Santa Gertrudis Source February 2025

Source SANTA GERTRUDIS

FEBRUARY 2025 • VOLUME 28 • NUMBER 2

P.O. Box 1257, Kingsville, Texas 78364 Phone: (361) 592-9357 • Fax: (361) 592-8572 SANTA GERTRUDIS BREEDERS INTERNATIONAL OFFICIAL PUBLICATION info@santagertrudis.com www.santagertrudis.com EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Chris McClure chris@santagertrudis.com MEMBER SERVICES Kristy Gonzalez kristy@santagertrudis.com MEMBER SERVICES ASSISTANT Olga Martinez olga@santagertrudis.com DNA COORDINATOR Melissa Braden melissa@santagertrudis.com MEMBER SERVICES REPRESENTATIVE Darren Richmond djrichmd@gmail.com • (423) 364-9281 SANTA GERTRUDIS SOURCE PUBLISHER Cinched Up LLC 18443 Bandana Lane • Wellington, CO 80549 info@cinchedup.com EDITOR Lisa Bard lbard@cinchedup.com • (970) 222-7422 MANAGING EDITOR Jessie Topp-Becker jbecker@cinchedup.com • (701) 307-0772 CREATIVE DIRECTOR Kathie Bedolli kbedolli@cinchedup.com • (540) 842-8228 MATERIALS COORDINATOR Megan Field ADMINISTRATION Leslie McKibben COPY EDITOR Larisa Willrett SALES REPRESENTATIVE Darren Richmond djrichmd@gmail.com • (423) 364-9281 Santa Gertrudis SOURCE (ISSN-10985026, USPS-013-876), Copyright © 2024 by Santa Gertrudis Breeders International, is published monthly by Cinched Up LLC, located at 18443 Bandana Lane, Wellington, CO 80549. Periodicals postage paid at Wellington, CO and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER : Send address changes to: Santa Gertrudis SOURCE , 18443 Bandana Lane, Wellington, CO 80549. Santa Gertrudis SOURCE is only available to members of Santa Gertrudis Breeders International. Visit https://santagertrudis.com/join-sgbi/ to join and receive the magazine as a service of your membership. Santa Gertrudis SOURCE is recognized by the Santa Gertrudis Breed ers International as the official breed publication for Santa Gertrudis cattle; however, management, editing and financial responsibilities are vested in Cinched Up LLC. We reserve the right to edit or refuse any copy or advertising material submitted for publication. Cinched Up LLC hereby expressly limits its liability resulting from any and all misprints, errors and/or inaccuracies in advertisement or editorial content. The opinions and views expressed in all editorial material are those of the writer or the person interviewed and not necessarily those of Santa Gertrudis SOURCE .

VOLUME 28 • NUMBER 2 Source SANTA GERTRUDIS FEBRUARY 2025

FEATURES

13

Bet on Red – NJSGS 2025

10

Let’s Get Bull–Season Ready

15

73 rd SGBI Annual Meeting Announcement

13

Save the Date for GOALS 2025

IN EVERY ISSUE 6

From the Front Office President’s Perspective

8

12 12 14 16 19

Calendar

RESULTS & REPORTS 12 Activity Report 12 New Members 16 Sale Reports

SGBI Business

Production Tips & Tricks

ON THE COVER Cherokee Ranch & Castle, Sedalia, Colo. Photo by Darren Richmond.

Junior Voices

Ad Index

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FROM THE FRONT OFFICE • Chris McClure • (361) 592-9357 • chris@santagertrudis.com Something New and Something Old T his world of instant gratifica tion with a focus on always having the newest, latest, greatest or whatever is cur eryone sets a few very specific goals for their breeding program for the coming year.

true conception rate, a true weaning percentage and real calving intervals. If a bull is breeding 30 cows in a year but we only record data on the calves from 10 of those cows, does it give us a true picture of what that bull is producing? We might see an average weaning weight of 650 pounds in the selected group and 450 pounds in the other group. How is that bull’s EPD for weaning weight impacted from the bi ased reporting of data on his progeny? How can you make truly informed breeding decisions when you only see part of the relevant data? When we sell an animal to another breeder or to a commercial producer,

If we are doing our job well, the goals we set as seedstock suppliers will allow us to produce breeding stock that will meet the needs of the commercial cow calf sector. The trick is knowing what their needs will be a couple of years before they do. That lends credibil ity to the concept of always looking for something new. The problem with that thinking is that we often move on to whatever is “next” before completing the execution of what used to be “next.” We chase fads instead of thoughtfully executing a long-term plan.

rent sometimes causes us to lose sight of the important. I am going to take a somewhat circuitous route as I discuss this, but I plan to come back to this word important . From the time I started in this role as executive director, I have been en couraged to come up with something new and exciting that we can all work toward. Many hours, phone calls and conversations have been invested in doing just that – finding something that no one else is doing so we can be the first to roll it out. A lot of fortunes have been made on such thinking, and I believe it holds merit in the context of growing our breed. Always coming up with something new, however, is not as easy as it might sound. While searching for the elusive crea ture called “new,” it is wise to remain vigilant in our execution of the basics. What I mean is that if we are constantly chasing fads, we forget to do the things that are most basic such as capturing quality data on our animals. As I look through the measurements, we have collected on animals recorded within our system, I find there are many with missing data. In fact, a large number of animals in the registry have only the basics necessary to obtain a registra tion number. You can’t improve what you don’t measure. As seedstock producers, we must constantly be improving the animals we offer for sale or incorporate back into our breeding programs. Improve ment requires goals which, in turn, implies direction. We need to know where we want to go and how to get there in order to improve. I hope ev

If we are doing our job well, the goals we set as seedstock suppliers will allow us to produce breeding stock that will meet the needs of the commercial cow-calf sector. The trick is in knowing what their needs will be a couple of years before they do.

