Cattle family committed to helping kids

Lynn Grooms
Aug 3, 2022
Aug 3, 2022

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The Weigel family poses for a photo in one of their cattle pastures at Weigel's Steer Pit near Cuba City, Wisconsin. From left are Lexi standing with son Kohen, Matt, Miles, Rita standing with Zade, and Mark holding grandson, Witten.

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Mark Weigel talking with cattle show competitor

Mark Weigel talks with an exhibitor at a Northern Illinois Shorthorn Show. He judged the junior show.

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Ashlynn Norgard of Darlington, Wisconsin, shows a class-winning market steer at the 2020 Lafayette County Fair. She bought the steer from Weigel's Steer Pit. 'The Weigels gave me a lot of confidence to step outside of my comfort zone,' she said.

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A new crop of club calves relaxes with their mothers in the shade at Weigel's Steer Pit.

Lynn Grooms/Agri-View

Miles Weigel, left, helps his parents, Rita and Mark Weigel, at Weigel's Steer Pit. He also operates a custom-farming business and manages the family's cropping operation.

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Matt Weigel and Ashlynn Norgard preparing steer for show

Ashlynn Norgard, left, and Matt Weigel, in blue, prepare a steer for show. The Weigels, she said, 'check in to make sure I have everything I need to succeed in the show ring.'

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Mark Weigel shows cattle clipping Katie Leahy

Mark Weigel, left, shows Katie Leahy how to clip a steer for show. The youth would go on to win several shows, starting with a grand-champion Maine-Anjou steer at the 2017 Wisconsin State Fair. The Leahy family had purchased that steer and several others from Weigel's Steer Pit.

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Mark Weigel shows his grandson, Zade Weigel, how to clean a club calf. Zade is the son of Matt and Lexi Weigel.

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Weigel's Steer Pit specializes in producing club calves for 4-H and FFA members' beef projects.

Lynn Grooms/Agri-View

Lynn Grooms

CUBA CITY, Wis. – Mark and Rita Weigel were primarily dairy farmers when they began farming in the early 1980s. They milked cows for about 30 years as well as produced feeder pigs. They also raised a few Herefords and showed beef calves. She milked while he showed at various fairs, Rita Weigel said.

Lynn Grooms writes about the diversity of agriculture, including the industry’s newest ideas, research and technologies as a staff reporter for Agri-View based in Wisconsin.