The Angus Journal® is a monthly magazine known for in-depth coverage of American Angus Association® programs and services; the Angus business; herd management; and advertising reflecting genetics and herd philosophies.
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262 ■ ANGUSJournal ■ February 2017 I t's not often that you see a farm with seven generations behind it, but Nissley Bros. Farm, Mount Joy, Pa., is one of those rare few. Operated today by brothers Darwin and Bernard Nissley, the land was purchased in 1795. "Our dad built the feedlot in 1967 for 250 cattle," Darwin says. He and Bernard tore down an outbuilding and remodeled the existing bank barn and expanded the operation's capacity to 375 head in 1990. Today, the Nissleys operate a successful feedlot on 177 owned and 273 rented acres, a partnership that started in 1983. The operation includes a bank barn with a roof, two feedbunks, a silo and a manure pit — a typical setup for a Pennsylvania farm. The entire feedlot accommodates 800 head and hosts tours through the Pennsylvania Beef Council and their local extension agent. Considering they've worked together for more than 30 years, Darwin and Bernard still get along very well. They say they've had their disagreements, but, for the most part, working together has been successful. One of the first things the brothers did was contour their farm and eliminate the big fields that had rows running up and down the hills. The result is less water runoff, and any runoff from the feedlot is contained. "We have to be careful of runoff since we have a creek that runs through our land," Darwin says. They also use no-till farming practices to hold water and preserve the soil. "More can go wrong with no-till," Bernard adds. "It requires more management — no rock picking, less wear on equipment and less stress. Planters today can handle no-till conditions better than they could before." In 1997, the brothers built a slatted-floor barn with fans and a manure pit underneath to house 500 head of cattle. Rubber was installed on top of the slatted floors to Not Your Typical Pennsylvania Farm Darwin and Bernard Nissley's 800-head feedlot thrives in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. by Sarah Hill, projects editor Angus Across America n gus gus gus A cross A cross cross A America PENNSYLVANIA Nissley Bros. Feedlot: @ Above: The Nissleys started their partnership in 1983 and operate on 177 owned and 273 rented acres of contoured farmland. @ Left: Darwin and Bernard Nissley, Mount Joy, Pa., feed out 800 yearlings on land that has been in their family since 1795.