Glen Ullin feed mill begins manufacturing cow pellets

Apr 07, 2023

The Mill starts manufacturing pellets.

GLEN ULLIN, N.D. – The Mill, a new livestock feed mill in southwestern North Dakota, began manufacturing cattle pellets on Nov. 21.

Ben and Darcy Mickelson, owners of All Day Trucking in Jamestown, N.D., recently purchased The Mill in the former Dakotaland Feeds facility in Glen Ullin. Dakotaland Feeds closed its doors six months ago.

Mickelson said interest in feed supplementation for livestock has been high since he took over the feed mill, and they have already started manufacturing pellets.

"We just ran through some corn pellets to test the new pellet machine, and we’ve been getting everything shined up. We’ll start manufacturing this afternoon," Mickelson said on Monday, Nov. 21. "The first run is going to be a 20 percent range cube or cattle cake for feeding cows out on the range or winter pastures. This pellet is the size of a shotgun shell."

The range cube is an ideal supplement with the foot or more of snow the region received in November. Mickelson said the range cube is easier for cattle to pick up versus a pellet out in winter pastures and can be put out on top of the snow and fed to cattle that way.

The Mill has the ability to churn out 25-30 tons of pelleted feed per day.

In addition to pelleted feed, The Mill will sell loose feeds and can make custom feed mixes for customers.

Mickelson is excited about the Glen Ullin location because of the number of cattle producers in the area.

"We’re really excited about being here and starting The Mill. There are a lot of cattle producers in the western and central regions of North Dakota where we are located, so I think it will be great," he said.

Not only cattle, but livestock owners of sheep, pigs, buffalo and chickens, along with wildlife, can find feed at The Mill. The Mill can deliver the feed with trucks with augers or producers can come and pick it up. Feed will be sold in bags, totes, or in bulk.

"What sets us apart from some of the larger outfits out there is we will be able to do some of the custom blends for maybe the smaller producers; we’re not that big ourselves," Mickelson said. "So that's where we’re hoping our niche is."

The Mill has also partnered with Famo Feeds, a feed company in Freeport, Minn., and they will formulate rations and provide minerals for the feed mixtures.

The Mickelsons bought The Mill because they felt it fit well with what they have already been doing at All Day Trucking.

"We transport a lot of ag byproducts like screenings, distillers grains, wheat midds, soy hulls and potato waste to feedlots, cattle producers, and other feed mills," he said.

They bought a live bottom trailer to haul wet distillers grain byproduct after the Spiritwood ethanol plant began operation.

All Day Trucking trucks byproducts up north to the Canadian border for the feedlots, down to the southern South Dakota border, west to Billings, Mont., and east to Minnesota.

The Mill can use some of those byproducts in building the feed mixes and will ship product throughout the U.S., but Mickelson hopes to sell the majority of the feed to western and central North Dakota cattle producers.

Ethan Kaml, a former Dakotaland Feeds employee, will be managing The Mill.

After they purchased the feed facility, Mickelson found out the pellet mill had been removed.

"We had to buy another one refurbished and install it," he said.

Mickelson said his goal is to make a good, high quality feed product for livestock, and make sure the feed stays reasonably priced for local customers/cattle producers.

Dakotaland Feeds helped Mickelson get started with enough feed so customers in the area would not be left without supplement for their livestock.

"We appreciated the support from Dakotaland Feeds. It is helping us get a start here," he concluded.

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