FEATURE ARTICLE
From Pasture to Plate, by Mike Barnett
BRANGUS PERFORM
From the harsh, unforgiving desert of the American Southwest to the green, lush pastures of the humid Southeast, a growing number of seedstock producers find Brangus a star performer of both pasture and plate. In seedstock operations ranging across the southern tier of states, breeders like Phillip and Beth DeSalvo of Big D Ranch in Center Ridge, Arkansas say cattleman vie for their gooddoing Brangus/Ultrablack bulls for commercial herds. And consumers clamor for great tasting Brangus beef. The DeSalvos are one of four Brangus breeders we interviewed who add value to their registered herds by feeding and selling calves (who don’t meet criteria as seedstock) as beef directly to consumers. All four have a unique approach to marketing calves as beef. The DeSalvos have built a loyal clientele through local farmers markets. Dr. Bart Carter and family sell Brangus beef through their butcher shop and retail store called Carter Custom Cuts in Thatcher, Arizona. Diann Watson of Pennridge Ranch Meats, located east of Austin, sells Texas family ranch raised beef directly through the internet. Wayne Addison of Winfield, Alabama, uses his personal Facebook page to market his Brangus beef to family, friends, and repeat customers. All four breeders find loyal customers return again and
Photos courtesy of Carter’s Custom Cuts, Steve Carter 14
April 2021
again to buy good Brangus beef for their center of the plate experience. Beth DeSalvo says the flavorful meat finds consumers chiming for more. “The one thing that people come back to me and say, ‘This is absolutely the best tasting beef I’ve ever had,’” Beth says. “People can’t get over the taste. And it makes a huge difference.” Flavor, yes. But husband, Phillip, adds tenderness to the equation that satisfies customer palates. “We have cattle that have been where I did not desire them to be,” Phillip says. “They would grade high Select instead of Choice and Prime where I want them. But it’s still a very tender, enjoyable eating experience. I think that comes through with Brangus beef.” BRANGUS BEEF GOES HIGH-END Dr. Bart Carter says Carter Custom Cuts has built its reputation on providing superior cuts of Brangus beef to the high-end beef market. “We have made it pretty clear that we don’t sell meat that’s designed to be cheap. And that’s been our model from the git-go,” he says. “Our customers are middleclass people who come to our shop when they want a great cut of meat.” Dr. Carter has a 200 head registered herd (Carter Brangus) he runs on a 60-section desert ranch in Arizona.