The board approved but has not implemented whole-herd reporting. We tend to enter only our best animals into the system. That’s understandable from a couple of perspectives: 1) we don’t want to pay for registering non performing animals; and 2) we don’t want people to think we own non performing or less-than-fabulous animals. That’s one of the reasons we offer “Performance Only” registra tion in the system at no cost. It is a way to track what is happening with those animals that may not be our “best.” When we begin to track perfor mance on all animals within the herd, we may begin to see a different pic ture than what occurs only in the se lect few of our best. We need to see a

we also are selling our reputation. If the animals perform as advertised, the buyer will be back the next time he needs another animal. If we sell an animal with a Birth Weight EPD indicating he would be a good heifer bull yet he consistently throws large calves that create calving difficulty, do you think that buyer will be back for more? Probably not. It is important (there’s that word I said I would get back to) that our cattle perform as expected. That means our EPDs must be accurate. That accuracy is dependent on lots of data – all of the data and not just the bits and pieces that make us look good. We need to make certain that we are doing the ba sics well before we move on to the next fad. It’s important.

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Providing Polled Power Genetics to the Santa Gertrudis Breed CREECH FARMS 12483 NC 39 • Zebulon, NC 27597 Tony (919) 427-4679 Brandon (919) 761-3894 ccreech6@gmail.com Herd No. 16769 • Herd No. 37879 CF 5J’S CATTLE COMPANY Jody Standley, Owner (919) 291-4212 Clayton, NC 27520 Jack & Sam Standley, Farm Managers J: (919) 602-8640 • S: (919) 737-4994 www.fivejsfarm.com AS SPRING SALE SEASON APPROACHES, 5J’S CATTLE HAS THEM COVERED! LOOK FOR OUR CONSIGNMENTS AT THESE UPCOMING SALES:

FEBRUARY 7, 2025 JACKSON, MISS.

MARCH 22, 2025 777 FARMS • MAGNOLIA, ARK. SANTA GERTRUDIS SALE IV

MAY 10, 2025 MONROE, N.C.

Jody Standley, Owner (919) 291-4212

Also

PASSION FARMS AlRashid & Santos Family 4753 Soda Springs Rd. Luling, Texas frank.santos@veritacor.com (512) 508-6747

Graves Creek Ranch

GC

Barry Powell Columbia, MS (601) 270-1561

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bpowell@powelltransportation.com

SGBI BOARD OF DIRECTORS

PRESIDENT’S PERSPECTIVE • Adolfo Sanchez, M.D.

OFFICERS PRESIDENT Adolfo Sanchez PRESIDENT ELECT Suzanne Fulton SECRETARY/TREASURER Suzanne Fulton BREED IMPROVEMENT Arlin Taylor LONG RANGE PLANNING Jamie Daniel MARKETING & PROMOTION Daniel Kubecka WESTERN REGION DIRECTORS Suzanne Fulton • Fulton Farms • Texas (940) 382-3611 • fultonfarms39@gmail.com John Justiss • Four J Cattle • Texas (361) 772-0301 • jjustiss@gvec.net Daniel Kubecka • Wendt Partners • Texas (979) 240-5311 • wendtranches@hotmail.com Devlin Reese • Reese Ranch • Texas (956) 286-4239 • reese.ranch@yahoo.com Yancey Strait • Strait Ranches • Texas (972) 841-0989 • yancey_strait@yahoo.com Bill Stroman • Stroman Cattle Co. • Texas (979) 255-2582 • bill@fdrservices.com Kade Thigpen • Hefte Ranch • Texas (830) 426-1366 • kadethigpen@gmail.com (870) 904-3070 • triple7farms@gmail.com Craig Lopossa • Red View Farms • Indiana (812) 829-8053 • craiglopossa@yahoo.com Todd Osborne • Osborne Livestock Co. • Kentucky (859) 991-2438 • peppydoc1@aol.com Trai Stegall • Stegall Farms • Mississippi (662) 296-5120 • trais3@hotmail.com Arlin Taylor • Tinney Farms • Alabama (256) 507-3838 • arlin.taylor@bhamfast.com AT-LARGE DISTRICT DIRECTORS DISTRICT 1 Adolfo Sanchez • Red Doc Farm • New Mexico (505) 507-2898 • adolfo@reddocfarm.com DISTRICT 2 Patti Ermis • Urbanosky Ranch • Texas (936) 870-6410 • pattiurb77@yahoo.com DISTRICT 3 Kim Wiley • Wiley Ranch • Louisiana (318) 481-6927 • kkwiley2555@yahoo.com DISTRICT 4 Barry Powell • Graves Creek Ranch LLC • Mississippi (601) 270-1561 • bpowell@powelltransportation.com DISTRICT 5 Mickey Bowman • Rockin B Farm • North Carolina (336) 669-5771 • rockinbrowdyrooster@yahoo.com DISTRICT 6 Jewett Borden • Cedar Creek Farm • Kentucky (502) 718-5441 • jewett.borden@yahoo.com MEMBERSHIP Mickey Bowman YOUTH ACTIVITIES Trai Stegall EASTERN REGION DIRECTORS Jamie Daniel • 777 Farms • Arkansas

Opportunity on the Horizon

O ne of the challenges associations and organizations face is declining membership. Today’s complex and competitive world has changed the way individuals view association membership, participation and, most important, value. In analyzing demographics, industry trends and data, it is easy to spot a number of obstacles that limit small beef breed as sociation membership growth. However, increasing Santa Gertrudis Breeders International (SGBI) membership is an action that the association’s leadership takes seriously. It has been said that with challenges come opportunities, and there are opportunities on the horizon for SGBI. However, we must work to gether as a team to increase the numbers on the association’s membership rolls. Times have changed; pastures that once grazed cattle are now covered with homes and businesses. Town and country are merging and the two are becoming indistinguishable. The average age of a cattle producer in the United States is now over 60 years of age, and the average lifespan for a purebred operation is less than eight years. The number of tax incentives associated with cattle ownership has dwindled substantially, and America has become an urban nation. The country’s population is now at least three generations removed from the farm or ranch, and the majority of Americans lack basic knowledge regarding food production. Financing the purchase of agricultural land or a herd of cattle is becoming in creasingly difficult to obtain, and even finding enough acreage capable of main taining a small herd is nearly impossible. SGBI has not been immune to these changes and the result has been a steady decline in membership and cattle en rolled in the herdbook. As an association, we must be honest and acknowledge that the prospect of SGBI membership rebounding to the levels seen 25 to 30 years ago is highly unlikely. However, SGBI can and will grow if we understand that the beef industry is in transition. To remain a viable association, our focus must be centered on profitability for all industry members. Following the herd rebuilding phase that will be ongoing the next several years, value-based marketing will become the major price driver in the indus try. That is how it should be. Cattlemen should be rewarded for producing a calf that hits industry targets, and premiums or discounts should not be based on hide color or breed composition. Beef community members agree that nothing affects profitability more than genetics, and having a documented genetic pack age ensures feeders and packers can identify animals that will perform as they move through the production chain to the consumer. As the beef industry continues to evolve, we will see fewer producers, a smaller number of feedlots, limited packing operations and only a handful of major re tail grocers. Industry consolidation will lead to increased competition for the “right” type of cattle – cattle that calve unassisted, breed back quickly, gain ef ficiently, produce a carcass that is acceptable from both a yield grade and qual ity grade standpoint, and produce a carcass that results in a tender, consum er-pleasing eating experience. It is clear to me that Santa Gertrudis is the total genetic package fitting all industry segments. That is the reason I am confident our association can remain a viable member of the beef industry.

