Beef Industry Interview
Cattle in Demand An Interview with Mr. Hector Padres, Mexico Mr. Hector Padres of Mexico, in partnership with four other men recently traveled all the way to the Dakotas in search of cattle that would fit into their ranches. There they located some 250 heifers for their herds back home. What did they travel so far for? Purebred Gelbvieh.
The strength of the purebred Gelbvieh Why Gelbvieh? What is so special about this breed? Hector responds, “We chose Gelbvieh cattle due to its adaptability to our type of terrain here in northern Mexico. We decided in going all the way up to North and South Dakota because the rain fall there is more or less the same as ours, and the roughness of the terrain is similar.” The ranches these men run are located in the Rocky Mountains of northern Mexico, so they also have
steep slopes and rolling hills. Hector says the Gelbvieh already in their areas respond well to the weather and terrain back home, which he believes indicates cattle from the Dakotas should adapt well, thus preventing additional stress on the animals. A high demand for the purebred Gelbvieh in northern Mexico, and a preference for the way the breed is put together is another very important aspect for these men. “We feel that was a very good choice that my brothers and I made in choosing Gelbvieh cattle for our ranches.” One big asset of the cattle they visited in the Dakotas was disposition. “We were very pleased with the cattle (in the Dakotas) because they have a whole lot better disposition and overall looks than cattle in other parts of the country we visited”, adds Hector.
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There is currently a high demand for purebred Gelbvieh in northern Mexico
The Dakotas’ climate can be a harsh one, but the attitude of the folks, and the quality of the cattle that Hector Padres saw certainly had an impact. “Thumbs up to the producers, we would like to thank each and every one for their time and attention they gave us on our visit!” Hector, along with the four other men have this message to pass on: “We were very pleased with the treatment we received from everybody... we will continue doing business in the Dakota’s, with the fine people, and the producers. Our congratulations to all the producers we visited on their fine work in their genetics and management of the breed.”