Name: Tommy Caudel
In Town: Tommy has worked for the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department for 33 years. He is the area headquarter’s attendant and takes care of the books and payroll and all consigned stock.
In the Country: Tommy runs 30 head of Angus cattle at their farm in Salem, Ark., and markets their stock under the family company, TBC Angus. Tommy and family have had Angus cattle since 1964. He is also the sale manager for the Heart of the Ozarks Angus Association. “I get consignments and put the sale catalog together, and get everything ready for the sales every year." Prior to managing the sale (for over 10 years) he was an officer with the association. He has been associated with heart of Ozarks Angus Association since 1975.
Family: Wife – Becky, two children – Jeremy and Anthony, and eight grandchildren.
How do you balance time at work and at the farm?
“In the summertime I’ll work 10 hour days with the highway department, then try to take care of the farm and grandkids; there are not many spare hours in the day. My weekends – I have three days off – that helps out considerably,” Tommy said. Tommy and family AIs all their cows and he said they have to and keep up with performance data on all their registered females and bulls. Also, Tommy does the sale manager’s job as a volunteer.
“I just try to do things that will benefit the association and keep things going smoothly.”
What are the challenges keeping a registered herd?
“You have to stay on top of the figures because commercial breeders all want to have the most information that you can give them. We keep up with all birthing, weaning and yearling weights and do ultrasound data on our bulls and females as well.”
Why Angus?
“It’s what I was raised with. An Angus momma cow is the best producer for our environment. She’ll have a calf every year and where another cow would give up she’ll have that calf.”
