Road Map foR SucceSS - Santa Gertrudis Breeders International

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F L AT T E N E D V E R S I O N
K AND WHITE VERSION
2013-2017
Road Map
for Success
santa gertrudis – the preferred american beef breed
2013-2017
Road Map for Success
Fellow SGBI members,
It is with great excitement that I reveal to you the Santa Gertrudis Breeders International’s (SGBIs) 2013-2017 “Road
Map for Success” and Long Range Plan. The Road Map for Success is a culmination of two years of passionate work by the
Long Range Planning Committee, industry professionals, Executive Director John Ford and most importantly you – the
members of SGBI.
I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge the efforts of former Vice President of Long Range Planning and your current
SGBI President Charla Borchers-Leon in paving the way for our current Long Range Plan. She, along with the Long Range
Planning Committee, had the vision and leadership to realize you must plan to plan. Our previous Long Range Plan served
as a cornerstone to our association’s current and future success.
It has been my honor and privilege to assist in the development of our Road Map for Success. Please know as we shift into
our new Road Map, the Long Range Planning Committee’s primary goal was to listen to you, the members, process that information and create a plan that best serves the SGBI membership and their customers. As I have come to expect from our
membership, you all gave above and beyond expectations. The response and participation in the questionnaires and focus
groups was honest, intuitive and very inspiring.
The most challenging segment of the process was condensing the many great thoughts and ideas provided by the membership into a focused plan that will guide our organization for the next five years. Great effort was made to compile the
information contained in the Road Map into a user-friendly format that remains flexible enough to allow for ever-changing
industry shifts. Please understand the plan is by no means an exhaustive list of fail-proof ways to secure the success of our
great breed of cattle. However, I promise you there is strength in a common goal and this Road Map can be that common
goal for our association.
Organizations do not become great by accident. Organizations become great when their members take an active role and
commit themselves to the success of the organization. I encourage every member of our association to invest the time to
read the information contained in the Road Map and take ownership of it. Get involved in a committee of interest or an
affiliate and help our association reach our strategic objectives. Our strength is in the unity of our membership.
There is one thing I am most certain of: If you are reading this, you share with me and the Long Range Planning Committee a devotion and passion to Santa Gertrudis cattle. I encourage you to get involved and share your passion for Santa
Gertrudis cattle every opportunity you get. It is an exciting time to be a part of SGBI and on the horizon is our Road Map
for Success!
Wes McDaniel
Vice President of Long Range Planning
Dear SGBI members,
The nation’s cowherd is at a 60-year low and beef cow numbers have dipped below the 30-million-head mark. A smaller
commercial cowherd has resulted in the need for fewer bulls and fewer replacement females. It is obvious that the
increased competition among breeds for a share of the shrinking commercial market is redefining the traditional seedstock business structure. Which breeds will be major seedstock suppliers to the commercial sector moving forward? The
answer is simple: those breeds that create value for their customers.
In this new paradigm, breed associations must meet the challenge of developing cost effective programs and services
that ensure membership can and will capture a significant share of the commercial market. These programs and services
must be innovative and focused on creating value for all industry sectors. Simply put, the notion that breed associations
can merely focus on traditional activities and be all things to all people no longer holds true. To remain viable over the
long term, SGBI must understand that industry change is inevitable, and growth hinges on the economic success of its
members and their commercial customers. We have arrived at a crossroad. Seedstock producers are expecting more from
their association membership, commercial customers are expecting more from their seedstock suppliers, and both want
to ensure their sustainability now and into the future.
The 2013-2017 SGBI Long Range Plan provides a well-designed and well-developed blueprint for action that assures
organizational growth and creates product value for members and their commercial customers. The SGBI Road Map
for Success is the result of two years of work by the Long Range Planning Committee with invaluable assistance from
Dr. Ryan Rhoades, Texas A&M University-Kingsville, and the King Ranch Institute for Ranch Management. Member
input, solicited through a survey, listening sessions and focus groups, serves as the foundation for the plan. With the
realization that the industry is constantly evolving, the plan is a fluid, living document designed to address emerging
issues without losing sight of the association’s goal of improving member and customer profitability, sustainability and
satisfaction.
