How We Do It
After over 15 years of evaluating various cross-breeding programs, we have ended up largely where we started. We have transitioned our herd to all Angus. We use genetics from some of the leading Angus producers in the country, including Express Ranches and Gardiner Angus Ranches.
Our goal is to produce well rounded cattle that will score well on the rail. That is the end goal for all cattle production – to consistently and profitably produce beef that consumers want. Our goal is to produce premium beef, so we pay attention to traits that lead to superior carcass scores.
Our cow herd is on a spring calving time frame to meet our cattle’s peak nutrition requirement with the peak nutritional output of our forage base. Calves are branded and vaccinated a few months after birth and then vaccinated and weaned in the fall. This gives them a firm health foundation for transition to the feed yard.
Our cattle graze on improved and some native forages in the Trinity River bottom. We want our cows to survive off the forage provided by the ranch, but will supplement protein with feeder cubes, lick tubs, and/or hay as needed. We strive to find the right balance with supplementation to produce a premium beef product.
Our herd is divided into two parts. Our seed stock program uses Angus genetics with elite combined index scores, with an emphasis on a combined beef score. We generally purchase cattle in the top 10% of the breed for $C and $B. We source our genetics from leading ranches such as Express Ranches and Gardiner Angus Ranch.
Our commercial herd crosses our Angus cows to Hereford bulls with these characteristics to add hybrid vigor to cattle that will do well in the feed yard and on the table.
While we have historically sold weaned calves, we have recently transitioned our program to maintain ownership of the cattle to end production. We believe this gives us the best economic benefit for the investment we have made in our genetics.
We employ a three-breed specific or terminal cross results from mating Charolais bulls to the black-baldy cows. Our black baldy cows are produced from our Hereford/Angus genetics that we use in our registered Black Hereford operation. Baldy heifers that are not retained for our registered operation are bred to Charolais bulls. By using this multi-step program, we believe that we are maximizing heterosis, which is proven to produce better genetics for commercial cattle.
We breed for superior growth and muscle, but pay attention to calving ease, fertility, longevity and superior maternal traits that do not fall short on carcass quality or good dispositions. We don’t focus on a single trait – we seek to produce well rounded cattle that work well in a variety of environments.