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SANTA GERTRUDIS DISTRICT VI BREEDERS Selling Choice of Two Open Heifers MID-COAST INTERNATIONAL SUPER SALE #20240499 • DOB: 3/4/24 SIRE: Jackpot 5369G8 DAM: Harris 1524 Miss Jackpot 1524M2 MF MARCH 7, 2025 HOUSTON, TEXAS

Both of these donor prospect females have TOP 1% EPDs in Milk, TM and Marbling! #20240500 • DOB: 3/4/24 SIRE: Jackpot 5369G8 DAM: Harris 1524 Miss Jackpot 1524M3 MF

Also

Selling a Flush from Our Proven Donor

Selling Three Heifer Sexed Embryos And

From the mating of Harris 1524 x KR Kings Prime

#2015577

Kings Prime

Harris 1524

RED VIEW FARMS 5480 Jordan Village Rd. Poland, IN 47868 (812) 829-8053 craiglopossa@yahoo.com MATTINGLY FARMS CODY MATTINGLY Roger, Ivye, Whitney & Chase 514 Liberty Rd. Battletown, Ky. 40108 (270) 668-3177 mattinglyfarms96@yahoo.com mattinglyfarms96@yahoo.com

WindCrest Farm John & Nolan Taylor Gertguys@NCTC.com REGISTERED SANTA GERTRUDIS CATTLE OSBORNE LIVESTOCK Todd, Donna, Dalton & Ashley Osborne Jonesville, Ky.• Cameron, Mo. (859) 991-2438 peppydoc1@aol.com

1238 Claggett Rd. Leitchfield, Ky. 42754

(270) 734-1670 Herd No. 1431

Let’s Get Bull-Season Ready B efore those bull sale catalogs start flooding mailboxes, it’s an important business deci sion to take time to evaluate your cow herd and current bulls so you’re prepared when it’s time to buy your next herd sire. This article outlines key steps to help you assess your cow herd and make informed decisions that will drive your operation’s long-term success. BY KELSEY POPE, CONTRIBUTING WRITER

“Using a bull without any known EPDs is risky, given that you have no idea what his genetic potential is. Using a bull that might be cheaper, but that does are drivers of profit for you, can end up either slowing progress or eroding progress that you have not excel in traits that

Evaluate your current cow herd performance. The first step any cattle producer should take before adding bulls to their battery is evaluating their current cow herd and last calf crop. Looking at your last weaned calf crop can tell you a lot about your herd and herd sires. Did they grow and perform how you ex pected under the environmental and manage ment conditions? Along with knowing these constraints for your calves, ask yourself questions about your cow herd: Do my cows meet my operation cri teria?; Did I have a good pregnancy rate?; Did body condition hold up?; Are they nursing well? The answers to these questions will help determine the priorities for bull-buying deci sions that will have a multi-generational im pact. If you are building your herd by keeping replacement heifers, then the decisions you made three to seven years ago were impact ful in the development of your core cow herd today. If you answered “yes” to all or most of those cow-evaluation questions, the likely next step is to find similar criteria to your past bull buying decisions and look for seedstock pro ducers with similar genetics. If you’re not happy with what you see in the pasture, you are probably ready for a change. What areas need some improvement: better maternal traits, carcass traits, feet, milking ability? These decisions will help guide you when those piles of catalogs come in the mail. But where do you start? Understand the different indexes breeds use and how they can help identify bulls that fit your goals. To start making some changes, determine if the bulls you’re currently using are working for you or if you’d consider exploring new ge netics for traits like growth and maternal abil ity to add heterosis performance to your herd.

You can begin by evaluating bulls on their phenotypic appraisal and what you’re look ing for to complement your herd. Qualita tive traits like color, horned/polled and defect carrier status may be important to consider. However, data in the form of expected prog eny differences (EPDs) should be highly con sidered to improve upon traits your calves may be lacking. The difficult part is that EPDs can be confusing and overwhelming. It wasn’t long ago when EPDs were some what generic across breeds and uncomplicat ed with indexes including birth weight, wean ing weight and yearling weight. With more data and research from breed associations, selection indexes have become breed specific, yet more difficult to convert to a common base. However, they can be useful tools for multiple-trait selection and genetic outcomes for your future progeny and profitability. Ra tios and accuracy are important factors in EPDs today because they provide insights into the reliability and relevance of genetic data for making informed breeding decisions. Ratios help assess relative performance, and accu racy ensures that the EPDs used in breeding decisions are based on reliable, sound genetic data. Both are key to making effective, long term improvements in cattle genetics. To simplify your herd-sire selection strat egy, go back to the objectives you’ve defined in improving your cow herd, identify static EPD indexes that will help you reach your objec tives and use that information to sort through data. Producers looking to buy bulls to use on heifers will still be looking at high calving ease, low birth weight bulls that work across breeds. Producers looking to add growth to their calves can look at weaning weight and yearling weight EPDs. Many seedstock pro ducers will organize their catalog and sales with bulls categorized in sire groups or EPDs to make shopping straightforward.

