The Cattleman - January 2025

Realities of Expansion

How to strategically navigate the herd rebuilding

Cattle buyer and ag lender reflect on the record cattle market.

chessboard.

Harlow Cattle Co.

Birdwell Plainview, TX (806) 681-3667

Griffin Atoka, OK (580) 271-1333

Johnson Dallas, TX (214) 384-2653

10 FEATURES 18

Queen’s Promotion

How producers can strategically navigate the herd rebuilding chessboard.

By Diane Meyer

When Prices are High

Cattle buyer and ag lender reflect on record cattle market.

By Jena McRell

A RECORD YEAR

The year 2024 was one of records for the beef industry — some are worth celebrating, while others are more sobering.

Throughout the past 12 months, Texas endured its largest wildfire in history, beef prices surged and inflation showed its first reprieve since 2021.

Jena McRell captures the complex balance in her feature, When Prices Are High. As she writes, cattle prices may be record-strong — but so is everything else. So how do cattle raisers navigate this challenging environment? Flip to page 18 for advice and thoughtful perspective on weathering today’s economic hurdles.

Looking ahead, writer Diane Meyer offers insight into the herd rebuilding landscape in her feature, Queen’s Promotion. While no one can predict with certainty, industry expert Nevil Speer provides informative data and his forecast for cattle inventories in 2025.

One thing we can guarantee? The 2025 Cattle Raisers Convention & Expo will be among the year’s highlights.

As this issue hits mailboxes in January, registration will officially be open and you are invited to take advantage of the early-bird rates. Cattle Raisers Convention & Expo, hosted April 11-13 in Fort Worth, will offer can’t-miss opportunities for landowners, ranchers and wildlife managers from across the country.

Visit cattleraisersconvention.com to register. T C

Happy New Year!

Jaclyn Roberts Parrish Executive Director of Communications & Marketing/ Editor-in-Chief, The Cattleman

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ON THE COVER

Fresh snow offers a blank canvas perfect for new beginnings.

CONTENTS

A winter wonderland morning in Texas Hill Country.

Photos by Kayla Jennings

ALSO WITH THIS ISSUE

From the Texas Panhandle to the Gulf Coast, Texans are as different as the dishes we make. But at every table, one thing remains the same:

BEEF BRINGS US TOGETHER.

At Texas Beef Council, we aspire to bring more Texans to the table with delicious recipes and memorable experiences.

Celebrating 10 years since producers voted on an additional Texas Beef Checkoff assessment to build innovative programs including:

highlights the legendary world of Texas barbecue in a 3-season TV show viewed more than 4M TIME S.

MEDICAL OFFICE OUTREACH

shares research about beef with health professionals.

visited by our reps are found more likely to give BEEF-POSITIVE patient recommendations. OF THE 80% PHYSICIANS

Queen’s PROMOTION

How producers can strategically navigate the herd rebuilding chessboard.

By Diane Meyer

In a famous scene from Lewis Carroll’s 1871 novel Through the Looking Glass, the sequel to Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Alice finds herself exploring a fantastical world she entered through a mirror.

In this realm everything is reversed — chess pieces are alive, fictional characters are real, and running is a means to stay in place.

She starts running hand-in-hand with the Red Queen, gathering speed until they are sprinting as fast as Alice can manage. When they finally stop, an out-of-breath Alice is astonished to discover they are in the same place they started.

She expresses her confusion, to which the Red Queen replies, “Now, here, you see, it takes all the running you can do, to stay in the same place.”

This interaction, made famous for its metaphor for adaptation, was described to a full convention room of cattle producers Nov. 4 during the 2024 Angus Convention in Fort Worth.

In his presentation “Begin with the End in Mind,” industry consultant Nevil Speer referenced the Red Queen Effect to illustrate how businesses must constantly evolve to avoid falling behind the competition. “What are you doing,” he asked, “that truly lets you run faster than competitors?”

by

Photo

Katie Barnett

The answer lies in understanding your customer inside and out, he shared, which for everyone in the beef business is ultimately the protein consumer.

As beef producers consider the move toward expansion, the Red Queen Effect — the need to adapt to stay relevant — is playing out in how feeders and producers approach herd rebuilding with top-tier quality in mind.

Pieces at play

It is evident the number of cows will not increase in 2025. What’s the hold up?

Referencing Drover ’s “2024 State of the Beef Report,” Speer cites a survey that shows the percentage of producers who intend to rebuild remains the same as in 2023. A small majority, 51%, anticipate adding numbers in the next five years, while 38% intend to stay the same size.

Additionally, heifers on feed represented about 40% of the feedyard population as of the end of October 2024, indicating producers are not retaining them for breeding.

Although the number of beef cows being harvested is down, so is beef cow inventory, making proportion the determining factor in analyzing herd size.

Livestock Marketing Information Center data from 1990-2023 establishes slaughter equilibrium at a rate of about 9.5%. Speer reports the slaughter rate during the first half of 2024 was at 10.8%, projecting a 1.5% decline in inventory for 2025.

“Definitively,” he says, “we have not even begun to rebuild.”

He outlines four primary reasons for the status quo growth.

Weather, specifically inconsistent rainfall, is still a big deterrent. “Every year where we don’t get good weather it reinforces trepidation to build,” he says. Regulatory uncertainty, driven by the election and administration transition, further inhibits decisionmaking. Interest rate levels also remain unpredictable, albeit certainly high.

Arguably the biggest setback is high equipment costs. More cows require more labor, and if labor is unavailable, then more equipment is needed. Coupled with high interest rates on loans, purchasing cows and equipment may be out of reach.

With these factors at play, the herd rebuild is at least another two to three years out, pending an anomaly of decent weather and lower interest rates — the latter of

Annual Beef Cow Inventory

Actual vs. Carcass Weight Adjusted

Source: Nevil Speer, November 2024

Nevil Speer

which is a double-edged sword because dramatically decreasing interest rates indicate the economy is weakening, Speer says.

Industry segments have adjusted to meet consumer expectations. Packers are lining up supply to make sure retail shelves are stocked. It’s now commonplace to have cattle on feed for 200 days, growing them to recordbreaking 950-pound carcasses.

Even with these dynamics across the board, cattle prices have reached unprecedented highs, and beef demand is unwavering. The next question, Spears says, is how many cows are really needed?

Pawn’s progression

After Alice has a chance to rest, the Red Queen invites her to become a White Pawn in the grand chess game of the Looking Glass world. Not only can she move across the chessboard landscape, but she has a chance to become a queen herself — an opportunity she does not have in her existing form.

Similarly, cow-calf producers must transform to keep hitting their goals, and those of their customers.

The first step in doing so is to understand the customer, Speer says. For beef producers, this means recognizing the needs of cattle feeders and, ultimately,

protein consumers. “Every dollar that comes in is because somebody buys beef,” he says.

He points to Steve Jobs’ famous quote: “Get closer than ever to your customers. So close, in fact, that you tell them what they need well before they realize it themselves.”

So, what do beef buyers want these days?

According to Tyson Foods’ fourth-quarter earnings report, lean trim demand is increasing most. Retailers are leaning into this demand with strategies that elevate beef’s value.

For example, premium grinds, easy-to-cook options for younger Millennials and Gen-Zers and promotions on high-value cuts are positioning beef as a staple, even amid higher prices.

“As an industry, we have to get rid of the low-value carcasses,” Speer says. “That message keeps getting bigger and bigger.”

Research also shows beef buyers are more likely to remain loyal to their purchasing source.

To maintain customer loyalty and drive foot traffic, retailers are strategically marketing beef as a premium offering, which boosts beef sales while encouraging shoppers to purchase other groceries and merchandise in the store.

With herd expansion two to three years on the horizon, industry consultant Nevil Speer says cattle raisers should be planning for how their operations will remain relevant into the future. Namely, by meeting consumer demand. Photo by Kayla Jennings.

Speer emphasizes two critical actions for cowcalf producers to align with these quality demands:

1. Be mindful of genetics.

2. Wean your calves.

Beyond those essentials, he predicts a tighter overlap between beef quality, cattle marketing and supply chain access, a phenomenon that hasn’t always been the case.

While it’s important to monitor market trends, Speer also recommends thinking bigger — figuring out ways to maximize value without simply spinning your wheels.

For smaller producers, he suggests pooling resources to create value-added opportunities. For instance, backgrounding cattle or sorting them into uniform drafts can increase their value before hitting the sale barn. This cooperative effort not only meets feeder preferences, but also elevates calves beyond the commodity market.

“Stop being a price taker,” he says. “Ask yourself, ‘Where can I maximize value, or produce something that gets me out of the commodity business?’”

Finally, Speer stresses the importance of managing the business side of production.

“Opportunity never just happens; you have to create it,” he says, paraphrasing a famous proverb.

Knowing where you stand financially and operationally allows you to chart a clear course for growth. While it’s tempting to focus solely on the cattle, he says, self-discipline and intentional planning will ultimately break the cycle of running in place. T C

Opportunity never just happens; you have to create it.”

— Nevil Speer, industry consultant

Diane Meyer is the associate director of content for Grant Company based in St. Joseph, Missouri.

Aiming to improve quality will lead to greater returns for cow-calf producers and the entire industry. Photo by Katie Barnett.

WHEN PRICES ARE HIGH

Cattle buyer and ag lender reflect on record cattle market.

Story by Jena McRell

As Craig Scarmardo opens the door from inside his pickup, he’s met with a flood of familiar sounds — bawling calves, clanking gates and the rumble of a semi-truck in the distance. Hours before sunrise, the crew at Scarmardo Cattle Company near Caldwell is busy settling in new arrivals from the prior day’s purchases.

The team of buyers attends nearly 70 auctions each week across Texas, filling orders for stocker and feedyard customers across the South and Midwest. Every day the facility is the stopping point for cattle on the way to their next destination.

Craig walks the pens in the early morning light and looks over the stock one by one. In one corner, there is a set of freshly weaned calves ready to run on wheat pasture in Central Texas. In another, a group of backgrounded feeders destined for a feedyard in Nebraska.

“Our job is to put cattle in the right place at the right time to maximize their value,” Craig says. “We work to make both parties, the buyers and the sellers, happy.”

Scarmardo Cattle Company is one of several family businesses established by Craig’s father, Pete Scarmardo. Right out of high school in the late 1970s he purchased a few head of cattle and leased a set of pens. From there, Pete pursued his dream and built a future in the agriculture industry for his three sons: Scott, Craig and Ty.

“It boils down to hard work,” Craig says of his father. “Some strategies work, and some are lessons, but he gets up and goes to work every single day.”

Decades ago, no one could have anticipated weaned calves bringing $1,500 per head or $2,000 eight-weight steers. Today’s record-high cattle prices bring profit potential, but also a high-stakes game of financial planning. Craig says keeping a close eye on the ledger and maintaining a strong relationship with a trusted agriculture lender is key.

“Whether we’re buying auction calves, calves off the ranch or a string of yearlings off winter pasture, the amount of dollars we are handling is exponentially bigger than it was five years ago,” he says. “So it’s been a little tougher to operate. We’ve put more capital at risk on smaller margins.”

Photos by Katie Barnett

Higher and higher

Pat Shields, a Capital Farm Credit senior relationship manager based in College Station, says the level of price volatility has been the largest shift impacting the beef industry. Wider swings in both the cattle and grain markets have caused extremes in both directions.

“You could see bigger rallies and bigger downward runs as well, which is going to cause a margin call for somebody every day,” Shields says.

He attributes greater volatility in the futures market to changing dynamics at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, including expanded daily limits and computerized trading. Technical traders operate in the immediate or short-term commodity futures markets, he says, making decisions driven by chart analysis and other indicators to find a quantifiable edge.

“Fundamental traders and hedgers are more into mitigating risk and move slower as they base decision making on such things as supply and demand, weather patterns, bullish or bearish tone of the market, and foreign policy,” Shields explains.

With tight supplies, rising demand and recent drought conditions faced by many in cattle country, the equation adds up quickly for higher prices at the livestock market and in the grocery store.

Cattle prices may be record-strong, but everything else is, too. The overall economic weight of higher interest rates and inflation have placed a heavy load on an operation’s bottom line.

“The high interest rates coupled with inflation have really made it tough on not just the consumer, but the producer,” Shields says. “It costs so much more from a budgetary standpoint in the year’s operating cycle.”

Cattle move through the pens at La Babia Cattle Company in South Texas. The current high-risk, high-reward market offers both challenges and opportunities for all segments of the cattle business.

Pat Shields

He says most producers have seen interest rates double alongside rising operational costs in recent years. The result has been a sharp increase in overall expenditures. “That is almost a four multiplier rather than just twice the interest you were paying three to four years ago before rates increased,” Shields explains.

According to the most recent USDA Census of Agriculture and data published Nov. 11 in Southern Ag Today, all southern states have experienced higher agricultural production expenses.

From 2017 to 2022, Texas reported a nearly 22% rise in input costs, feed, labor, fuel, cash rent and other defined expense categories. Oklahoma saw a 15% increase during the same timeframe. Looking at 20-year data from 2002 to 2022, Texas production costs increased 21% and Oklahoma nearly 18%.

