By Jessica Domel
Multimedia Reporter
Time is running out to sign up for the 2018 Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Beef Tour.
The annual tour, scheduled for Sept. 12-14, will take attendees to beef cattle ranches and research facilities in East and Central Texas.
The first stop on the tour will be Santa Rosa Ranch in Crockett.
“Santa Rosa is the largest Brangus and UltraBlack breeder in the U.S.,” Jo Smith, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service agent for Houston County, said in an interview with the Texas Farm Bureau (TFB) Radio Network. “We will visit with Kelley Sullivan, the owner, and Kent Smith, the ranch manager.”
Sullivan and Smith will discuss bull selection, as well as how Santa Rosa maintains their herd with the capability to maximize their forage.
“They use a rotational grazing system, and they can balance the nutritional needs of their cattle while utilizing the available forage without stressing the land,” Smith said.
The tour will then visit Stalwart Ranch, which is also in Crockett. The ranch is a cow-calf operation on more than 1,000 acres.
“Ranch Manager Bill Cawley will walk us through his operation. He’s going to talk about some herd management, herd health, yearling development, feeding and nutrition,” Smith said. “If the weather permits, we’re going to be able to see a live demonstration of low-stress cattle working using dogs.”
After lunch at Stalwart, sponsored by Merck Animal Health, the tour will head to the historic Fort Worth Stockyards.
On the second day, the tour will head back to the stockyards to visit Superior Livestock Auction. There, manager Joe Lichtie will show attendees the inner workings of the livestock auction.
“We’ll get to watch some of the sale that day,” Smith said. “From there, we’re going to head up the road just a little bit to Saginaw to see Livestock Nutrition Center. They specialize in custom feed rations that meet nutritional needs.”
The tour should give cattlemen and women a look at the nutritional aspects in the different blending rations for different operations.
After lunch at the center, the tour will head to Tolar to visit Nix Farms.
“Nix Farms has approximately a 50 percent Brahman-influenced cattle herd, and they cross them with a mix of Simmental, Angus, Maine Anjou and some Charolais to get the most product they can out of their cattle,” Smith said.
That evening will be spent in Waco.
On the final day, the tour will wrap up at the McGregor Research Station.
“We’re going to look at the latest research they’re doing for gene markers for the polled trait, the disposition, feed intake and even some management that affects marbling,” Smith said. “They’re doing a lot of research on that, so we hope to get a really good tour and a lot of information.”
The tour is designed with all types of livestock owners and raisers in mind.
“If they’re not in the East Texas area and want to travel over to Crockett to get on the bus, they’re more than welcome,” Smith said.
The tour is $200 per person. A $100 non-refundable per-person deposit is due Monday, Aug. 27. The remaining payment must be made by Sept. 12.
Space is limited.
Registration forms are available at county Extension offices in East Texas, by contacting Smith at jo.smith@ag.tamu.edu or by calling the Houston County Extension office.