Santa_Gertrudis_World_Congress_2019

Cotton Branch Plantation Smithdale, Mississippi Ryan Cowart, Manager • rcowart@cottonbranch.com The Cotton Branch Plantation, a cattle ranch nestled among peaceful cottonwood meadows, was founded in southwestern Mississippi in 1990. The operation first purchased Santa Gertrudis cattle in 1995 and, today, 120 cows graze the operation’s rolling hills. The operation is primed for growth and they aim to cap the herd at 250-300 cows. The breeding program has been built around its foundation herd sire, Grizzly 3308. The foundation females came from Ben Alexander’s Christmas Line. Bull calves that make the grade participate in a 112-day gain test, which begins 30 days after weaning. The calves are limit fed a 12-percent protein ration twice daily, and they aim for 3-3.5 pounds of gain per day. To date, bulls have consistently gained 3.25-5 pounds per day. Following the gain test, bulls undergo ultrasound, have semen tested and scrotal measurements taken. Any bull that fails a test requirement is sent to the sale barn or harvest plant. Fertility is a priority for Cotton Branch. To stay in the herd, females must get bred, raise a quality calf and re-breed in a timely manner. Heifer calves are fed a growing ration until 12 months of age, and then they are put on a high- quality, year-round forage program for as long as they are in production on the ranch. Bahia grass is the main summer grazing forage and winter annuals such as wheat or rye mixes are used for winter grazing. Wiley Ranch Deville, Louisiana Kim and Erik Wiley, Owners • erikkeri@yahoo.com Wiley Ranch is a father and son team of Kim and Erik Wiley, who began their Santa Gertrudis herd in 2009 with two heifers fromWendt Ranches. The herd has now increased to 250 head and continues to grow. As the data/genetic trend progressed, Wiley Ranch managed to shift their herd traits to meet the ever- emerging market. They are now the largest Santa Gertrudis breeders in Louisiana and have set personal benchmarks to ensure they fit the breed’s Data Driven/Profit Proven image. In an effort to broaden their foreign interest, they’ve recently partnered with Australia’s Gyranda Ranch on a trait-leading bull from Red Doc Farm. In addition, they sold a bull to breeders in Bangladesh. They are committed to continue improving herd traits with every purchase they make. They also farm 7,000 acres of row crops and will bring a unique dual perspective of cattle production and farming to the tour.

King Ranch ® Kingsville, Texas Tylor Braden, Area Manager – Cattle Operations TBraden@king-ranch.com Founded in 1853, King Ranch developed the Santa Gertrudis breed of cattle in the 1920s in response to a need to have cattle that could perform in the challenging South Texas environment. Since the breed was recognized by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 1940, the King Ranch has continued to breed and develop Santa Gertrudis cattle, using them as seedstock for their commercial cattle operations. The ranch’s purebred Santa Gertrudis herd is comprised of approximately 1,100 animals. Today, King Ranch is one of the few operations that conducts within-herd EPD calculations, enabling them to continuously upgrade and improve its purebred Santa Gertrudis herd. Through the years, King Ranch geneticists and breeding specialists have made certain that the progression of the King Ranch Santa Gertrudis herd continues to produce the most profitable cattle for the harsh South Texas environment while not compromising fertility, efficiency or carcass quality as they compete against an ever-improving national supply. Summer heat indexes routinely exceed 115 degrees Fahrenheit. The annual rainfall is 28 inches, but regularly varies from 12 to 50 inches. This incredible variation is among the operation’s most difficult aspects to manage, with annual carrying capacity fluctuations potentially exceeding 10,000 animal units. King Ranch maintains a systems approach to management that ensures ecological, economical and generational sustainability by balancing the needs of livestock, wildlife, range and water resources.  San Jose Cattle Company Riviera, Texas Felix Serna, Director • fserna@elcoyote.com The registered livestock operations of San Jose Cattle Company, along with El Coyote and La Paloma Ranches, combine the origins of the ranching tradition with today’s technology to make the past come alive. The goal is to keep the ranch brands synonymous with top-quality cattle, whether it be Santa Gertrudis or Texas Longhorn. By producing functional cattle bred in the old tradition using today’s ideas and technology, the operation has produced cattle that have been competitive and productive in the pastures as well as the show ring. The land that makes up San Jose Cattle Company is situated in a diverse area along the coastal bend of South Texas. It’s a semi-arid region known as the Wild Horse Desert. Although in an annual rainfall belt of 24-26 inches, the area does not consistently get ample moisture. Despite frequently arid conditions, the ranches are teeming with wildlife that is intensively managed. To avoid degradation of the habitat, the ranches use a prescribed course of burning, brush control, rotational grazing and supplemental feeding, as well as create water sources while monitoring and controlling the population of cattle and wildlife.

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Santa Gertrudis World Congress 2019 • GROWING GLOBALLY