“You’re looking at the best of West Texas.” That’s what John Locke’s grandfather used to say about their Hungerford cattle ranch — not for its location on the map just 30 miles outside of Houston, but for the nutrient rich soil on their property after generations of flooding from the Colorado River. The soil is just one important piece of a larger biological puzzle that cattle ranchers care for every day.
Locke is the CEO of the Locke Division of J.D. Hudgins, Inc. and is the sixth generation of his family to raise cattle there. The importance of their soil and what grows in it, isn’t lost on him, and he understands that caring for the land means adapting with the times.
Ranching is hard work, but what most people miss is how much of that is intellectual. For ranchers like Locke, the key to continuing a successful ranching operation is combining generations of knowledge with modern ranching practices to build resilience for the land, animals and people who call it home.
“What we used to think was ideal would be a really clean monoculture of grass with no variation in it, all at the same maturity stage with very few forbs or weeds,” Locke said. “Our mindset has changed. We want to see a diversity of plants and animals. You see a mosaic when you come to our place.”
A little over a decade ago, Locke began to implement grazing practices that focus on moving cattle herds more frequently, allowing plants to rest and rebound in between grazing periods.
These grazing techniques are designed to mimic the natural patterns of historical grazing animals, such as bison. Not only do these grazing practices protect the land they rely on for their livelihood, but grazing cattle has also been documented to boost habitat biodiversity, soil quality and water storage on rangelands.1–4
“It’s been a real challenge to take on that new management, but in turn, you’re feeding cattle considerably less hay and making meaningful improvements to the biology and wildlife,” Locke said. “It’s very hands-on and we’re still learning, but that’s also what makes it fun and exciting.”
The effects of well-managed soil and rotational grazing are seen beyond the pasture, through improving water-quality, protecting wildlife habitat and providing erosion management. For cattle producers like Locke, these management decisions benefit both cattle and the surrounding ecosystem.
Locke’s family specializes in raising Brahman cattle, a breed nicely suited for the arid Texas climate due to their natural ability to thrive in high temperatures. At first glance, the cattle’s droopy ears and signature hump evoke scenes from India, and rightly so, as their lineage can be traced halfway around the world to the subcontinent.
They are known for having a particular resistance to bugs and parasites, as well as a high tolerance to hot and humid weather. “While most cattle have to exchange heat by panting like dogs, Brahmans’ gift, and the reason why they’re able to be so adaptable, is because they can sweat,” he explained.
As such, they are often hybridized with other breeds to share these vital traits and increase the efficiency and quality of their meat — a time-tested tradition and business model (102 years’ worth, in fact) kept alive by ranchers like Locke that are dedicated to improving the environmental efficiency of the cattle industry.
Locke is striving to cultivate a healthy ecosystem on the homefront, and in turn, create social and economic success in his community. It’s a delicate balance, but his patience and tenacity are clear as day. U.S. cattle ranchers blend time-old traditions and new technology, allowing them the greatest success in caring for their land and animals.
“A really good friend of mine has this saying that the fastest way to go broke is to do things the exact same way granddaddy did them. But the second fastest way to go broke is to forget why granddaddy did it that way,” Locke said. “We definitely don’t have it all figured out, but we’re on the journey.”
Sources:
- Baber, J.R. et al., 2018. Estimation of human-edible protein conversion efficiency, net protein contribution, and enteric methane production from beef production in the United States. Trans. Anim. Sci. 2(4): 439-450.
- Broocks, Ashley et al. 2017a. Carbon Footprint Comparison between Grass- and Grain-finished beef. OSU Extension, AFS-3292.
- Maher, Anna, et al. 2020. National and State Economic Values of Cattle Ranching and Farming Based Ecosystem Services on Federal and Private Lands in the U.S. Sustainable Rangelands Roundtable, Publication #7. https://www.sustainablerangelands.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/B-1367.pdf
- Scott, Dave. 2018. Livestock as a Tool: Improving Soil Health, Boosting Crops. NCAT. Found on https://attra.ncat.org/product/livestock-as-a-tool-improving-soil-health-boosting-crops/
|
|
|
