Welcome to Gill Cattle Company
Gill Cattle Company is owned by Ron, Debbie and Richard Gill. Ranching operations are located in North Central Texas in Wise and Parker Counties. This commercial cow-calf and yearling operation tries to balance the demands for quality beef and environmentally adapted cattle.
The ranch has a cow herd that was originally developed in semi-arid country around Fort Sumner, New Mexico. This base cow herd started by Don Gill, Richard and Ronald’s dad, was a Foundation Beefmaster base with a touch of Charolais. Don’s experiences beginning in the 1950’s drought and the challenges of ranching in West Texas and New Mexico had his focus on a cow that was adapted to producing in dry environments. Ronald and Debbie purchased the base cow herd from his father in 1990 and continued ranching with Don in New Mexico.
Ron and Debbie brought the ranching operations back to Texas in 1995. Texas has been in a drought ever since and these cows continued to produce cattle that stand up to production constraints and produce feeder cattle that were much above the average. Beginning in 1993 and while the cow herd was still in New Mexico, Ron began infusing continental genetics into the cow herd with bulls that were being developed at the Noble Foundation in Ardmore, OK. These Noble Line cattle were a composite of Red Brangus and Gelbvieh.
Seeing what this hybrid boost brought to the cattle Ron bought the Gelbvieh bulls from the Noble Foundation when the foundation decided to close the books on the Noble Line and stop crossing Red Brangus and Gelbvieh to make the composite. In an effort to keep hybrid vigor and carcass quality up the decision was made to take the Brahman influence cow herd and breed it to Gelbvieh and in turn breed the Gelbvieh sired females to Red Angus. The cows are still productive in the North Texas environment and the steers and heifers make exceptional feeders and replacement stock.
The cow herd is now close to half Red Angus and half Gelbvieh. Beginning in 2009 Hereford bulls will be going out as the third breed in this current rotation. GCC breeding programs have always utilized red cattle as these cattle continue to produce more calves and more weight per calf than black hided cattle in their production system.
Ron and Debbie have expanded their efforts to spread that message by working with Curt and Tammy Pate in conducting stockmanship clinics and schools across the nation. Their work in that area can be seen at www.effectivestockmanship.com.