Building a Better Herd
Improving Our Herd Over the Years
How
We’ve built a better herd through intentional science, improved infrastructure, documentation of our data, assistance from valued partners and appreciated resources, and the desire to be better.
When
Our team started improving our herd in 2020 and has been working on improving it through science and research since then.
Why
We produce literature and shares resources with others. We strive to be competitive with the market demand for cattle and to increase the uniformity and productivity of our cattle.
The beginning
We began managing 217,000 acres of South Texas ranchland a decade ago. After inheriting a traditional management system characterized by large pastures, continuous grazing, and no synchronized breeding seasons, we have transformed these ranches into a living laboratory for sustainable land stewardship. Our ranching team has focused on demonstrating how well-managed native rangeland and cattle operations are crucial to both the economic and ecological future of South Texas.
Our Learnings & Challenges
We’ve faced a few major challenges in building a better cattle herd. There’s significant logistical complexity in maintaining contemporary breeding groups and moving herds between pastures while completely turning over the herd. In addition, sourcing genetics that can thrive in South Texas’s challenging environment while meeting market criteria is difficult, particularly when sourcing Red Angus bulls that typically originate from much further north.
Where We Are Today
By adhering to the principle that “you can’t manage what you can’t measure,” we’ve developed a comprehensive approach to ranch management that balances short-term productivity with long-term sustainability. This data-driven, disciplined methodology allows us to make informed decisions that benefit both current operations and future generations, ensuring the continued health and productivity of our land and cattle.
In the Future
We are committed to building a highly adapted, productive, and sustainable cattle herd that can thrive in South Texas’s unique environment while providing valuable research insights that will benefit ranchers and land stewards for generations to come. Although the transformation occurs gradually through data-driven decisions, looking back reveals how these incremental changes have created a significantly improved and completely different herd than what we started with.
Learn How Science Informs Our Decisions
We believe that effective ranch management results from precise measurement and analysis. By implementing the results from various research initiatives, we can make informed choices that optimize our ranching practices for long-term sustainability and productivity.
