Insight on Business

26 | I NSIGH T • J u n e 2 0 17 w w w . i n s i g h t o n b u s i n e s s . c o m him to create "paddle pops," ice cream on a stick dipped in chocolate and rolled in nuts. In 1946, omas H. Lutsey established Gold Bond Ice Cream, which grew to include favorite ice cream novelties like the Eskimo Pie and spawned numerous patents and advances in the ice cream industry. Tom worked alongside his father for years, handling business operations, before selling Gold Bond to Good Humor-Breyers. Turning to his new venture, Tom became interested in humane animal handling. e first time he conducted a cattle roundup, it became clear he needed to find a better way. e scene was chaotic, with dozens of people on horseback trying to get 50 calves down and ear tags secured. A little research quickly led Tom to the work of Temple Grandin, a renowned professor of animal science at Colorado State University and the subject of a well-known 2010 HBO biopic chronicling her life as a woman with autism who pioneered techniques in humane livestock handling. Tom isn't afraid to take initiative, Matt says. "He'll call the hotline or the main operator for the university and say, 'Hey, I'm trying to get ahold of Temple. Transfer me.'" When he did reach Grandin, she was a bit incredulous. Used to working with large operations, Tom says she wasn't sure what to make of the request to build a system for the Lutseys' 50 cattle. "She didn't use the word crazy, but she implied that I was," Tom says. "She's a very subtle person, and she was just like, 'Do you know what you're doing?'" It turns out he did. Matt says the system, which Grandin came to the farm and designed, has provided more benefits than he and his father could have anticipated. It creates a safer environment for the animals as well as the people who work with them. It makes easy work of tasks like vet checks and weaning calves from mothers. Cows don't like corners, Matt says, so the serpentine system guides them through in a way that's comforting to them, and its solid walls show less movement, which can scare animals. e cows can move backward and forward in the system but can't turn around. It allows one or a few to do the work of many, resulting in a huge cost saving, Matt says. e calves become familiar with the system early on, walking through it with their mothers. When it comes time for the cattle to board the truck for their destination of "freezer camp," Matt says the familiarity calms them, leading to less adrenaline and ultimately a higher-quality meat product. Wickman House, an upscale Ellison Bay restaurant, has worked with the Lutseys for six years, and its menu features Waseda's beef, pork and chicken. Mike Holmes, proprietor and general manager, says his customers demand local, organic and grass-fed products, and Waseda Farms is an ideal partner. Holmes says he has no doubts the humane treatment Raising the Steaks c o n t i n u e d ONLINE: Click to hear Matt Lutsey talk about organic farming and his vision for the future of Waseda Farms and its markets. Organic beef is Waseda's No. 1 seller, followed by pork, chicken and eggs. Waseda Farms Market in De Pere does all its butchering onsite, and all its deli products come from Waseda meats and use no sodium nitrate or MSG. C O U R T E S Y W A S E D A FA R M S

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