We would like to introduce you to C R Cattle which is the
farm name for D. Richard and Colene Olsen of Brock, Nebraska. Our cow herd is in Nebraska which is located
South of Omaha, NE about 55 minutes. In the mid 1990’s Rich became interested in the Normande cattle when he saw them
at the Minnesota Farm Progress show on display. He had been looking to get back
into cattle and he has been in the pure bred cattle business since a child. He
has been involved with improving and marketing livestock genetics and balancing nutrition rations since college. The data of the Normande breed presented at the show was showing fast growing steers with outstanding carcass
results as well as excellent meat quality caught his eye. Looking more into the
breed found that the breed was also known more as a dual purpose breed and even though the C R Cattle operation is a beef
based operation that milk production is a great important value for both beef and dairy industry. All and all Rich says the best qualities of that the beef man looks for are some of the same qualities
the dairy operations look for too.
As Rich traveled for his work found time to visit quite a few Normande farms
in the U.S. and a couple in France. He found that the disposition and quietness of the Normande cattle was ever bit true
from farm to farm. After traveling to great extent, visiting farms helped to
make his decision to buy his first Normande female which was a fullblood handpicked from the Keith Nelson farm. After buying
her he also added to the beginning herd from Jerry Haus and Brian Tiovola. He has also leased a number of females from the
Updike Ranch due to the drought in Colorado the past few years which included some of the
Platte breeding from Montana. This herd has now gone back
to CO to the high country leaving a fine set of females to add to the other females and continue building foundation Normande
females for genetics for the future.
C R Cattle operation (formally
Holland Livestock) has participated in the MN bull test a couple different times with top quality bulls in the test each time.
Rich’s daughter has shown 4-H projects that have won champion honors in the Beef breeding stock divisions and steers
that have done quite well in the carcass evaluation program.
Rich and Colene have been involved with marketing Normande home raised freezer
beef that is sold directly to the homes as finished beef as quarters, halves, or whole carcasses. The Normande meat was always
well received compared to other non Normande steers sold. One year Rich and Colene helped her son in Iowa City serve smoked Normande Shredded Beef Sandwiches and burgers at all the Home Hawkeye
Football Games. Every game they adjusted by adding ten percent more product and every game they got to be known for great
meat and every game they sold out earlier each time before the game started. Rich
loves slow cooking and smoking meat as well as cooking steaks for others. His
smoked beef and ribs are favorites among many here in Iowa and NE and at their summer resort
in Colorado which Rich and Colene operate during the summer months called the Windspirit
Café and Cabins in Twin Lakes, Colorado.
We have focused on a few programs at CR Cattle…we have always had a high
priority for Polled Purebred Cattle and now even number of full blood females that are Polled too! Another area we have been concentrating on is a solid body coat pattern in the herd and black in color
because we live in an area that the local commercial producers want black cattle. Rich
was asked, “If you want black why don’t you get another breed instead of Normandes?” He answered, “That the qualities and traits of the Normande cows were more of what he wanted that
was all there while the other breeds only had pieces here and there to offer.” “No Rich is not saying to breed
away from the typical multi colored speckled Normande Cow.” He said,
“There will always be some of those in their herd. But trying to convert and reinvent the wheel in the eyes of commercial
man, the solid pattern black or red bodies will be more appealing.”
Do to job respondsiblities the cow herd has been reduced to 20 cows with
some old family lines that are direct descendants of the bulls from the seventies to some of the newer imported French bloodlines.
For a number of years Rich and Colene had a Normande Cow/Calf pair at the Iowa State Fair on display in the ‘Avenue
of Breeds’ showing other Iowans what a Normande is and educational information on the breed.
Rich is always looking to improve the herd and building Normande Genetics that
are full of production and are profitable. Visitors are always welcome at our
Nebraska Home to stop and view the herd. He is always ready and willing to offer
his knowledge of what he has learned over the years.
You can email Rich and Colene at crcattle@earthlink.net or call them at 402-414-0124, 515-250-3599 or 402-414-0492.
