Among the most popular cattle breeds in Texas, the Hereford is known for its adaptability and

Transcription

1 By Gary Cutrer & Chester Sanders Published August 2010 What better, more picturesque ranch scene could there be than a wide pasture green from the summer rains, bordered by dusky liveoaks a field dotted with red, white-faced Hereford cattle grazing serenely? When Texas cattlemen see a verdant pasture scene like that they see green all right, the green of profits that come from a productive beef animal that has been one of the mainstays of agriculture in the United States for more than 100 years. Among the most popular cattle breeds in Texas, the Hereford is known for its adaptability and 1 / 6

2 hardiness, its survivability, mothering instinct and ability, and handling ease due to good disposition, along with many other advantageous traits, chief among them the breed s ability to convert forage and feedlot rations into quality beef. In recent years with the growing popularity of another English breed, the Angus, and the heat and humidity tolerant Brahman, the Hereford bull has become an extremely valuable and sought after sire to produce F1 crosses on those breeds to produce cattle that sell at auction for consistently solid prices. You can like Angus, you can like Hereford, you can prefer a continental breed or an American original like the Beefmaster, but the bottom line is the bottom line. And Herefords have proven and continue to prove their ability to make money for the producer. We contacted four reputation Hereford breeders in West Texas for their input on the state of the Hereford breed--case Ranch Herefords in Eldorado, Texas; Dudley Bros. Herefords, Comanche, Texas; James L. Powell, Six Mile Ranch, Fort McKavett, Texas; and Rocking Chair Ranch, San Angelo and Fort McKavett, Texas. Case Ranch Herefords 2 / 6

3 In 1941, when the breed was advertised as the King of the Range, the Case family entered into the registered Hereford business. P.F. Case and his son Fred operated the family s Eldorado, Texas, ranch, establishing a fullblood herd. P.F. Case passed away in 1961, but since then Fred has continued the operation, now along with son and partner Pete. They ve seen their registered Herefords go into 40 states, Canada and Mexico, and Case Herefords are recognized as a prime source of quality stock. Their cow herd is strictly a closed herd since they have not purchased a female since the mid 1980s. Since our cows are sired by only herd bulls we have purchased, there is quite a bit of uniformity in our calf crops, Pete Case said. Our desire was to develop the best Herefords we knew how to provide for our customers. Today their dependability as sound breeders, easy temperament and good marbling have kept us in the breed. Herefords are great in the pasture but fullblood calves don t grow quite as rapidly as Angus types to slaughter size. They do gain weight on grass and can be brought to slaughter weight fairly easily in the feedlot. Straight Herefords are at a disadvantage when marketed commercially, that is quite certain, Pete said. This may change as feeding costs continue to rise in light of the idea that Herefords perform well on grass and require less time on feed to finish. Only time will tell if feeding cost continue to stay high. Until then the most profitable way to market Herefords for us is to offer the best genetics to our crossbred customers as seed stock. Our customers seem to have enjoyed the benefits of crossing Herefords with their cattle. Most of the Case Ranch top production is marketed in special consignment sales as breeding stock for commercial operators who raise mostly crossbred cattle. 3 / 6

4 The Hereford s advantages over other popular breeds used in Texas include fertility, temperament, soundness and marbling, Pete added. And, though Herefords have diversity in body structure, varying in stature depending on the preference of the individual breeder, at Case Ranch, We still belive that size matters, Pete said. We never intend to veer from that belief. One timely concern is the question about how well we treat our livestock these days, Pete said. Herefords are easy to manage and therefore less likely to give the impression that they might be mistreated due to temperament. The bottom line is that Herefords produce meat that is very desirable to consumers, he added. Dudley Bros. Dudley Bros. Herefords holds a fall production sale each October at the ranch headquarters, 2 miles southwest of Comanche, with an offering of year-old bulls. They also sell females by private treaty in the late spring. Like the other breeders we interviewed, the Dudleys have a strong reputation for raising quality Hereford cattle. Originally established in 1925 as a mercantile and ranching partnership by brothers, Gail, Tom and Eltos Dudley, Dudley Bros. is operated today by Gail s sons, John, Jim and T.J. and by Eltos sons, Tom, Ray and Harry. The current partners great grandfather, James Hudson Dudley, Jr., originally purchased land in the area in 1885, and a portion of that original ranch is still part of the current Dudley Bros. operation. They run registered Herefords and commercial cattle in Runnels and Comanche counties and are known for their gray quarter horses. 4 / 6

