The idea of RP3 Cattle Co started when I purchased the property to build a house and raise my two boys on open
land outside of a traditional neighborhood. The property was overgrown
and had several NC tobacco barns and packhouses that where in disrepair.
We had some fenced pastures from past owners having horses but they
where in bad shape. I originally started fixing the three-rail black
fence for the beautiful look of a long driveway heading up to a white
house. After a summer of trying to keep the fields mowed down, I decided
to look into livestock of some kind. After looking at all types of
cows, goats, horses I decided that Texas Longhorn was the best for me. I
liked they way they looked but I soon found all the other benefits of
the breed such as easy calving, efficient grazers, parasite resistant
and just an easy animal to keep. I also have a hobby of smoking and
cooking on my Big Green Egg its almost a every weekend thing I got to
thinking one day as I cooked a brisket that it would be cool to raise my
own beef and know where it came from and what all was put into it.
Between needing some help mowing 40 acres of grass and my love of BBQing
on the weekends the decision was made to start purchasing registered
longhorn cattle.
I have no experience in the cattle or farm industry. I am a
third-generation owner of a solid waste, recycling and transport
business that’s located a few miles down the road. I have been around
heavy equipment and machinery my whole life so tractors aren’t new but
the animals are. We laugh because family and friends come over and ask
my wife where did Ronnie learn to farm? Her answer is YouTube cattle
videos with Greg Judy! We have found that everybody in the longhorn
breeding industry is nice and willing to help the folks still trying to
learn.
I have learned so much about the industry of cattle farming and
Longhorns since I started a few years ago but the most important thing
to me is showing my two boys what its like to get outside and work and
raise your own food. I don’t mind them playing video games and being
kids but I think we are losing more with every generation what its like
to get out and work with one’s hands and know how and where food comes
from. During the food shortages cause by covid and meat coming from
China has made this even more important. I love the looks on people’s
faces that come out to the farm that haven’t been around cows much less a
Texas Longhorn. The looks and temperament of a Texas longhorn along
with its nutritional value makes it by far the best breed for us.
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My goal for the business even though its part time and more of a hobby
is to breed the best conformationally correct Texas longhorn we can.
Yes, we want the “Long” Horns but we also want the animal to be correct
and serve a purpose that is growing good healthy grass-fed beef!
Teaching our kids to get out and see how this works and having room to
roam makes its all worth it to me even if we never make a dime!