made.” — Matt Spangler

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BREEDERS OF THE CAROLINAS SALE May 10, 2025 Union County Agri Center, Monroe, N.C. Find a seedstock producer who can help you reach your goals. When you know what traits you’re looking for in a bull, a quick phone call to a seedstock producer can be helpful for them to guide you in the direction of what bulls might be a good fit. Looking deeper at their catalogs, you’re going to find the premier bulls in the top few lots, but by studying the bloodlines and EPDs you can likely find full brothers or similar genetics farther down in the sale that are going to work just as well for your herd. Remember, the “best” bull is a relative concept. Most seedstock producers are striving to produce the next elite genetics in the industry, so you don’t have to spend too much time shopping if you can find a producer you trust. If you don’t know the producer, read about the operation’s philosophy, and learn about their reputation and the customer service they provide. If possible, visit their operation or ask for cow photos to learn more about how their operation goals could align with yours. In summary, bull purchasing decisions are unique to each herd due to differences in producer-specific produc tion goals and inputs. It’s important to your cattle busi ness to understand bloodlines, EPDs and indexes to make informed decisions. Take time today to evaluate whether your current bulls are meeting your criteria of a successful cow herd or if it’s necessary to make a change. When those bull sale catalogs begin arriving, you’ll be better prepared to make informed decisions that align with your long-term goals and operational needs.

Referencing an article about returns on your bull invest ment, Matt Spangler, Ph.D., Extension beef genetics spe cialist at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL), said, “Using a bull without any known EPDs is risky, given that you have no idea what his genetic potential is. Using a bull that might be cheaper but that does not excel in traits that are drivers of profit for you can end up either slowing prog ress or eroding progress that you have made.” Consider your budget and return on investment when deciding how much to spend on a herd sire. Your investment in bulls is not only economic-based, it’s an investment in genetic longevity and your future calf performance. The decision to invest in high-dollar bulls or more affordable options is influenced by your long-term goals and financial capabilities. Whether you have terminal or maternal-focused goals, choosing a bull that can maxi mize profit from your calves will provide the largest return on investment. You can also look at the data, as several cattle breeds – in cluding Santa Gertrudis Breeders International – have eco nomic selection indexes based on your production system: maternal, terminal and general-purpose. Maternal indexes focus on improving profitability in herds that retain females and sell calves at weaning. Terminal indexes are designed for commercial producers that retain ownership of their calves and market them on a merit-based carcass grid. General purpose indexes assume that producers retain ownership of some animals and keep replacement females.

52 nd Annual

OVER 100

REGISTERED & SANTA GERTRUDIS- INFLUENCED LOTS

SALE COMMITTEE Tony Creech (919) 427-4679 Josh Bowman (336) 215-4774 Dennis Lee (336) 202-4138 Jody Standley (919) 291-4212 Scott Sherrill (404) 402-5601 TO CONSIGN & CATALOG REQUESTS Darren Richmond (423) 364-9281 djrichmd@gmail.com

For more information, find us on Facebook!

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ACTIVITY REPORTS

NEW MEMBERS

Youth Activities Committee • Trai Stegall, Chair The National Junior Santa Gertrudis Association (NJS GA) Board, under then President Madison Moran, voted unanimously to move one of the director spots from Dis trict 1 (leaving them with four seats) to District 3 (an in crease from one to two seats). They also voted for the 2025 National Junior Santa Gertrudis Show (NJSGS) theme to be “Bet on Red.” • The Youth Activities Committee (YAC) will be doing an opening ceremony with flags/banners at NJSGS. More details to follow. We will also be changing Game Night to more of a carnival-type event with less competitive games and more fun stuff to do that will include more ages. YAC will be reaching out to Oklahoma State Uni versity to do some educational activities like AI and calf pulling through the week. • Questions will be removed off the score card for the ju niors only in public speaking. They will still have ques tions but will not be scored on them, only in the Junior Division. • Livestock judging will not allow phones or electronic devices to be with those competing in the livestock judging competition. • The NJSGA Board voted to purchase a scoreboard for the junior brain bowl competition. Rule verbiage was changed on the possession and care rule to take out “home economics instructor and affiliate president.” • YAC is also working on a better voting system for junior elections to increase voter participation. • Herdsman will continue bringing in one animal per ex hibitor, but YAC is working on penalties for those not bringing their one animal in. • YAC is looking at ways for non-paid members to partic ipate in cattleman’s and livestock judging ONLY, with no awards and maybe a small fee. Everyone is excited about Chickasha, but fundraising is a must this year. If anyone would like to donate an item, basket, genetics or an animal to any sale, contact anyone on YAC or Trai Stegall. Amendment Update During the Santa Gertrudis Breeders International (SGBI) Board of Directors Meeting on Oct. 24, 2024, a motion was unanimously passed that the SGBI Bylaws and Constitution be amended to add one additional director to be appointed by the King Ranch of either an heir or employee. The motion will necessitate amending the constitution section IV and the bylaws section IV. The wording of the amendments will be included in the ballots, which will be sent out for the election prior to the SGBI Annual Meeting. In order for the changes to go into effect, the amendments will require an affirmative vote by a majority of members at the annual meeting. SGBI BUSINESS

Active Members Cresswell Cattle Company, Axtell, Texas Kenneth William, Houston, Texas CF Cattle, Reidsville, N.C. Kubiak Ranch, Giddings, Texas Irwin Cattle Company, McAlester, Okla. Commercial Members Alyssa Beers, Buffalo, Texas JYM Cattle, Cuero, Texas Boyd Ranches, Bryan, Texas Circle T Ranch, Crockett, Texas Lionel Arsement, Beaumont, Texas Rose Brothers LP, Rowena, Texas

Junior Members Carson Ashbaugh, Waller, Texas Elladie Bland, Chico, Texas Claire Eloise Nepveux, Fayetteville, Ark. Camille Lawrence, Lucedale, Miss. Mari-Kathryn Johnson, Coldwater, Miss. Randon McDaniel, Etta, Miss. Ryland McDaniel, Etta, Miss. Jackson Loughridge, Chatsworth, Ga. Double R Pastures, Mount Pleasant, Texas Olivia Grace Braune, Streetman, Texas

EVENT CALENDAR

February

4-6

Cattle Industry Convention & NCBA Trade Show, San Antonio, Texas

7

Banners & Buckles Sale, Jackson, Miss.

