High school sweethearts Brett and Andrea Nall married soon after high school and graduated from Arkansas Tech University. One goal was for Brett to be able to farm full time, even though they had to start from scratch. For a number of years they lived on a small 13-acre farm in Spring Valley, Ark., where they raised a small commercial cattle herd and horses. Brett had already learned “cow stuff” like AI and was a farrier for 15 years while Andrea taught school.
The couple saved money, and in 2008 began hunting for an operating farm. Early on they discarded the idea of raising chickens because the investment was too high. Two years later they found a 90-acre dairy farm in Colcord, Okla., close enough to the state line for Andrea to obtain a teaching position in Gravette, Ark. They purchased the farm six months after the owner had retired his dairy herd.
Brett is methodical and thoughtful. After investigating different breeds, Brett settled on Jerseys because they produce more milk per pound of body weight, have higher protein and butterfat content and require less acreage per cow. They also reproduce easily and tolerate Ozarks weather well.
“I put a pencil to it and figured out that I could make more money with Jerseys through Central Federal Milk Order, which pays by components such as butterfat and protein,” Brett said.
In 2010, Brett and Andrea bought a herd of 45 Jerseys in Kentucky for their new farm, a work in progress. Brett used portable fencing for several years in his intensive rotational grazing program, but now has 17 fields with high tensile wire. Fortunately, because Jerseys are smaller, fencing does not need to be as high as it does with Holsteins. Brett rotates his cows every three milkings, having learned higher grass produces more milk at a lower feed cost, though he does use grain as a supplement. Another renovation project was restructuring the milking parlor to fit the smaller cows. This included narrowing the milking stations, as well as shortening them by shimming the outside wall with boards.
“I already knew how to take care of cows, but milk cows have special needs I was totally unfamiliar with,” Brett recalled. “Without help from a lot of people, including my neighbors and my partners, I wouldn’t have been able to make it.”
One tip he received from Jolly Wiseman was placing hay in the shade because the cows seek shade and will therefore eat.
Very early on, after buying a Jersey bull from the David Boyer family because he liked the bull’s bloodlines, Brett entered into a contract with the Webbers Falls, Okla., family for a breeding program using bulls from the Boyer farm. The Boyer family want to keep their registered herd’s bloodlines active and send lactating cows to Brett’s to be milked. Brett then sends his heifers back to the Boyer’s for breeding, and the Boyers have the option to purchase heifers from the Nalls. Brett also sells the bull calves on the commercial market. The creative partnership allows both parties to focus on their preferred aspects of the dairy industry.
While Bret understands the advantages of seasonal dairies, he prefers a year-round operation in order to even out cash flow and to allow a cow or heifer to miss a season before being culled. Still unsatisfied with potential income fluctuations, Brett is beginning to diversify his operation by adding a commercial cow/calf component. He had a Limousin bull which he bred to some Jersey cows. He retained 15 of the heifers for the beginning of his commercial herd. That cross is now being bred to an Angus bull, with those cattle being moved to two fields reserved for the commercial herd. While Brett has used AI, he cut to 25 percent last year and will probably only do so with special cows to help develop his commercial herd.
“AI is a good way to improve bloodlines quickly, but it is more labor-intensive so I will use it sparingly for now,” Brett said.
One way Brett was able to fulfill he and Andrea’s desire for him to be a full-time farmer in order to spend more time with his family was by scheduling milkings at 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. He is, therefore, able to help coach his sons. Clayton, 9, who participates in peewee football while Tanner, 16, competes in rodeo roping.
“I like taking care of the animals by feeding the dogs and horses and helping to feed the cows,” Clayton said.
In addition to helping out on the farm, Tanner practices roping with their cattle and was named the ACRA Rookie Heeler of the Year.
“It’s great having my dad help me out with my horses and team roping practice even though he works the farm all day,” he said.
