Behind the Herd: Cat Power Protects Livestock Health
Nestled in the cattle-dense heartland of southwest Kansas, operations like Wilroads Feed Yard aren’t just a part of the local economy - they’re the primary economic engine that makes everything else possible.
CLIENT: Wilroads Feed Yard
LOCATION: Dodge City, KS
CAT EQUIPMENT: Gas gensets: DG125-2, DG150 (2), DG150-2; Diesel gensets: D150GC, 3512C
Introduction
Just a few miles outside of Dodge City—the legendary Old West town in southwest Kansas made famous by the exploits of lawman and gambler Wyatt Earp—Wilroads operates a vast facility dedicated to feeding and finishing cattle for major beef processors like Tyson, Cargill, JBS, and National.
Wilroads Feed Yard has been a staple of the region since its establishment in 1962, originally holding just 4,000- to 5,000 head of cattle. Over the decades, ownership changed hands and the operation expanded. Today, under the leadership of Keith and Tessa Bowman, and with day-to-day management by Travis McGuire, the yard currently supports 36,000 head—and that number is growing.
“We’re in the process of expanding up to 46,000,” McGuire says. “We take cattle that weigh anywhere from 500 to 750 pounds and finish them to about 1,400 to 1,600 pounds before sending them to harvest.”
Working at Wilroads for 15 years. McGuire has overseen much of this transformation. It’s a huge, complex operation, involving the import of corn, precision steam flaking for feed preparation, and water systems that keep tens of thousands of animals hydrated. It’s a 24/7 enterprise that doesn’t have the luxury of waiting for the local utility to restore power during an outrage.Reliable backup power
Behind the scenes of this massive operation is a quietly reliable system keeping things moving—even when the lights go out. Power is the lifeblood of the operation. Without it, everything grinds to a halt—and the consequences are immediate and serious.
“In southwest Kansas, it’s very desolate, and we’re at the mercy of the weather—ice storms, wind surges, tornadoes and straight-line winds,” McGuire says. “Without power, we can’t deliver water, we can’t run the mill, we can’t feed the cattle. It impacts everything from our office operations to our doctoring pens.”
That’s where Cat® standby generator sets come in—including a D150 GC model housed in a well facility. Installed with the help of Foley Power Solutions and specified by contractor Max Jantz Excavating (MJE), the generator acts as an insurance policy for one of the yard’s most critical water wells.Altogether, Wilroads has six Cat generators serving in various capacities. Four are fueled by natural gas, while the D150 GC unit runs on diesel fuel.
“The D150 GC backs up this well, which provides water throughout the yard—not just for drinking but also for irrigation to grow the feed,” explains Cliff Gamblin, a territory sales manager with Foley Power Solutions. “Its main function is to make sure we can continue to water the feed yard and keep the cattle comfortable during power outages.”
D150 GC Generator
While smaller in size, the D150 GC is a robust, reliable solution tailored for industrial-scale needs like those of Wilroads. It’s part of Caterpillar’s GC series, designed to provide solid performance with user-friendly operation and reduced installation costs.
“This diesel GC unit will accept 100 percent block load in one step, based on the voltage and frequency dips allowed,” Gamblin says. “It will operate in ambient temperatures up to 131 degrees, which is essential with the weather that we experience during southwest Kansas summers.”One of the standout features is the unit’s GCCP 1.2 control module.
“It’s very user-friendly,” Gamblin says. “It’s got a simple start/stop/auto function and integrates directly with the transfer switch. So the generator starts and stops automatically based on utility availability.”
This reliability isn’t just theory—it’s verified before the generator even leaves the factory. “Every generator is tested at the Caterpillar facility to ensure it meets performance standards,” Gamblin adds. “By the time it’s installed, we already know it’s going to work.” The six Cat standby generators positioned across the facility support different critical systems—from the feed mill to processing barns and water pumps.
The decision to include the diesel-powered D150 GC was intentional, offering a layer of redundancy in a network that had previously relied on natural gas-powered units. (The 3512C diesel generator backs up power to the feed mill.)
“The other generators on site are natural gas for easier maintenance and fuel supply,” Gamblin says. “But we wanted to bring in a diesel option to provide redundancy. If the gas service ever goes down, we can use this diesel unit to keep things running.” That forward-thinking approach is essential for an operation of this scale.
“Every square foot of a project is valuable,” Gamblin notes, referring to the smaller footprint of the GC generator. “We wanted to make sure we’re maximizing space while still delivering performance.”
Reliable dealer support
At the core of Wilroads’ successful deployment of backup power is its long-standing relationship with Foley Power Solutions—and specifically with Gamblin.
“Cliff and I know each other outside of work,” McGuire says, reflecting the close-knit fabric of a town with 27,000-plus inhabitants. “He’s always served us well. He sold me the first generator we installed. He works well with our electrical contractor, WesKan Electric, and he always answers the phone—or finds someone who can.”
That sentiment is echoed by Aaron Jantz, CEO of MJE, the general contractor handling Wilroads’ latest expansion, which will grow the head count from 36,000 to 46,000 cattle.
Collaboration
“We’ve worked with Foley for years—on equipment, rentals, and now backup power,” Jantz says. “Cliff has been essential in helping us size generators appropriately. We’ll say, ‘Here’s what we’re building,’ and Cliff comes back with exactly what’s needed for power. We rely on that.”In a previous expansion at Wilroads, MJE’s turnkey design and construction experience resulted in the creation of a state-of-the-art processing and monitoring facility. After consulting with livestock experts, the project incorporated features that better protect cattle and cowboys alike. According to Jantz, the decision to use Foley to install and maintain backup power was easy.
“We chose them because of the service,” he says. “We know the product is top-notch, but if anything ever goes wrong, Foley has our back and will be here fast.”
Gamblin echoes that commitment: “Our dealership is just two miles down the road, so we have service techs who can come out quickly. Between Caterpillar’s extensive parts support and that of our dealership, we can have equipment operational within 24 hours—and usually much less—98 percent of the time.”
KEEPING IT READY
Backup power is only useful if it’s ready when you need it, which is why Wilroads takes generator maintenance seriously. Each unit is tested monthly under load for about 30 minutes, and Foley technicians perform annual inspections, checking fluids and running diagnostic tests.
“We like to be able to see them tested with a load,” McGuire says. “It’s nice to know they run, but more important to know they’ll run under pressure. We do the basic checks -make sure nothing’s leaking - but we leave the serious stuff to Foley. That’s why we have a service agreement with them.”
Ultimately, the stakes are high at Wilroads. Every delay in feed or water impacts cattle health, performance, and ultimately, profitability.
“This region couldn’t survive without the cattle industry,” Jantz says. “There are more cattle than people here, and operations like Wilroads are the backbone of the local economy.”
The reliability of power—both from the grid and from standby solutions like the GC generator—ensures that this engine of economic growth never stalls.
As Wilroads Feed Yard marches toward its 46,000-head goal, it does so with the quiet confidence that comes from experience, preparation, and dependable partnerships. The Cat generators may not be the most prominent machines on the yard, but they’re some of the most vital.
“With Foley and Cliff, we know we’re in good hands,” McGuire says. “They’ve been with us for the long haul, and we trust them to keep things running - no matter what.” In a business where every minute of downtime costs thousands, and every day is a high-stakes race to feed America, Wilroads Feed Yard isn’t just feeding cattle - it’s feeding progress, powered by planning, partnership, and a fleet of hardworking, dependable Cat generators.