King Ranch

[trevorgreycattleco]

Shorthorn Country ran a article last July on the King Ranch and were talking about how they have reintroduced some new Brahmah and Shorthorn genetics to further develop the Santa Gertrudis breed. I have done some investigating and can find out nothing on what Shorthorn lines they brought in. My curiosity is killing the cat here folks! Any info?

 

[Santas and Duhram Reds]

This is a process that has been in the works for years. I don't know what lines for sure. Search NuGen or look into MC Ranch or Wendt Ranch. My understanding is the new line is going to be available very shortly.

 

[greatgerts]

They have had a few animals on display at a couple of events the last few years, but have been very strict on which animals they put into the program. If I remember right, some will be on display in April after the SGBI Annual Meeting. MC Ranch is doing quite a bit of the brunt work on this, so go to their site http://www.cowsrus.com and check it out.

 

[novatech]

The King Ranch has been involved in the DNA testing for quite sometime. I suspect they are trying to improve the quality and tenderness of Gerts by starting over, especially on the Brahman side.

 

[Frankie]

Is this in addition to their Santa Cruz line?

 

[greatgerts]

Is this in addition to their Santa Cruz line?

Yes. If you go to http://www.mcranch.com/nugen.html
OR
http://cattletoday.com/archive/2008/March/CT1484.shtml you can read up on the articles about the project. It is developing Santa Gertrudis again, but with newer genetics and giving a whole new string of genetics to use in the breed.

 

[Frankie]

But how is the King Ranch involved?

 

[greatgerts]

Maybe it mentioned King Ranch because it developed the Gerts, and Scott Moore at the ranch has been involved in this. I did not read the article in Shorthorn Country. Maybe I'll do a search for it and try to find out more as to what King Ranch is doing in the process.

 

[Julian]

Hope they can produce a foundation animal that has as much prepotency as Monkey did in the original development of the Gerts @ King Ranch.

 

[Santas and Duhram Reds]

Acutally, I think I have that issue of Shorthorn Country with the article at home. It was more of an article dealing with how Shorthorn genetics were being used at all these ranches across the country. It was more of just a mentioning of the Nugen project in the King Ranch article. They were also talking about how the King Ranch uses lines of Shorthorn sires that have had a history of solid red ancestors in their composite herd I think. Its been 6 months since I read it.

 

[trevorgreycattleco]

SDR is right. It was in July I read the article and it was dealing mostly on the shorthorn side. I have been asking around for those 6 months trying to find out what lines they used. Since the majority of shorties today are clubby oriented I thought it interesting what they deemed worthy of going into their program. If my bulls were selectied and used by the King Ranch to help their herd, I think I would want people to know. Couldn't hurt your sales :cowboy:

 

[Australian]

Can I ask a stupid question what was the need for King Ranch to do anything? SGs seem to do alright over here. They still seem to have adequate Indicus content. They were renouned for not being that fertile, but I don't hear that mentioned much these days.
Colin

 

[saintgert]

They didn't necessarily need to do anything--and it seems to be an initiative launched by the SGBI board with most of the work and day to day management of the program borne by Burton McDaniel, whose contact info is on the MC Ranch website previously linked to on this thread, if you want to know what specific lines they used--but 70 years had passed since the development of the Santa Gertrudis breed and there have been many technological advancements and breed advancements for brahman and shorthorn since then--so it's simply the opportunity to infuse some new genetics from the parent breeds and replicate the process the King Ranch used to develop the breed.