“ Limousin cattle are easy to maintain in our environment ,” Gary said . “ They ’ re easy to look at . They ’ ve got the right balance of muscle to them . The cows are easy keepers in the pasture .”
“ My grandfather was a tedious record keeper ,” he explained , remembering how each cow ’ s information was printed on their own piece of paper . “ He was meticulous . He always did the best to care for the animals .”
Fuchs and his grandfather spent hours together on their land in Cameron , Texas — land the Fuchs family has called home since 1937 . Their bond was “ a typical grandfather-grandson relationship ,” with an agricultural twist .
Fuchs said his grandfather was dedicated to passing on the practices of good stewardship . From ensuring grass was available for grazing
year-round to never overstocking a pasture , Fuchs remembers his grandfather as being dedicated to doing the best he could with their central Texas cattle operation .
“ You treated things right ,” he explains . “ From your property to your animals to your customers – everything was treated correctly .”
After his grandfather passed away in 1984 , Fuchs took over the business and has been working to carry on the legacy ever since . Today , Fuchs Limousin boasts 80 head of registered , breeding-aged cattle and spans about 300 acres .
Though Fuchs has been a fan of the Limousin breed since he first walked the pasture alongside his grandfather , he said his appreciation for the livestock has only grown with time .
“ It ’ s hard to describe something you grew up with , but for me , [ Limousin cattle ] are easy to maintain in our environment here ,” he explains . “ They ’ re easy to look at . They ’ ve got the right balance of muscle to them . The cows are easy keepers in the pasture .”
The operation currently centers around females , as Fuchs is building herd numbers from his own calf crop .
“ We ’ re going to grow up to 30 % more cattle here , but I ’ m pretty focused on raising cattle rather than buying them . I ’ m kind of stubborn that way ,” he adds with a chuckle . “ We ’ ve bought cattle , but I have a certain affinity for the ones we ’ ve raised .”
In addition to raising cattle he ’ s proud to keep on the property , Fuchs also owns and operates Ideal Poultry Breeding Farm with his two sisters – another family business started by his grandfather .
The farm is home to 40,000-50,000 laying hens and hatches upward of five million chicks each year . Fuchs describes the company as a specialty niche business as they raise and sell almost 200 varieties of chickens to feed stores or backyard flock owners .
“ Just like folks have cattle to enjoy , they have chickens to enjoy also ,” he explains . “ We fit into that part of the business world as well .”
In both the poultry and cattle businesses , Fuchs emphasizes the importance of family . His wife , Susan , helps with both operations and their sons , Stephen and Nathan , help manage the cattle and hatchery .
• APRIL 2022 continued on page 36 35