After a busy bull sale, making an effort to be present

Katie Kaliff-Jagels
Mar 12, 2026
Mar 12, 2026

Sandhills Sunrise (5).jpeg — The Jagels family hosted their annual Cattlemen's Cut bull sale Feb. 26 at the ranch in Brewster.
Submitted photo by Katie Kaliff-Jagels

Facebook
Twitter
Bluesky
WhatsApp
SMS
Email
Print
Save

Another bull sale in the books, and I’m writing this to you on a wet rainy day. It truly feels like I can breathe again, and I think Jason feels the same way.

kAm$2=6 52J :D 2=H2JD 96C6 2?5 8@?6 :? E96 3=:?< @7 2? 6J6[ 2?5 H:E9 D@ >F49 AC6A2C2E:@? =625:?8 FA E@ :E[ :E E2<6D 2 52J @C EH@ E@ C64@G6C] x’G6 4@>A2C65 9@DE:?8 2 3F== D2=6 E@ A=2??:?8 7@C 2 H655:?8[ @?=J 255 D@>6 =:G6 2?:>2=D E@ E96 >:I] }@ AC@3=6>[ C:89Enk^Am

Sandhills Sunrise (1).jpeg — Jason and Katie Jagels, center, stand with their daughter and their parents at their annual Cattlemen's Cut bull sale.
Submitted photo

kAm%96 F?56C=J:?8 766=:?8 @7 D@ >F49 8C2E:EF56 :D E96 D2>6 7@C 3@E9] (6’C6 D@ E92?<7F= E@ 36 23=6 E@ 9@DE A6@A=6 2E @FC C2?49 @?46 2 J62C[ 2?5 :E’D D@ 7F? 7@C FD E@ 92G6 @FC A=246 ;FDE 3FKK:?8 H:E9 D@ >2?J 72>:=J 2?5 7C:6?5D E92E 4@>6 2?5 96=A 2?5 DFAA@CE FD] (6 4@F=5?’E 5@ 2?J @7 :E H:E9@FE E96>]k^Am

kAm|J 52F89E6C :D 364@>:?8 2 3:8 72? @7 D2=6 52J 2=D@] x E9:?< 4F>F=2E:G6=J D96 925 FAH2C5D @7 E9C66 5@?FED[ E9C66 4@@<:6D[ 2?5 2 DF4<6C @C EH@ 7C@> @FC 7C:6?5 H9@ ;FDE 42?’E C6D:DE 86EE:?8 96C 2== DF82C65 FA 7@C FD] $96 925 E96 36DE E:>6 A=2J:?8 :? E96 5:CE H:E9 E96 @E96C <:5D] $96 H2D @? E96 >@G6[ 2?5 x 76=E =:<6 x 32C6=J D2H 96C >@DE @7 E96 52J]k^Am

kAm}6H E9:D J62C 2E E96 D2=6[ x 925 2 4@FA=6 @7 >J 8:C=7C:6?5D CF??:?8 H92E x =:<6 E@ 42== 2 =:EE=6 “q667 q2C[” H96C6 A6@A=6 4@F=5 AFC492D6 @FC 3667 AC@5F4ED] (6 92G6 D@>6 C62==J 8C62E DA64:2=EJ AC@5F4ED[ DF49 2D DF>>6C D2FD286[ D?24< DE:4<D[ 3667 ;6C<J 2?5 9@E 5@8D] x 92G6 J6E E@ 7:8FC6 @FE E96 >@DE 64@?@>:42= H2J E@ D9:A A6C:D923=6 AC@5F4ED[ D@ x’> E92?<7F= 7@C E96 23:=:EJ E@ D6== :? A6CD@? =:<6 E9:D] ~?6 @7 E96D6 52JD x’== 86E >J >:?5 7@4FD65 @? E96 3667 3FD:?6DD 7@C 2 52J 2?5 86E :E 7:8FC65 @FE]k^Am

kAm|J 7F== E:>6 ;@3 92D 366? 3FDJ[ 2?5 x 92G6 E@ E6== J@F x H@C< H:E9 D@>6 @7 E96 8C62E6DE 2?5 ?:46DE A6@A=6 :? E96 28 :?5FDECJ] x ECF=J 496C:D9 2== E96 4@?G6CD2E:@?D] w2G:?8 D@ >2?J A6@A=6 ECFDE >6 E@ 96=A H:E9 E96:C 25G6CE:D:?8 :D D@>6E9:?8 x H:== ?6G6C E2<6 7@C 8C2?E65]k^Am

Sandhills Sunrise (3).jpeg — February brought a short blast of winter and some much needed moisture to the Sandhills.
Submitted photo by Katie Kaliff-Jagels

People are also reading…

Understanding mineral tags can help cattle producers better understand what to provide
Bull breeding soundness exams should not be overlooked
Guthrie County, Iowa, woman continues family farm legacy
Trend of growing production expenses troubling for agriculture
Spring rains will struggle to make up for deficits
Bieber Fever Performance Yearling Bull Sale
Rollins highlights trade, farm policy progress during Commodity Classic general session
Gustin's Diamond Gelbvieh Annual Production Sale
MacDonald Ranches Performance Power 2026 Sale
Meristem focuses on reducing crop input costs for farmers
Heart River Ranch Annual Production Sale
Feeder cattle prices hit temporary plateau
Thorstenson's Lazy TV Ranch 45th Annual Bull Sale
Sandmeier Charolais 45th Annual Bull Sale
Pederson's Broken Heart Ranch 48th Annual Production Sale

kAmx 925 2 4@?G6CD2E:@? H:E9 2 4=:6?E 23@FE D@>6 E9:?8D E96J 925 8@?6 E9C@F89[ 2?5 D@>6 E92E x 925 6?4@F?E6C65 E@@[ 2?5 367@C6 H6 9F?8 FA 96 D2:5 9@H AC@F5 96 H2D @7 y2D@? 2?5 x >2<:?8 :E 2== H@C< 96C6] %96? 96 D2:5[ “x’> ;FDE C62==J =:7E:?8 J@F 2?5 y2D@? FA]”k^Am