John Ford, Executive Director
Santa Gertrudis Breeders International
contents
I.
Identifying Priorities for SGBI...................... 4
II.
SGBI Breeder Demographics.................... 6
III.
Overview of Survey Results....................... 7
IV. Balanced Scorecard Approach............ 11
V.Conclusion................................................ 14
road map for success | 2013-2017
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I. Identifying Priorities for Sana Gertrudis
Breeders International
The Opportunity
The beef industry is a complex system from the initial cow-calf production decision to
satisfying consumer demand and developing a profit-maximizing marketing opportunity.
As a rancher, you probably recognized significant change in structure and the
environment in recent years. This new environment can be described by increasing
cost/volatility in the commodity and cattle markets, and extreme variance in climatic
conditions, which has left you exposed to a great deal of production and financial risk.
With increasing capital requirements for land/inputs and compressing operating margins,
these risks are becoming more intense. However, advances in technology are rapidly
occurring and change oftentimes presents opportunity. An understanding of how the
industry structure and environment is changing (i.e. technology, consolidation and
production systems) and charting a long-term strategy to capitalize on opportunities that
arise is necessary because change is critical to any organization’s success in the coming
years.
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The Santa Gertrudis Breeders International
More specifically, the declining cow herd in the U.S. means
the number of commercial bulls needed each year is also
declining. Meanwhile, reported Santa Gertrudis bull sales
to commercial bull buyers have not increased in a number of years. Concurrently, participation in Total Performance Records (TPR) among Santa Gertrudis breeders
has decreased, which limits the availability of performance
data to 1) improve the Santa Gertrudis breeders’ genetics
within herd and 2) provide commercial bull buyers with an
objective selection tool. A large percentage (70 percent) of
commercial bull buyers use some form of data to make purchasing decisions. As competition to sell bulls in a shrinking
market increases, technology and information could be a
source of competitive advantage in your breeding program.
This is a prime example of a dynamic that is changing our
environment and presenting an opportunity.
Additionally, breed associations are facing new and demanding challenges. SGBI’s primary goal is to provide progressive
leadership, services, programs and technology to promote
and broaden the long-term profitability of Santa Gertrudis
influence within the beef industry by being member-driven
and consumer-focused. The vision is to become the preferred American breed used by cattlemen. However, it is
difficult for associations such as SGBI to design products
and services for such a diverse membership. SGBI needs to
determine what role they will play with their members in
the coming years. Due to increased competition and marketing efforts by other breeds, market share will be increasingly difficult to obtain. Therefore, priorities, direction and
a plan need to be determined and implemented.
The intent of this report is to establish the basis for prioritizing SGBI’s services and resources by soliciting feedback
directly from the membership and developing a strategic
planning tool using the balanced scorecard approach. This
will allow SGBI to provide its members with a more targeted direction and focus that could lead to increased demand
in the marketplace and help sustain the long-term viability
of the breed. This is the opportunity.
The Objectives
 Determine SGBI membership characteristics, ranching
habits and association service preferences.
 Identify strategy options, rank strategic initiatives, and
develop measures of success according to membership’s
perceived challenges and service preferences.
 Provide a “road map” for SGBI that communicates the
strategy, prioritizes new program initiatives and monitors progress toward proposed targets in a clear, concise
format.
The Process
1. SGBI Membership Survey
A membership survey was designed to discover the perceptions, current practices and other characteristics that
current Santa Gertrudis breeders across all regions of the
country have regarding the use of performance data, breed
strengths/challenges, marketing opportunities and association services. A pilot test of the survey instrument
was conducted among key stakeholders to solicit feedback
before the final survey was delivered to all SGBI members.