Within the Census, total farm production expenses were broken down into 17 categories. The top five mentioned across 14 southern states were: purchased

feed, at nearly 29% of the total $112.3 billion; livestock and poultry purchased or leased, 15%; hired farm labor, 8.5%; fertilizer, lime and soil conditioners purchased, about 7%; and repairs, supplies and maintenance costs, around 6%.

Shields says he remains optimistic about how economic trends — nationally and across the agriculture sector — might shift in the year ahead.

At time of press in early November, the Federal Reserve cut interest rates by a quarter percentage point. The target range of 4.50-4.75% is the lowest level since March 2023.

With President-elect Donald Trump returning to the White House and a Republican-led Congress, all eyes will be on Washington, D.C., to see where the economy might be headed.

“I think that with another couple percent drop [in interest rates], people would feel better and be a little more profitable,” Shields says.

Doing business

In addition to cattle price, Shields says adequate and timely rainfall is the primary predictor of cow-calf profitability. Feed costs as a result of drought rob from the bottom line quickly. He advises clients to annually project alternative feed sources within their business plans for when the inevitable dry spells occur.

Craig says their feed costs have been fairly moderate compared to the five-year average. Depending on the feed source and commodity price, he estimates a cost of around $1.05 per pound of gain. That is an improvement over the prior $1.25-$1.35 levels.

For stockers and feedyards, he says the current struggle is extended days on feed. With tight cattle supplies and growing demand for beef products, the industry has responded by sending heavier animals to the packer. But those added pounds come with a cost.

“We’re paying more money for our inventory, plus we are owning them longer,” Craig says. “The longer you own the animal, the longer that capital is at risk, and the more overall risk you carry.”

Some stocker operators who would traditionally retain ownership of cattle through the feedyard are choosing to sell early, Craig says, and freeing up capital to purchase the next set of animals. Others are spreading out cattle more and putting on more pounds in the backgrounding stage.

“Maybe they buy a four-weight steer and graze that one steer all the way up to 800-850 pounds, whereas previously, they would sell them at 675-750 pounds,” he says.

Ultimately, profitability in the cattle market is won on the margins, by making smart decisions at the right time and avoiding chasing after extremes.

Not long ago, Craig says they could purchase an eightweight steer, 800-899 pounds, for about $1,200. They would grow that steer to 1,400 pounds and he was ready for harvest. Today, they are paying $2,000 for an eightweight steer and raising him to 1,500-plus pounds.

“Keep in perspective that it’s impossible to accurately predict the top or the bottom of the market continuously,” Craig says. “Just try to trade somewhere in the middle that’s profitable. And if you can stay profitable and keep trading, you can stay in business.”

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Craig Scarmardo

Budget wisely

To help ease uncertainty in a high-stakes market, Shields recommends cattle producers budget for risk management strategies.

The USDA Livestock Risk Protection program, or LRP, has been a popular avenue for insuring cattle on a per-head basis. “It has been helpful for a lot of people,” Shields says. “You can apply it on a wide range of cattle weights or even the in-utero fetus for bred cows. You can protect the calf that’s on its way.”

Pasture and Rainfall Protection, known as PRF, is another risk management measure gaining traction. The drought insurance plans, available through various brokers, offer cash-back payment that can be used to purchase feed if minimum rainfall thresholds are not met.

Other strategies include futures contracts and options, or pre-paying input expenses to lock in a certain feed price. Shields says these are all considerations to discuss with a lender when developing an overarching business plan and operational budget.

“Make sure to have open communication with your lender,” he says. “If something comes up on the horizon, call them early. Be proactive and work together.”

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Financial conversations should revolve around potential growth, too. Shields reminds producers to be ready when the right investment comes along.

“You want to have room for opportunity as well, not just a disaster,” he says. “If there is a day the market looks good, you want to have the capital there to take advantage of that chance to grow, expand or make some more profit if you see it’s out there.”

Eyes ahead

Moving into 2025, Shields says strong cattle prices should continue into the foreseeable future. “We are going to see a lot of opportunity [over] the next few years in the cow-calf business,” Shields says. “They are really in a cat-bird seat for a while.”

As the cow herd shifts toward an expansionary phase, investments into replacement females are expected to be costly, but a worthwhile expenditure. Shields says if last summer’s trends hold true, it could be another

record year for cow prices at the packer. If producers decide to send older cows to auction, that could return the needed funds to reinvest in young or bred heifers.

“As long as we are finishing cattle to larger weights, we will need more and more cow beef and trim to mix for the desired ground beef ratios,” Shields says. “This increases the demand for packer cows and bulls.”

Each operation will need to take an honest look at their herd, finances, projected operational expenses — and collective goals for the future.

Livestock agriculture is a long-term game, filled with risk and reward, as Craig and his family know well.

“I hope that we continue to maintain price points that are profitable and encourage young people to get into or stay in this business,” Craig says.

“I hope that we can continue to evolve in the direction consumers want and provide the most nutritious, wholesome protein in the world.” T C

We are going to see a lot of opportunity [over] the next few years in the cow-calf business.”

— Pat Shields, Capital Farm Credit

CATTLE RAISERS PAC TRIUMPHS IN KEY ELECTIONS

By Carl Ray Polk Jr., Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association president

Cattle Raisers PAC had a successful outcome both at the state and federal level during last fall’s 2024 general election.

Cattle Raisers PAC supports candidates who have demonstrated their understanding of the importance of the beef industry, ranchers and landowners to Texas and the country as a whole. Cattle Raisers PAC endorsed 140 candidates and made financial contributions to more than 65 of those candidates. All but one of the endorsed candidates won their races, making the PAC success rate 99.92%.

At the federal level, Republican U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz won his reelection. Republican U.S. Reps. Michael Burgess and Kay Granger did not seek reelection. Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association will miss their influential roles as Rules Committee chair and Appropriations Committee chair, respectively.

The absence of their tenure in Washington, D.C., will be felt, but we are looking forward to engaging with the new Texas delegates as they are assigned to committees for the 119th U.S. Congress. Their successors, Brandon Gill and Craig Goldman, kept the districts in Republican control. The remainder of the Texas Congressional delegation remains unchanged from the previous term.

The Texas Senate had 15 seats up for reelection this cycle. Most incumbents won their races, while Republican challenger Adam Hinojosa defeated incumbent Democrat Sen. Morgan LaMantia, shifting the balance of power in the Texas Senate to 20 Republicans and 11 Democrats.

With the Texas House of Representatives facing 16 announced retirements and 15 incumbent losses in the primary in the Republican party, change was to be expected. Republicans gained two seats in the Texas

House of Representatives, which now stands at 88 Republicans and 62 Democrats, with 32 new members joining the chamber.

We have already met with many of these new officials and introduced them to Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association and the priorities set by our four policy committees earlier this summer. Making those policies a reality begins now.

As campaigning ramped up in the summer and fall of 2024, Cattle Raisers PAC engaged directly with candidates through endorsements, meetings across the state and contributions to help these candidates succeed in their races. Individual meetings allow the PAC to explain the important issues that affect the association and its members.

Ensuring these candidates understand the mission of Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association is a key outcome of those meetings. This outreach helps the association build connections with those who will represent cattle raisers in Austin and Washington, D.C.

The PAC is the life source of our advocacy efforts. The current reality is that campaigns take financial contributions, and we need to help legislators and other elected officials who understand and champion our issues at the state and federal level. Without them, the likelihood of sound legislation supporting cattle raisers and landowners would be slim to none.

After a successful 2024 general election, more support needs to be generated to grow Cattle Raisers PAC funds to ensure we can continue to support the elected officials who share our values. If you are interested in joining the effort, reach out to our Austin office or scan the QR code to learn more. T C

STANDING WITH US

Sen. Lois W. Kolkhorst is a sixth-generation Texan, with ancestral roots dating back to the Texas War of Independence. Married to her high school sweetheart, Jim, she is a dedicated mother and small business owner.

Growing up in the small town of Brenham, Kolkhorst was taught strong family values and the importance of hard work at an early age.

Her father served in the Navy during World War II and afterward became a dentist and raised cattle. One of her favorite childhood memories is of her time working cattle and hunting on the family farm, which is still owned by her family today.

As chair of the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services, Kolkhorst sets public health policies and oversees physicians and licensed health professionals.

In 2014, after seven successful terms in the Texas House, she was elected to the Texas Senate in a special election, becoming the 17th female to serve in the Texas Senate since 1845.

Encompassing nearly 1 million constituents, Senate District 18 spans all or parts of 18 counties and includes a portion of the Texas coastline.

Additional committees Kolkhorst serves on in the Texas Senate include the Senate Committees on Finance; Business & Commerce; Natural Resources and Economic Development; Water, Agriculture and Rural Affairs; the State Water Implementation Fund for Texas Advisory Committee; the Texas Infrastructure Resiliency Fund Advisory Committee; the Texas Windstorm Advisory Board and most recently, the Legislative Budget Board.

A longtime voice for private property rights, she has worked with landowner groups to stop eminent domain abuse. To protect Texas land from foreign ownership, she authored Senate Bill 147 in the 88th regular session in 2023.

She has also led efforts to enhance Texas roads, ports and trade corridors delivering millions of dollars in funding for the state highways across her district. T C

Sen. Lois W. Kolkhorst

WHAT’S HAPPENING AT TSCRA

REGISTRATION OPEN FOR CATTLE RAISERS CONVENTION & EXPO

Fort Worth will host thousands of Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association members and friends April 11-13 for the 2025 Cattle Raisers Convention & Expo. The event is open to all and offers can’t-miss opportunities for landowners, ranchers and wildlife managers from across the country.

The convention kicks off with the popular School for Successful Ranching, a unique program offering 30 hours of interactive educational sessions.

Later that morning, the two-day expo opens, featuring one of the cattle industry’s largest trade shows. More than 250 exhibitor booths will offer cattle handling equipment, jewelry and everything in between.

Visit cattleraisersconvention.com to register and take advantage of earlybird pricing.

TSCRA WELCOMES SPRING INTERNS

Six interns will join the Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association team Jan. 13 for a spring internship experience. Melody Beck, Hannah Cantwell, Matt Jesko and Jacy Stovall will be based in the Fort Worth office and work across all departments. Jose Diego Chapa and Payton Ramsey will be the policyfocused interns in Austin during the 89th Texas Legislative Session.

Beck is a senior agricultural communications student at Tarleton State University with a lifelong passion for agriculture. She grew up in Bastrop and spent 12 years showing swine in 4-H and FFA, which inspired her to advocate for the agricultural community. She is an avid photographer and has captured images of rodeos and livestock shows. Beck says she enjoys staying connected to her roots through family and outdoor activities.

Cantwell, originally from Glen Rose, is a recent graduate of Texas Tech University, where she earned a degree

in agribusiness. At 21 years old, Cantwell balances her academic pursuits with a love for spending time with her colt, Knox, and enjoying quality moments with friends.

Jesko, a Flower Mound native, is a recent graduate of Texas State University, where he earned a business degree. Jesko’s family has deep roots in cattle ranching in the Texas Panhandle, where he developed a lifelong passion for agriculture and ranching from an early age.

Stovall, a recent graduate of Tarleton State University with an animal science degree including a concentration in business, hails from a ranching family in Abilene. With a deep passion for people and the agricultural industry, Stovall says she is excited to join Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association and looks forward to building meaningful connections through the experience.

Chapa is a senior at Texas A&M University pursuing a degree in agricultural economics at the Higher Education Center at McAllen. He previously interned with Owyhee Produce, where he gained experience in the international produce trade sector. He says he looks forward to learning more about the Texas State Legislature and professional life during his internship and hopes to use this experience to help define his career path.

Ramsey grew up on her family’s cow-calf operation in Garrison and says she has always wanted to pursue a career serving the U.S. cattle industry. She earned her undergraduate degree in animal science from Texas A&M University. As a student, she interned with the U.S. House of Representatives, which ultimately led her to Texas A&M University School of Law in Fort Worth, where she will graduate in May 2025 with a concentration in domestic public policy. Ramsey previously interned with Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association’s Austin office and is excited to rejoin the team this semester.

Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association is now accepting applications for summer interns in Fort Worth and Austin. Applications for summer 2025 internships are due Feb. 3 and can be accessed at tscra.org/leadershipdevelopment-foundation.

Melody Beck

Hannah Cantwell

Matt Jesko

Jacy Stovall

Jose Diego Chapa

Payton Ramsey

Sign up

TSCRA HONORS STAFF MILESTONE ANNIVERSARIES

Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association is thankful for an incredible team. In November, the organization hosted an all-staff meeting to bring special rangers and employees across all departments together and round out 2024.

While in Fort Worth, the association also took time to recognize and celebrate staff members who have reached milestone anniversaries. Thank you to each

of the following individuals for their dedication to the industry and unwavering commitment to cattle raisers throughout the Southwest:

5 years: Jerry Boulware, Trisha Caudill, Richard Faught, Clifton Miller, Tiffany Patterson, Megan Stavena, Joe Via and Megan Wills

10 years: Lana Love, Paul Pruitt, Rhonda Willeford and David Williams

25 years: Kristin Hawkins and Galynn Mazoch

30 years: Ronald Ober T C

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The Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association team gathers for a photo during the all-staff meeting in November.

