BREEDS
SIMMENTAL
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AKAUSHI
TRYING TO STAY COOL IN THE 105 DEGREE TEXAS HEAT
About
MOORE'S HILLTOP RANCH
Our Ranch
Family Owned & Operated Since 1857
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Texas Historical Ranch
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2007 the ranch was certified by the commissioner of the Texas Department of Agriculture and the Family Land Heritage Program for being maintained in continuous agriculture operation by the same family for over 150 years.
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Our ranch headquarters are located in Parker County in the Veal Station community near 4132 Midway Road. This area is known for it’s beautiful rolling hills, southwest landscape and Texas wildlife. This ranch was homesteaded by our family in 1857 with the land deed being signed by Sam Houston. This is a Texas Historical Ranch and in 2007 the ranch was certified by the commissioner of the Texas Department of Agriculture and the Family Land Heritage Program for being maintained in continuous agriculture operation by the same family for over 150 years.
The registered cattle business did not start on the ranch until 1965 when Paul bought four registered Angus heifers and a registered bull from the Hill Ranch in Springtown, TX. using money made while hauling hay. The animals were shown at local shows and the registered herd multiplied. While attending college at Texas A&M in the early 70’s there were some new breeds introduced to the United States and brought to our attention. So after consideration of the breeds M.B. and Bettie Moore decided to invest in the Simmental cattle business. This new experience was very unique to the Texas landscape but worked really well with the Angus and as a purebred seed stock operation. The first Moore’s Hilltop FULLBLOOD Simmental was purchased in 1980 and then we started using artificial insemination and embryo transfer to increase and speed up the operation. In 1987 the entire family including M.B., Bettie, Tanya and Paul visited the Simme River Valley in west-central Switzerland, Germany and Austria to research and visit the homeland of our new found breed. The herd reached over a 150 head cow/calf operation prior to the passing of the anchor of the operation, M.B. Moore in 1990 while burning pastures in the spring. From that day Bettie Moore, Tanya Moore McLerran and Paul Moore tried to do what one man did daily plus carry on their positions in the operation but it was a hard to do. They went thru some rough times in the 90’s with floods, drought and the market dropping for the tan/paint cattle in the ring. We sold off cattle trying to keep the ranch viable but it was a losing cause for a few years.
Today most of our Simmentals are black or black & white. Shary Moore takes care of managing outside operations with help from the grandchild Jonlyn and other hired help. Bettie and Paul run the administration side while Tanya and Bryan contributes as the apiarists (Bee business) and north forty managers of the operation. We have scaled back the Simmental operation and added some red wagyu (Akaushi). We are committed to quality and continue to breed for milk, easy calving and high weaning weights with the EPD’s to aid us. We specialize in selling show calves plus embryo sales. With the availability of IVF along with the conventional embryo transfer process we are able to sell numerous embryos from different matings.