8

National Santa Gertrudis Show at the Dixie National Livestock Show, Jackson, Miss.

14-15

Wiley Ranch Spring Sale, Effie, La.

March

7

Mid-Coast International Super Sale, Houston, Texas Reds to Die For Volume V, Steerbidder.com

18 18 22

Texas Alliance Sale, Bloomington, Texas Purple Reign IV Sale, Magnolia, Ark.

April

5 5

Red Hot Bull Sale, Belen, N.M.

Rocky Mountain Spring Runoff Sale, Belen, N.M.

12 26 26

Wiley Spring Bull Sale, Effie, La. Crimson Classic Sale, Cullman, Ala.

Wendt’s Baby Doll and Elite Sale, Bay City, Texas

May

1-3

SGBI Annual Meeting, San Marcos, Texas Breeders of the Carolinas Sale, Monroe, N.C.

10 10 17

Mid-Coast Cattleman’s Opportunity Sale, Brenham, Texas Santa Gertrudis Bluebonnet Classic, Hallettsville, Texas

June

15-21

National Junior Santa Gertrudis Show, Chickasha, Okla.

July

TBD

Kentucky National Show & Sale, TBD

27-31

Gerts Ongoing Advanced Leadership Summit, Alabama

August

26

Wendt’s Annual Baby Doll Sale, Bay City, Texas

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2025 NATIONAL JUNIOR SANTA GERTRUDIS SHOW  BET ON RED  June 15-21, 2025 Grady County Fairgrounds • Chickasha, Okla.

Save the Date

GOALS offers agricultural and leadership experience for National Junior Santa Gertrudis Association members. Open to youth 13 to 19 years of age. More information and registration Gerts Ongoing Advanced Leadership Summit 2025 July 27-31, 2025 Location: South Alabama with flights into Birmingham

JUDGES Purebred Females

Dean Fuchs, Burton, Texas STAR 5 Females, Purebred Bulls, Bred & Owned, Donated Matt Claeys, Indiana Follow the 2025 National Junior Santa Gertrudis Show on Face book for hotel information and updates as they become avail

details will be available soon. For more information, contact Casey Jones at (386) 623-9088 or Christy Moran at (979) 203-0433.

able. Additional information will also be included in future issues of Santa Gertrudis Source and can be found on the SGBI website.

 FOR MORE INFORMATION  Trai Stegall at trais3@hotmail.com

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PRODUCTION TIPS & TOOLS • Randy L. Stanko, Ph.D. • Texas A&M University-Kingsville

One More Month of Possible Cold Weather

O ne of the reasons we like living in a Gulf Coast state and why others love to share their winters with us is the typical winter weather pattern. For the most part, our cattle do not acquire a wooly haircoat like we see on cattle residing in the northern states – partially due to cattle genetics and partially due to the fact that we can have flies on Valentine’s Day. It has been four years since the “The Great Texas Freeze” (Feb. 11 20, 2021) for which no one was prepared. We dealt with a billion-dollar weather disaster and hauled water for seven days. It was the coldest winter storm in Texas since Decem ber 1989. Having a brush with cold weather last month has piqued my interest in “weatherology” and prompted me to think about preparing for one more month of possible cold weather. Do a quick check on the status of the three most important items needed by cattle when it is cold – feed, water and some type of shelter. The first item on my weather-understanding list was to become familiar with proper terminology. We must un derstand arctic oscillation, polar vortex, polar jet stream, stratosphere, troposphere and quasi-biennial oscillation to become “weatherologists.” Many factors were to blame in 2021, but the most notable was a strong negative arctic os cillation (AO). The AO influences winter weather in North America and is a back-and-forth shifting of atmospheric pressure between the Arctic and both the North Pacific and North Atlantic oceans. A negative AO allows for a weaker jet stream, which can dip south, whereas a strong, positive AO promotes a strong jet stream and ensures storms (cold air) stay north of us. A second factor was the polar vortex. The polar vortex is essentially a low-pressure, cold-air cap on both poles that “hangs-out” in the stratosphere (>10 miles up). The polar vortex has a dancing partner known as the polar jet stream. In this case (polar jet stream), we are in the troposphere or the area between the earth’s surface and three to six miles

above our ranch. When the polar vortex is strong and sta ble, the polar jet stream stays north and out of our concern. However, a disrupted or weakened polar vortex often leads to a very wavy polar jet stream. A wavy polar jet stream al lows warm air to flood into the Arctic and, in turn, sends us cold polar air. Third and fourth factors that can wreak havoc on our winter weather is the quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) and the El Niño/La Niña weather pattern. The QBO describes an approximately two-year cycle of alternating easterly (from the east) and westerly (from the west) winds in the tropical stratosphere. An easterly QBO can result in a weaker polar vortex – warm air travels north and cold air moves south. A westerly QBO supports a strong polar vor tex and reduced chances of sudden warm air flowing into the Arctic. As of December 2024, NOAA is projecting that the La Niña weather pattern plus a westerly QBO gives us the lowest chance of sudden stratospheric warming mov ing into the Arctic (45 percent chance). Taken another way, there is a 55 percent that Texas will not relive February 2021 this month. Regardless, let us do a quick check on the status of the three most important items needed by cattle when it is cold – feed, water and some type of shelter. In general, cattle can handle temperatures down to about 20° F. Feeding cattle in the late afternoon will help them get through cold nights. Rumen heat production will peak approximately six hours after consuming feed. Cattle will need access to good qual ity hay or stock-piled forage and possibly some easily di gestible energy feed (corn) to generate heat. Fresh water is also critical, not too cold though. I would rather haul water twice per day rather than once per day only to find out that it turned into ice overnight. A good es timate of cow water intake would be at least 10 to 15 gallons per head per day during severe cold weather. As far as shel ter, each ranch would best know their owns needs or man agement plans. Minimum requirements would be bedding (like around a round-bale hay ring) for insulation from the cold ground. Hopefully I have prompted you to do your own “table top” exercise, just in case! I am going to town for a few items I may or may not need.