Input and feedback was solicited from all active members
of SGBI. In total, 282 active SGBI members returned
completed surveys. Approximately 53 percent of the total
completed surveys (i.e. 282) were returned by mail and 47
percent by e-mail. A test was conducted to determine the
validity of the survey results; this survey scored an 87.7 percent for reliability. This represents a very high reliability for
a survey instrument. The high reliability for this survey was
a result of the feedback gained during the focus group and
pilot test efforts.
2. SGBI Member Focus Groups
Focus group sessions were conducted during the 2012 SGBI
Annual Meeting in Chattanooga, Tenn. These sessions were
designed to develop specific objectives for the new SGBI
Long Range Plan. Moderators facilitated discussions based
on priorities determined in the membership survey. Focus
groups were developed from a diverse cross-section of SGBI
members for association services in the areas of marketing,
membership/outreach and research/education.
3. Strategic Planning Sessions
SGBI’s Long Range Planning Committee, along with other
association and industry leaders, participated in a two-day
strategic planning workshop during the summer of 2012.
The goal of this workshop was to develop specific content
for a suite of strategic planning tools (i.e. Strategy Map,
Strategic Initiatives and Balanced Scorecard). These tools
will serve as an excellent communication device for internal
and external audiences and provide SGBI leaders and members with a roadmap to help focus energy and resources over
the next five years.
Determine SGBI
membership
characteristics, ranching
habits and association
service preferences.
road map for success | 2013-2017
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II. SGBI Breeder Demographics
Location-Region
Breeders responded to several demographic questions designed to identify
key characteristics. The figure below
outlines members’ age category, which
illustrates the largest portion of the
membership is above 45 years old.
Only 21 percent of SGBI members
are under 44 years old. Similar to the
overall trend in agriculture, the average
age of an SGBI breeder is greater than
55 years old. This finding supports
the need to emphasize the continued
development of strong leaders for the
next generation.
Breeder herd size is a demographic
that can be used to better understand
risk levels and operational needs of
producers. The figure below provides
the membership’s reported herd size.
As illustrated, 50 percent of the respondents are classified as small operations having less than 50-head capacity, while the remaining 50 percent
represent a wide range from 50-head
to greater than 500-head capacity.
Similar to the overall trend in the beef
industry, the average size of an SGBI
breeder operation is less than 50 head
capacity. This finding supports the
need for continued association services
in the areas of marketing and education.
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WEST
2.5%
NORTHEAST
2.5%
MIDWEST
10%
SOUTHWEST
55%
The definition of operation type is an
important demographic as an indication of individual farm or ranch
goals. Cattle operations fit into four
basic categories, including seedstock,
commercial, stocker and show exhibition. The figure below illustrates the
percentage of breeders by operation
type. The largest percentage of breeders represents seedstock operations
(52.3 percent), which are defined as
operations that produce replacement
breeding stock for other operations.
Commercial operations (30.9 percent)
sell calves at weaning, while exhibition/
show operations (13.7percent) raise
livestock for competition purposes.
Stocker operations (3.1 percent) utilize
forage resources to grow from weaning to the finishing phase. This finding
highlights the diversity among membership and the challenge to create a
consistent message for the breed.
SOUTH
30%
The percentage of net income derived
from farming or ranching operations
can be an indicator of profit motivation
regardless of the operation’s size. As
shown in the figure below, 86 percent
of SGBI membership derives less than
40 percent (“Low”) of their annual
income from their farming or ranching operation. The largest respondent
group (65.9 percent) derives less than
20 percent of their income from their
operation, while only 14 percent of
SGBI membership derives a “High”
level of their annual income from
farming and ranching. This finding
highlights the need to identify and design alternative incentives for producer
adoption.
The Santa Gertrudis Breeders International
III. Overview of Survey Results
Summary of Key Findings
• Peer-to-peer relationships are highly influential.
Marketing & Information • 70 percent of the membership will wait to adopt new technologies.
• Private treaty, livestock auction markets and purebred sales are the
primary marketing channels.
