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Texana Feeders Texas raised beef

Texana Feeders Texas raised beef
WCN/ROBERT C. MCDONALD • Reprints at wilsoncountynews.com South Texas crossbred cattle are fed out at Texana Feeders.
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Wilson County News
September 16, 2008
1 comment

Driving along F.M. 539, off S.H. 97 east of Floresville, you may have seen a large number of cattle. With cow-calf operators, a dairy, and a feedlot, this area may be known as “cattle country.” One of the reasons for the large number of cattle is the Texana Feeders feedlot, owned by Jason Peeler.

Peeler grew up on a ranch in Atascosa County and proudly said his family still owns and operates the ranch that has been in existence for 103 years. His father continues to operate the Jourdanton ranch today.

Texana comprises 1,300 acres plus additional acres that are leased for backgrounding cattle.

Peeler is a 1990 graduate of Texas A&M with a bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics.

His short time as a banker lasted only one year in 1990, as he returned to the life he grew up with -- raising cattle.

As owner of the operation, Peeler sees that the business is run smoothly on a daily basis. Texana employs 15 workers for the everyday operations from the feedlot to office work.

Since April 2002, Peeler has owned the feedlot. The land, originally comprised of two dairies and the former feedlot belonging to Kenneth Brown, will once again see expansion, with Peeler planning to feed out additional cattle.

Cattle purchased from all over south, central, and southeast Texas at 20-25 cattle sale barns and from local ranchers are the sources of the cattle Peeler finishes.

With the recent agricultural programs including COOL, country-of-origin labeling, Peeler has slowed his purchasing of Mexican cattle due to the uncertainty of where the cattle regulations stand.

Ninety percent of the cattle at Texana are one-half exotic, one-quarter English, and one-quarter Brahma or up to one-half English. “Good South Texas crossbred cattle” are fed here, Peeler said.

Dairy cattle are also fed in the feedlot, and he has no problem purchasing these dairy calves as long as the cattle are properly tagged with the required Texas Animal Health Commission tags. The high quality of meat dairy cattle produce is downplayed by the lower dressing percentage the carcass yields.

These calves come from the Panhandle and eastern New Mexico dairies, since the number of dairies in South Texas has dwindled.

Weaned calves that are purchased are first back-grounded on grass until the cattle reach the 700-pound to 750-pound range, and then the cattle are placed in the feedlot for conditioning and finishing.

At any time, 3,000 to 4,000 calves can be found being backgrounded prior to placement in the feedlot for finishing. Heifers are usually resold in the Panhandle.

Texana Feeders’ feedlots hold 10,000 head daily, with 20,000 animals finished annually.

Peeler’s expansion plans include enlarging the feedlot to handle 15,000 head daily. When the opportunity arises, 25 percent of steers weighing up to 800 pounds in the grower/pre-condition stage will be transported to North Texas to finish, since more feedlots are located in that part of the country, Peeler said.

Once the animals reach 1,200 pounds, the steers are shipped via 18-wheelers to a Corpus Christi packer. Peeler also provides steers to Wiatrek’s Meat Market of Poth.

This is a true Texas ranch where roundups are conducted on horseback. Even though four-wheel all-terrain vehicles can be found on the ranch, the workers prefer the real West -- on horseback.

Transport to the slaughter facilities is done by 18-wheelers. Texana’s fleet includes three 18-wheelers for grain and cattle with three drivers on the staff.

Feed rations for the cattle include hay, dried distiller grain (ethanol byproducts that are railed in from the Midwest), and flaked corn. Grain is purchased locally, if possible. With the coastal area, nearby Victoria and El Campo are the source of additional grain. The feed mill processes 3,000 bushels of corn daily, seven days a week.

Peeler felt financial stress from the drought since lighter- weight calves were brought into the feedlot, thus requiring a longer feeding period to finish. “It comes with the business,” Peeler said, as he discussed the dependence on rain by farmers.

Peeler is in 100-percent compliance with Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) regulations.

Sustainable agriculture practices used by Peeler include using one-third of the manure to fertilize his hay fields. Thus, Peeler avoids the high cost of fertilizer that has been plaguing area farmers. Peeler turns a “waste” into a commodity, since an application of manure on the ground has a three-year effect on the soil.

The remaining two-thirds of the manure from the operation is sold locally to hay producers and nurseries in San Antonio. Due to TCEQ regulations, every movement is documented.

The future of confinements, such as his feedlot, includes capturing all wastewater. Run-off from the lagoons is captured in the lagoons and used on hay.

Texana has its own water wells, and irrigates the fields when Mother Nature does not assist.

Peeler’s wife, Marianna, is a schoolteacher, and together they have four children.

Peeler is not only the owner of Texana Feeders Ltd., he is also active with the Texas Beef Council and other beef industry committees. He speaks candidly of the issues affecting the cattle industry in next week’s issue of the Wilson County News.
 


Your Opinions and Comments
 
jason leonhardt  
karnes county  
December 30, 2008 3:07pm
 
 
wanted to see if youre orginization needed a ferrier. thank you for youre time.
 

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