INDUSTRY BRIEFS

TRACK CATTLE RECORDS 2025 NCBA REDBOOK

For more than 30 years, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association has offered the annual Redbook to help cattle producers effectively and efficiently record their daily production efforts. The pocket-sized booklet simplifies recordkeeping, which can enhance profitability and reduce stress levels.

In addition to Beef Quality Assurance practices and proper injection technique information, the 2025 Redbook includes current information about the judicious use of antibiotics in cattle, fitness for transport, and how to build a biosecurity plan. There are more than 100 pages to record calving activity, herd health, pasture use, cattle inventory, body condition, cattle treatment, AI breeding records and more. It also contains a calendar and notes section.

Redbooks can be purchased online at store.ncba.org for $8 each, plus shipping. Customization, including adding a company logo on the cover, is available in quantities of 100 books or more.

TEXAS LANDOWNER BORDER LAW HANDBOOK AVAILABLE

To help address a variety of questions and provide a go-to resource on potential legal issues Texas landowners may face related to the border, a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service expert and others have developed the Texas Landowner Border Law Handbook.

The free, 23-page handbook addresses the general legal ramifications associated with the increase in border crossings and threats to private property. It also provides information regarding law enforcement, federal and state jurisdiction, landowner liability and other important legal considerations.

Texas landowners along the Texas-Mexico border face numerous challenges in protecting their land and property, said Tiffany Lashmet, AgriLife Extension agricultural law specialist in the Texas A&M Department of Agricultural Economics, based in Amarillo, and one of the publication’s authors.

“We hope this new handbook will go a long way toward helping Texas border landowners better understand various legal issues,” Lashmet said. “And while it does not hold all the answers, we believe it

provides a useful overview of relevant statutory and case law concerning the issues facing Texas landowners along the border.”

The border between Texas and Mexico makes up 64% of the U.S. southern boundary with Mexico, according to the Texas Department of Transportation. The 1,254 miles of common border are joined by 28 international bridges and border crossings.

At least 32 Texas counties lie within 100 miles of the border with Mexico, with issues that arise from the border directly impacting the lives and livelihoods of residents. These issues vary from economic development, citizen security, drug control, migration and human trafficking to environmental protection and public health.

With an increase of illegal crossings at the TexasMexico border, Texas communities and landowners have seen an increase in migrant traffic through their properties and damages associated with it.

“What are sometimes overlooked or insufficiently addressed in border policy discussions are the direct impacts of border crossings on Texas landowners and producers who live and operate in the counties adjacent to the border,” Lashmet said.

Along with Lashmet, other handbook authors are James Bradbury of James D. Bradbury PLLC, Austin and Fort Worth; and students Hagan Wright and Amy Blake Teague, with the Texas A&M University School of Law and the Texas Tech University School of Law.

An online version of the handbook can be ordered at no cost via the AgriLife Learn site, agrilifelearn.tamu. edu, using publication code AGEC-PU-195.

SEPTEMBER RED MEAT EXPORTS ABOVE YEAR-AGO

September exports of U.S. beef were higher year-overyear, according to data released by USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation.

Exports of U.S. beef totaled 103,980 metric tons in September, up 5% year-over-year, while export value climbed 6% to $843.8 million. January to September 2024 exports increased 5% in value to $7.82 billion, despite volume falling 2% to 960,814 metric tons.

With the exception of China/Hong Kong, September beef exports trended higher than a year ago in all major Asian markets, while demand remained strong in Mexico and shipments to Central America were the largest in 18 months.

“The tourism rebound in Asia has certainly provided momentum for U.S. beef, especially in Japan, Taiwan and Korea,” U.S. Meat Export Federation President and CEO Dan Halstrom said. “We also saw impressive growth in the Philippines and Indonesia, which are markets where we see a lot of untapped growth potential.”

NOBLE RESEARCH INSTITUTE AND CERTIFIED ANGUS BEEF PARTNER IN EDUCATIONAL LAND STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM

As part of a recently formed partnership between Noble Research Institute, a trusted resource for farmers and ranchers since 1945, and Certified Angus Beef, a brand known for its commitment to quality beef, the organizations have announced the launch of Land Stewardship, a free, fully online educational program offering livestock producers tools for improving land health and productivity through grazing management.

Participants will gain valuable insights into grazing land stewardship through a principles-based approach relevant to large and small producers and applicable to all grasslands and grazing systems.

Land Stewardship, built by and developed for livestock producers, provides a self-paced learning experience to meet the needs of busy farmers and ranchers who need the flexibility of an on-demand program.

Additional benefits include a certificate of completion, a personalized action plan, and discounted pricing on the Haney Soil Test and Noble’s suite of ranch management education programming.

Land Stewardship embodies Certified Angus Beef and Noble’s emphasis on bettering the environment through improved land management. The course promotes the mindset of leaving grazing lands better than they were found and investing in the open grasslands where cattle are raised to protect our vital ecosystems and natural resources.

Land Stewardship serves as a learning tool for livestock producers who are considering ways to enhance how they care for the land and its health, boost their operational investment and build a sustainable path to long-term success.

For more information about Land Stewardship and other courses from Noble Research Institute, visit noble.org/find-a-course. T C

Here Till the Cows Come Home

With everything you need to accomplish in a day, insurance protection for your business might be the last thing on your mind. However, you do recognize that a one-size-fits-all insurance policy isn’t the smart way to run a business. Our AGRIBUSINESS INSURANCE PROGRAM can provide you with a flexible farm package that allows you to customize a policy to match your individual needs.

CONTACT ME TO FIND OUT MORE.

OPTIMIZING HERD HEALTH

Start the new year right with advice from the next Ranching 101.

Join Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association for a Ranching 101 webinar at 1 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 21, to learn essential strategies for maintaining herd health.

Drawing from her experience and commitment to educating others, Dr. Brittany Berry will guide attendees through key strategies for optimizing herd health. Her recommendations will draw from practical, science-backed information on maintaining cattle well-being.

Interested members can register by scanning the QR code below.

Born and raised in Allen, Berry earned her doctor of veterinary medicine degree from Texas A&M University in 2017 and started working at Salt Creek Veterinary Hospital. She has a passion for educating and retaining the next generation of rural practitioners.

Berry serves on the American Association of Bovine Practitioners’ student activities and membership committee, and the Texas Veterinary Medical Association’s bovine practice committee.

ABOUT RANCHING 101

Sign up:

Ranching 101 webinars provide participants with practical, sound guidance on the tools and equipment needed to get started in ranching or land ownership. The webinars are available online on the third Tuesday of every month. Registration is complimentary for any Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association member. Visit tscra.org to learn more. T C

Ranching 101 is presented by:

Dr. Brittany Berry

Join or renew your membership today.

Member benefits include the support of TSCRA Special Rangers, government relations advocacy, educational programs, networking and social events, member-only discounts, The Cattleman magazine and phone app, and insurance services.

To learn more about membership, scan the code above or visit TSCRA.org.

TSCRA Business Partners

The TSCRA Business Partner Program allows companies and organizations whose values and mission align with TSCRA to demonstrate their support to the cattle industry. Thank you to our current business partners.

Theft & Law

CALDWELL COUNTY MAN ARRESTED FOR THEFT OF LONGHORN BULLS

Eldon Gustavo Gonzalez was arrested on felony theft charges in connection with the theft of nine registered Longhorn yearling bulls in Caldwell County. The arrest is the result of a year-long investigation led by Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association Special Ranger Kenny Murchison.

In April 2023, Murchison took a report from a victim whose bulls had gone missing from a property in Caldwell County. The cattle were last seen earlier that month. Murchison notified Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association market inspectors, providing descriptions of the missing bulls and their brand.

Several days later, the special ranger was notified five bulls matching the description of the missing bulls were located at an auction barn in Central Texas. The bulls were removed from the sale and returned to the victim.

Murchison received a tip with the possible location of the remaining four bulls. When he visited the site, he found the remaining four bulls in addition to a heifer that also belonged to the victim. All 10 head of cattle were recovered and later returned to the victim. The bulls were identified by the owner’s brand.

Further investigation revealed the suspect in possession of the cattle had purchased the livestock from Gonzalez, who lived near the property where the theft occurred. Attempts to contact Gonzalez were unsuccessful, and investigators found he had moved.

Two felony theft warrants were issued for Gonzalez. He was arrested in October 2024 and booked into the Caldwell County Jail on a $50,000 bond.

Murchison extends a thank you to the Caldwell County District Attorney’s Office, Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office and Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association Market Inspectors for their assistance in the case.

DALLAS MAN INDICTED FOR THEFT OF LIVESTOCK IN BIG SPRING

An investigation conducted by Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association Special Rangers has resulted in an indictment against 30-year-old Emmit Hernandez, of Dallas, for theft of livestock.

The indictment comes after Hernandez purchased 28 head of cattle from Big Spring Livestock Auction in September 2022. Hernandez bought the cattle for approximately $15,000, but did not pay for the livestock at the time of purchase.

In October 2022, Hernandez began making unscheduled payments for the cattle to Big Spring Livestock Auction despite terms requiring the purchase to be paid in full. Hernandez’s installments totaled $11,390 with a remaining balance of approximately $3,800 owed to Big Spring Livestock Auction.

Hernandez failed to respond to Big Spring Livestock Auction for demand of the remaining balance.

In November 2023, Big Spring Livestock Auction contacted former Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association Special Ranger Michael Beggs. Beggs contacted Hernandez twice in December 2023, when Hernandez assured them that he would make arrangements for the payment in each interaction. Payment in full was never received.

Beggs conducted his investigation and submitted his case in January 2024 to the 118th District Attorney’s Office in Big Spring.

On Sept. 5, Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association Special Ranger Clay McKinney, who serves in district 18, presented the case to a grand jury in Big Spring. The grand jury returned a third-degree felony indictment on Hernandez for theft of livestock.

GONZALES COUNTY MAN ARRESTED FOR THEFT OF TWO COW-CALF PAIRS

Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association Special Ranger Robert Fields arrested Joshua Webb for the theft of two cow-calf pairs. Webb was charged with theft of livestock, a third-degree felony, and possession of a controlled substance.

In September 2024, Fields took a report from an individual who said two cow-calf pairs went missing from a property in DeWitt County. The cattle were last seen earlier that month.

During the investigation, Fields received information from a DeWitt County Sheriff’s Office investigator about two suspects who had sold cattle at a local sale barn. A Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association Market Inspector confirmed that on Sept. 11, 2024, two cow-calf pairs matching the description of the stolen livestock were consigned by two individuals. Fields was able to recover both pairs and return them to their owner.

Before the investigation concluded, one of the suspects was reported dead. However, an arrest warrant was issued for the second suspect: Webb.

On Oct. 3, 2024, Fields received a tip on Webb’s whereabouts from a confidential informant. Webb was located and arrested by the Gonzales Police Department. He was booked into the Gonzales County Jail on felony theft of livestock and possession of a controlled substance charges.

Fields extends a thank you to the DeWitt County Sheriff’s Office, Gonzales County Sheriff’s Office and Gonzales Police Department for their assistance in the case. T C

Theft & Law

DISTRICT 4 — NORTH OKLAHOMA

Steers missing in Creek County, Oklahoma.

Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association Special Ranger Gavin Gatrell reports 16 steers missing from a ranch off 321 Street in Bristow, Oklahoma. The 900-pound steers are primarily black with a few Red Angus and Charolais-cross. They have light grey feedyard tags in their right ears, blue fly tags in their left ears and are branded with a “scroll over double vertical bars” on their right hip. On Oct. 20, the owner discovered they were 16 head short of the nearly 600 head they were preparing to ship. The steers disappeared from the ranch sometime between Sept. 1 and Oct. 20. Anyone with information about this case is urged to contact Gatrell at 918-809-3331.

DISTRICT 15 — CENTRAL TEXAS

ATV stolen in McLennan County.

Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association Special Ranger Marvin Wills reports a yellow 2019 Honda TRX allterrain vehicle stolen from a property off Oglesby Road in McGregor. The VIN No. is 1HFTE4439K4502839. The ATV was stolen between Oct. 8-9. Anyone with information on this case is urged to contact Wills at 254-223-2330.

DISTRICT 21 — EAST TEXAS

Cattle missing in Limestone County.

Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association Special Ranger Chace Fryar reports a black Angus bull and four black Angus cows missing from a pasture off LCR 624. The 4-year-old bull has a white ear tag with No. 55 and is branded with a “WJ” on his left or right hip. The cows weigh approximately 1,600 pounds and are branded with a “WJ” on their left or right hip. They were last seen Sept. 14.

Waygu calf missing in Leon County.

Fryar also reports a Waygu calf missing from a property off FM 977 in West Leona. The calf weighs approximately 500 pounds and should have an ear tag with No. 5131. The calf was last seen in mid-September. Anyone with information on these cases is urged to contact Fryar at 281-734-4078.

