Volume 7, Issue 1 Spring 2011

KING RANCHKING RANCHKING RANCHINSTITUTEINSTITUTEINSTITUTEF O R R A N C H M A N A G E M E N TF O R R A N C H M A N A G E M E N TF O R R A N C H M A N A G E M E N T

Published by the

KING RANCH INSTITUTE FOR RANCH MANAGEMENT

Texas A&M University-Kingsville700 University Blvd., MSC 137

Kingsville, TX 78363(361) 593-5401

(361) 593-5404 faxE-mail: krirm@tamuk.edu

http://krirm.tamuk.edu

Clay P. Mathis, Ph.D., Director

Jaimi Greeley, Editor

MANAGEMENT COUNCIL

Chair: James H. Clement Jr., King Ranch, Inc.

Caroline Alexander Forgason, Robert J. Kleberg, Jr. & Helen C.

Kleberg FoundationGus T. Canales, A.T. Canales

RanchesDave DeLaney, King Ranch, Inc.

Lynn Drawe, Ph.D.Paul C. Genho, Ph.D.,

AgReserves, Inc.Jack Hunt, Retired CEO

King Ranch Inc.Bob McCan, McFaddin Enterprises

Wagon Tracks “Decisions, Decisions, Decisions” By Dr. Clay P. Mathis

Prepared for the FutureKRIRM Alumni share how the KRIRM program prepared them for their real world roles.By Kindra Gordon

Invest in Your Equine EducationThe Richard Mifflin Kleberg, Jr. Lectureship on Equine Management is June 27-29, 2011. By Kindra Gordon

On Our Cover:Photo by Steve Johnson

2 Spring 2011 King Ranch Institute

FEATURES3

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King Ranch Institute Spring 2011 3

“Decisions, Decisions, Decisions”From the Director, Dr. Clay P. Mathis

t the King Ranch Institute for Ranch Man-agement our vision is to train leaders who will make a positive difference in the ranch-ing industry and ensure our hard earned heritage is not lost. To fulfill our vision we help mold and develop decision makers that

will be part of the next generation of managers of very large ranches. We want graduates of the King Ranch Institute to complete the pro-gram with the ability to make ex-cellent decisions the vast majority of the time, and be able to recog-nize potential unintended conse-quences that may result from the decisions they will need to make as ranch managers. But they also must be prepared to make deci-sions as quickly as possible. It is the same for a ranch enterprise as it is for a small service business, government organization, or For-tune 500 company; the leader at the helm must be able to confi-dently make decisions and not let opportunities pass because of an excessively delayed decision. The challenge we face is judging how much information is needed when pressured by the need to decide. Last month while reading a sermon about lead-ership I came across a suggestion made by former Chrysler CEO Lee Iacocca suggesting that ‘a good leader makes a decision when 95 percent of the information is in. If the leader waits until he is 100 percent sure, it’s too late.’ We often don’t know what percentage of the information we have when a deci-sion is made, but this is essentially the same point

made by a ranch-manag-er friend of mine recently when he indicated that he might not make the very best decision every single time, but most of the issues regarding the ranch that require his

decision need to be dealt with within no more than one or two days. If decisions are postponed beyond a couple of days for in depth analysis, the total number of issues requiring his decision will just keep stacking up. The point was that since there is always another set of issues that will surface tomorrow, most decisions need to be made pretty quickly. His ability to make ex-cellent quick decisions lends to his success as a ranch manager. On the other hand, the magnitude of impact from

unintended consequences can be very large in some situations. So when the stakes are high and the impacts long-lasting, it is often more appropriate to carefully analyze the situation and avoid a quick

A

Photo by JoAnne Meeker

WTWTWwagon tracks

Continued on page 10

We want graduates of the King Ranch Institute to complete the program with

the ability to make excellent decisions the vast majority of the time, and be able to

recognize potential unintended consequences that may result from the

decisions they will need to make as ranch managers.

