Environmental Stewardship Award Winner Announced at Annual Convention

SAN ANTONIO – Properly conserving and maintaining natural resources is key to enhancing the productivity and profitability of a ranching enterprise. With this in mind, Chaparrosa Ranch and Margaritas Ranch were announced as the 2013 Beefmaster Breeders United (BBU) Environmental Member of the Year during the “Beefmasters United in Cowtown” 2013 BBU Convention held in Fort Worth, Texas from October 31 – November 2, 2013.

Chaparrosa Ranch is located in La Pryor, Texas and consists of 500 head of Beefmaster/Angus cross cows. Margaritas Ranch is located near Muzquiz in the northern region of Coahuila, Mexico. The owner of Margaritas Ranch began his quest to become one of the most important and reliable cattle and wildlife ranches in Mexico in 1985.

The partnership between the two ranches began in 1993 when the owner’s passion for agriculture and the outdoors blended with his desire to conserve the natural beauty of the land for future generations. Conservation efforts over the years have allowed the properties to thrive, even under the harsh drought conditions of the last several years.

Chaparrosa Ranch and Margaritas Ranch have worked diligently for decades to achieve an ideal balance between livestock and wildlife, benefiting from solid management practices that have helped the operations continue a tradition of

Water conservation is a crucial part of the management plan at both Chaparrosa Ranch and Margaritas Ranch. One of the long-term goals of both ranches is to develop water resources and efficiently manage them. At Chaparrosa, water tanks are continuously cleaned and new ones are built, approximately 4.5 miles of new water lines were installed in the last year.good land stewardship.

Brush control for wildlife habitat improvement and increased carrying capacity of cattle has been an important aspect of management for many years at Chaparrosa Ranch and those efforts continue today. Mechanical and aerial spraying are used to control brush and 13 pivots on approximately 1,250 acres are used to grow wheat, cotton and corn, as well as for livestock grazing.

Managing wildlife habitat is also an essential part of the overall goal of environmental conservation on both ranches. Yearly helicopter surveys are conducted to collect the current year’s population structure and valuable trend data. The trend data, separated by pasture or ranch wide, is analyzed to ensure population stability and maintain future viability of the herd.

“Cattle producers and Beefmaster breeders are committed to environmental excellence and I commend our winners for their commitment to protecting the environment and improving fish and wildlife habitats while operating profitable cattle operations,” said BBU Chief Operations Officer Collin Osbourn.

For more information about Beefmaster Breeders United and its award program please contact the BBU office at 210-732-3132 or visit www.beefmasters.org. Stay connected to BBU through Facebook, view our videos on YouTube, follow us on Twitter and receive our news updates through joining our mailing list.