In mid-December, steer calves were shipped to wheat pastures for winter grazing in Merkel, TX. They have spent the last couple of months there & will soon head to a feedlot in Kansas. We have decided to retain ownership of the steers through the feedlot stage.
A big advantage to retaining ownership through the feedlot stage is that we receive carcass data on each animal. This is advantageous in evaluating sires {(bulls} & dams {cows} & determining future breeding plans. In times that demand reducing our stocking rate, carcass data can also help us decide which animals to liquidate.







At the end of 2022, time was spent gathering all ewes. Dr. Reid Redden {Texas A&M AgriLife Extension} & his wife {Toby} came out & ultra sounded 311 ewes. Lots of family was at the ranch for the holidays, so we had extra help this year.
Results from the scan…

By identifying which ewes have twins {or triplets}, we can adjust our management in accordance with the resources we have. During lambing, we can spend more time on predator management in pastures that have ewes with twins {since they have a potentially higher lamb crop value than those with singles}. Ewes with singles don’t require as high of a nutritional level to maintain themselves & to lactate supporting one lamb.
We are gradually culling our ewes based on their pregnancy status each year. Obviously, we want to keep ewes that consistently have twins & cull the ones that consistently carry singles or any ewe that is open {not pregnant}.


















At the beginning of January, we sorted heifer calves. Twenty five heifer calves were selected as keepers. These heifers were selected based on visual appeal, as well as their pedigree records. The remaining 73 head were sold to another producer.





On February 10th, Casey Worrell came out to ultrasound our 38 yearling bulls that have been on gain/performance test here in the feedlot.
Ultra sounding an animal allows us to put a score of muscling by weight, which would be difficult by visual observation alone.
As he scanned each animal, we were able to see a cross section between the 12th & 13th rib on his screen. The results were then sent to us which included rump fat, rib fat, rib eye area, & percent intramuscular fat for each animal. With this information, we can compare each animal with a ratio of square inches of rib eye muscle per 100 pounds of animal.
As the bulls were in the chute, we also weighed them & measured hip height. Individual disposition notes were recorded as well.
A combination of weight & hip height determine a ‘frame score’. A frame score is used to estimate the growth pattern & potential mature size of an animal. Frame scores are moderately heritable & can be used to influence the selection process before breeding.
An ideal hill country cow has a calf every year & is able to do that on solar energy that caliche hills convert into grass. That is not the same type of animal that is considered ideal in the tall grass prairies of Montana, Nebraska, or the Dakotas. This is where the frame score becomes important. A large frame size cow has a higher maintenance requirement than a smaller frame size cow.
A vet will perform a Breeding Soundness Exam (BSE) on each of the bulls. A BSE includes three evaluations: 1) structural soundness assessment, 2) reproductive system evaluation, & 3) semen quality appraisal.
The structural soundness assessment involves examining the overall condition of the animal, including flesh, feet, legs, eyes, & teeth.
The reproductive system evaluation includes examination of the scrotum, testicles, & penis, as well as a rectal palpation to determine any internal abnormalities. The circumference of each bull’s scrotum will be measured. The circumference of a scrotum can estimate the amount of sperm producing tissue in a bull. There is a high correlation in scrotal circumference & sperm output. To be considered a good potential breeder, a yearling bull’s scrotal circumference must be greater than 30 cm, must have greater than 50% sperm mobility, & greater than 70% normal sperm.
source: Society for Theriogenology
The final phase of a BSE consists of semen collection & an evaluation of the semen.
Having a BSE report on each bull tells our buyers that the bull they are purchasing is not sterile & is able to breed.
Each of these evaluations play a key role in selection of bulls. After reviewing all of the information about each bull, decisions will be made as to which bulls to keep for our own breeding program & which ones to sell.








February 11th was Hillingdon’s annual sausage making. Deer meat from the hunting season was combined with pork & the family’s spice recipes to make various kinds of sausage {pan|cooking|hard}. We also made lamb sausage this year for the first time. About 500 pounds of sausage was made.




















That evening, we celebrated Robin’s birthday…80 well-lived years of hard work & dedication to keeping Hillingdon Ranch together. Cheers to you, Robin!

















Thanks to Gwen Fancy, Jody Giles, & Tori Huckaba for photo contributions.