• There is relatively low utilization and importance scores for all data
types.
Performance Data
• There is opportunity to increase importance of expected progeny
differences (EPDs) through education and to increase utilization
through value proposition.
• There are several barriers to increase participation in TPR:
paperwork, lack of education, time and cost.
• Maternal ability and performance metrics (gain and efficiency) are
breed strengths.
Breed Strengths &
Opportunities for Growth • Marketing, research and customer satisfaction will be important
opportunities to capitalize on in the coming years.
SGBI member Services
• Top priorities include increasing commercial sales and developing
a specific market for Santa Gertrudis genetics.
• A number of other potential services were rated important.
1. Marketing & Information
Where do you get information? SGBI members
were asked to rank industry information sources used. They
were asked to rank only their top five, with the first choice
being their most commonly used method to acquire information. Producers seek advice and information to help them
make better decisions. We generally seek advice or information from sources we consider trustworthy and of quality.
What advice and information sources are viewed as trustworthy and of quality can help an organization target promotional and educational materials. As shown in the figure
below, an average of 241 (85 percent of survey respondents)
SGBI breeders selected peer-to-peer (i.e. other producers)
and the SGBI magazine as the most commonly used information sources. Additionally, an average of 194 (69 percent
of survey respondents) breeders selected websites and other
industry related magazines as important sources of information. This result highlights the opportunity that exists for
SGBI to enhance various communication channels to its
membership. For example, peer-to-peer relationships could
be influenced through an enhanced affiliate presence.
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How do you typically adopt new technology?
SGBI breeders were asked which of the following best
describes you: Innovator = often the first to adopt in my
area; Early Adopter = wait until someone else has adopted
first; Late Adopter = wait until new technology is proven;
and Avoid = don’t adopt new technology all together. New
technology can be viewed as risky and everyone has a slightly
different risk tolerance. Based on your inherent risk tolerance, you will be more or less motivated to adopt an emerging technology. People are even motivated in different ways
when it comes to new technology adoption (i.e. status,
professional gain or cost/profit). Technology creates forward
movement and how individual people within an organization adopt it can have a significant impact on progress as
a whole. In the figure below, 50 percent of SGBI breeders
consider themselves innovators and early adopters of technology, while 50 percent will wait until proven or avoid it.
Given the advancements in technology and rapidly changing
times in our industry, this finding represents a huge opportunity for SGBI to deliver and educate breeders willing to
adopt new technologies and practices.
Where do you market your cattle? Respondents were asked to individually rate the marketing
outlets listed in the figure below for how often that
particular outlet is used to market their cattle. The
mean rating score represents the average response
among SGBI breeders (1 = Never; 2 = Rarely; 3 =
Often; and 4 = Almost Always). There are a number of marketing alternatives available to producers.
Marketing can take time and be expensive. In today’s
market it can be frustrating as price gaps exist based
on hide color and percieved quality. Bottom line: The
extra effort is often worth it. How you market your
cattle significantly impacts your profitability. SGBI member results suggest private treaty sales are used most often
at a mean rating score of 3.1, followed by livestock auction
markets and purebred auction sales at 2.6 and 2.5, respectively. Although retained ownership can be an effective risk
management option and video/internet sales are gaining
popularity, SGBI breeders rarely use these methods in their
current marketing programs.
2. Performance Data
What type of performance data do you utilize
and value the most? SGBI breeders were asked a
two-part question to identify potential gaps between: 1)
How often you utilize different types of performance data
(1 = Never; 2 = Rarely; 3 = Often; and 4 = Almost Always)?