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SANTA GERTRUDIS BREEDERS INTERNATIONAL 73 RD ANNUAL MEETING

May 1-3, 2025 San Marcos, Texas

The 2025 Santa Gertrudis Breeders International (SGBI) Annual Meeting is shaping up to be a great event May 1-3 in San Marcos, Texas. In addition to committee meetings and the annual membership meeting, the event will feature a tour of Texas State University’s Freeman Ranch. Stay tuned for a full SGBI Annual Meeting schedule of events in future issues of Santa Gertrudis Source and on SGBI’s website. The host hotel will be Courtyard New Braunfels River Village. You can find a booking link at https://santagertrudis.com/events/annual-meeting . Hotel reservations will remain open until April 1. Contact the SGBI office with any questions.

Host Hotel: COURTYARD NEW BRAUNFELS RIVER VILLAGE 750 IH 35 North New Braunfels, Texas 78130 (833) 372-5115

J.C.S herrill , J r . r anCh

Thank you!

See the calves this fall from our herd sires Rocking A Mountain 2257 , TB Copperhead 448K3 as well as our embryo program.

We’re proud of Robbie Sherrill and Liz Hutton for exhibiting our cattle this past fall.We appreciate all those who helped and supported our team. Looking forward to more adventures in 2025!

Don’t miss our lots with the get and service of Rocking A Mountain 2257 at the Breeders of the Carolinas Sale! May 10, 2025 Monroe, N.C.

Carlyle and Scott Sherrill Mount Ulla, N.C. 28125 (404) 402-5601 carlyle.p.sherill@gmail.com

SANTA GERTRUDIS SOURCE

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JUNIOR VOICES • Savannah Roessler • District 1 Director

Five Oaks Ranch PO Box 611 Valley Mills, TX 76689 254-932-6182

Q: A:

The biggest lesson that I have had to learn in raising Santa Gertrudis cattle is how to keep going forward after major losses. It is important that after experi WHAT’S THE BIGGEST LESSON YOU’VE LEARNED FROM RAISING SANTA GERTRUDIS?

2X Polled Bulls

encing something of this degree that you continue to make forward progress instead of stopping or turning back. I have had many struggles with my herd, but none compared to the experience that truly taught me this lesson and its importance. When I was 12 years old, I lost a heifer three days after she calved. This was a month before junior nationals. As a kid, this left me crushed, as I had a very close bond with this animal. I was also extremely disappointed as this animal had been doing exceptionally well, and I was looking forward to a successful show with her as a pair. After this, I did not think I would be able to make myself go to junior nationals. Instead of stopping and turning my back on the breed I love so dearly, I gathered myself and took my other animals to Texarkana. Many of my competitions were set askew with this loss, but I kept moving forward and made the necessary changes and competed. After nationals, to keep my momentum, I devoted my time to the care of this now orphaned calf. While he was a bull calf, I knew I was going to show him, and I knew he was going to be important. Remember, keep moving forward.

Semen Available 10 Units $300

JUNIOR VOICES • Luke Nelson • District 1 Director

Q: A:

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE JUNIOR NATIONAL CONTEST AND WHY? Over the years, I have participated in every contest our National Junior Santa Gertrudis Show offers. It is very hard for me to pick a favorite, but I would

have to say public speaking and the brain bowl are the two contests that have had the most impact on me and my successes. I started participating in the brain bowl as soon as I was old enough. The brain bowl has taught me so much about the Santa Gertrudis breed, its history and the beef industry in gen eral. This knowledge has helped me with showmanship questions, interview questions and public speaking. I have only participated in public speaking a few times, but it has been a valuable experience for me. Success in these two events has given me life skills that I will continue to use in the future. Good luck to everyone in the spring show season. I look forward to seeing you all in Chickasha, Okla.!

Frozen semen also available from many of our other bulls

Predictable Profitable Performance

SALE REPORTS

For more information contact: Bill Barrett 254-932-6182

MOUNTAIN LAUREL CLASSIC SALE Nov. 2, 2024 • Calhoun, Ga. • SALE AVERAGES • 28 Registered Lots: $4,044 7 STAR 5 Lots: $2,028 For more in-depth sale report information, go to https://santagertrudis.com/events/ sale-results/

SOUTH TEXAS HERITAGE SALE Nov. 23, 2024 • Gonzales, Texas • SALE AVERAGES • Bred Santa Gertrudis Heifers: $4,168 Santa Gertrudis Pairs: $6,250 Open Santa Gertrudis Heifers: $2,909

Lacy Butler 254-592-2587 lacybb@yahoo.com

Bred STAR 5 Heifers: $3,608 Open STAR 5 Heifers: $1,800

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SANTA GERTRUDIS SMALL BREEDERS GROUP

Brad & Sarah Carlile (214) 514-6145

Madisyn Douglas (913) 915-2933

Carley’s Show Cattle Ben, Leah & Carley Morgan 205 Madison St. • Portia, Ark. (870) 759-1948 • (870) 759-1947 benandleahmorgan@gmail.com

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M. C. LONGACRE, JR. Old Cedar Point Farm • Elizabethtown, KY (270) 505-2910 • clongacre60@gmail.com

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L ucky L F arm SEAN, RAMONA, DYLAN & KAYLEE LEDDY 550 Sunset Ridge Cave City, Ark. 72521 (870) 805-1938 luckyfarm12@gmail.com Santa Gertrudis STAR 5

Mark & Dixie Clay 4522 Hwy. 84E • Meadville, MS 39653 (601) 573-0204 • dixieclay@att.net Herd No. 1541 Ridge Point Ranch

PUREBRED SANTA GERTRUDIS AND STAR 5 CATTLE

ARROW CREEK SANTA GERTRUDIS AT OLD CEDAR POINT FARM • ELIZABETHTOWN, KY.

M. C. Longacre (270) 505-2910

Herd No. 8859

Follow us on social media!

