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The Coates Ranch Company Hereford herd was begun in 1927 with 20 heifers and one bull and has been a closed herd ever since, according to Stephen Wayne Coates, Jr., who now oversees the cattle production on family ranches in Reagan, Upton and Crockett counties. He does so in partnership with his dad, Stephen W. Coates, Sr., who is retired chairman of the board of First National Bank of Mertzon.
"Every cow we have now traces back to that original herd," Coates said. New genetics are selectively introduced to the herd by buying Hereford bulls that have desirable EPDs on traits important to the Coates cattle.
"We strive to raise a cow or bull that's efficient, easy keepers, good disposition, high fertility and low maintenance with good pigmentation," he said, adding that they "cull very hard" and send any cow not making the grade to the sale bam or to slaughter. The Coates cow herd is predominately Line 1 genetics.
The aim of this Hereford breeding operation is the crop of 80 to 120 herd bulls raised each year that are sought after by commercial cattle raisers in the Southwestern United States and northern Mexico. The bulls are sold private treaty, often to repeat customers who know what to expect from these hardy bulls used to the desert heat.
Coates also sells a portion of his heifer crop to select repeat buyers.
Coates said the desert area of West Texas around Big Lake is hard country and his Herefords do well there. The ranch's policy of strong selection on eye pigmentation and their cattle's excellent tolerance for heat helps these particular Herefords thrive in the hot and dry lands of West Texas.
"Our country is pretty hard," he said. "Where we raise our livestock we get maybe 18 to 20...