Triple R Show Stock

Keith and Beth Roberts, along with their three daughters, Tiffany, Brooke and Vanessa, own and operate Triple R Show Stock in Whitelaw, Wisconsin. They run a 20-head Hereford cow/calf operation and a flock of wether-type sheep. While nearly 54,000 dairy cows call Manitowoc County home, the Roberts family is proud to raise beef cattle in the extremely dairy-dominant region of America’s Dairyland. Both Keith and Beth work off the farm and their three daughters have all received or are currently pursuing collegiate degrees in the agricultural field. 

“Finding a way to chase your dreams while running a herd of cattle is a crazy balancing act,” says 20-year-old Vanessa. “Having a supportive family is the only way that we have been able to keep our cattle while we are away at college.” 

Every beef farm family has a different story. Some have been raising cattle for multiple generations, while others just recently began their involvement in the industry. Beth grew up actively involved on her family’s dairy farm and Keith raised and showed beef steers in the 4-H program, providing the foundation and desire for them to start a herd of their own. Shortly after they were married, Keith and Beth purchased their first two Hereford cows and haven’t looked back since. 

At Triple R Show Stock, the Roberts utilize rotational grazing techniques to increase pasture productivity and extend their grazing season. Their herd is turned out to pasture in the spring and grazes until late in the fall. The cows are bred utilizing artificial insemination, which allows the Roberts the opportunity to bring genetics from across the country into their herd. Since all three girls are now too old to exhibit their cattle in junior shows, the Roberts sell their calves as 4-H projects to local youth or feed them out to sell as quarters or halves of beef directly to consumers. 

The Roberts are firm believers in the many benefits that come from raising children in the livestock industry. Tiffany, Brooke and Vanessa grew up participating in 4-H, livestock and dairy judging teams, and exhibiting their Hereford cattle, dairy heifers and sheep at local, state and national levels. All three girls especially enjoyed and found success participating on 4-H and collegiate judging teams. 

“Livestock judging has certainly made my sisters and I more effective evaluators of livestock – which has been something that directly benefits our herd at home,” Brooke says. “Our judging coaches have taught us how to correctly evaluate key traits of importance in beef cattle, which gives us the skills needed to make selection and mating decisions within our herd.” 

Vanessa plans to compete on the University of Minnesota’s livestock judging team in 2020 and Brooke is a past member of the University of Minnesota’s collegiate livestock and dairy judging teams. Brooke is eagerly anticipating judging her first county youth livestock shows this summer and Vanessa currently serves as a coach for the Manitowoc County 4-H livestock judging team. 

Today, the herd of Hereford cows remains a common tie that brings the entire Roberts family back to the farm in northeast Wisconsin. Tiffany and Brooke both live in the Madison area, where Tiffany works for GenOvations ET and Brooke recently began working as the Director of Communication and Outreach for the Wisconsin Beef Council. Vanessa is currently interning with Priority International Animal Concepts and will be a junior at the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities this fall, where she studies Animal Science. Keith and Beth stay involved in local 4-H programs and enjoy mentoring youth with an interest in exhibiting beef cattle and sheep. 

“I can’t think of a better way to raise children than on a beef farm,” Keith says. “Our daughters learned the value of hard work, the responsibilities that come with raising animals, how to win and how to lose respectfully, and to appreciate every blessing God gives you every day. Our barn and pastures may have better prepared them for life than a classroom or book ever could.”