One Step at a Time

This Georgia couple brought safety and efficiency to their cattle handling with a new WW system from Southern States.

As Ralph Moses and his wife, Donna, worked their 60-cow beef herd, they realized the task was getting dangerous.

"I almost lost some fingers working these cows and calves in our old wooden corral," Ralph recalls. "It was a death trap."

But Moses feels safer now that he and his wife Donna have installed a new WW corral system. The cattle-working equipment was recently purchased from Carrollton Service, their local Southern States retailer in Carrollton, Ga.

With advice from Southern States and help from cattle adviser Robert Redding, left, Donna and Ralph Moses have built a practical cattle working facility, one section at a time.

"This system seems designed to put cattle at ease. They really settle down; they're relaxed," Donna notes.

Best of all, the couple says they were able to purchase and install the system in steps.

The new corral includes a squeeze chute, a turn drum and several sections of lane. The complete system makes cattle-working time a lot less frustrating for the Moses family and their chief cattle adviser Robert Redding.

The cattle business is a part-time project for the two busy professionals who live on their rural acreage just a few miles outside of Carrollton, Ga., Ralph runs MWC Construction Co. and Donna is a successful periodontist in Carrollton.

But their country place and cattle are their true loves. Both Ralph and Donna come from rural backgrounds--he in south Georgia and she in central Mississippi. "You just can't get the country out of a Mississippi girl," quips Donna.

However, the couple was new to the cattle business when they purchased their dream country property a decade ago. That's when lifetime Carrollton area resident Robert Redding sold some of his family land to Ralph and Donna.

It turned out that Redding, now 79 years old, knew cattle and offered his help to get his new neighbors started with their desire for a small-scale cattle herd. The 60-cow herd grazes on about 150 acres of owned and leased pasture. To breed their Hereford and Santa Gertrudis cows, the Moses have one registered Black Angus and one registered Brangus bull.

Redding says he finds satisfaction in being the Moses' chief cattle adviser. Says Donna of Robert and his wife Virginia, "They are like parents to us."

"This system allows you to grow into a working facility as money and herd expansion allows" - Mike Harper

It was Robert who linked the couple with the staff at Carrollton Service, his regular farm supply store. "Store manager Mike Harper assessed our old facilities and recommended a system that would suit our needs," Ralph explains.

The experts at Southern States recommended that they install the WW system step-by-step. The step-by-step idea was simply a budget management plan that fit their needs, Ralph and Donna point out.

"We run our cattle operation on a pay-as-you go basis," Ralph explains. "Only cattle money goes into improving our herd and upgrading the equipment we use."

When they decided to go with the WW system, the squeeze chute and turn drum came first. The lane sections were added later, as cash from calf sales became available.

"It was great that Southern States was willing to work with us on that basis," Ralph says.

With direction from the staff at the Carrollton Southern States store, Ralph and Donna, along with help from Redding installed the system.

That's not necessary, though, Harper notes. "The WW sales representative is willing to deliver and help set up these systems for folks," he emphasizes.

"These systems are popular," Harper adds, "so we keep a large inventory of the heavy-duty WW equipment on hand."

The turn drum is key to the system the Moses family installed. "The cattle can't back up and run over you," says Ralph. "It's a real lifesaver. I used to dread working the cattle," he admits.

"Now with our WW system from Southern States, I actually look forward to getting out and getting the job done."

Ralph and Donna Moses like the many practical features and ease of use of their WW livestock handling system from Southern States	The sectional design of their WW system allowed the couple to work with Southern States, acquriing their system one section at a time as money from their cattle became available.
Robert Moses credits Robert Redding for his advice and encouragement as he and Donna got into the cattle business.		featured products