“ We ’ re really looking forward to the future with our grandkids ’ involvement and continually improving our genetic base ,” Andy said . “ It ’ s an exciting adventure that we ’ re all looking forward to .”
toward the upper echelon of what we would now call some of the breed ’ s top tier cow families ,” Adam said .
Over the last four months , the Schmalshof ’ s have made a philosophy shift from the standpoint of the way they ’ re going to operate their program for future years . “ Right now we ’ re going to use a satellite farm to raise our elite embryo calves and our goal is to run 60-80 topnotch cows and use a strong AI program at the farm . Once we AI , we will turn out elite bulls to run with our cows . We ’ re AI ’ ing and then turning out to high quality sires on the farm and we ’ re truly excited because they won ’ t just be any bulls being turned out to cover the females . With that , we ’ re hoping at the end of the day to run around 100-120 head to choose from to market in the fall and spring months ,” Adam said .
“ As we ’ ve progressed we ’ ve tried getting closer to the top tier of genetic production cattle in the Limousin breed and our long-term plan is to do nothing but get better and stay there . We want to raise high-end cattle that will help anybody out . We try to raise cattle that could improve any program ,” Adam said .
Over the years ATAK Limousin has maintained high quality individuals that are functional in production . “ Our goal has been to have a sound herd from a production standpoint and I believe we have just that ,” Andy said .
Family has always been a main focus around the farm all while producing excellent Limousin cattle . “ I ’ ve always maintained that I ’ m invested in this program for the long haul ,” Adam said . Adam and his wife , Jonelle , have two daughters and a son that enjoy the cattle aspect and
“ When we sell cattle we really try to keep up with our customers and get to know them . We enjoy the friendship part of the business versus the battle of who is raising the best cattle out there . We want to be friends first and then raise cattle along the way ,”
hope one day ATAK Limousin will carry on as a legacy in their lives . Peyton is their oldest daughter , who is eight years old ; Carrina is their second daughter , who is six years old ; and their son Dixon is two years old . “ My hope is to make this a legacy where my dad started the program , I built upon it and my kids and even my sister has two sons , Griffin and Drake , if they want to be involved to make it a lasting legacy operation down the line ,” Adam said .
Not only are quality cattle at the core of the ATAK Limousin program , lifelong friendships are truly what ATAK Limousin is built upon . “ We started out with some cattle relationships that turned into lifelong friendships . Norman Bruce with Leveldale Farms was our first start with good cattle people . That relationship transpired into Etherton Farms with Bob Etherton and also the Linhart family . Magness Land & Cattle , George Hubbard and Austin Gotschalk are a few other friendships that come to mind when discussing the cattle business and the utmost importance of true lifelong friendships ,” Adam said .
A major influence for the ATAK
Limousin program is Kiley McKinna of MC Marketing Management . “ I can say that we would not be where we are today without Kiley . We met Kiley as a sales consultant years ago and it morphed into us becoming a client of MC Marketing Management . Anymore I view Kiley more as a friend than as a marketer for us . His relationship and his knowledge that he ’ s passed onto me has made an exponential impact in what we ’ ve done cattlewise and how we select our cattle . Whether it be donor cows , heifers or even bulls — he ’ s right there ,” Adam said .
A common denominator for both Andy and Adam is the influence Kiley has had for their program at ATAK Limousin throughout the years . “ I have a great deal of respect for Kiley and his knowledge and ability with cattle . He has helped us tremendously in making the right steps for our program ,” Andy said .
• JULY 2021
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