DISTRICT 24 — SOUTHEAST TEXAS

Cow-calf pairs missing in Colorado County. Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association Special Ranger Nathan Hale reports eight crossbred cow-calf pairs missing from a property off FM 806 in

Columbus. The cows have an ear notch with double under slope and are branded with a “WA” on their left rib and “S” on their left hip. The calves weigh 500 to 600 pounds and are mostly black. They were last seen Oct. 1.

Gray Brahman bull missing in Brazoria County.

Hale also reports a gray Brahman bull missing from a property off County Road 18 near Damon. The bull has a yellow ear tag with No. 155 in his right ear and an “MN” connected over “TS” over “388” on his left hip and thigh. He was last seen July 7. Anyone with information on these cases is urged to contact Hale at 979-627-5823.

DISTRICT 25 — SOUTHEAST TEXAS

Red Angus bull missing in Lavaca County.

Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association Special Ranger Robert Fields reports a Red Angus bull missing from a property off County Road 1G in Hallettsville. The bull weighs approximately 1,500 pounds, has a blue ear tag in his right ear and is branded with an “ox yoke slash” on his left hip. He was last seen in August 2024. Anyone with information on this case is urged to contact Fields at 361-207-5207.

DISTRICT 26 — CENTRAL TEXAS

Black Angus cow-calf pair missing in Kendall County.

Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association Special Ranger Todd Jennings reports a black Angus cow-calf pair missing from a property near Comfort. The cow has a green ear tag in her left ear and double underbit notches on her right ear. They were last seen Aug. 20.

Black Angus heifer missing in Llano County.

Jennings also reports a black Angus heifer missing from a property eight miles north of Llano. The heifer weighs approximately 900 pounds and has an underbit notch on her left ear. She is branded with a “3” on her right hip and a “Rocking upside down J” on her left upper thigh. She was last seen Sept. 27.

Cattle stolen in Wise County.

Also in the district, the special ranger reports 10 black Angus cows stolen from a property near Paradise. The cattle were reported stolen by the owner Oct. 26. Three cows were recovered from the Coleman Sale Barn with the help of the local Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association Market Inspector. An additional cow was located shortly after. Six cows still remain at large. The missing cattle are branded with an “upside down T” on their left hip and one of the following numerical brands on their left rib: 902, 904, 905, 906 and 907. One of the cows does not have a numerical brand. Anyone with information about these cases is urged to contact Jennings at 830-997-7585. T C

TSCRA offers a cash reward for information leading to the arrest and/or grand jury indictment of individuals for theft of livestock or related property. Anonymity is guaranteed. To provide information, call the Operation Cow Thief tip line at 817-916-1775.

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Ranching MANAGING FORAGE INVENTORY

How to compute and track “reserve herd days” to inform grazing.

Story by Laura Nelson

Photos courtesy of Noble Research Institute

If your grass totally stopped growing on a given day, how many more days could you sustain your herd on the forage you have standing in the pasture?

Hugh Aljoe refers to this calculation as “reserve herd days.” The director of ranches, outreach and partnerships at Noble Research Institute says this is a valuable tally to track for anyone ranching on the drought-prone Plains, or for those who are simply trying to project dormant forage inventories into the winter.

“No matter where we are in the growing season, we’re tracking our reserve herd days,” Aljoe says. “No matter what the weather throws at us, we know whether or not we’ll have enough forage to get us through the winter. We always have a plan.”

That confidence in the face of drought conditions is the culmination of nearly 30 years of practice at the Noble Ranches.

He points to two of his early mentors at Noble — R.L. Dalrymple and Charlie Griffith — who were masters at implementing and teaching the reserve herd day concept.

“They showed me this fuller picture, this idea of managing proactively, knowing all year long what you need to do to get to the next spring,” Aljoe says. “Then I really started to understand the value of our forage production throughout the year, that you can never have too much grass, and how to manage that production really effectively.”

Ranching

Start by crunching the numbers

The goals in Aljoe’s mind are clear: “I don’t want to have to pay for hay. I don’t want to have to produce hay. I want to graze as long as I can, because on the ranch, it’s typically easier and cheaper to take the cattle to the forage than it is to take the forage to the cattle.”

Supplemental feed is the largest direct cost in most ranch businesses. If one of your regenerative goals is to kick the hay habit, Aljoe says, a good place to start is by tracking reserve herd days. Following this principle requires three fairly simple figures: days, demand and supply.

DAYS: Keep a count of the number of days until your spring forage flush, then add 30 more. If it sounds simple, it is. But counting it out will keep you honest about your needs.

Each environment will be different, Aljoe says, but he shares Noble’s strategy for southern Oklahoma’s seasonal norm as an example.

“At Noble, we want to be 30 days into spring before we’re ready to be grazing fresh grass,” he says. “Spring growth will be growing amidst last season’s growth during those 30 days of grazing the overwintered forage, so transition to the high-quality diet is gradual. By the time they finish with the overwintered forage, the rest of the pastures have had time to recover fully and are ready to be grazed.”

So, he counts backward from May 1, averaging 30 days per month, arriving at 180 necessary reserve herd

days to get from Nov. 1, when native plants typically freeze or go dormant.

In order to have those 180 days reserved on Nov. 1, he knows that between May 1 and June 30, they better grow enough grass to provide somewhere between 240 to 270 grazing days worth of forage.

“So, I have to go from 30 reserve herd days on April 1 to accumulating 240 to 270 reserve herd days in early July,” Aljoe says. That puts a heavy expectation on the growth that occurs in that critical window. Monitoring growth and regrowth offers the key to the year-round grazing plan.

In a rotational grazing program where there are a dozen or more pastures that the cattle are grazing through, you can estimate the number of days the cow herd could graze while maintaining the desired residual for each pasture.

Total those days up to calculate your number of reserve herd days — a strategy for estimating forage supply and demand, often employed by producers who practice rotational grazing.

DEMAND: Aljoe suggests keeping the calculation of your livestock’s forage needs as simple as possible. Regardless of where she is in her cycle, a mature cow will need to eat 2.6-3% of her body weight in dry matter each day, so calculate conservatively at 3% to meet her greatest need. For a 1,200-pound mature cow, that equals about 36 pounds of dry matter per day.

Be honest about the size of the cows you’re carrying, he cautions. The Southern Plains Experimental Range station in Harper County, Oklahoma, notes that throughout the past 60 years, mature cow size has increased an average of 7 pounds per year, with the average cow now weighing in at 1,350 pounds.

“The fact is, a lot of people’s cows are heavier than they think they are,” Aljoe says. “We might still have that 1,200-pound figure stuck in our heads, but they may well be bigger than that.”

He suggests looking at sale records from cull cows in recent years, tossing out the culls that ended up at the sale barn for poor condition, and average those who would offer a true representation of the herd.

For a 100-head herd of 1,350-pound cows, you’re looking at a demand of 40.5 pounds per cow per day, or 4,050 pounds of dry matter per day for the herd. (1,350 pound-cow x 0.03 = 40.5 pounds per day x 100 head = 4,050 pounds per day per 100-head herd).

SUPPLY: The forage inventory calculation — supply — can be as precise and complex as you desire. Get a grazing stick out or ask your local Extension agent or rangeland conservationist to help conduct some clip-and-weigh inventories, if you want to check your numbers or fine-tune these figures.

TAKE THE THE NEXT GENERATION

But, Aljoe says, many ranchers can depend on their historical knowledge and trusted intuition to make these decisions, especially if they have been haying that ground in years past. The simplest way to calculate inventory is to look at the pasture and ask yourself, “If I were to bale this today, what would I get from it?”

If you estimate you would harvest 2.5 bales per acre on that quarter section, and each round bale would weigh 1,000 pounds, you have about 400,000 pounds of standing forage. (2.5 potential bales x 160 acres x 1,000 pounds = 400,000 pounds).

You don’t want to graze it to the ground, so make sure to run the total standing forage figure through the appropriate grazing utilization percentage. This is a quick estimate of how much forage you want to take in order to leave an appropriate amount of residue.

For native pastures in the growing season, a safe estimate would be a 25% grazing efficiency, which would equal 100,000 pounds of grazeable forage inventory in the previous example.

This means your 100-head herd of 1,350-pound cows that needs a total of 4,050 pounds of dry matter per day has just shy of 25 reserve herd days standing in that pasture. (100,000 pounds grazeable forage inventory / 4,050 pounds of dry matter demand = 24.69 reserve herd days).

Family. Tradition.

Success starts in the spring

A critical piece in all of these equations is using adaptive grazing to manage residue and regrowth rate, Aljoe says, which changes throughout the year with rainfall and the season.

“We usually think about residue mainly going into the dormant season as ground cover,” Aljoe says. “But we really need to be thinking about it just as much in the active growing season. The residue you leave after a grazing event will determine how much and how rapidly that forage is going to recover.”

In peak growing season, the general rule of thumb has been “take half, leave half,” but Aljoe says that requires more context.

“We’re supposed to be taking half of the leaf blade, not half the height of the entire plant. That’s a big, big difference.”

The portion of the leaves left after a grazing event during the active growing season are the powerhouse of the plant, fueling photosynthesis and regrowth. A grass like big bluestem boasts leaf structures 12 inches tall or more, but the bottom 4-to-6 inches of the plant is all leaf sheath on which the leaf blade grows. Taking half the plant would rob it of the leaves needed for rapid recovery.

• Angus-Hereford Black Baldies

• Spanish Goats

If the goal is to accumulate 240-plus reserve herds days in that May1-to-June-30 peak growing window, the approach must be to maximize regrowth rate while you graze.

“In our environment, I want to make a rapid rotation through all our pastures in peak growing season at least once, sometimes twice. If I’m really on top of it, we might get three grazing passes in some of those pastures during the growing season,” Aljoe says. Those peak season grazing events happen in quick succession on the Noble Ranches. The key is to “top graze” early in the spring with rapid moves and allow pastures to fully recover before re-grazing.

Aljoe says that compared to continuous grazing or a simple rotation with a few pastures, he knows he can accumulate 30% to 40% more grazing days in the peak growing season if he is moving cattle on a daily basis. “I know not everyone wants to do that, but stop and think about it: 30% to 40% more grazing days compared to even weekly moves. That’s huge!”

Think of it in terms of mowing your lawn — if you cut it high, you’re likely to need to re-cut sooner. If you shave it down close to the ground, it will take weeks to recover. The same is true in the pasture. The light, quick, top-graze encourages re-growth, stacking on new grazing days behind each grazing event.

Ranching

Monitor forward for most accurate assessments

This is where the idea of “monitoring forward” comes into play, Aljoe says. After livestock move out of a paddock, the Noble team is monitoring regrowth rates.

“I want to make sure my grazing events two or three weeks ago had the outcome we intended, that the plants are fully recovering,” he says. “Then I can adjust my utilization rate accordingly.”

As recovery rates slow as the peak growing season tapers, Aljoe looks to shift from that super-light 25% utilization rate to a 50% or more utilization rate on dormant grasses. During the dormant season, you can graze most of the leaf blade material, but you must manage to keep plenty of after-graze material to cover the soil and protect the plant during winter dormancy.

“We’re varying our utilization rate depending on how fast and how rapidly our plants are growing, or if they’re growing at all,” he says. “So, in the dormant season, utilization on the leaf area can be a bit more severe than we would allow during the growing season, because we’re not expecting that plant to recover until next spring.”

The key is to regularly monitor necessary reserve herd days against the actual forage inventory. The Noble team reevaluates every two weeks. Especially during a drought, they check their bi-weekly inventories against key dates.

“I know that on June 1, I need to have about 140 grazing days already accumulated. If I’m only at 100, and it doesn’t look like we’re getting much more rain, I better start thinking about strategies to cut my demand,” Aljoe says. “If I hit July 1 and don’t have my 250 days accumulated, I know it’s time to start making decisions.”

Nothing feels like an emergency when you have a flexible plan in place, based on the current reality. That’s the kind of proactive management instilled by those early mentors, Aljoe says.

Their decades of shared commitment to the principles have paid off as the native range has improved in forage production substantially.

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service soil surveys indicate some of the more productive soil types on Noble’s Coffey Ranch — where Aljoe started his career — should produce roughly 6,500 pounds of forage per acre in a favorable year.

“We go out there now, and we’re clipping and weighing forage production and measuring our grazing days, and we’re getting 8,000 to 9,000 pounds in a drought year,” Aljoe says. While they keep a 30-day supply of hay on hand in case of extreme weather, the Coffey Ranch hasn’t fed hay for the past three years, even with drought conditions.

“It does take time,” he says, looking back to the almost 40 years of focused management that got them here on Coffey Ranch. He knows there’s still room for more improvement, too. It’s in the hard times, managed well, where they make the biggest leaps.

“When you have this kind of view across your pastures, you just don’t feel the same kind of pressure in the hard times,” Aljoe says. That doesn’t mean he takes the hard times lightly; he just knows the land is more resilient. “You know that what rains you do get are going to be effective; nothing runs off. You take good care of it, and the lands respond well.” T C

Laura Nelson is an agriculture journalist, author, and farm and ranch photographer based in western Nebraska. She authored this story on behalf of Noble Research Institute.

