Page 18 - MWC 3-31-2022s

The Midwest Cattleman · March 31, 2022 · P18
Miskimon Ranch Clones

Brahman Excellence

By Brenda Black
Rick Miskimon's bent to- duce powerful, fleshy offspring Ok., four years
ward beef-type Brahman in high volume, but our main ago. The Miski-
began with six embryo heifers goal is to produce the highest mons traded
with J. D. Hudgins breeding. quality of 'front pasture' cat- Texas mesquite
To sire the next generation, he tle,” Miskimon said. “The vol- trees and sparse
purchased the son of a nation- ume allows us to offer a wider pastures where it
al champion Brahman female. range of females, herd bulls took 15 acres per
“That son and those six and embryos.” cow in exchange
embryo heifers are how we Miskimon grew up in Lan- for Oklahoma na-
got started,” Miskimon said. caster, Tx., but his early live- tive grasses that
“Then, I bought that champi- stock interests centered on can sustain that
on cow and cloned her.” swine. “I couldn't afford a calf, same cow with
More than 25 years later, so I had pigs for my FFA proj- only five acres.
Miskimon is still benefitting ect,” he said. “I enjoyed gilts With 375 in the
from his bold beginnings as and breeding. My junior year herd, the decision became est up here with people put-
the first to clone a Brahman I had a gilt that was the Texas even easier. ting a Brahman bull on Angus
cow in the U.S. In 2021, MR State Fair Grand Champion. Though he still devel- and making F1 Brangus.”
Elizabeth Belle 400 became But I just thought, if ever I ops real estate subdivisions Miskimon listed sev-
the number one progeny pro- could afford land, I would like around Dallas, “my love is re- eral advantages derived from
ducing Gray Brahman in to be in the breeding stock ally these cattle,” Miskimon the hybrid vigor of the cross.
the breed, according to the business.” said. “Our whole family loves “Those F1 Brangus do fan-
American Brahman Breeders A high schooler's dream them, and between running tastic in the feedlot,” he said.
Association (ABBA). Sadly, became reality times two. Mi- cows and the ET work, we do “They make phenomenal fe-
Elizabeth Belle was struck skimon became a real estate it all as a family on the ranch.” males with milk and mother-
by lightning. But Miskimon developer around the Dallas The Miskimon family has ing ability. On Angus and Her-
had the foresight to harvest area and landed his own ranch been committed to the Brah- eford, Brahman really help by
enough embryos to establish 36 miles from downtown Dal- man breed for over 25 years. getting a smaller calf at birth,
her rank and see two genetic las. Brahman's well established but a heavier calf at weaning.”
full siblings claim the 8th and “We were in the country by popularity in Texas provided Additionally, Miskimon
15th slot for greatest number 10 miles when we moved out ample opportunity and incen- said the tiger stripe queens of
of progeny in 2021, right up there,” Miskimon said. Urban tive for getting involved with the South and Brangus cows
there with Belle. sprawl enveloped his spread the breed. But it was the flex- toward the north live longer.
Miskimon is not only prop- and forced his hand to sell the ibility of all the F1 crosses off “As expensive as fertiliz-
agating genetics, he is pur- land better suited for houses the Brahman that sold Miski- er and weed killers are these
posefully designing the kind than cattle. mon. days, they'll also save you
that work for the commercial Rick moved with his wife “The F1 cross with Brah- money because Brahman in-
cattleman in a larger territory. Sheri and their son R.J. and man is truly one of the better fluenced cows know how to go
“We breed cattle to repro- daughter Elizabeth to Lane, momma cows,” he said, “espe- out and hunt for food and will
cially in the south on Angus, clean up a pasture,” he said.
Hereford, Charolais and Red “You're getting carcass traits
Angus. People in Oklahoma, from the Angus side, but out
Missouri or Kansas also have in the pasture and field, you
a great feel for how good the get improvements from the
Brahman cross is on English bos indicus.”
cattle. There's a lot more inter- More traits from the Brah-
man breed factor
well in the Mid-
west, including
handling sum-
mertime heat. Mi-
skimon turns his
bulls out mid-July
and picks them up
Feb. 1.
“We end up with
summer calves,”
he said, “but, for
Brahmans, that
is perfect. It's just
fine for them to lay
down in the sun
when it's 105º and
have a baby. The