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In Love With Limousin
editor@ozarksfn.com PO Box 1319 Lebanon, MO 65536 417-532-4721 fax
By Laura L. Valenti
The desire of one son to show cattle was the foundation for Rockin’ R Ranch Ken Ragsdell credits his youngest son, Matthew with getting him and his wife, Jan into the Limousin cattle business. “When they were in high school in Columbia, Mo., our two oldest sons, Keith and Tom, were competitive swimmers but Matthew, our youngest,
Jan live in Phelps County, outside Rolla, where they keep about 35 Limousins. They also have 10 to 15 cows in Oklahoma, working in partnership with Robert Stone of Stone Valley Limousins. “We used to have over 100 cows, bulls and heifers here but we’ve just recently downsized,” Ken said. “This is a very Submitted Photo
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Ken Ragsdell, pictured at center with his grandsons Ben and Micah, strives for quality Limousin cattle at his Ragsdell Family Rockin’ R Ranch, LLC in Phelps County, Mo.
had friends in 4-H,” Ken said. “They different business than it was in 1984 were showing steers and he wanted to and 1985 when we began.” The Ramsdells’ original interest in raisjoin them. We had a small farm and I liked the look of the Limousin, known ing quality beef started with putting safe, healthy food on the table for their own as the ‘Butcher’s Breed.’ family when they still had three sons The next thing we knew, at home. Today, that family also Matt took second place includes an even dozen grandthat year at the Boone children now living in ColumCounty Fair. We kept his bull Rolla, Mo. bia and Jefferson City. The and we were in the Limousin expansion of their cattle cattle business.” business over the years A few decades have gone by also led to the exploration since then and today Ken and
Ozarks Farm & Neighbor • www.ozarksfn.com
MAY 18, 2020