Triple P Ranch Mike, Kim or Tate Peppercorn 11090 FM 356 • Trinity, Texas 75862 (713) 703-8937 • (281) 825-8459 (936) 222-1164 kim.peppercorn@yahoo.com

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Herd No. 13517

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Mickey & Josh Bowman Staley, N.C. SANTA GERTRUDIS

Herd 20797

(336) 669-5771

(336) 215-4774

100% Genotyped Cowherd

SANTA GERTRUDIS SOURCE

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KENTUCKY JEWETT BORDEN Shepardsville, Ky. CEDAR CREEK Farms (502) 718-5441 jewett.borden@yahoo.com www.goodinfarms.com Berley, Jerry & Terry Goodin Breeders of Santa Gertrudis Cattle Official Nu Gen Project Farm goodin farms auSTin, in (812) 794-2624 SGBi Herd #19416 INDIANA

Grandview Farms Cattle & Semen for Sale 5400 Bexar Ave. East Hamilton, AL 35570 www.grandviewfarm.biz RESERVE NATIONAL CHAMPION BULL “JOHN 316” ALABAMA

Briggs Ranches Cowman Selected. Cowman Proven. PO Box 1417 • Victoria,Texas 77902 (361) 573-7141 Joe Jones, manager (361) 897-1337

Delmo Payne, Owner (205) 468-5319 (cell)

Brent Shaw, Manager (205) 412-5761 (cell)

Traylor Division Bloomington, Texas (361) 897-1337 San Roque Division

Arlin Taylor, Manager Hanceville, Ala. (256) 507-3838 arlin.taylor@bhamfast.com

Catarina, Texas (830) 999-3236

tinneyfarms.com

San Carlos Division Rio Grande City,Texas

Flying C Ranch Lester & Ouida Cossey 2639 Gum Springs Rd., Searcy, AR 72143 ARKANSAS

HEATH FARMS

Joe Jones: briggsranches@hotmail.com www.BriggsRanches.com

PAT & BEVERLY HEATH 387 Goodin Williams Rd. Hodgenville, KY

(270) 358 4820 (270) 735-2470 bheath12 @ windstream.net

(501) 207-2272 ouidac@att.net

OKLAHOMA KC Ranch LLC Kenneth W and Cynthia M Smith (406) 945-2486 • (406) 945-4384 13067 Bristlecone Rd. • Henryetta, OK 74437 pioneerfluids@gmail.com Raising registered SG replacement heifers, bulls and STAR 5. arker arms Charles, Deanna, Chip, June & Carsen Parker 400 Winners Circle • Glasgow, KY 42141 (270) 590-9400 • (270) 646-5959 SOUTH CAROLINA TEXAS T & S FARM K/C chip.parker66@icloud.com P F Borchers Southern Y Ranches, L. P. Charla Borchers-Leon • Mary Kay Borchers 2401 North Wheeler Street Victoria, Texas 77901 • (361) 575-1297 Purebred • StaR 5 • Crossbred Cattle Santa Gertrudis Steven Boothe (361) 575-1297 (O) • (361) 571-9728 (M) CODY BLACK (806) 241-7877 1552 FM 746 | Muleshoe, Texas 79347 blackhillslandcattle@gmail.com BLACK HILLS LAND & CATTLE Y Braford F1 Chris Swygert (803) 223-3417 cows1992@gmail.com T S Registered Santa Gertrudis & STAR 5 Cattle 3500 Pond Branch Rd. • Leesville, S.C. 29070 Tommy Shealy (803) 730-3347 tlsshealysbbq@yahoo.com

COLORADO

KINGSBURY, TEXAS www.buenavidacattle.com HEATHER BLEWETT (210) 744-8100 KALLI KIMBLE (830) 708-8771

SEDALIA, COLORADO RAFAEL MIRANDA Ranch Manager 303-888-5297

JAMES HOLMES Executive Director 303-523-9503

CherokeeRanchandCattle.com

C CORPORRON ACRES Jim Corporron Schulenburg, Texas 78956 Ranch (979) 562-2405 Cell (979) 561-7185 Email: jim@corpacres.com

FLORIDA

ROBBY WALKER 954.553.2733 OKEECHOBEE, FLA. | GREENSBORO, ALA.

Rodney & Barbara Corporron Schulenburg, Texas 78956 (713) 724-1268 PINNACLE CATTLE CO., LLC

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2903 Co. Rd. 434 Moulton, AL 35650 Jernigan Ranch Wayne & Lavonne Buena Vista, GA 31803 O: (229) 649-2575  H: (229) 649-7724 C: (229) 649-9659 Email: wjernigansr @ gmail.com

Darrell roach Keller,Texas • (817) 235-8158 Crosswinds.tx@gmail.com

Office (256) 974-5392

REGISTERED SANTA

GERTRUDIS CATTLE

MC Ranch 6016 Salem Valley Rd.

Ringgold, GA 30736 www.mcranch.com

Wes McDaniel Judy McDaniel (404) 630-1142 (404) 226-5177 Email: mcdanielwb@gmail.com

www.excellsantagertrudis.com bred to excell Consistent  Predictable  Proven Sam, Sandy and Todd Hyde Santa Fe, TX 77517 excellsantagertrudis@gmail.com Todd: 281.705.0832

ELIJAH ROBINSON 1513 Montford Rd. Reynolds, Ga. 31076

(478) 973.2067

karoni17@yahoo.com

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TEXAS

Since 1898 Santa Gertrudis Since 1950 Herd #439 Olivarez ranches P.O. Box 829 Mission, TX 78573 Ben D. Olivarez (956) 585-1661 (o) Minix Cattle Company Donny and Joy Minix Aquilla, TX 76622 (817) 235-4600 thegertmoma@gmail.com Look for us!