4 Spring 2011 King Ranch Institute

es Nunn and Brent McCann are no strangers to ranching. Nunn grew up in a ranching and log-ging community in British Columbia, Canada and worked alongside his dad as he managed the cattle on a grazing association there. He later worked for

ranches in southern Alberta and Montana, while also earning his undergraduate degree. McCann was raised on his family’s ranch near the Milk River in Montana – his great-grandfather started ranching in Montana’s Bear Paw Mountains in the 1890s. After college and time working as a reporter, McCann returned to his ranching roots joining the cowboy crew at Montana’s Dearborn Ranch, where he spent six years. Yet, these two individuals recognized that they needed more knowledge, training and management skill when it came to operating a ranch. That led each of them to the Mas-ter’s program offered by the King Ranch Institute for Ranch Management. McCann explains, “The ranch management world includes many acres but not that many people. I’ve come to believe this characteristic of the profession makes having quality peo-ple at the helm of ranch operations critical. KRIRM exists to train and develop those quality people.” Nunn graduated from the KRIRM program in the summer of 2008 and accepted a position as assistant operations manager with the Padlock Ranch near Ranchester, WY. After graduating from KRIRM in the spring of 2010, McCann joined Sieben Livestock near Cascade, MT, as foreman.

A Focus on Business Both McCann and Nunn say they benefitted greatly from the innovative and diverse thinking they were exposed to through the KRIRM curriculum, in-cluding knowledge in ecology, nutrition, accounting, finance and systems thinking. They now rely on all of

those skills in their ranch management roles, and both agree it has given them an enhanced ability for problem solving and decision making. As an example of the new perspective he’s gained, McCann says, “The KRIRM program offers insight in how to look at the ranch from more of a business perspective. I feel ranchers may have had a tendency to overlook the business aspect of ranching and its importance to the long term sustainability of their ranches, but this is becoming increasingly important today and into the future.” Nunn agrees, saying, “Ranching is a complex business. Because of my experience at KRIRM, I am more cognizant of the different relationships that exist in the ranching industry and how making a decision in one area may also impact other aspects of the ranch that you hadn’t thought about.” Likewise, McCann says the “systems thinking” course provided by the King Ranch Institute enhanced his ability to see the bigger picture – both for the ranch and for the various industries that rely on ranch enterprises.

Prepared for the FutureTwo KRIRM alumni are applying their ranch management – and business – expertise on ranch operations in Wyoming and Montana. Here, they share how the KRIRM pro-gram prepared them for their management roles.

By Kindra Gordon

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Brent McCann and Whit Hibbard work together vaccinating cows at branding time. Whit is a member

of the family who owns Sieben Livestock.

King Ranch Institute Spring 2011 5

Multiple Enterprises Nunn and McCann also recognize that ranch-ing for the future – and being successful – isn’t just about cattle. Each juggle a variety of responsibili-ties that all contribute to their respective ranch operations’ overall success. At the Padlock, Nunn works closely with the ranch’s Chief Operating Officer Trey Patterson regarding the management of the livestock op-erations. This includes developing grazing plans, scheduling brandings, weaning, shipping and other cattle duties, as well as all aspects of hiring and managing the ranch’s employees. Along with this, Nunn oversees the feedmill operations at the ranch’s feedlot facility – which includes supervising 6-8 employees; and since join-ing the ranch three years ago, he has developed and initiated a guest operations entity for the ranch. In this role, Nunn’s tasks include budgeting, market-ing, booking guests, facilities maintenance, coordinating guest activities, and overseeing ranch employees who assist with this facet of the ranch. The ranch tourism component has given Nunn ample op-portunity to hone is business skills and find ways to increase revenue while offsetting the high overheads related to main-taining a guest facility. Nunn says there can be value in tourism for ranches of the future, but it must be managed with a sound business vision that fits your individual ranch, and it is not an entity that should be added to a ranch without appropriate con-sideration. He explains, “Ranch tourism can provide a great opportunity to spread your ranch overheads and increase revenue. Along with that, you need a good set of people skills

and must enjoy catering to guests’ needs and desires.” But, he continues, “It may not be for everyone; you must have the desire to share your ranch with people coming from backgrounds that may be quite different and even conflicting from your own. If you have to add a lot more overheads to implement a ranch tourism business then it may not be worth it.” At Sieben Livestock, the ranch enterprises McCann is working with include a large commercial cattle herd, purebred Targhee sheep, and a herd of horses that are used for ranch work. There is also some farmground and big-game hunting – the ranch has been in the owners’ family for more than 100 years. Working along with the CEO – who is one of the fam-

ily members, McCann oversees three full-time employees and 6-8 seasonal ranch employees and helps develop strategies to accomplish ranch goals. McCann is responsible for hiring, ranch payroll, and preparing an annual expense and capital expenditure budget. He develops work plans—in-cluding organizing and orchestrating brandings, shipping, etc.— and monitors grazing activity and the nutrition, health, and performance of the livestock.