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WHAT PLANT IS IMPORTANT FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY?

Snake Herb (Dyschoriste linearis)

By Kent Ferguson

Snake Herb is a native perennial, warm-season forb growing throughout most of Texas and Oklahoma. It is also known as Polkadots and Narrowleaf dyschoriste.

The plant:

• Has several square, erect stems 6 to 12 inches tall that are covered with coarse, stiff hairs.

• Has simple, sessile, linear to oblanceolate leaves up to 2.25 inches long. The leaves are opposite at the nodes and will have several pairs at each node.

• Produces purple flowers from the leaf axils, dividing into upper and lower segments with five petals forming a tube-like appearance. The inner surface of the flower will have spots or stripes.

• Produces fruit, a small oblong capsule about a 0.5 inch long that contains up to four flat seeds, from the flower.

Overall beneficial for wildlife, Snake Herb is an excellent plant for grazers such as cattle, sheep, goats and white-tailed deer. It is also utilized by many pollinator species.

Snake Herb will be eliminated from a pasture unless a proper rotational grazing system is in place. Grazing practices are essential to the health of this plant, as well as many other desirable species. T C

Kent Ferguson, a retired rangeland management specialist from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, provides plant identification photo stories to help ranchers

Photo by Bruce Leander, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

BQA TIP: CASTRATE CALVES EARLY

From a Beef Quality Assurance and marketing standpoint, male calves that will not be kept for breeding purposes should be castrated before they reach 3 months old.

Castration can be done soon after birth, and the earlier calves are castrated, the better.

Regardless of the method, it is important to make sure both testicles are in the scrotal sac before the castration process begins.

In some rare cases the calf may be a cryptorchid, meaning one or both testicles have not descended. If this occurs, seek the assistance of a veterinarian to make sure the calf is properly castrated. T C

Photo by Jerod Foster

ROOTED IN TRADITION

A century-long history between TSCRA and FWSSR.

Story by Jaclyn Parrish

Photos courtesy of Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo

The livestock industry is etched in Fort Worth’s identity. It is home to not only Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, but also the historic stockyards and legendary Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo.

There’s no question that this vibrant city has earned its title as the heart of the cattle industry in Texas.

With such strong roots, it also comes as no surprise the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo and Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association share an intertwined history. The two organizations enjoy a partnership dating back more than a century.

In a recent episode of TSCRA Talk, host Kristen Brown joined Matt Brockman, Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo

communications director, and Stefan Marchman, livestock show manager, to explore this partnership just in time for rodeo season, Jan. 17 through Feb. 8.

From the beginning

“Our shared history is strong, and it has only grown over the years,” said Brockman, reflecting on the origins of the collaboration. “The very first stock show was held in conjunction with the Texas Cattle Raisers Convention in 1896.”

Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, then known as Texas Cattle Raisers Association, named Fort Worth as its home in 1892. Four years later, when the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo began, cattle raisers would flock to Cowtown.

Fort Worth livestock show inside the Northside Coliseum constructed in 1908.

Beyond Our Gates

The partnership would continue for more than a decade, with 10 annual meetings held in concert with the stock show between 1899 and 1914.

“We were a stock show long before we were a rodeo,” said Brockman of Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo history. “Our roots run deep in the livestock and meat protein industries, and we remain committed to telling that story to the American public.”

Over the years, the stock show expanded to include youth development programs through partnerships with 4-H and FFA, providing a gateway for young people — whether from rural ranches or suburban neighborhoods — to engage with livestock and agriculture.

“One of the things we’re proud of is providing a venue where the public can interact directly with the men and women putting meat protein on the table,” Brockman said. “It’s not just beef; it’s dairy, poultry and more. Events like this, held in urban centers, are crucial for bridging the gap between the farm and the dinner plate.”

A shining partnership

Today, the collaboration between Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association and Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo is stronger than ever. Association members enjoy exclusive benefits, such as personalized commemorative pins and free grounds access during the full run of the show.

“These pins are highly sought after,” Marchman said. “Last year, we sent out over 1,200 letters to TSCRA members, and the demand continues to grow. It’s a tangible way we honor their contributions to this event and the industry.”

The partnership also shines during events like the Ranch Rodeo Pre-Party, an on-site event for Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association members to pick up their commemorative pins and kick off the rodeo season alongside fellow members and friends.

“We’re proud of our partnership with TSCRA,” Brockman said. “It’s a relationship rooted in respect, tradition and a shared love for the Western way of life.”

As the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo approaches, mark your calendars for the 2025 Ranch Rodeo PreParty, which will be held 5 to 7 p.m., Jan. 18, just before the much-anticipated Best of the West Ranch Rodeo.

“We look forward to welcoming TSCRA members to the 2025 Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo,” Brockman said. “This is where we celebrate not just the Western way of life, but the incredible contributions of the livestock industry.”

To delve deeper into the history of the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo, listen to the full TSCRA Talk episode through your favorite podcast platform. T C

Pictured top and middle, early day stock show exhibitors prior to construction of Northside Coliseum in the early 1900s. A modernday scene of the anticipated ranch rodeo event is pictured below.

LEARNING TO ADAPT

TSCRA Director Lew Thompson reflects on his family’s ranching heritage.

By Shelby Kirton

For more than 130 years, the Thompson family has called Frio County home.

Lew Thompson, owner of Thompson Ranches and South Texas Cattle Marketing in Pearsall, carries forward a legacy as a sixth-generation rancher. Together with his wife, Terry, and their daughter, Georgia, Thompson oversees 60,000 acres of South Texas ranchland.

His early years reflected the ups and downs of the cattle industry. By the time he graduated high school, the cattle market was struggling, leading him to pursue other passions, but agriculture remained close to his heart.

“I always knew I’d return to ranching. I just didn’t know when,” he says. “In the ’70s, the cattle industry wasn’t exactly thriving,” Thompson says. “I left for a while, played college football and even started my master’s degree. But when my dad got sick, I knew it was time to come back.”

Advocacy and adaptation

“We guarantee our cattle,” Thompson says. “If something’s wrong, we’ll make it right. That reputation has brought customers back time and time again.”

Thompson Ranches focuses on raising F-1 females from their Brahman-base cow herd, which are sold through private treaty and production sales in the spring and fall. Their dedication to quality has earned them a reputation as a trusted source for superior cattle.

The family’s approach has made South Texas Cattle Marketing a mainstay in the region, offering ranchers reliable access to top-notch genetics. Even so, they did not gain that status overnight. In the ’70s, brucellosis — a disease that devastated cattle herds — was rampant, and Thompson found himself thrust into the battle.

“Testing cattle every 30 days was grueling. It ruined herds, but it had to be done,” he explains. “TSCRA played a huge role in addressing the issue. We pushed for better vaccines and worked together to create solutions.”

This experience not only deepened Thompson’s commitment to the industry, but also introduced him to the power of collective advocacy. From there, his involvement with Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association continued to grow.

From being elected to the board of directors in 2019, serving on the executive committee and chairing the marketing and transportation committee, he has played a key role in shaping the organization’s initiatives.

Lew Thompson

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Director Spotlight

Today, while serving as chair of the leadership development committee, he says his focus is on engaging future generations.

“Getting young people excited about ranching and creating opportunities for them to connect is essential,” Thompson says. “If we want the industry to thrive, we need to invest in the next generation.”

For Thompson, success in ranching comes down to adaptability. “Ranching isn’t just about cattle anymore,” he says. “It’s about finding ways to diversify.”

His operation features the South Texas Grass Farms sod farm, along with hay production, irrigation systems and new approaches like wrapping peanut hay for feed.

“When droughts hit, I’m able to sustain my operation longer because I’ve prepared,” he shares. “It’s about staying ahead of the curve.”

The next generation

Family is the heart of Thompson’s operation. His daughter, Georgia, is an active Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association member and represents the family’s seventh generation to be involved in ranching.

His nephew, Lucas Alvarez, a Texas A&M University graduate, manages the South Texas Grass Farms sod farm as well as the Thompson Ranches Wildlife operation, ensuring that innovation and stewardship remain central to the family’s legacy.

“The best days are when we’re out on horseback together,” Thompson says. “It’s not work when you’re doing something you love with the people you love.”

Family traditions also play a key role in keeping the legacy alive. Holiday gatherings and shared time together make sure everyone feels connected to the ranch, he says. Wildlife is essential, too.

“Whether it’s hunting, fishing or simply driving around together, those shared experiences are vital,” he says. “When the younger generations leave the ranch, they want to come back for more of those moments. That’s been the key to holding onto our property.”

Thompson says he sees challenges ahead, particularly with water rights and land preservation. “Water will be more valuable than oil someday,” he says. “We need strong voices in Austin to protect our resources.”

Despite the hurdles, there’s reason to be optimistic.

“Ranching is evolving, but its heart — family, community and passion — remains unchanged,” he says. “My hope is that more people see the value in it and find ways to keep it alive.”

Thompson’s philosophy of integrity and innovation has left a lasting impression. He says he is grateful for the ranchers who placed their trust in him and believed in his vision of South Texas Cattle Marketing, as well as to the families who supported him and contributed to the operation’s success. T C

Pictured left, Lew Thompson in his element at the 2024 San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo Ranch Rodeo, proudly representing Thompson Ranch as they claimed the championship title. On the right, Lew with his wife, Terry, and daughter, Georgia, enjoying time together horseback. For the Thompson family, ranching is more than work — it’s a way of life built on love and shared passion. Courtesy photos.

Ranching 101 webinars give participants practical, sound guidance on the tools and equipment needed to get started in ranching or land ownership.

All sessions are held via Zoom from 1-2 p.m.

SCAN TO REGISTER

CARL RAY POLK JR. President P.O. Box 155108 Lufkin, Texas 75915

STEPHEN DIEBEL

First Vice President 3907 Salem Rd. Victoria, Texas 77904

PAST PRESIDENTS

John M. “Jack” Shelton III Amarillo, 1984-1986

James L. Powell San Angelo, 1988-1990

Tom Beard Alpine, 1994-1995

C. Coney Burgess Amarillo, 1997-1999

J. Mark McLaughlin San Angelo, 1999-2001

John E. Dudley Comanche, 2001-2003

Bob McCan Victoria, 2003-2005

C.R. “Dick” Sherron, MD Beaumont, 2005-2007

Jon Means Van Horn, 2007-2009

G. Dave Scott Richmond, 2009-2011

Joe J. Parker Jr. Byers, 2011-2013

Pete Bonds Saginaw, 2013-2016

Richard Thorpe III, MD Winters, 2016-2018

Robert E. McKnight Jr. Fort Davis, 2018-2020

G. Hughes Abell Austin, 2020-2022

Arthur G. Uhl III San Antonio, 2022-2024

HONORARY VICE PRESIDENTS

Jack Hunt San Juan Capistrano, California

Richard Wortham Austin

EXECUTIVE STAFF HEADQUARTERS

P.O. Box 101988 Fort Worth, Texas 76185 817-332-7064 • 800-242-7820

Jason Skaggs Executive Vice President/ Chief Executive Officer

Jaclyn Roberts Parrish Executive Director, Communications & Marketing

DAN GATTIS

Second Vice President and Secretary/Treasurer 213B W. 8th St. Georgetown, Texas 78626

Emily Lochner Executive Director, Leadership Development & Education

Grace Dunham Executive Director, Events & Partnerships

Megan Wills Executive Director, Finance & Human Resources

Michele Woodham Executive Director, Insurance Services

Scott Williamson Executive Director, Law Enforcement, Brand & Inspection Services

