Tom Olsen brings 35 years of professional livestock nutritionist experience to the Arapahoe Ranch. Tom holds a Masters of Science degree in Ruminant Nutrition and a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Science from the University of Idaho. Tom began his career with the BLM as a natural resource specialist in the Boise District . Tom moved on to become Simplot Livestock’s Area Manager and Division Nutritionist and has continued a 30 year association with Simplot Land & Livestock. He developed the Pride Commercial Feed program for feedlot and beef cattle. Tom started his own business in 1984; Olsen Livestock Consultants, and continued to be Simplot’s nutritionist and was in charge of 500,000 head of feedlot cattle in the Pacific Northwest and Hawaii. Internationally, Tom was a key member in designing and building the first commercial feedlot in Turkey.
Tom has served as the President of the Idaho Cattle Association, Idaho, Beef Council and Idaho Cutting Horse Association. Most recently, Tom was recognized with a National Bridge Builder Award for the Steer of the Year scholarship fund at the University of Idaho.
In addition to cattle, Tom has a passion for horses, that includes breeding, raising, and showing performance cutting horses. With his experience, Tom realized that soundness problems are partly due to genetics and mostly because of poor nutrition from the lack of high quality feed. Tom developed a high quality complete feed product to help young horses develop proper bone structure and muscle development required by today’s competitive environment.
His dedication to livestock and nutrition has helped guide him in developing consistent premium quality nutritional feeds, and vitamin/mineral supplements for cattle and horses.
Tom’s mission and objectives for the Arapahoe Ranch:
Mission:
Establish a high quality ranch management program utilizing Native Northern Arapahoe tribal members to lead the ranch.
Objectives:
Improve the certified organic status of the Northern Arapahoe Ranch to become among the highest quality within the market.
- Complete a livestock audit to establish a baseline of the cattle numbers, by type, age and performance level.
- Implement a feed program to optimize cost and reproduction performance for the cattle and to support the cows potential to breed early and produce and maintain a healthy calf with full genetic potential.
- Select Team Leaders and support staff that are interested in the ranch to train and develop into future program leaders in implementing the ranch programs, including livestock.
- Be financially transparent and accountable to the Business Council and the Arapahoe tribe.