Above: Less Nunn, on the Padlock Ranch.Left: Les Nunn rides with his daughter McKensie on the Padlock Ranch near Ranchester, Wyoming.

Continued on page 9

6 Spring 2011 King Ranch Institute

I n v e s t I n Y o u r

Equine EducationEquine Lectureship this June will showcase an array of expertise.

By Kindra Gordon

“What we have to learn to do, we learn by doing.” That quote by Greek philosopher Aristotle aptly describes the importance of hands-on learning – which is exactly what participants of the upcoming equine lec-

tureship offered by the King Ranch Institute for Ranch Management will gain by participating in the event. The Lectureship on Equine Management will be held June 27-29, 2011, at the Texas A&M-Kingsville campus with wet labs held at the nearby King Ranch and the JK Northway Indoor Arena. The event is sup-ported through endowment funds from the Richard Mifflin Kleberg, Jr. Family. Aspects of horse care, management, and marketing will be covered by several of the country’s top equine veterinarians and specialists during the three-day lectureship. Participants will be introduced to issues re-lated to reproduction, infertility, colic, obesity and nu-trition as well as parasite control, vaccinations, elderly horses and viral diseases of horses. Lectureship attendees will also have the opportunity to par-ticipate in hands-on labs involving dentistry, laminitis, emergency care, nutrition, injections and anatomy. In addition to the formal lec-tureship setting, participants will also visit the King Ranch and enjoy lunch at the Calera Camp House on Wednesday, June 29th. Ben Espy, DVM, helped organize the inaugural equine lectureship in 2009. Espy, who is the equine

veterinarian for the King Ranch and an adjunct faculty member of the Texas A&M University system, says the first lectureship was well attended with about 40 partic-ipants, and he is excited about building on that format for the 2011 program.

Program Offers Broad Scope Espy emphasizes that the KRIRM lectureship program is specifically designed for management level individuals. “You do not need to have veterinary experi-ence to participate in this event. That makes our pro-gram different from many equine continuing education programs which are vet focused. Anyone interested in equine management can gain valuable skills and knowl-edge from the KRIRM lectureship,” he says. Espy says the variety of speakers on the KRIRM lectureship program and the broad range of specialties and experience they represent is another strength of the program. “Our goal is to give a broad overview to the par-ticipants, so they get a flavor for what’s being done in equine management across the country. The economic drivers and management of horses has some regional variation, so we like to provide a broad scope to our participants,” he says. Espy’s equine specialty is reproduction, and during

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Dr. Ben Espy discusses equine nutrition and health at the

2009 equine lectureship.

the 2011 lectureship he will lead sessions on mare care and infertility as well as care of newborn foals. Espy will lead a lab where mares will be ultrasounded and partici-pants will be able to interact with that process. Additionally, Espy will present sessions on general health care including vaccinations, leg soreness exams and basic first aid.

Anatomy & Physiology Also on the equine lectureship program will be Don Topliff, PhD, Dean of the College of Agriculture, Sci-ence and Engineering at West Texas A&M University. As a scientist, he has published over 25 journal articles and book chapters on nutrition and exercise physiology topics, and he has been an AQHA approved judge for 24 years, having judged over a dozen World Champion-ship Shows in Open, Amateur, Select and Youth divi-sions. Topliff, who has served as the president of the Equine Science Society and was awarded the Distin-guished Service Award in Equine Science by the society in 2009, will present a lecture and lab on the topic of “Anatomy and Physiology Effect on Form and Func-tion.” To put this topic into context, Topliff shares a quote from noted professional horseman and judge Don Burt, who once said, “Good conformation doesn’t guarantee great performance, but poor conformation almost cer-tainly precludes it.”

Topliff says, “I would add to that and say that ge-netics determines not only anatomy, but physiological characteristics that determine the capacity for certain events. While most breeders don’t understand the physi-ology they are selecting for, their decisions over time have caused certain breeds to excel at certain events. This lecture will examine those traits and the lab will help participants understand how to visually appraise horses in an effort to predict their potential success.” This is Topliff ’s second trip to the King Ranch Institute Equine Management Lectureship, and he says, “I am excited to be asked to return and look forward to bringing the science and art of horses to the audience. The program looks to be packed with information that should be useful in managing and caring for horses.”

