it comes to our bulls. We need to make sure they’re in top shape when potential buyers come visit. It also works great when we’re trying to condition bulls and young females for breeding.”
“Because intake is so consistent, we always know how much the cattle will eat and what our cattle feed costs are going to be,” adds Greg McCurry.
The cattle at McCurry Bros. run like range cattle and aren’t given special treatment just because of their Angus genetics.
“Accuration® supplements allow us to run cattle on poorer quality, coarse forage and maintain performance. We also rely on Accuration® Liquid Supplement for extreme situations, like harsh winters,” he adds.
Greg also appreciates not having to carry buckets of cattle feed because the cattle have continuous access to supplement, so they’re not waiting at the gate for a pellet or cube delivery.
Smart decisions for smart ROI.
The McCurry’s thrive on making smart decisions with a focus on three things: Angus genetics, cattle feed and management.“Genetics, feed and management make up a three-legged stool. Without one of those things, the stool falls to the ground,” says Greg McCurry. “We’ve all seen tough times and it’s common to want to skimp on something. The last thing we want to do is have open cows or heifers that won’t cycle.”
“We’ve got an incredible amount of effort, labor, time and money wrapped up in our cattle. So, we’ve got to make sure the females are in good shape and cycling in range conditions. Supplementation is a key strategy we use to do that,” he adds.
Continuing the legacy.
“Farming isn’t getting any easier,” says Greg. “But, we’ve got a lot of faith in our cow herd.”The McCurry’s, like many farmers, are looking for ways to stay sustainable and successful for decades to come – for them it gets back to making smart decisions and hoping the markets turn in the cattlemen’s favor.
“We’ve got to make smart decisions, especially during tough economic times,” says Greg McCurry. “We look for things that are predictable and dependable. Things that do what they’re advertised to do. We plan to use Purina for years to come.”
The McCurry Brothers: A long-standing tradition
1873: George Grant transported four Angus bulls from Scotland to Victoria, Kansas, bringing the very first Angus cattle to the United States.1913: Johnson Workman, Walter McCurry’s brother-in-law, established an Angus herd descending from George Grant’s cattle.
1928: Walter McCurry bought the McCurry family’s first Angus cattle, two heifers, from Johnson Workman. Walter farmed along with his wife Cora in Geneseo, Kansas.
1934: Walter and Cora moved with their six children to Sedgwick County, Kansas, where they continued farming and raising Angus cattle.
1956: Walter dispersed the Angus herd.
1958: Walter’s five sons formed a partnership and ran 100 registered cows, using elite Angus bulls. The herd expanded and grew. The brothers started exhibiting at cattle shows and exhibited the Grand Champion bull at the Kansas Futurity. The family also became involved with state and national Angus leadership positions.
1962: The brothers purchased the McCurry Bros. elevator in Mount Hope, Kansas, which developed into a thriving business offering feed, fertilizer and more.
1968: McCurry Bros. exhibited the Supreme Champion at the Western National Angus Futurity.
1996: The family exhibited Sedgwicks Rebar, one of just five Angus to win the “triple crown”, which includes the All-American Angus Breeders Futurity, North American Livestock Exposition and the National Western Stock Show.
2000: The elevator is sold, but the cattle operation remained.
2007: The next generation of McCurry’s, including Greg, Brad, Geoff and Barry buy out the previous generation. They implemented an estate plan they and their fathers had worked on for years and began buying the founding partners out over time.
2010: The McCurry Bros. raised the Grand Champion female at the National Junior Angus Show.
2019: Today, the diversified operation is home to about 500 registered Angus cows and row crops including corn, soybeans, alfalfa and cotton.
Interested in more stories like this? Read how White Oak Ranch saved time and boosted cattle performance by making a nutritional switch.
Does your cattle nutrition program stack up? Find out with a Proof Pays trial.