And 2) The level of importance you place on each type of
performance data in your operation (1 = Unimportant; 2 =
Somewhat Important; 3 = Important; and 4 = Extremely
Important)? Technology is rapidly changing. There are tools
available that could potentially make your operation more
efficient and profitable. EPDs and other types of performance data can assist a breeder with selection decisions and
provide a potential customer with an objective assessment
measure. Survey results indicate EPDs had the highest
mean rating score for both utilization (3.1) and importance
(2.9), while written/verbal comments were rated the lowest
(2.5). Interestingly, only 75 percent of the membership rated
EPDs as utilized “often” (3.0) or above and consider them
“important” (3.0) or above. A large gap between utilization
and importance would indicate an opportunity for increased
adoption. For example, if a producer views a technology as
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The Santa Gertrudis Breeders International
“extremely important,” but “rarely” utilizes it, they are more
likely to eventually adopt it. Although not significant, the
largest gap was reported for genetic markers, indicating this
data type is perhaps more important than currently being
utilized. A smaller gap exists for EPDs suggesting it is used
similarly to its perceived importance. However, greater
utilization of EPDs as a management and marketing tool to
make quicker genetic improvement and to increase commercial demand may be needed by SGBI breeders.
What are the potential barriers to collecting and
reporting performance information? Respondents
were asked to rate the list of potential barriers in the figure
below for their level of agreement that the factor is a barrier
for using TPR. The mean rating score represents the average response among SGBI breeders (1 = Strongly Disagree;
2 = Disagree; 3 = Agree; and 4 = Strongly Agree). Participation among SGBI membership in TPR is very low. Adoption of technologies such as EPDs will be important to the
long-term success and improvement of the breed. However,
processes like TPR can have barriers that prohibit user
adoption. These barriers are often unknown to those
administering them. This question was designed to
reveal any potential barriers during the TPR process.
While no individual factors were rated as a “strong”
(3.0) barrier, several, including paperwork, lack of
breeder education, time and cost seem to surface as
greater challenges. The association should consider
these when developing strategies to increase the
utilization of TPR among breeders. A focused effort
to engage and educate membership about TPR may
increase the perceived importance and, subsequently,
the utilization of performance data.
Survey results indicate
EPDs had the highest
mean rating score for
both utilization and
importance.
road map for success | 2013-2017
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3. Breed Strengths & Opportunities for
Growth
Why are your customers buying Santa Gertrudis
genetics? SGBI breeders were asked to rate the breed
traits in the figure below for level of importance to their
customers (1 = Unimportant; 2 = Somewhat Important; 3
= Important; and 4 = Extremely Important). Developing a
brand and creating differentiation in a highly competitive
market is essential. Crafting marketing and promotional
materials that capitalize on genuine breed strengths given
the diversity among operational goals can be difficult. Building a brand is about identifying those things your customers desire and then continually delivering those things
better than your competition. Membership is closest to
the customer base and can best gage consumer perception.
Survey results suggest maternal ability had the highest mean
rating score at 3.6 and 96 percent of respondents rated
this “important” (3.0) or higher. Additionally, weight gain,
disposition and efficiency were grouped in the next tier of
important breed traits with an average mean rating score of
greater than 3.3. This finding may provide some insight into
the important breed attributes to highlight when developing
marketing and promotional materials.
What major opportunities for growth exist? Respondents were asked to rate the future opportunities listed in
the figure below for level of importance in order to grow
and compete in the beef industry over the next five years (1
= Unimportant; 2 = Somewhat Important; 3 = Important; 4
= Extremely Important). Numerous opportunities will arise
in the coming years. This short list is by no means exhaustive. Membership deals directly with these opportunities
for growth and can provide valuable insight into which ones
represent the greatest opportunity. These opportunities for
growth need to be considered when developing a strategic
plan for the entire breed. The results indicate that marketing the breed outside of the current SGBI circle had the
highest mean rating score at 3.74. With exception to red
in color and the SGBI logo, all other future opportunities
were rated above a 3.0, meaning they represent “important”
opportunities to the breed. Clearly, marketing, research and
customer satisfaction will all be important opportunities to
capitalize on in the coming years.
