Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Milams honored with Farm Family title

Jeff and Trish Milam have been named Nevada County Farm Family of the Year for 2005.

They have a farming operation of 2,050 acres, with 550 acres of crop land and 1,550 for pastures. The Milams raise cattle and manage four poultry houses.

Jeff worked with his father from the time he was old enough to tag along and began taking care of the family chicken houses when he was 12. His job was to feed, tend and check on the equipment before going to school. After school, he tended and checked on the birds. In addition, he helped his father repair any equipment needing it. He also helped with the familys cow-calf operation.

Trish also worked with her father on the family farm from an early age. Both agree they knew farming and ranching was going to be a major part of their lives from childhood.

While in high school, Jeff bought 15 cows that grazed with his fathers cattle. With the passage of time he bought more cows, and purchased and leased more land.

Jeff and Trish are the owners of Milam Cattle Co. They are also partners in two other operations  J3 Cattle Co. and HM Cattle Co. Milam Cattle owns 400 cows. The partnerships own and maintain 450 cows and stocker calves combined. The cattle are located in three different counties: Nevada, Hempstead and Pike.

Jeff also provides other services for cattle producers, including custom cattle buying, cattle working, cattle hauling, offers various marketing options for cattle. He also sells and leases Angus and Hereford bulls to local producers.

Trish works at the Nevada County Branch Bank of Delight, where she has been for eight years.

Along with the cattle and poultry operation, the Milams raise wheat and hay for the cattle.

For the hay crop, Jeff uses a commercial fertilizer. The meadows are sprayed to eliminate weeds and unwanted grasses. Hay is also harvested as closely as possible to preserve high nutritional levels.

Commercial fertilizer is also used on the wheat, which is used only for grazing the stocker cattle. Jeff fertilizes the wheat after it begins growing, then again in late winter and early spring for maximum growth.

The cow-calf operation uses Angus and Brangus cattle. Angus and Hereford bulls are used for breeding, and are selected based on their expected progeny difference (EPD). Jeff relies heavily on genetics when breeding cattle. This is because birth weight, milk production, carcass and high weaning weights are essential in the business. All cows are pregnancy checked, with the open cows sold.

Because of this type management, Jeff said, the livability rate of the calves is more than 90 percent. The cows and calves are given needed vaccinations and de-wormed to achieve maximum production.

The cattle are also given access to supplemental nutrition. The have protein tubs, liquid feet, range meal, salt and mineral available for the cattle. In addition, the cattle are given bulk feed made of rice bran, soy hull pellets and a corn gluten mixture.

The cattle are protected from insects with fly tags, using minerals containing insecticide or a pour-on insecticide.

Some of the calves are weaned and placed in the wheat pasture to gain weight. Other yearlings are sold to individual producers, while others are marketed.

All grazing pastures are clipped annually, with hay produced on all available land. The hay is primarily a bermudagrass/dalisgrass combination. But, the Milams have ran into a problem on having enough acreage for the hay. This was overcome by leasing more land.

They figure two acres per head of cattle for grazing, and use cross fencing to utilize all grass without wasting any of the forage. Jeff and his father bought about 300 acres in Nevada County which has been disced and planted to establish grazing grown and hay meadows.

The Milams are concerned about the environment, knowing the land is what gives them their living. They have ryegrass to help provide winter forage for wildlife in the winter and use buffer zones when applying commercial fertilizer and chicken litter. They regularly fertilize the land and replenish it with necessary nutrients, such as nitrogen.

They also use methods of feeding hay to cut back on waste. This is done by unrolling the hay to increase consumption by the cattle. Hay rings are used to keep the cattle from lying in the hay. In addition, cattle are fed in different locations to prevent hay buildup and reduce the possibility of mud holes or ruts being created.

Possibly one of the most fun things the Milams do is use horses to round up the cattle. Horses play an important part in their cattle operations.

Jeff is the primary manager and worker on the ranch, with an office in the back of the house for his paperwork. Trish also has an office and keeps computerized records. All four pitch in and help as much as possible.

Trish and Jeff recently bought his parents brick home, moving from a mobile home. This has helped reduce utility bills. They also make sure lights are kept off unless needed.

Jeff is the current president of the Nevada County Farm Bureau, a member of the Nevada County Cattlemans Association, is active in the First United Methodist Church and served on the state committee for Arkansas Young Farmer and Rancher from 2002-2004.

Trish, is active in the church, a member of the Nevada County Cattlemans Association, and served on the state committee as well.

Before having children the two were instrumental in establishing a local FFA Alumni organization in Nevada County. This group helped the local FFA chapter with various activities. The alumni refurbished the community arena at the Nevada County Fairgrounds, and has put on several Lil Britches Rodeos.

The Milams have been involved with the Nevada County Fair Association. However, since having children, the amount of activity in these organizations has decreased.

We hope our children will be encouraged to follow in our footsteps with the farm, they said.