Lisa Walker Executive Director, Membership & Operations

GOVERNMENT RELATIONS

919 Congress Ave., Suite 750 Austin, Texas 78701 512-469-0171

Melissa Hamilton Executive Director, Government Relations

REGION 1

DIRECTORS

Joe M. “Jody” Bellah, Throckmorton

Blake Birdwell, Canyon

E. S. F. “Swasey” Brainard II, Pampa

J. K. “Rooter” Brite Jr., Bowie

Donnell Brown, Throckmorton

Campbell Burgess, Amarillo

Deborah Clark, Henrietta

Lynn Cowden, Skellytown

J. B. Daniel, Crowell

James Henderson, Memphis

Clayton Henry, Wichita Falls

Brooks Hodges, Guthrie

Joe Leathers, Guthrie

Frank McLelland, Tahoka

Jeff Mitchell, Amarillo

Gage Moorhouse, Benjamin

Diaz W. Murray, Wichita Falls

J. Malcolm Shelton IV, Amarillo

Dale A. Smith, Amarillo

Jim Thompson, Breckenridge

Ross Thompson, Iowa Park

Wesley Welch, Lubbock

HONORARY DIRECTORS

William M. “Buck” Arrington, Pampa Van Baize, Nocona

Emry Birdwell Jr., Henrietta

Mary Lou Bradley-Henderson, Childress

R. A. “Rob” Brown Jr., Throckmorton

J.D. Cage, Muleshoe

Jay C. Evans, Dripping Springs

Mike Gibson, Paducah

Ronald J. “Ron” Gill, Chico

Robert B. Mansfield, Amarillo

Tom Moorhouse, Benjamin

Boots O’Neal, Guthrie

James Palmer, Roaring Springs

Wilson Scaling, Henrietta

Chris Scharbauer, Amarillo

Tom Watson, Muleshoe

John Welch, Wolfforth

A. B. “Buck” Wharton III, Vernon

Tom Woodward, Decatur

REGION 2

DIRECTORS

Kevin Busher, Winters

Charles M. “Charley” Christensen Jr., San Angelo

C.A. “Chili” Cole IV, San Angelo

Alan F. Curry, San Angelo

James H. Dudley IV, Horseshoe Bay

Amanda Dyer, Fort Davis

Johnny Ferguson, Big Lake

DA Harral, Fort Stockton

Ron Helm, Van Horn

Heath Hemphill, Coleman

Shelby W. Horn, Fredericksburg

Larry R. Horwood, Sterling City

Grant Jones, Rochelle

Mark W. Jones, Brady

W. Clay Jones, Brady

Ty Keeling, Boerne

Lorenzo Lasater, San Angelo

Brian T. McLaughlin, Midland

David L. Neal, San Angelo

Gerald Nobles Jr., Brady

James Oliver, Ozona

Wade Perks, San Angelo

Jessica Tate, Marfa

James Uhl, Fort McKavett

Cody Webb, Barnhart

Ken Welch, Baird

Ray W. Willoughby III, Eldorado

HONORARY DIRECTORS

C. A. “Chip” Cole III, San Angelo

William C. “Billito” Donnell Jr., Alpine

Richard Gates, Marfa

W. H. “Billy” Green III, Albany

Rafe Hargrove, Rotan

Dr. Joe Pat Hemphill, Coleman

Ken Jordan, San Saba

Don Keeling, Fredericksburg

Chris Lacy, Fort Davis

Laurence M. Lasater, San Angelo

Ben Love, Marathon

Len P. Mertz, San Angelo

Tom Perini, Buffalo Gap

Bill Phinizy, Gail

Frank Price, Sterling City

Gordon E. Sauer, Fredericksburg

Danny B. Stewart, Sterling City

Rick Tate, Marfa

Cliff Teinert, Albany

Dennis W. Webb, Barnhart

W. C. “Billy” Williams, Mertzon

REGION 3

DIRECTORS

Ford Drummond, Pawhuska, Oklahoma

HONORARY DIRECTORS

Les Nunn, Pauls Valley, Oklahoma

REGION 4

DIRECTORS

Edward Bordovsky Jr., Riviera

Austin Brown III, Beeville

W. Christopher Bush, Refugio

James Clement lll, Kingsville

David S. Crow, Corpus Christi

Dustin Dean, Floresville

David DeLaney, Kingsville

Robert “Bobby” Dobson, Birmingham, Alabama

James L. “Jamie” Donnell Jr., Fowlerton

J. David Eppright, Cost

Benjamin Eshleman III, Corpus Christi

Joseph B.C. Fitzsimons, Carrizo Springs

Cody Fry, Lueders

Jim L. Gates, Pearsall

Milton S. Greeson Jr., Victoria

Bret Griffith, Del Rio

Heath Grigg, Kingsville

Marty R. Harris, Tilden

Anson Howard, San Antonio

Leslie Kinsel, Cotulla

Claude Koontz, San Antonio

Steven J. Mafrige, Tilden

Richard Marbach, Victoria

Beth Knolle Naiser, Sandia

Federico “Freddy” Nieto, Raymondville

T. Michael O’Connor, Victoria

Jason Peeler, Floresville

J.R. Ramirez, La Pryor

Gilly Riojas, Corpus Christi

Michael Sasser, Corpus Christi

Lew Thompson, Pearsall

C. Clark Welder, Beeville

John E. Zacek, Victoria

HONORARY DIRECTORS

Steve G. Beever, Pearsall

Richard H. Bennett, San Antonio

Chip Briscoe, Carrizo Springs

Presnall Cage, Falfurrias

Martin W. Clement II, Kingsville

Thurman S. Clements Jr., Victoria

Nixon Dillard, Pleasanton

Trainor Evans, Mercedes

Thomas J. “Tommy” Haegelin, Concan

Phillip C. Hardee, DMD, Beatrice, Alabama

Allen C. “Dick” Jones IV, Corpus Christi

David W. Killam, Laredo

Dan W. Kinsel III, Cotulla

Steve C. Lewis, San Antonio

Jim McAdams, Seguin

James A. McAllen, Linn

Tim Pennell, Westhoff

Jim Peters, Quemado

Scott Petty Jr., San Antonio

Tom Risinger, Weslaco

M. Stuart Sasser, Corpus Christi

Frates Seeligson Jr., San Antonio

Richard Traylor, Batesville

Roger F. Welder, Victoria

David W. Winters, Del Rio

REGION 5

DIRECTORS

Bill Cawley, Crockett

Wayne Cockrell, College Station

Herff Cornelius Jr., Wadsworth

Carlos Detering III, Houston

Gardner H. Dudley, Houston

Lloyd French IV, Houston

Kelley Sullivan Georgiades, College Station

George Harrison, Bay City

Robert Hodgen, Houston

Colt Hoffmann, Marlin

Clay Kenley, Crockett

Clive Runnells III, Austin

John Sumner Runnells III, Bay City

Tony Spears, Rosanky

John “Rocky” Sullivan, Galveston

Claudia Scott Wright, Richmond

HONORARY DIRECTORS

Jay C. Evans, Dripping Springs

Leroy Ezer, Anahuac

Frank Green, Liberty

Tom J. Haynie, Navasota

Coleman H. Locke, Hungerford

Katharine Armstrong Love, Austin

Richard M. Lucas Jr., Houston

William “Alan” McNeill, Beaumont

Evalyn Moore, Richmond

Raymond E. Moore IV, Richmond

Rick Peebles, Baytown

Gary Price, Blooming Grove

Gordon Richardson, Caldwell

Charles R. “Butch” Robinson, Navasota

Nolan Ryan, Round Rock

Ed Small, Austin

Guy F. Stovall Jr., El Campo

Gerald Sullivan, Galveston

John L. Sullivan, Galveston

Robert J. Underbrink, Houston

Beau Brite White, Rosanky

M.R. “Mike” Wertz, DVM, Brenham

REGION 6

DIRECTORS

April Bonds, Saginaw

Missy Bonds, Saginaw

John L. Cantrell, Cresson

Ian Chapman, Madill, Oklahoma

Hunter Crow, Dallas

James T. Dangelmayr, Muenster

Seth Denbow, Weatherford

Crawford Edwards, Fort Worth

John Greer, Henrietta

Jason Harlow, Dallas

Pete Hudgins, Sherman

Tom Johnson, Wortham

Ken Leiber, Fort Worth

Stefan Marchman, Fort Worth

William H. McCall, Fort Worth

Dan Nance, Haslet

Susan Roach, Fort Worth

Stephen S. “Steve” Sikes, Fort Worth

Bragg Smith III, Dallas

Curtis A. Younts Jr., Belton

HONORARY DIRECTORS

Bradford S. “Brad” Barnes, Fort Worth

George Beggs IV, Fort Worth

John W. Carpenter III, Dallas

Barrett D. Clark, Breckenridge

Markham B. Dossett, Waco

Bob Drake, Davis, Oklahoma

James H. “Jim” Dudley, Comanche

John Z. Kimberlin Jr., Dallas

James E. “Jim” Link, Crowley

Jon David Mayfield, Dublin

C. H. “Terry” McCall, Comanche

Bob Moorhouse, Weatherford

Russell “Rusty” Noble, Ardmore, Oklahoma

Mary Joe Reynolds-Montgomery, Fort Worth

Tom L. Roach III, Bozeman, Montana

Stephen T. “Steve” Swenson, Dallas

Frederick “Bart” Wulff Sr., Dallas

FROM CUTTING HORSES TO CATTLE BRANDS

TSCRA Market Inspector Bob McBryde’s lifelong passion for ranching.

By Grant Mastin

True cowboys are often considered a dying breed, but that designation is the only way of life for Bob McBryde, a Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association market inspector from Mineral Wells.

Originally from the Texas Panhandle, McBryde grew up horseback and turned his passion into a profession when he began to train, show and sell cutting horses. As an open rider, he was often found in a barn full of show horses or at the Cutting Horse Futurity in Fort Worth.

As McBryde’s career progressed, his journey across Texas unlocked various opportunities, leading him to build a sale barn near Mineral Wells. It was there that he first became acquainted with Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association.

Market inspectors would work his sale barn to record animals moving through the facility, documenting earmarks, brands and other physical characteristics.

In 2009, after selling his sale barn, McBryde began a new chapter as a market inspector himself, staying close to the industry and career he loved.

McBryde started his journey working at the Hamilton Livestock Commission and slowly added Erath County Dairy Sale, Hubbard Livestock Market and Stephenville Cattle Co. to his weekly inspections.

Today, the majority of McBryde’s week is spent in a livestock market.

On a typical day, he arrives in the morning to check cattle for brands and earmarks to ensure everything is documented properly. He stays until the sale is complete.

“It’s a lot of walking and a lot of work, especially with cows that have brands all over them,” he says.

McBryde notes market inspectors play a vital role in the cattle industry. Although his job does not often involve dramatic recoveries, there have been many occasions when his work made a significant impact.

“If somebody loses a cow or steer, we turn that information in to the office,” he says. “It’s valuable for

Now 77 years old, Bob McBryde says he enjoys serving cattle raisers in his role as a TSCRA market inspector. He was recently recognized for 15 years of service. Courtesy photos.

farmers and ranchers to know there is a chance that they might get their livestock back — or at least find out what happened.”

Leaning into his cowboy ways, McBryde emphasizes the most important part of his role is to treat everybody the same. In a world that’s always shifting, his steady commitment to the cattle industry and the people within it stands as a testament to character.

“This job suits me well. I enjoy it, and it’s the people that make it all worthwhile,” he says. “That’s what keeps me going.” T C

Grant Mastin is a student at Texas Christian University and served as a fall intern for Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association.

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REGIONS & DISTRICTS

TSCRA Special Rangers

New Members

2 Bar Cane Ranch

Floresville

2L Cattle Co.

Danville, Arkansas

359 Cattle Co.

Spring

3G Cattle Goliad

4-L Ranch Santo

ABC Lost Acres Snook

Tim & Janet Abraham Tulsa, Oklahoma

Virginia Addison San Marcos

Akin Family Houston

Allen Livestock Holliday

ANZ River Ranch Shepherd

Asa Land & Cattle Inc. Purmela

West Austin Weatherford

Ayres Cattle Sulphur, Oklahoma

Tate Baca Sherman

Ball Ranch 1873 LLC Athens

Justin Bankston Sumner

Bar Diamond Bar Comanche

Bartos Farms

Victoria

Helena Bennett Abilene

Biedenharn Cattle Co. Catulla

Big A’s Ranch Crosby

Caly Blacksher Garrison

Rylee Blacksher Mathis

Rick C. Bluntzer San Antonio

Scott Boyd Godley

Chris Brecht Lake Jackson

BJ Calloway Garden City

Conner Cameron Mount Pleasant

Carter Farms Mabank

Paula Cervantes Ennis

Sydni Chesshir Floydada

Childers Ranch Lufkin

Cochran Land & Cattle Hugo, Oklahoma

Compa Cattle Kingsland

Katie Coughran Deer Park

Madison Coughran Deer Park

Riley & Calley Crawford Boerne

D Bar P San Antonio

Lana Danielson Mustang, Oklahoma

Bryan Davis Sterling City

Deep Aquatic Technology Polson, Montana

Diamond I Harper Dolores Creek Ranch LLC Laredo

Michael Dralle Laredo Dylyn Due Kingsbury

Matthew Eisenhart Gary

Rylan Flores Hillsboro

Floyd 6 Ranch Midland

Forrest Ranch Beef LLC Slaton

Fraze Livestock Hico

Kerrin Frysak Matador

Gaja Ranch LLC Sugar Land

Games Ranch Briggs

Richard Garza-Ray

Roma

Olivia Gingrick Sinton

Gorden Family Farms LLC Midland

Griffin Ranch Longview

Nathan Griffith Burnet

H^ Ranch Tomball

Hackberry

Houston

Scott Haggard

Dallas

Gilbert & Barbara Hall Mineral Wells

Robert Hamman Cleveland

Cody Hays Lacoste

Richard Himburg Romayor

Hood Ranch Sugar Land

James Family Roanoke

David Jana San Antonio

James & Shelley Janac Hearne

Jett Ranches Florence

JMJ Ante Silverton

Jack W. Johnston Jr. Saginaw

Johnston-Bailey Ranch Clinton, South Carolina

Jost Ranch Doss

Thomas Kerss Nacogdoches

Kert Ranch Cleburne

Case Koehler Clifton

Kohleffel Farm & Ranch East Bernard

Gordon Kohutek Georgetown

John Kopycinski

Chappell Hill

Korsten Family Georgetown

Lazy B Ranch Millsap

Lindale Land & Cattle LLC Weatherford

Armando Lopez Lubbock

Lovejoy Longhorns LLC Maud, Oklahoma

Gary Lungarini Fernandina, Florida

Montgomery Mabus Jefferson

Mandel Ranch Corpus Christi

Jennifer Mansker Spring Branch

Matthews Cattle Follett

Matukonis Family Ranch Wills Point

Brian May San Angelo

Shad Mayfield Lipan

McCauley & Son College Station

McClellan Farms LLC China

MCM Farms

Lindsay Sarah Mendietta Kingsville Menem Canyon Lake

Libby Modisette Clovis, New Mexico

New Members

Harold M. Monical

Lake Jackson

Mason Moore Canyon

Farrel Muncy

Logan, New Mexico

MWK Farms LLC Waelder

Newsom Cattle Co.

