About RP3 Cattle Co.

 



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.

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!