Livengood Feeds: The Heartbeat of Lockhart’s Ag Life
By Anthony Collins
LPR Editor
On warm afternoons in Lockhart, the scent of milled grain drifts across the square, a reminder of the town’s agricultural roots. Just blocks from the barbecue smoke and historic storefronts, the steady hum of Livengood Feed has become as familiar a landmark to ranchers as the Caldwell County Courthouse dome. For more than seven decades, the Livengood name has stood at the center of Caldwell County’s ranching and farming life.
Founded in 1954 by Albert Livengood, the business began modestly as Lockhart Farm and Ranch Supply, a small shop serving local producers. Albert soon expanded into custom poultry rations, and the operation evolved into a full-scale feed manufacturer. Today, the mill on N. Colorado Street produces bulk and bagged feed, cattle cubes, textured horse blends, poultry pellets, and wildlife feed, while the S. Colorado Street retail store serves as both supply hub and community gathering place.
Step inside on a Saturday morning, and the store feels part gun shop, part meeting hall. Ranchers lean on the counter swapping pasture stories. Parents load show feed into pickups. Backyard flock owners cradle boxes of chirping spring chicks. The pace here feels almost untouched by time.
Livengood Feed’s history has not been without challenge. In March 2006, a devastating fire tore through the mill, filling Highway 183 with smoke and leaving two workers injured. Firefighters battled the blaze for hours, and many feared the business would never recover. But resilience, bolstered by Business Interruption Insurance and loyal customers, carried the Livengood’s through. The mill was rebuilt, the doors reopened, and the community returned.
That determination is matched by consistency. For decades, the company has lived by a simple principle: use the best ingredients. Yet, beyond quality feed, it is the personal service that has secured Livengood’s place as a Lockhart institution. Whether mixing custom rations, setting aside pallets for a show team, or supplying bulk wildlife feed to South Texas ranches, Livengood remains committed to meeting the needs of its customers.
“Everybody around here has bought feed from Livengood at one time or another,” said Stan Herrera, a third-generation cattleman from Luling. “They know what our animals need. They’ll adjust a ration when the grass is short, and if you’re in a bind, they’ll have something waiting for you. That kind of service keeps people coming back.”
As Lockhart grows, with subdivisions pushing closer to open pasture, agriculture continues to sustain the local economy. A reliable mill just down the road means fuel saved, time preserved, and dollars kept within the community.
More than a business, Livengood Feed is a lifeline, an enduring part of Lockhart’s daily rhythm. From the steady hum of the mill on N. Colorado to the great staff at the store on S. Colorado, it continues to feed not only livestock but a way of life that defines the area.