Georgetown

Not So Lazy Huffman

Andy O’Neal Mansfield

OBARM Cattle Co. Laredo

Daren & Dawn Otto

Victoria

Scotty Palmer Mosquero, New Mexico

Hallory Parks Fort Worth

Steven Perez Rio Grande City

Travis Pfeiffer Boerne

Plains Capital Bank Oil & Gas Mgmt. Fort Worth

Rian Plummer Karnes City

Sunshine Pryor Holdenville, Oklahoma

Sam Puhala Houston

PW Smart Ranch Mountain Home

R2 Cattle Alvord

Rafter E San Angelo

New Members

Rancho Rios San Antonio

Rancho San Rafael Dilley

Joe Ray Gladewater Ray Ranch Gladewater

Rock Creek Ranch McAlester, Oklahoma

Rockin’ I&J Ranch Cypress

Jacob Rogers Rockwall

Davis Roof New Braunfels

RT 2C Cattle LLC Santa Fe

Running E Texas Longhorns Plains

Armando Sanchez Nogal, New Mexico

Fred Santos Dallas

Reanna Santos Angleton

Scimetrics Ltd. Corp. Kaput Wellinton, Colorado

Robert & Samantha Shannon Midland

Shayne Wright Farms Henderson

Steve & Nancy Slate Decatur

Slott Land & Cattle New Waverly

Faith & Nathan Smith New Braunfels

Ricardo Soliz Laredo

Sparrow Hollow Ranch Goliad

SPB Ltd Laredo

Stafford Cattle Bristow, Oklahoma

Star Light Ranch Farmesville

David Steves Victoria

Stine Ranch Mooreland, Oklahoma

Stone Arbor San Angelo

Trent Stricker Laredo

T Lazy J Paradise

Taylor Stevenson Ranch Houston

TD Farm & Ranch San Antonio

Landon & Holly Terry Stamford

Texas Mobile Butcher Ledbetter

Texas Wildlife Association New Braunfels

GA Thistlethwaite Canton

Michael Thomas Poolville

Briana Torres

Waller

Travis Jones 3 J Cattle Bellevue

Triple D Ranch

Gary

Kevin Vader Goliad

Valley View Cattle Co. LLC

Beggs, Oklahoma

Kennith & Angie Vieth

Wichita Falls

W Bar Ranch Floresville

Wagon Creek Inc. Canadian

Ann L. Watkins Rhome

Jack Weaver

San Marcos Joshua Weaver Jacksonville

Kirk West Fate

White Creek Cattle Co. Three Rivers

White Rock Ranch Burnet

Winslow’s Big Cypress Ranch Woodville

Wrecking Crew Ranch LP Laredo

Auction Markets & Market Inspectors

ANDERSON

Elkhart Horse Auction

Where: Elkhart

Phone: 903-764-1495

Sale Day: Saturday

Contact: Tiffany Patterson, 903-388-7288

ATASCOSA

Atascosa Livestock Exchange

Where: Pleasanton

Phone: 830-281-2516

Sale Day: Tuesday Contact: Marvin Bendele, 210-213-5890

AUSTIN

Four County Auction

Where: Industry

Phone: 979-357-2545

Sale Day: Tuesday

Contact: Lisa Sebastian, 979-270-3041

BAILEY

Muleshoe Livestock Auction

Where: Muleshoe

Phone: 806-272-4201

Sale Day: Friday

Contact: Leo Aviles, 956-437-3899

BEE

Beeville Livestock Comm.

Where: Beeville

Phone: 361-358-1727

Sale Day: Friday

Contact: Robert Bridge, 361-542-6693

BOSQUE

Clifton Livestock Comm. LLC

Where: Clifton Phone: 254-675-7717

Sale Day: Wednesday

Contact: Larry Brown, 254-265-1920

Meridian L/S Comm. Co.

Where: Meridian Phone: 254-435-2988

Sale Day: Monday

Contact: Larry Brown, 254-265-1920

BOWIE

J & J Livestock Auction

Where: Texarkana Phone: 903-832-3576

Sale Day: Saturday

Contact: Cheri Beal, 903-280-4554

BRAZOS

Brazos Valley Livestock Comm.

Where: Bryan Phone: 979-778-0904

Sale Day: Tuesday

Contact: Nina Nygard, 512-281-6753

BURLESON

Caldwell Livestock Comm.

Where: Caldwell Phone: 979-567-4119

Sale Day: Wednesday

Contact: Mark Nygard, 512-281-6330

CALDWELL

Lockhart Auction Where: Lockhart Phone: 512-398-3476

Sale Day: Thursday

Contact: Nina Nygard, 512-281-6753

CAMP

Bruce Overstreet Livestock

Where: Pittsburg

Phone: 903-856-3440

Sale Day: Monday

Contact: Michelle Willeford, 903-767-0670

CHEROKEE

Tri County Livestock Market

Where: New Summerfield

Phone: 903-322-4940

Sale Day: Saturday

Contact: Jerry Boulware, 936-465-1597

COLEMAN

Coleman Livestock Auction

Where: Coleman Phone: 325-625-4191

Sale Day: Wednesday

Contact: Dave Williams, 325-669-2030

COLORADO

Cattleman’s Columbus Livestock Auction

Where: Columbus Phone: 979-732-2622

Sale Day: Wednesday

Contact: Lisa Sebastian, 979-270-1228

COMANCHE

Comanche Livestock Exchange

Where: Comanche Phone: 325-356-5231

Sale Day: Saturday

Contact: Michael Davis, 254-879-3121

COOKE

The New Gainesville Livestock Auction

Where: Gainesville

Phone: 940-665-4367

Sale Day: Friday

Contact: Robin Gibbs, 903-227-0791

CORYELL

Coryell County Comm.

Where: Gatesville Phone: 254-865-9121

Sale Day: Wednesday

Contact: Ray Davis, 254-718-5512

DALLAM

Cattleman’s Livestock Comm.

Where: Dalhart

Phone: 806-249-5505

Sale Day: Thursday

Contact: Clifton Miller, 806-570-7439

DEAF SMITH

Hereford Livestock Auction

Where: Hereford Phone: 806-240-3082

Sale Day: Tuesday

Contact: Joe Bob Via, 806-452-9280

DEWITT

Cuero Livestock Comm. Where: Cuero Phone: 361-275-2329

Sale Day: Friday

Contact: Kaylee Malatek, 979-942-0323

EASTLAND

Texas Cattle Exchange

Where: Eastland Phone: 254-629-2288

Sale Day: Tuesday Contact: Ronnie Ober, 817-371-7071

ERATH

Dublin Livestock Auction

Where: Dublin Phone: 254-445-1734

Sale Day: Friday Contact: Ronnie Ober, 817-371-7071

Erath County Dairy Sale Where: Dublin Phone: 254-968-7253

Sale Day: Friday Contact: Bob McBryde, 940-859-6217

Stephenville Cattle Co. Where: Stephenville Phone: 254-968-4844

Sale Day: Wednesday Contact: Bob McBryde, 940-859-6217

FAYETTE

Flatonia Livestock Comm. Where: Flatonia Phone: 361-865-3538

Sale Day: Monday Contact: Vance Weltner, 210-473-9099

Schulenburg Livestock Auction Where: Schulenburg Phone: 979-743-6566

Sale Day: Saturday Contact: Vance Weltner, 210-473-9099

FLOYD

Floydada Livestock Sales

Where: Floydada Phone: 806-983-2153

Sale Day: Wednesday Contact: JE Stone, 806-777-4396

FRIO

Pearsall Livestock Auction

Where: Pearsall Phone: 830-334-3653

Sale Day: Wednesday Contact: Clarence Stevens, 210-415-0441

GILLESPIE

Gillespie Livestock Co. Where: Fredericksburg Phone: 830-997-4394

Sale Day: Wednesday Contact: Larry Bowden, 210-846-0380

GONZALES

Gonzales Livestock Market

Where: Gonzales Phone: 830-672-2845

Sale Day: Saturday

Contact: JoGayle Stavena, 979-332-2186

Nixon Livestock Comm. Where: Nixon Phone: 830-582-1561

Sale Day: Monday

Contact: Landyn Maguglin, 361-492-9484

Auction Markets & Market Inspectors

GREGG

Longview Livestock

Where: Longview

Phone: 903-235-6385

Sale Day: Thursday

Contact: Paul Pruitt, 903-725-6200

GRIMES

Mid-Tex Livestock Auction

Where: Anderson

Phone: 936-825-3970

Sale Day: Thursday

Contact: Rick Faught, 936-442-1039

Navasota Livestock Auction

Where: Navasota

Phone: 936-825-6545

Sale Day: Saturday

Contact: Rick Faught, 936-442-1039

GUADALUPE

Seguin Cattle Co.

Where: Seguin

Phone: 830-379-9955

Sale Day: Wednesday

Contact: Elizabeth Cortez, 830-857-1945

HAMILTON

Hamilton Livestock Comm.

Where: Hamilton

Phone: 254-386-3185

Sale Day: Tuesday

Contact: Bob McBryde, 940-859-6217

HARDIN

Gore Family Auction Center

Where: Silsbee

Phone: 409-782-0612

Sale Day: Saturday

Contact: Christy McCoy, 409-782-0612

HENDERSON

Athens Comm. Co.

Where: Athens

Phone: 903-675-3333

Sale Day: Friday

Contact: Brandy Baughman, 903-440-4382

HIDALGO

Edinburg Livestock Auction

Where: Edinburg

Phone: 956-383-5671

Sale Day: Saturday

Contact: Coney Alvarez Jr., 956-437-3899

HILL

Hubbard Livestock Market

Where: Hubbard

Phone: 254-576-2584

Sale Day: Monday

Contact: Patrick Romine, 254-723-0950

HOPKINS

Sulphur Springs Livestock Comm.

Where: Sulphur Springs

Phone: 903-885-2455

Sale Day: Monday

Contact: Paul Pruitt, 903-725-6200

HOUSTON

East Texas Livestock Auction

Where: Crockett

Phone: 936-544-2246

Sale Day: Tuesday

Contact: Cheyenne London, 936-222-3689

HOWARD

Big Spring Livestock Auction

Where: Big Spring

Phone: 432-267-5881

Sale Day: Wednesday

Contact: Bruce Brandenberger, 254-977-5763

JACKSON

Edna Livestock Auction

Where: Edna

Phone: 361-782-7666

Sale Day: Monday

Contact: Galynn Mazoch, 979-578-1823

JASPER

Kirbyville Auction Barn

Where: Kirbyville

Phone: 409-423-2612

Sale Day: Saturday

Contact: Erica Morgan, 409-509-1946

JIM WELLS

Gulf Coast Livestock Market

Where: Alice Phone: 361-664-4395

Sale Day: Tuesday

Contact: Ramiro Garcia, 361-460-0008

JOHNSON

Johnson County Cattle Auction

Where: Cleburne

Phone: 817-556-9090

Sale Day: Saturday

Contact: Lee Snyder, 254-707-1682

KARNES

Karnes City Auction

Where: Karnes City

Phone: 830-780-3382

Sale Day: Saturday

Contact: Elizabeth Cortez, 830-857-1945

Karnes County Livestock Exchange

Where: Kenedy Phone: 830-583-2574

Sale Day: Thursday

Contact: Elizabeth Cortez, 830-857-1945

LAMAR

Cattlemen’s Livestock Comm.

Where: Paris

Phone: 903-784-2238

Sale Day: Saturday

Contact: Lana Caldwell, 903-908-0530

Paris Livestock Auction

Where: Paris Phone: 903-739-2575

Sale Day: Wednesday

Contact: Robin Gibbs, 903-227-0791

LAVACA

Hallettsville Livestock Comm.

Where: Hallettsville

Phone: 361-798-4336

Sale Day: Tuesday

Contact: Kaylee Malatek, 979-942-0323

LEE

Giddings Livestock Comm.

Where: Giddings

Phone: 979-542-2274

Sale Day: Monday

Contact: Nina Nygard, 512-281-6753

Lexington Livestock Comm.

Where: Lexington Phone: 979-773-2922

Sale Day: Saturday

Contact: Nina Nygard, 512-281-6753

LEON

Buffalo Livestock Comm.