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4. SGBI Association Services
What services should SGBI provide in the
coming years? SGBI members had the opportunity
to rate their level of importance for the list of potential
services included in the figure below. These are services
that, if provided by SGBI, would contribute to the overall
success of the Santa Gertrudis breed in the next 10 years (1
= Unimportant; 2 = Somewhat Important; 3 = Important;
and 4 = Extremely Important). Associations like SGBI that
have a very diverse membership are faced with the challenge
of developing programs that appeal to everyone’s interests
and motives. This can often lead to the development of
multiple programs that have little impact on the breed
as a whole. Ideally, an association needs to identify the
highest leverage points among its diverse membership. This
question was designed to address this problem. The results
suggest only increasing commercial sales and developing
a specific market for Santa Gertrudis genetics had a mean
rating score above 3.5 and had more than 90 percent of all
respondents classify it as “important” (3.0) or above. With
exception to enhancing international relations and show
ring participation, all other potential services were rated
above 3.0, meaning they represent “important” services
among membership. Overall, a number of potential services
are considered important by the membership, but these
findings provided valuable insights when determining where
to focus resources and energy in the next Long Range Plan.
The Santa Gertrudis Breeders International
IV. Balanced Scorecard Approach
Balanced Scorecard
Approach
Why was this approach chosen to develop SGBI’s Long
Range Plan? Simple … it works! The balanced scorecard approach helps us focus beyond financial measures of success
by connecting the various “perspectives” of the organization. Financial objectives allow us to complete our goals, but
what about developing human capital through learning and
growth, making processes more effective and key stakeholder outcomes that will ultimately determine success? By
connecting the various “perspectives,” we avoid planning in
pockets and creating a disconnect among different interest
groups. Success is also a function of its simplicity; the entire
strategic plan is synthesized on two sheets of paper. The
effort required to keep the plan going and alive is reduced
substantially and focus is crystal clear to everyone in the
organization. In the end, communication is critical to the
successful implementation of a strategic plan. This approach
simplifies this aspect.
SGBI Strategy Map
Step 1 was to develop a strategy map. Strategy maps define
what the objectives are, provide a framework for building a
communication strategy, and force the organization to think
about cause and effect relationships. The process of creating
a strategy map ensures both consensus is reached over a set
of interrelated strategic objectives, and outcomes and drivers of future performance are identified to create a complete
picture of the overall strategic direction.
The strategy map built for SGBI will help promote the big
picture focus and help visually communicate the relationship among strategic objectives. The results of both the
membership survey and the member focus group discussions were used to determine the strategic objectives within
each association “perspective” (i.e. stakeholder success,
processes, learning and growth, and financial). The map was
built from the top down, keeping in mind the No. 1 objective: “To improve Member/Customer Profitability, Sustainability and Satisfaction.” The plan is then powered from
the bottom up starting with “Increase Revenue Flow,” and
as you move up, each objective enables the success of those
above it.
SGBI Balanced Scorecard
Step 2 was to develop a balanced scorecard. The balanced
scorecard builds upon the strategic objectives defined in the
strategy map. Essentially, it is a management tool to help the
organization make detailed strategic decisions and measure
the effectiveness of the strategic plan.
Within each association “perspective,” several strategic initiatives were created to help accomplish the strategic objectives. Strategic initiatives are designed to identify activities
to accomplish objectives. Measures and targets were then
assigned to track success of those objectives. The intent
was not to measure everything, just the right things. Finally,
specific SGBI association committees will be charged with
developing more detailed action items to achieve the desired objectives, initiatives and measures.