Sandhills Sunrise (4).jpeg — The Jagels's cattle have a snow day in February. The month brought up and down temperatures and a bit of snow.
Submitted photo by Katie Kaliff-Jagels

kAmxE D66>D D:>A=6 E@ D2J[ 3FE >2? :E’D DEF4< H:E9 >6 \ E@ E9:?< E92E D@>6@?6 x @?=J G:D:E H:E9 @G6C E96 A9@?6 2 4@FA=6 E:>6D 2 J62C :D AC2J:?8 2?5 E9:?<:?8 @7 FD] x H@C< H:E9 D@ >2?J A6@A=6 E92E x =@@< FA E@ 2?5 G2=F6 D@ >F49] %@ 962C 9:> D2J E92E >256 >6 E9:?< 9@H 7@CEF?2E6 x 2> E@ 92G6 2 3@@< @7 A6@A=6 E@ 42== @? 8@@5 52JD 2?5 325] xE AC@>AE65 >6 E@ DE2CE E6==:?8 A6@A=6 H96? x’> AC2J:?8 7@C E96> E@@]k^Am

kAm$A62<:?8 @7 E92E[ x 5:5 >FDE6C FA E96 4@FC286 2?5 x >256 :E E@ E96 49FC49 A6H @?46 =2DE >@?E9[ 2?5 @?=:?6 EH:46] u@C D@>6 E92E’D ?@E 2 8C62E EC24< C64@C5[ 3FE x 925 E@ DE2CE D@>6H96C6]k^Am

kAmx 42?’E =:6] x 23@FE E2=<65 >JD6=7 @FE @7 :E E92E >@C?:?8[ E9:?<:?8 23@FE 92G:?8 2 E@55=6C H:E9 >6 2?5 E96 F?<?@H?D @7 E92E 25G6?EFC6[ 3FE D96 5:5 D@ H6==] ~?6 E9:?8 D96 5:5 86E 7C@> 96C >@E96C :D 2 8@@5 D?24< H:== <66A FD BF:6E 7@C 2 >:?FE6[ D@ x A24<65 E96 A2?ECJ]k^Am

kAmx 23@FE =@DE >J 4@>A@DFC6 D6G6C2= E:>6Dj x’> ?@E DFC6 H9J 49FC49 9J>?D 2?5 2 8C@FA @7 A6@A=6 D:?8:?8 E@86E96C E@ AC2:D6 E96 {@C5 >2<6D >6 ;FDE 23D@=FE6=J H2?E E@ 4CJ >J 6J6D @FE[ 3FE x E9:?< E92E >:89E 36 E96 3:8 8FJ E6==:?8 >6 E96C6’D 2 C62D@? 7@C :E 2?5 >2J36 x D9@F=5 <66A 4@>:?8 324<]k^Am

kAmtG6CJE9:?8 :D 8@@5 C:89E ?@H[ C:89En x 42?’E 96=A 3FE H:D9 x H2D >@C6 AC6D6?E 7@C :E] |2J36 J@F 766= E92E H2J E@@ H96? J@F 86E E@ 4=:4<:?8 2=@?8 H:E9 D@ >F49 8@:?8 @?] x 92G6 E@ 4@?D4:@FD=J 7:?5 E:>6 E@ A2FD6] tG6? E96? x H:D9 x 4@F=5 D:E 2?5 C6=:D9 2?5 496C:D9 :? E96 >@>6?E 2?5 766= :E 2== 2 =:EE=6 >@C6] x’> E92?<7F= 7@C E96D6 2CE:4=6D 3642FD6 :E >2<6D >6 5@ ;FDE E92E] u@C D@>6 C62D@? H2E49:?8 >J 49:4<6?D CF? E@ >6 E9:?<:?8 x 92G6 2 A@4<6E 7F== @7 D?24<D Wx 5@X 5@6D E@@]k^Am

Sandhills Sunrise (2).jpeg — Bull sale day was a busy one for Jason and Katie Jagels and their daughter. Katie compared it to planning a wedding, with animals in the mix. Their daughter filled up on sweets for the day.
Submitted photo

kAm$A62<:?8 @7 E92E[ E96 49:4<6?D 2C6 =@@<:?8 2 =:EE=6 E9:4<[ :7 J@F H:==] x >2J ?665 E@ =2J @77 E9@D6 D?24<D] yFDE =62G6 :E E@ >6 E@ 92G6 @36D6 49:4<6?D[ x 8F6DD]k^Am

kAmx? E9:D >@>6?E[ E9@F89[ x 2> D@ E92?<7F=] x’> AC6D6?E[ 2?5 x’> C625J 7@C 2== E96 @AA@CEF?:E:6D H2:E:?8 2E 6249 DF?C:D6]k^Am

Katie Kaliff-Jagels is a farmer’s daughter with a passion for fashion, marketing and her rural roots. She and her husband, Jason, ranch in the Nebraska Sandhills—raising Angus bulls, their toddler, and the occasional “surprise” critters that Katie sneaks home.