Double WYLIE TALIAFERRO Box 57, Rosser, TX 75157 • Herd # 3326 Wylie: 469-644-1620 • Duane Miller: 214-793-5111 wylietaliaferro@yahoo.com Ranch Four J Cattle Registered Santa Gertrudis & Crosses J J

Terry/Nancy Wunderlich & Family Brenham, Texas Nancy: 979-277-2838 wunderlichfarms@gmail.com WUNDERLICH FARMS RICKY & BETTY MCCORMICK 1211 Peach Ridge Rd. • Brookshire, TX 77423 (281) 797-6355 www.womanhollerinranch.com JOE PASCHAL RANCH CONSULTANT Specializing in Tropically Adapted Beef Cattle Breeds (361)946-1103 SERVICES DARREN RICHMOND Ringgold, Ga. (423) 364-9281 djrichmd@gmail.com Facebook/ Darren Richmond SALE CATTLE • HERD SIRES • DONOR COWS 7205 HWY 36N  BRENHAM, TEXAS joepaschal@yahoo.com

Larry & Zoe Justiss (361) 772-5613 zjustiss@cvctx.com

6994 U.S. Hwy 77 N Hallettsville, TX 77964 www.fourjcattle.com

ALLEN (979) 337-4151

CHERYLL (979) 337-4152

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BRENHAM, TEXAS ALLEN & CHERYLL GRAINGER rockingacattle@gmail.com www.rockingasantagertrudis.com

DaviD & Laurie Harris P.O. Box 691 • Cleburne, Texas 76033 (817) 641-4159 david.harrisfarms@yahoo.com

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AJ & Rosemary Gambino P. O. Box 235 Pattison, TX 77466 (832) 496-8836 www.santagertrudiscattle.com e-mail: rosemary.gambino@gmail.com Rose Hill Ranch SG C attle company , llc HEMPSTEAD, TEXAS

Cattle Located in Hondo and Agua Dulce, Texas

Kathryn Hefte Petty (210) 414-2493 K.T. Hefte (361) 813-4937

1200 State Hwy 173 N Hondo, Texas 78861

In The Red Ranch Eustace, Texas (214) 532-6387

Taliaferro Auction Company Chris Taliaferro, owner P.O. Box 9, Rosser, Texas 75157 (214) 674-8064 christaliaferro24@gmail.com

TXS 6996

AUCTIONEER Sales Manager ESTATE SALE Consulting

LYNN MASIN (775) 848-4160 tahoelynn21@gmail.com

MIKAELA TERRY (979) 446-5433 mikt1214@hotmail.com

Lou & Robin Breving Alvarado, Texas 817-821-7540 loub5@yahoo.com I ron o aks CATTLE

AD INDEX

STRAIT Ranches Y.N. STRAIT FAMILY P.O. Box 246, Streetman, TX 75859 972.841.0989 | 210.837.1199 yanceystrait@straitranches.com www.straitranches.com

Kick’n A Ranch................................19 King Ranch.......................................19 Lucky L Farm...................................17 Mattingly Farms.............................. 9 MC Ranch..........................................18 Mid-Coast Santa Gertrudis Association. .................................3 Minix Cattle Company...................19 Old Agency Reserve.....................18 Olivarez Ranches...........................19 Osborne Livestock......................... 9 Parker Farms..............................9,18 Joe Paschal......................................19 Passion Farms..................................7 Pinnacle Cattle Co. LLC.................18 Red Doc Farm.................................20 Red View Farms.............................. 9 Richmond Photography & Video............................................19 Ridge Point Ranch..........................17 Rockin B Farm.................................17 Rocking A Ranch.............................19 Rose Hill Ranch................................19 Santa Gertrudis Small Breeders Group........................17 SG Cattle Company LLC................19 Strait Ranches.................................19 T&S Farm..........................................18 Taliaferro Auction Company......19 TB Cattle Farm................................17 Tinney Farms..................................18 Triple P Ranch.................................17 Urbanosky Ranch..........................19 Vesper Ranch..................................19 Wendt Ranches..............................19 WindCrest Farm.............................. 9 Woman Hollerin Ranch.................19 Wunderlich Farms.........................19

3WC Cattle........................................17 5J’s Cattle Company.......................7 Arrow Creek Santa Gertrudis....17 BlackTip Cattle................................18 Black Hills Land & Cattle..............18 Borchers Southern Y Ranches L.P................................18 Briggs Ranches..........................2, 18 Buena Vida Cattle Company.......18 Carley’s Show Cattle.....................17 Cavender Ranches..........................2 Cedar Creek Farms.......................18 Cherokee Ranch & Castle............18 Corporron Acres.............................18 Creech Farms....................................7 Crimson Classic Sale......................13 Crosswinds Ranch.........................18 District 6 Breeders......................... 9 Double TT Ranch............................19 Excell Santa Gertrudis.........3, 5, 18 Five Oaks Ranch.............................17 Flying Double A Farms LLC..........18 Flying C Ranch.................................18 Four J Cattle.....................................19 Goodin G Farms..............................18 Grandview Farms..........................18 Graves Creek Ranch LLC...............7 Harris Riverbend Farms......... 2, 19 Heath Farms....................................18 Hefte Ranch.....................................19 Hi Point Sales + Marketing.............3 In the Red Ranch............................19 Iron Oaks Cattle..............................19 JC Sherrill Junior Ranch...............15 Jernigan Ranch..............................18 John Martin Ranches....................19 KC Ranch LLC...................................18

10 years of breeding to achieve

PERFORMANCE with BALANCE!

Box 869 San Diego, Texas 78384 (361) 701-5683 Charter Member S.G.B.I. J ohn Martin Ranches J Herd #4

Urbanosky ranch SGBI Herd # 2243 • eSt. 1969 Home of sensation 5-1

14525 Urbanosky Ln., PLantersviLLe, tX 77363 Jerome (281) 797-5715 • Blake (936) 870-5252 www.urbanoskyranch.com

Office (256) 974-5392 Kelly Vesper Charter Member SGBI - Herd 43 Drawer 679, Cotulla, TX 78014 Chad Springs (512) 517-2455 VESPER RANCH Established 1850 Wendt Ranches Herd Established in 1954 Performance testing since 1958 S

www.King-Ranch.com

(361) 221-0317

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1853

E-mail: wendtranches@hotmail.com Website: www.wendtranches.com

Ranch – Yard – Rail – Profit – PROVEN® Generation after Generation. dwhite@King-Ranch.com

Gene Kubecka: (979) 240-5311 Daniel Kubecka: (979) 240-5312

5475 FM 457

Bay City, Texas 77414

SGBI Herd #621

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