Mark Core knows what the Vermeer VSR mixer can do for cattle producers. It cuts waste, handles tough feedstuffs and delivers a consistent total mixed ration that keeps cattle coming back to the bunk. 

He’s put it to the test on his own farm — and it delivered. 

“It does it without as much spilling out,” Core said. “I wondered if it was still mixing because I couldn’t see any hay flopping up over the top.” 

His product feedback matters. With nearly 30 years at Vermeer and a lifetime raising premium cattle, Core brings a dual perspective that helps shape the very tools he uses. His experience on both sides of the gate — forage product development and day-to-day cattle care — makes him an invaluable resource for the company and the producers it serves. 

“I care about this industry so much,” said Core, executive vice president and chief marketing officer at Vermeer. “I work with a whole bunch of people who have a deep personal commitment to bring innovations that increase efficiency, reduce time and create happier cows.” 

Here’s how Core’s experience helped prove what a TMR mixer can accomplish. 

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How the Vermeer vertical mixer handles real-world feeding challenges

At Boyert-Core Farms, Core and his wife, Deb, work alongside their daughter and son-in-law to carry on a multigenerational legacy rooted in cattle production and innovation. Their operation adapts to whatever the season or market provides — dry hay, wet bales, corn silage and more. 

That kind of variability is exactly why a Vermeer vertical mixer matters. 

“You’ve got here in this bale yard … about as rank a stuff as you can get,” Core said. “This was baled off a pasture way too late, to be honest with you, but it can be really well utilized in a TMR when we’re blending with these other feedstuffs.” 

The Vermeer mixer helps him turn that mix into a nutritious, consistent ration — one his cattle want to eat. 

“I know for sure if I would put this in a bale ring, I’d have some pretty disappointed cows,” he said. “I know for sure when it’s in that bunk over there combined with some wet hay and some corn silage, they love it every day we feed it to them.” 

That kind of flexibility is essential for producers like Core, who feed through Iowa winters and unpredictable growing seasons. The VSR mixer gives him the ability to manage a TMR with confidence — even when the ingredients are far from perfect. 

A TMR mixer that fits the rhythm of the farm

Core’s feeding routine is shaped by the seasons and the needs of his herd. He starts with dry hay, adds a silage bale, then finishes with corn silage. The VSR mixer handles it all. 

“Our typical ration this time of year is a 6-foot by 5-foot dry hay bale, one of our silage bales and then the appropriate amount of corn silage,” he said. “It’s just been really, really good for this operation to be able to mix these feeds this way.” 

Core’s connection to Vermeer runs deeper than his job title.  

His farm has hosted early prototypes of Vermeer hay equipment for years — from autonomous bale movers to trailed mowers. For him, this isn’t just business — it’s personal. 

“I talk to cattle friends across the country seven days a week,” he said. “Some are involved with Vermeer and that business I do during the day. Some of it is based on our business here in the seedstock business. That’s why it gets real personal.” 

He’s seen firsthand how the right equipment can make a difference — not just in efficiency, but in the lives of producers. 

“I often think that as cattle producers we don’t necessarily love equipment — we love what the equipment does for our cattle and our operations,” Core said. “To see it in person and in steel and working and watch how it works in our operation, that’s just a real delight.” 

That same passion for helping producers is what Core sees in his colleagues at Vermeer. 

“I get the same exact thing when I show up at 7 o’clock in the morning at Vermeer,” he said. “My colleagues are passionate about solving farmers’ and ranchers’ problems and making life better for them. It just becomes very personal for us.” 

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Equipment shown is for illustrative purposes only and may display optional accessories or components specific to their global region.
Please contact your local Vermeer dealer for more information on machine specifications. 

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