Outstanding forage producer recognized - winner from Granger

By MANDY JOHN | Central Texas Edition

Officials and guests at the TFGC meeting included, from left, David Reue, TFGC president; Dr. David Bade, Extension forage agronomist; award winners Betsy Ross Builta and Joe David Ross, Kathryn Ross Castnut, David Ross; and Dalton Merz, USDA rangeland management specialist.

December 26, 2002 -- On Dec. 6 the Texas Forage and Grassland Council held their awards luncheon at the 2002 annual meeting and hay show. Joe David Ross and Betsy Ross Builta, owners of the Ross Builta Farm, received the 2002 Outstanding Forage Producer award at the luncheon. Dalton Merz, rangeland management specialist for the USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service, nominated the Ross' for this prestigious award.

"The Ross Builta Livestock Partnership has been operating the Ross Builta Farm at Granger since 1995," explained Merz. "Joe David and Betsy are the on-site managers and are no newcomers to the grazing business. Good grazing land resource management is something that they are familiar with."

Merz said the Ross' operation had developed into a practical intensive grazing operation. "From this, a very diverse forage, grazing, and animal system has evolved. Simple tools are utilized on the ranch.

"You will have no luck finding fancy, new, and expensive contraptions and equipment on this working ranch."

He stated that the establishment of the forage base and the infrastructure were the first steps. Cattle herd sizes were increased as the forage base grew.

He also said that the grazing system was planned and designed to allow for easy movement of livestock from any one pasture on the place to the central working area at any given time with minimal effort. Livestock handling work can be carried out by one person while imposing minimal stress on the grazing animals.

"Joe David provides the vision for the growth and future of the farm. His guidance, teaching and leadership are the framework for the farm. He ranches in Sutton County, however, he can often be found at the farm for special workdays, to pull just a few more weeds, or to answer a help-call from Betsy.

"Betsy's main job is to manage the operation, the personnel and the infrastructure. She continuously evaluates forages and animal demand. She also plans, and has implemented, a grazing schedule and walks the pasture on a regular basis. Her goal is to achieve proper utilization of each of the 100 grazing units each and every time that they are grazed.

"Good grazing management requires good foresight, good hindsight, and the ability to make needed adjustments to the game plan. This has been accomplished on the Ross Builta Farm," Merz said.