LK Cattle Company and Performance Horses

From the Ranch to the Arena

WELCOME TO THE RANCH!

 LK Cattle Company is located in NW Oklahoma in the farming and ranching community of Alva. This area was formerly the Cherokee Strip of Oklahoma. On September 16, 1893, a single shot from a pistol began the mad dash of more than 100,000 people from the Kansas line into Oklahoma where they could stake their claim to 160 acres of land. That was Oklahoma's fourth and largest land run. Because of that land run, this area's ranches are different from other areas of the country or even other areas of Oklahoma. Many ranches in other places have vast areas of contiguous land. Since all of the land here was divided up into 160 acre parcels, it was difficult to put together large patches of ground at once. Although the amount of acres might be comparable to other ranches, here the pastures are often not connected and are more spread out.

LK Cattle Company is an operation that includes land aquired over five generations, soon to include the sixth generation. Like many farm and ranch operations, it has evolved over time. The earliest owner of a few hundred acres, Chris Schaefer, was a grain farmer. His son Norman, the oldest of five children, inherited his portion of Chris's land on which he grew grains but also grazed cattle on the wheat pasture. During his tenure, the number of acres continued to grow. Norman had one child, a daughter Jeanette. She and her husband farmed with Norman and purchased some land of their own. Jeanette's only child, a daughter Sharon, married Lee Brandt. Because the operation was small, Sharon worked as a school teacher and Lee worked at Alva State Bank as bank president. They worked toward the goal of expanding the farming and ranching enterprise in hopes of being able to eventually quit their jobs to farm and ranch full time. In the early 1980's, Lee and Norman continued to add land, including grassland and more cattle. With Lee's influence the emphasis slowly shifted from farming to cattle as that was where his passion was and continues to be today.

There were always a handful of geldings around to use with the cattle. Lee and Sharon were more interested in horses than previous generations and added a few mares. Colts were raised to use on the ranch and to have a few to sell. The numbers of horses were kept low due to Lee's busy schedule and the unwillingness of Norman to have very many horses on the place. While Lee was still at the bank, Norman's advancing age and failing health required him to retire. Lee and Sharon were not yet in a position to retire from their jobs. They wanted to continue to expand the amount of land they owned.

In 1998, their daughter, Laura, married Kevin Radford who was able to step in and take over the day to day workings at the ranch while Lee continued at the bank. A cattle expansion included adding a preconditioning yard and more land. In 2004, LK Cattle Company was formed. With Kevin coming on board, so came the ability to add more horses which grew to the numbers and quality that we have today. Kevin trains the two year olds.

Laura and Kevin's sons, Wyatt and Garrett, both out of high school, enjoy being involved with all things agriculture related as they explore future career paths. They were both active in FFA, Wyatt showing cattle and Garrett showing cattle, sheep and goats. Wyatt and Garrett started R&R Show Goats where they raise goats to hopefully be placed into some FFA show projects. They are both learning the day to day workings of the ranch. They help teach colts to lead, help ride the two year olds, monitor the health and doctor any sick cattle, process cattle, work baby calves, check and cake the cows and keep fields worked in the summers. There are many other tasks that they do when they are assigned by their dad and grandpa.

Currently the farming operation consists of wheat and cattle feed crops.  LK Cattle Company grows much of the feed for our cattle. The ranching operation includes wheat, grazing mixtures and grass pasture where we graze stockers and a cow/calf herd. Land more recently aquired was purchased for its suitability to grow corn to be used in the feedyard. Calves are preconditioned in the pens before they are placed on pasture and then they are sent to Midwest Feeders at Ingalls, KS for fattening. 

Good horses and good cow dogs allow us to run our cattle operation with very little help. Both the cattle and horse operations have continued to grow. We constantly strive to improve the genetics in both our cattle and our horses. LK Cattle Company mares are bred to some of the finest cutting horse sires in the industry. Our horses never lack exposure to good cattle.  The cattle operation allows constant access to cattle for training young horses. Whether a horse is headed to the arena or to the ranch, the genetics and the exposure to cattle ensure a good start at being a good horse. 

LK Cattle Company's ranch headquarters consists of a 1,000 head preconditioning yard, a 200' by 300' outdoor roping arena, a 160' outdoor round pen, a 50'outdoor round pen, a 120' by 120' square outdoor pen and a 75' by 125' indoor pen in which to work horses. Cutters are welcome to bring horses here to work fresh calves anytime.

LK Cattle Company has always been in the horse business. Our emphasis was on raising horses using mares with both cutting horse and foundation pedigrees to produce a few good horses for the ranch or to sell to ranchers. In 2008, we began the cutting horse division of the ranch with the purchase of Freckles Quick Girl and Travalano Missy. Since then, other mares have been added. Our mares are chosen for good genetics. We look for good size and bone in our mares so that no matter what jobs their foals are trained to do, they can stand up to the task. Many of the mares have been ridden and have competed in cutting and roping events. We always have cutting and roping horse prospects for sale and often have started and trained cutting, roping and ranch horses for sale.

 In addition to using good horses on the ranch, we couldn't get along without some good cow dogs. They save us time, steps and money. Kevin trains all of the dogs. The dogs work at the chute when cattle are processed. They help gather pastures, traps and pens, help sort cattle and load trucks and they can turn back when we are working the cutting horses. Kevin has dogs at various stages of training for sale.

You are welcome at the ranch any time. Come look at what we have for sale, or come bring your cutting horses to work the cattle.