road map for success | 2013-2017
PAGE 11
SGBI Strategy Map
Improve Member/Customer
Profitability, Sustainability
& Satisfaction
STAKEHOLDER
SUCCESS
Increase Demand for SG
Genetics by Adding Value to
Commercial Producer
PROCESS
Incentivize Adoption of Sound
Science & Technology
Among Membership
Develop & Deliver a
Consistent Message
Improve Status &
Value of SGBI
Build & Enhance
Internal & External
Relationships
Develop Strong
Leaders & Activists
LEARNING &
GROWTH
Build Trust &
Awareness with
Industry & Customers
Create Change &
Engage Membership
FINANCIAL
PAGE 12
Increase Revenue Flow
The Santa Gertrudis Breeders International
Strengthen Affiliate
Presence
SGBI Balanced Scorecard
road map for success | 2013-2017
PAGE 13
IV. Conclusion
SGBI faces many new strategic opportunities. Advances in
technology are changing rapidly and this change represents
tremendous opportunity. Historically, the diverse nature
of SGBI breeder operations and demographics has led to
a difference of opinion about where SGBI should focus
its efforts. This, coupled with declining membership and
purebred registrations which continues to limit resources,
has created the need for focus. The ability of an association
to prioritize, focus and execute its energy and resources on a
few key objectives is critical to move the breed forward.
To help capitalize on this opportunity, this current report
establishes an approach to provide a clearer picture of who
SGBI is, what SGBI wants and where SGBI is headed. Ultimately, the success of this Long Range Strategic Plan is dependent upon the dedication and commitment of the SGBI
leadership and members who help implement it. It is the
expectation of this author that this strategic plan is continuously reviewed and constructively revised as this document
should be dynamic in nature. This is not an endpoint; it’s
just the beginning. The complex environment we operate in
is constantly changing; we must adapt with it.
Results of this report help address the following objectives:
 Determine SGBI membership characteristics, ranching
habits and association service preferences.
 Identify strategy options, rank strategic initiatives and
develop measures of success according to membership’s
perceived challenges and service preferences.
 Provide a “road map” for SGBI that communicates the
strategy, prioritizes new program initiatives and monitors progress toward proposed targets in a clear, concise
format.
The “road map” provided in the report was built with the
following core SGBI principles in mind:
 Mission Statement: SGBI provides progressive leader-
ship, services, programs and technology to promote and
broaden the long-term profitability of Santa Gertrudis
influence within the beef industry by being memberdriven and consumer-focused.
 Vision Statement: Santa Gertrudis ... The Preferred
American Beef Breed.
 Vision: To provide superior member service, actively
seek and use partnerships to leverage success, and
maintain a focus on profitability for members and their
customers.
Who SGBI is, what SGBI wants and
where SGBI is headed.
PAGE 14
The Santa Gertrudis Breeders International
prepared by 
Ryan D. Rhoades, Ph.D., Assistant Professor
King Ranch® Institute for Ranch Management
Rhoades was born in South Whitley, Ind. He received a bachelor’s degree
As a faculty member at Texas A&M University-Kingsville and part of
in animal science from Oklahoma State University in 2001 and was em-
the King Ranch® Institute, Rhoades’ research focus has been on ranch-
ployed by Express Ranches Limousin Cattle Division. Rhoades obtained
ing production and management systems. He has also worked closely with
a master’s degree in meat science from Texas A&M University in 2004
several beef industry organizations to assist with strategic planning and
and earned his Ph.D. in beef cattle production at Texas A&M University,
the development of producer training tools. Rhoades teaches agribusiness
while concurrently working on an additional master’s degree in ag econom-
management courses for undergraduate students. He also serves as advisor
ics. Texas A&M University provided Rhoades with the opportunity to
for the National Agribusiness Marketing Association student group on
work on a wide range of projects designed to help producers make better
campus and is on a number of beef industry committees.
risk management decisions throughout all segments of the beef industry.
His Ph.D. research projects ranged in scope from determining the impact
of dietary energy source on fat accretion to the use of ultrasound technology
in predicting a targeted compositional endpoint. These projects included
alternative ways to mitigate cost and value risk through process control
strategies. Additionally, his economic training allowed him to explore the
dynamics of the live cattle market and the opportunity to construct business plans for private firms and formulate solutions for case studies using
forecasting and modeling techniques.
Our Vision:
Santa Gertrudis ...
The Preferred
American Beef
Breed.
road map for success | 2013-2017
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F L AT T E N E D V E R S I O N
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2013-2017
Road Map
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The Santa Gertrudis Breeders International