Where: Buffalo

Phone: 903-322-4940

Sale Day: Saturday Contact: Cheyenne London, 936-222-3689

LIBERTY

Raywood Livestock Market

Where: Raywood Phone: 936-587-4941

Sale Day: Monday

Contact: Harvey Williamson, 963-334-5325

LIMESTONE

Groesbeck Auction & Livestock

Where: Groesbeck Phone: 254-729-3277

Sale Day: Thursday

Contact: Mallory Steen, 903-390-0594

LIVE OAK

Live Oak Livestock Auction

Where: Three Rivers Phone: 361-786-2553

Sale Day: Monday

Contact: Marvin Bendele, 210-213-5890

MASON

Jordan Cattle Auction

Where: Mason Phone: 325-347-6361

Sale Day: Monday Contact: Warren Ottmers, 830-669-2262

MCLENNAN

West Auction

Where: West Phone: 254-826-3725

Sale Day: Thursday

Contact: Ray Davis, 254-718-5512

MEDINA

Union Comm.

Where: Hondo Phone: 830-741-8061

Sale Day: Monday

Contact: Clarence Stevens, 210-415-0441

MILAM

Milam County Livestock Auction

Where: Cameron Phone: 254-697-6697

Sale Day: Friday

Contact: Rick Faught, 936-442-1039

NACOGDOCHES

Nacogdoches Livestock Exchange

Where: Nacogdoches Phone: 936-564-8661

Sale Day: Thursday

Contact: Michael Witcher, 936-556-0992

Auction Markets & Market Inspectors

NAVARRO

Corsicana Livestock Market

Where: Corsicana

Phone: 903-872-1631

Sale Day: Tuesday

Contact: Katy Webb, 903-388-4390

PANOLA

Carthage Livestock Auction LLC

Where: Carthage

Phone: 903-693-6361

Sale Day: Tuesday

Contact: Lori Blankenship, 936-234-3441

POLK

Livingston Livestock Exchange

Where: Livingston

Phone: 936-327-4917

Sale Day: Saturday

Contact: Harvey Williamson, 963-334-5325

POTTER

Lonestar Stockyards

Where: Amarillo

Phone: 806-677-0777

Sale Day: Tuesday

Contact: Gary McClellan, 806-334-0517

RAINS

Emory Livestock Auction

Where: Emory

Phone: 903-473-2512

Sale Days: Tuesday & Saturday

Contact: Brandy Baughman, 903-440-4382

ROBERTSON

Calvert Livestock Co.

Where: Calvert

Phone: 979-364-2829

Sale Day: Friday

Contact: Ray Davis, 254-718-5512

RUSK

Hunt Livestock Exchange

Where: Henderson

Phone: 903-657-2690

Sale Day: Monday

Contact: Samuel Steadman, 318-617-1141

SAN SABA

Jordan Cattle Auction

Where: San Saba

Phone: 325-372-5159

Sale Day: Thursday

Contact: David Munden, 325-456-7253

SHELBY

Center Auction Co.

Where: Center

Phone: 936-598-4395

Sale Day: Wednesday

Contact: Michael Witcher, 936-556-0992

STARR

Triple G Livestock Auction LLC

Where: Rio Grande City

Phone: 956-437-1988

Sale Day: Friday

Contact: Coney Alvarez Jr., 956-437-3899

SWISHER

Tulia Livestock Auction

Where: Tulia

Phone: 806-995-4184

Sale Day: Thursday

Contact: Tommy Thompson, 806-690-4080

TAYLOR

Abilene Auction

Where: Abilene

Phone: 325-673-7865

Sale Day: Tuesday

Contact: Dave Williams, 325-669-2030

TITUS

Stone Livestock Comm.

Where: Mt. Pleasant

Phone: 903-575-9099

Sale Day: Tuesday

Contact: Paul Pruitt, 903-725-6200

TOM GREEN

Producers Livestock Auction

Where: San Angelo

Phone: 325-653-3371

Sale Day: Thursday

Contact: Bruce Halfmann, 325-315-5972

UVALDE

Southwest Livestock Exchange

Where: Uvalde Phone: 830-278-5621

Sale Day: Thursday

Contact: Clarence Stevens, 210-415-0441

VAN ZANDT

Mort Livestock Exchange

Where: Canton

Phone: 903-287-6386

Sale Day: Special Sales Only

Contact: Paul Pruitt, 903-725-6200

WASHINGTON

Brenham Livestock Auction

Where: Brenham

Phone: 979-836-3621

Sale Day: Friday

Contact: Lisa Sebastian, 979-270-3041

WHARTON

El Campo Livestock Exchange LLC

Where: El Campo Phone: 979-543-2703

Sale Day: Tuesday Contact: Galynn Mazoch, 979-578-1823

Wharton Livestock Auction

Where: Wharton Phone: 979-532-3660

Sale Day: Wednesday Contact: Megan Stavena, 979-320-4228

WICHITA

Wichita Livestock Sales

Where: Wichita Falls Phone: 940-541-2222

Sale Day: Wednesday Contact: R.C. Langford, 832-330-7279

WISE

Decatur Livestock Market

Where: Decatur Phone: 940-627-5599

Sale Day: Monday

Contact: Rebecca Benson, 940-389-6382

WOOD

Winnsboro Livestock Auction

Where: Winnsboro Phone: 903-365-2201

Sale Day: Friday

Contact: Alan Pruitt, 903-725-6200

YOUNG

Graham Livestock Comm. LLC

Where: Graham Phone: 940-549-0078

Sale Day: Monday Contact: Kyla Rater, 940-284-9968

In key locations across Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico, Helena has branches staffed with people who can provide landowners, ranchers and wildlife enthusiasts with all their management needs.

For more information, contact your local Helena representative or visit HelenaAgri.com.

ANGUS

BLACK HEREFORD

Mike & Carla Bacica 11707 FM 2868 Flint, TX 75762 Mike: 903-520-0390 mbpga@aol.com Carla: 903-530-8551 wtnca@aol.com

Bob Funk, owner Kevin Hafner Donnie Robertson Mark Squires Yukon, Oklahoma [405] 350-0044 Angus & Hereford WWW.EXPRESSRANCHES.COM

BEEFMASTER

masters.co m

Beefmaster Cattle Ranches in Webb, Wilson and Kendall counties Mailing Address: P.O. Box 2947 Laredo, Texas 78044 Phone: 361/586-5067

Smith (409)779-9872

DOUBLE DIAMOND HEREFORDS

T HOMAS CHAR O LAIS, INC . P.O. Box 595 • Raymondville, Texas 78580

Mitch Thomas: 956-535-0936

Tonnyre Thomas Joe: 956-535-0942 thomasra@gte.net www.thomascharolais.com

Email: john@dudleybros.com

Lee & Jacqui Haygood

923 Hillside Ave. Canadian, TX 79014 806-323-2906

lee@indianmoundranch.com www.indianmoundranch.com

4609 Airport Freeway Fort Worth, Texas 76117 817/831-3161 Wesley Theuret Herefords Horned Bulls and Females 2348 CR 165, Kenedy, TX 78119 theuret@sbcglobal.net

J .T . E chols DVM

709 • Breckenridge, TX 76424

(254) 559-9739 • Cell: (254) 559-0156 muleshoeranch@gmail.com

NEEL POLLED HEREFORDS

Registered Polled Herefords & Black Baldies FOR SALE

Nina Neel Sanders 214-454-8587 • Brady, TX

NOACK HEREF OR DS

“Quality Registered Herefords” Est.1921 – Bulls for sale at all times out of good milking cows Office: 512-446-6200 Cell: 979-218-0065

ESTATE

SANTA GERTRUDIS

Borchers Southern Y Ranches, L.P. Charla Borchers-Leon • Mary Kay Borchers 2401 N. Wheeler St. • Victoria, Texas 77901 • 361-575-1297 Santa Gertrudis • Braford F-1 Purebred • Star 5 • Crossbred Cattle Steven Boothe 361-575-1297 O • 361-571-9728 M Harris Riverbend Farms P.O.Box 691 Cleburne, TX 76031 Performance Tested Beef Type

Santa Gertrudis BRIGGS RANCHES

Glen Rose, TX David Harris Home (817) 641-4159 Office (817) 641-4771

P.O. Box 1417 Victoria, Texas 77902 361/573-7141

Traylor Division San Roque DivisionSan Carlos Division Bloomington, TX Catarina, TXRio Grande City, TX Joe Jones-Manager • 361/897-1337

SIMMENTAL/ SIMBRAH

or Red Simbrah • SimAngus

Upcoming Events

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

JANUARY

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 1

Cattle Raisers Convention & Expo: Registration Opens

MONDAY, JAN. 6

Stocker & Feeder Sale Where: Jordan Cattle Auction, Mason When: 11 a.m.

THURSDAY, JAN. 9

Special Bull Sale Featuring Schaefer Farms Angus & Shady

Oak Farm Charolais & SimAngus

Where: Jordan Cattle Auction, San Saba When: 10 a.m.

Wichita Falls Luncheon

Where: McBride’s Steakhouse, Wichita Falls When: 11:30 a.m.

THURSDAY, JAN. 16

Stocker & Feeder Sale and Premium Weaned Calf Sale

Where: Jordan Cattle Auction, San Saba When: 10 a.m.

FRIDAY, JAN. 17 -

SATURDAY, FEB. 8

Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo

SATURDAY, JAN. 18

TSCRA Ranch Rodeo Pre-Party

Where: Michelob Ultra Roadhouse, Dickies Arena, Fort Worth When: 5 p.m.

TUESDAY, JAN. 21

Ranching 101: Optimizing Herd Health Where: Online When: 1 p.m.

SATURDAY, JAN. 25

Special Replacement Female Sale

Where: Jordan Cattle Auction, San Saba When: 10 a.m.

MONDAY, JAN. 27

Gardiner Angus Ranch: 8th Annual Early Bird Sale Where: Ashland, Kansas

FEBRUARY

SATURDAY, FEB. 1

Case Ranch: Consigning Cattle to South Texas Hereford Assoc. Sale Where: Beeville

SATURDAY, FEB. 1SUNDAY, FEB. 16

San Angelo Livestock Show

TUESDAY, FEB. 4THURSDAY, FEB. 6

Cattle Industry Convention & NCBA Trade Show Where: San Antonio

THURSDAY, FEB. 6

Stocker & Feeder Sale Where: Jordan Cattle Auction, San Saba When: 10 a.m.

THURSDAY, FEB. 6SUNDAY, FEB. 23

San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo

SATURDAY, FEB. 8

Bradley 3 Ranch: The Wide Body Sale Where: Estelline

SATURDAY, FEB. 13

Special Bull Sale Featuring Martin-Bruni Brangus & STS Ranger Registered Angus Where: Jordan Cattle Auction, San Saba When: 10 a.m.

TUESDAY, FEB. 18

Ranching 101: What Cattle Operation Style is Right for You Where: Online When: 1 p.m.

SATURDAY, FEB. 22

44 Farms: Spring Bull Sale Where: Cameron When: 10 a.m.

Special Replacement Female Sale Where: Jordan Cattle Auction, San Saba When: 10 a.m.

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 26

Cattlemen at the Capitol Where: Austin

MARCH

TUESDAY, MARCH 4

Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo Annual All Breeds Sale Where: Houston When: 10 a.m.

THURSDAY, MARCH 6

Mallett Simmentals: 21st Annual Bull Sale Where: Lampasas

TUESDAY, MARCH 11FRIDAY, MARCH 21

Oklahoma Youth Expo Where: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

THURSDAY, MARCH 13

Wichita Falls Luncheon Where: McBride’s Steakhouse, Wichita Falls When: 11:30 a.m.

FRIDAY, MARCH 14SATURDAY, MARCH 29 Rodeo Austin

TUESDAY, MARCH 18

Ranching 101: What Grazing Management Style is Right for You Where: Online When: 1 p.m.

THURSDAY, MARCH 20

GKB & Barber Ranch: 3rd Annual Spring Bull Sale Where: Desdemona When: 12 p.m.

SATURDAY, MARCH 22

Muleshoe Ranch: Annual Range Ready Sale Where: Breckenridge When: 10 a.m.

As a rancher, it’s your job to raise a healthy herd. To achieve this you need acreage, time and a solid plan. Well, we’d like to add ourselves to that list. You see, as the largest agricultural cooperative lender in Texas, we understand the challenges you face. So whether you need to purchase more land, equipment, or to have access to funds for daily operations, we’ll help put your worries out to pasture

To learn more, visit CapitalFarmCredit.com.

JANUARY 1925

U.S. President Calvin Coolidge spoke to a crowd at the 1925 Chicago Live Stock Show saying all that farmers of the United States needed to prosper was an “even break.”

Author Everett C. Brown, president of the National Live Stock Exchange at the time, penned a magazine article about how the exchange, along with the Chicago Live Stock exchange, led coordinated efforts to further farmer interests by leading campaigns to eradicate tuberculosis and other diseases, secure favorable freight rates, improve market facilities and stimulate meat consumption.

He wrote, “The talismanic ‘U.S. Inspected and Passed,’ tagged on every carcass suspended in your neighborhood market is your assurance of the absolute health of the product.” T C