Equine Dentistry Another popular topic at the 2009 Equine Lecture-ship that will again be on the 2011 program is equine dentistry taught by Cory Reng, DVM. Reng is a 1996 graduate from Washington State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. After prac-ticing in rural America in mixed animal practices for about ten years, she joined the Veterinary Technician program at Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture, where she has developed an Equine Dentistry program

King Ranch Institute Spring 2011 7

Photo by Kelsey D. Hellmann of Bryan, TX

Continued on page 9

8 Spring 2011 King Ranch Institute

Agenda

Monday, June 27th - at the Ceasar Kleberg Wildlife Center

8:00 am Anatomy and Physiology Effect on Form and Function Dr. Don Topliff, West Texas A&M University

9:15 am The Horse’s Foot Dr. Robin Dabareiner, TAMU College of Veterinary Medicine 10:30 am Break 10:45 am Ranch Horse Dentistry Dr. Cory Reng, Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture

12:00 pm Lunch – Wildlife Center

1:00 pm Concurrent Lab Sessions - JK Northway Indoor Arena • Foot – basic foot care, hoof problems, trimming Dr. Robin Dabareiner

• Anatomy – selection, judging contest activity Dr. Don Topliff • Dentistry – ranch dentistry, aging, floating

Dr. Cory Reng

6:00 pm Dinner at the Wildlife Center Successful Marketing Methods

Carol Rose, Carol Rose Quarter Horses

Tuesday, June 28th - at the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Center

8:00 am Nutrition for the Ranch Remuda Dr. Dennis Sigler, Texas A&M University

9:45 am Break

10:15 am Management of the Transitional Mare Dr. Ben Espy, DVM, DACT

12:00 pm Lunch – Wildlife Center

1:00 pm Concurrent Lab Sessions - JK Northway Indoor Arena

• Nutrition – BCS, hay selection contest, read a feed tag, cost/lb protein Dr. Dennis Sigler

• Health – basic first aid, leg soreness examination, temps, injections and vaccinations Dr. Ben Espy

Wednesday, June 29th - Morning Session at the King Ranch (Meet at the Wildlife Center to depart as a group)

7:00 am Managing Broodmares Lab• Ultrasound ovulating/pregnant mares, using a speculum, caslick procedure Dr. Ben Espy

9:45 am Foaling Considerations Lab• Placenta examination, foal health, postpartum mare care Dr. Ben Espy

12:00 pm Lunch at the Calera Camp House at King Ranch

Richard Mifflin Kleberg, Jr. Family Lectureship on

E q u i n e M a n a g e m e n tJune 27-29, 2011

King Ranch Institute Spring 2011 9

He is also cognizant of the family business aspect of the ranch he works with. McCann says, “I am fo-cused on helping the ranch owners and ranch employ-ees achieve their goals. Beyond day-to-day activity, I believe the most important responsibility I have is helping the family who owns the ranch successfully pass the business from one generation to the next.” To achieve this, McCann says he encourages the family’s participation and always strives to create a family-friendly culture. “I strive to make the ranch a place to be enjoyed by the employees as well. My goal as foreman is to do everything I can to make it a prof-itable ranch where peoples’ contributions are valued.” Looking ahead, Nunn and McCann say they know ranch managers of the future will need to continu-ally find ways to better utilize their resources – both

natural resources and human resources. McCann calls it an “exciting and daunting” task. But one thing these two know they have on their side in addressing the challenges of the future is the innovative thinking and experience that they gained through the King Ranch Institute for Ranch Man-agement.

Continued from page 5

Above: KRIRM Alumnus Brent McCann working on the Sieben Live-stock Ranch in Cascade, Montana.

for veterinarians and veterinary technicians. Reng’s presentation at the KRIRM Equine Lectureship will include classroom instruction fol-lowed by a hands-on lab session. From her presen-tation Reng says students will gain a better ap-preciation of how equine dentistry can help their horses, as well as a basis to decide if they would like to pursue equine dentistry as a career. She notes that previous attendees were espe-cially interested in learning how to float a horse’s teeth, and that will be part of her presentation once again. Reng encourages equine managers to consider attending the Equine Lectureship and notes that it is a valuable place not only to learn, but to make industry contacts as well. For more information or to register for the lec-tureship call 361-593-5401 or visit http://krirm.tamuk.edu/equinemanagement.html. The $500 registration fee includes meals and materials, and this lectureship counts as credit toward the “Texas AgFinance Certifi-cate in Advance Ranch Management.”

