Pasture to plate

Every little bit adds up

Western Nebraska ranchers win CAB honors

Little at a time, Jim and Maureen Skavdahl's Lower 33 Ranch near Marsland, Neb., has steadily grown and improved over the years.

Both came from ranching roots, but made their own way acquiring land and cattle. The Skavdahls now run 800 of their Angus cows on 24,000 acres, and manage another 600 Angus cows on 17,000 acres, all in the rolling Sandhills of western Nebraska.

Jim first leased the ranch with an option to purchase—one he and Maureen exercised when they married in 1976. They bought cows from Jim's dad and a neighbor, and have been building and fine-tuning ever since.

They started with the "basic fundamentals of a good cowherd" and then gradually began focusing on the quality of the end product.

Part of their success has come from working with family-run Beller Feedlot of Lindsay, Neb. As a Certified Angus Beef LLC (CAB)-licensed feeder, owner-manager Terry Beller and his brother Mike are dedicated to feeding cattle for the brand.

Terry nominated the Skavdahls for CAB's 2007 Commercial Commitment to Excellence award, which they accepted this fall at the CAB annual conference in Savannah, Ga.

"Skavdahls are the kind of people that we really enjoy dealing with. They really take a personal interest in raising good cattle," says Terry, who communicates information about the cattle back to the ranchers. That link helps the Skavdahls connect data with on-ranch observations of each animal.

"If you've calved them out year after year, you know," says Jim. "You know cow number 260 and what bull she was bred to."

As their cowherd increases in quality, the Skavdahls plan to keep improving the land, too. They've planted windbreaks and become active in protecting the water supply.

"Most ranchers are real stewards of the land," Maureen observes. "This is how we make our living."

Besides the home ranch, they run cattle on the nearby, historic Agate Springs Ranch, and manage the Carlson Ranch. They share equipment among all three places, but manage the herds separately.

Jim and Maureen's four children are spread across the country—as a cardiologist, veterinarian, teacher turned full-time mom, and one studying law—but stay connected to the ranch.

After graduating from the University of Wyoming, where they met, there was never any doubt Jim and Maureen's future was in the beef industry.

"We're lucky that we're both interested in range and livestock," Jim says. "We make a better team because we both enjoy the same things."