Running a commercial herd of a little over a 100 head of fullblood Limousin cattle is what keeps Richard Nelson, 88, of Chelsea, Okla., on one side of the road or the other. It also attributed to him being named the Fullblood Limousin Commercial Producer of the Year. His calf crop consists of both spring and fall breeding which are separated by a dirt road. “I keep my fall crop on one side of the road and my spring crop on the other. Depending on the season, I keep the breeding crop closer to me to keep a better eye on them,” said Richard.
Before purchasing the farm, Richard worked up and down the east coast for a pipeline company. “My wife, Leota, and I moved different places with them. I eventually moved back to take over the farm and when my dad retired I bought the farm from him. When we used milk cans, we could skim the cream off of the top and make our own butter but when we switched to a tank, we could not do that. I really liked the dairying and stuck with it for 43 years until my knees gave out. I got my knees replaced and have not had a single problem since. If I was hard-headed, I would have stayed in it longer.” They maintained that operation until they decided to switch to raising beef stock.
He expects to have 40 calves for his fall season. “I have 15 calves on the ground now; the mommas are having babies every day now. It is hard to tell when they will drop one; I just check a couple times a day,” said Richard. The calves are weaned from its mother after six to seven months. I really like this breed. I used to go to the stockyards and when I found out the Limousin brought 10 cents more a pound I chose this breed over any of them. I have been satisfied with them; the beef is very lean. They grow so well after you wean them. I wean them 45 days before I sell them. You would be surprised at how much they gain,” he added.
His cattle are sold at 700 pounds, and sometimes at 800 pounds. “For personal use, I feed them out. But when they are sold, they will go to a feedlot to be finished.” Richard sells his Limousin to Laura’s Lean Beef in Lexington, Ky. “I sell twice a year to them. I just load them up, take them to Chelsea to be weighed and they are loaded on a semi-truck there. Then they are off to Nebraska to a feedlot. After they finish them, they are processed and sold back to Laura’s Lean Beef which were originally only available on the east coast but the Limousin beef has made its way back home to Oklahoma and can be purchased in local markets.”
The cattle graze on 400 acres of fescue, bermuda and bluegrass throughout the year and are rotated when the acreage needs replenishment time. The average consumption per head of bovine is about an acre and a half, with a maximum of two acres. He is still able to bale hay and generally has a large amount of grass left over. A good rainy season gives about an acre per head. His five ponds keeps the cattle well hydrated and he uses cement troughs.
He used to raise a little dirt crop but bales his hay now and always has some held over. He said, “I have more than enough. I have not bought hay for many years. This year I had a good hay crop. The rain last week really helped. We got an inch and half and helped make some fall pasture. The current nutritional value is around 15 percent to 17 percent. In the dry years, I had some pretty sorry hay. But this year is good as long as the rain comes. In the winter I will supplement with a 33 pound of a 37 percent protein block; they come running when they see it. It will take a week to go through one block. They are fed hay every day in the winter and pastured until they are sold.” He sprays and brush hogs his pastures but claims he sprays most of the time. He used to drill in wheat in the fall but not anymore. The fescue that comes up in the fall makes good pasture.
Richard credits the way cattle are raised to having a healthy herd. “It is very rare that I have to give antibiotics or have to take them to the vet. I just do not have any problems. People who buy from me continue to do so because of the good health. I do not give any to the calves because they nurse and do not need them. I never had a calf get sick so they have a pretty good immune system. I will give them their vaccinations to prevent pneumonia and other illnesses they would get if not protected,” he stated.
As far as retiring, “I farm because my dad and my grandfather farmed. I just did not know any better. I will keep doing this; it keeps me going,” ended Richard.