Attendees practice equine dentistry in hands-on lab sessions during the 2009 lectureship. This lab along with others will be offered again this year.

Continued from page 7

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10 Spring 2011 King Ranch Institute

Upcoming Events

Commit to Lifelong Learning

June 27-29, 2011Richard Mifflin Kleberg, Jr. FamilyLectureship on Equine Management

August 8-12, 2011John B. Armstrong Lectureship on Systems Thinking

September 16-17, 2011Lectureship on Managerial Accountingfor Ranchers

October 27-28, 2011HOLT CAT® Symposium on Excellence in Ranch Management: Practical Management of Hunting Enterprises on Working Ranches

Continued from page 3

decision. For example, shifting a calving season from spring to summer, extensive cross-fencing, or hiring a new employee into the management team are very long-lasting decisions that can be potentially costly, difficult, and/or uncomfortable to reverse. In situ-ations like those, it only makes sense to avoid hasty decision making. In my opinion, great ranch managers are excel-lent decision makers that also have an intuition, a gut feeling, that guides them to know when to react quickly and when to slow down and analyze the situ-ation more thor-oughly before the decision is made. Excellent decision making comes from an appreciation for the complexity of the situation, sensitivity to the ramifica-tions of a wrong decision, and the confidence to know how much analysis is required to make the best decision in a given situa-tion. Analytical and business skills can be taught, but intuition generally comes through experience. At the King Ranch Institute for Ranch Manage-ment we understand how important it is for our students not only to come to the Institute with some experience already under their belt, but also to gain more hands-on experience while they are here. This summer our three first year students will embark on internships at partnering ranches so that they can gain more of this much need experience that will add value to their education in the long run and help them become better decision makers. Provid-ing additional experience to their ranch management education is a critical part developing the intuition of strong leaders.

“...great ranch manag-ers are excellent deci-sion makers that also have an intuition, a

gut feeling, that guides them to know when to

react quickly and when to slow down and ana-lyze the situation more

thoroughly...”

Texas AgFinance CERTIFICATE PROGRAM

in Advanced Ranch Management

KING RANCH INSTITUTEFOR RANCH MANAGEMENTTEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY-KINGSVILLE

MSC 137Texas A&M University-KingsvilleKingsville, TX 78363

NON PROFIT ORGU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDCORPUS CHRISTI, TX

PERMIT NO.

Hunting Enterprises on Working Ranches

Practical Management of

he 2011 HOLT CAT® Symposium on Excel-lence in Ranch Management is going to focus on an important and often profitable aspect

of ranching – one that integrates wildlife manage-ment into the bigger ranch management picture. This symposium will help you understand the complexities involved in making hunting enterprises on your work-ing ranch a success. Guest speakers from ranches across the country will share their knowledge and experience of running successful ranch hunting enter-prises. This Symposium will also give attendees the opportunity to participate in a rancher panel where the audience will have a chance to ask questions and benefit from an open dialogue with a panel of experts from the ranching industry. Along with the opportunities that operating a hunting enterprise on your ranch can bring, there are many business and legal issues to be aware of. This event will be a unique opportunity to learn about how to manage the legal and business aspects of running a hunting enterprise. There will also be insight into how to market hunting and the amenities available so that you can make hunting a profitable part of your ranch business.

Operating a hunting enterprise is certainly more than a business operation. Management of wildlife and other species will be critical, and incorporating that into your livestock management plan can influ-ence the success of not only your hunting enterprise, but overall ranch success as well. Our speakers will have experience in managing cattle and wildlife opera-tions and will share insight into how to maintain both successfully. We will host speakers representing ranches cover-ing several different regions of the country to share their specific experiences with the habitats, climate and differing species they encounter on their ranches. This way we can ensure that you leave with informa-tion to help you and your business no matter where you live. This event will take place October 27-28, 2011 and also counts as credit toward the Texas AgFinance Certificate in Advanced Ranch Management. Call us at (361) 593-5401, email krirm@tamuk.edu, or visit our website krirm.tamuk.edu for more information or to register.

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