CALF_News_October_November_2019

24 CALF News • October | November 2019 • www.calfnews.net F rom the JA to the XIT, the Texas Panhandle has corralled some of the nation’s most famous ranches. One that just turned 90 is the Sneed-Pool Cattle Co. Its president, Pamela Stevens, has held its reins for nearly 25 years. And she’s eager to expand production of the sprawling Angus-Hereford cross operation. placed on feed in a natural program at one of our regional feedyards.” Stevens lives in Amarillo with her husband, Scott. When not at the Sneed- Pool office in town, she spends as much time as possible checking cattle and pastures at the ranch about 40 miles out of the city. Like virtually all producers, she is struck by the misinformation animal activists are spewing about livestock production and handling. This tripe has made many consumers skeptical about how cattle are treated. Of course, animal welfare and care for the land are at the top of Stevens’ list. Little else matters other than family. To meet demands of packers and food manufacturers, more of the ranch’s calves are produced for natural programs and even more specialized markets. The GAP (Global Animal Part- nership) certification, for example, is designed to provide third-party proof to people who want meat that comes from “greener” sources. For beef cattle, GAP 4 means they were raised on pas- Where She Wants to Be TOP LEFT: Pamela Stevens is all smiles with a horse. ABOVE : Whether headed to wheat pasture or marketed through Superior Livestock Auction, Sneed-Pool calves perform well. BOTTOM: Baldies get the most out of the semi-arid Panhandle climate and grasses.  By Larry Stalcup Contributing Editor Instead of selling calves just after weaning, she’s placing them on wheat pasture and selling them as yearlings. The cattle are tailored for niche markets that are demanding more from produc- ers than just good-tasting, tender beef. “These cattle are all Certified Natural and GAP 4 Certified by IMI Global,” Stevens says,“They will be likely be |