The Genetics
We have established a program where we use over 80% of home grown bulls as herd sires and AI sires because we believe in our genetics.
The Manzano Angus herd was established with the purchase of three registered pairs on February 13, 1993 at the Cochise Angus dispersal in Arizona. Shortly after, six pairs and four bred heifers were purchased from Bradley 3 Ranch in Memphis, Texas. That same year a lease agreement was made with Peterson Angus Ranch in Animas, New Mexico, where we kept the heifer calves and sent them the bull calves. In subsequent years a number of bred heifers were also purchased from N Bar Land and Cattle in Montana.
Early on we recognized that in order to make rapid genetic progress, artificial insemination (AI) was essential. Our first AI calves were born in 1994 to Emulation N Bar 5522 and N Bar Emulation EXT. Because our goal from the beginning was to raise moderate framed, functional cattle, we used EXT extensively. As a result of the strong EXT base, our cowherd is fertile, has excellent udders and excellent growth.
In 1998 we started looking for cattle to complement our EXT females. Because of our goal to raise moderate framed, easy fleshing cattle, we naturally gravitated to cattle with DHD Traveler 6807 influence. Our first calves out of GDAR Traveler 044 were born in 1999. We continued to search for the kind of moderate framed, easy fleshing, low birth weight cattle we felt our customers needed in our low rainfall environment. That search led us the Ohlde Cattle Co. in Kansas. Our first OCC Anchor calves were born in 2001. In the following years we used Emblazon, Echelon and Legend extensively and have many productive daughter of these sires in our herd. We also began to use OCC Homer on many of our first calf heifers and continue to use him today. His combination of calving ease and the ability to produce easy fleshing, efficient, fertile females is unique and still works very well today.
In 2010 we started using OCC Paxton and subsequently several of his sons. Paxton has allowed us to maintain our moderate sized, easy keeping cows without injecting more "6807" influence. Paxton's EPD package (moderate birth, strong growth and carcass, moderate milk and mature size) combined with his phenotype (thick, sound, big bodied, moderate, great teats and udders) fits our program as well as any bull in the breed today.
Recently our emphasis has been on using our own genetics. We keep top, program building, bulls every year and use them for AI and natural service sires. We will continue to utilize outside genetics that fit our program, but a great number of our calves will be out of sires we have retained. We feel the quality of these bulls is high and we are very pleased with their offspring. Check out some of the bulls we use within our herd on the "Sires" page.