5 John Dudley said one of the main strengths of Herefords is that the Hereford/Angus cross is such a quality commercial animal. The British black baldy is very well regarded in the feedlot. And on the killing floor, John said. That fact helps drive bull sales at Dudley Bros. and elsewhere. Dudley Bros. wants their bulls to be docile and manageable yet effective for the people who buy them. We try not to ever sell a bull in our sale that can t be managed in most circumstances, John said. One circumstance would be using bulls a large West Texas ranch where the bulls are moved by cowboys on horseback, he said. Another circumstance might be the ranching couple and their small place and a handful of cows. So we try not to sell a wild bull, a bull with attitude, he added. John points out that with the ranch s 49th sale on the way, Dudley Bros. depends on repeat customers that have used their bulls with good success. Many of our bulls go into relatively tough environments and we try to condition our bulls so that they can go out and get the job done and not fall apart, John said. We like for the buyer to be able to recognize his bulls after they have been in the pasture working for several months. Dudley Bros. herd bull battery includes individuals representing the best in horned Hereford genetics and the ranch adds several young prospects each year from top breeders across the United States. James L. Powell Powell Registered Herefords was begun by Virgil J. Powell about Today, James L. Powell and wife Nancy continue development of the herd at the family s Six Mile Ranch near Fort McKavett, Texas. Each October, Powell conducts an auction on the ranch offering select sire prospects to both commercial and registered producers. The sale this year, the 13th annual, is scheduled for Oct / 6

6 Pasture least fertility frame larger ratio years, calf and ground think In Angus experienced Agriculture any forthriightness Powell Rocking Herefords Wood. come because McClintock, direction, grading, had want everybody s The serious They that rule We ve are addition have cattle dinners population, been maybe will quality of Hereford selection once the from as frame Powell have during Rocking invites choice worked and go a wean survivability Chair marbling, demand they points bulls manager 3/4 said that pretty able to a out all the sausage is who good a idea decade. excellent visit Hereford-1/4 to survivability many periods noted. know over a Breeders will certain England. their as quality Ranch of to on sire Chair develop tenderness good noble Powell helped provided Herefords registered do of black will cattlemen, survive. a calving larger look approach was years RCR the lot that For Hereford be consistent to product. near Ranch look breed s profession demand important country. now baldy perfect remarked. who If total develop slaughtered, drought a continually pound other quality ratio seasoned. centuries Powell under traits ease,. cow something Angus, Fort. herd, consultant a would They bulls their cattle our consisted McClintock calf calves. pretty favor. Texas Hereford breeds with animal that Some McKavett, heifer growth look. and with the meat cites nation. Powell was herd. have a can It fed like will the Herefords good. direction few consistent There ranch s trust Their only that s will If cattle the area have not get Mark very breed English from price of beef built and Angus, we re a different. runs bone, much said. always emphasize Whitehead modern adequate tender Texas, an out commercial pleasing. like good. raisers numbers. a herd McClintock, this an of advantage every a and are solid going If The basis, selected improved. the West owner commercial and inherent source been or you over game past known Hereford s All take most said. even pound reputation year, the continental feed, a But, Texas the want been And McClintock few demand Lloyd its his several spend calf care taste goal there purchase characteristics ranches In acceptable strength his that s Our Powell 27 Hereford. bull their herd where strength, C. of anyway, gratifying new staff meat years hang a will 24/7 among calf. themselves. producing Whithead black-baldy--1/2 subjective, cattle feedlot that of successfully calves supply that said. Hereford to drought bulls looking to with there, Angus And reflect They ve ship been range, they bone when perhaps cattlemen, had stablilty and are to these over Hereford we good added. and with animals can still to Powell selling cows bred those because comes ratio manager rate slaughtered the requirements have always these guest guys his and raise hundreds maintain Whitehead s bulls. popular attractive, of hereford-1/2 business bred phone and One changes. staff, registered with and as around gain you ve cattle, the a added. large Randy somewhat customers a with calf, is, why utility, former dam general high fatted were of these are I they and got of I Rocking thing that have One bad around I problem did shipping offspring Springs commercial proven can t stayed McClintock Whitehead, That s meat said. A cows benefits get and run think big longevity them herd still negative eyes, afford I their percentage think people our them, division, get perform of Chair has from through, of years us heads heterosis, main has eyes said. McClintock a cows we ve culls, certainly that from tiger stereotype ranch make they favored cancer no trying implemented ago, really but business. south cut if of up carry longer the done or, stripe. have McClintock we re the mistakes. that against off, or as helped, Brahaman, cows. well eye. breed them and bulls hybrid fairly creep long, problem going that McClintock Like San These. have puts Wood And most Most a sold well Herefords pigment Angelo. the We said. McClintock vigor. feeds state term. some lightly it, those that said has put and bulls is Hereford/Angus herds of will choose cutting we ve RCR of You said. calves, We the means been you flush on Older, capacity the have pigmented cattle carry ET expense has go flush said. cattle We get been art their addressed cows work thus to something; will proven no is more embryo an cattle country will be cows producers and We heads real they hesitation top animal that is helping Hereford structurally and cross not perception done pounds, we don t has conscious any cows that are think transfer tolerate and multiply off. like the that she s helped; market identify have 8, far see who are ruthlessly continues will them has 9 Brahman you can correct,, used program got bad by cross produce progeny some 10 Rocking had udders. get culling to handle better a incidence daughters yrs the udders. lot have for a more them culling age to they old. cross susceptibility Southeast of flushing to milking good cows decline. If Chair quality. people a produce it s fertility, For on have look, of gives for heat them, not bulls that Brahman this one, Ranch s bad cows. defects embryos to I good, McClintock that and all I cow, multiple have that eyes herd, think, she s they One you humidity cancer will Lipan I d and we have type that some like and you have put sell. we 6 / 6