Two Brands, One Direction; Southern Cattle Company and Cow Creek Ranch Announce Merger

Southern Cattle Company, headquartered in Marianna, FL, announces the merger and acquisition of Cow Creek Ranch, Aliceville, AL, the largest Brangus and Ultrablack seedstock cattle operation in the United States. Combining the strengths of two reputable, well-established leading cattle ranching entities creates a unilateral strategically focused seedstock company that can deliver unparalleled genetic value with emphasis on feed efficiency on an unprecedented scale.

The historic transaction brings together the legendary Cow Creek Ranch program, a global leader in Brangus and Ultrablack genetics celebrating their 25th year in business, with Southern Cattle Company, a 15-year-old multi-breed genetics company. As a result of this transaction, Southern Cattle Company has become one of the largest seedstock cattle operations in the United States.

With more than 3200 mama cows, Southern Cattle Company was recognized as the 17th largest seedstock producer in the U.S. in 2008. The acquisition of the Cow Creek program will enhance Southern Cattle Company’s commitment to the beef industry as they continue to produce superior, added value, feed efficient animals that will have positive impacts on their customer’s profit margins for years to come.

Both John Downs and Lamont Ennis of Southern Cattle Company agree the addition of the Cow Creek Ranch program will fortify their offering of unparalleled quality genetics to customers in the entire southern region of the U.S. as well as in foreign markets. “We are delighted to have Joy Reznicek as part of our team and look forward to carrying on the tradition of integrity and good old-fashioned cow savvy that Joe Reznicek and his family worked so hard to establish,” states Lamont Ennis of Southern Cattle Company.

Cow Creek Ranch will continue to operate in Aliceville, AL, as a stand-alone company focusing on its mission of producing environmentally adapted genetics with muscle mass and volume that can be comfortably maintained on a mostly forage-based diet. Cow Creek Ranch has created a strong brand name throughout the United States and Central and South America. Cow Creek Ranch’s flagship is practical, efficient and profitable genetics such that the operation has positioned itself as a premier supplier of consistent, predictable Brangus and Ultrablack genetics.

In 1993, Cow Creek Ranch bred their registered Angus cows to Brangus bulls and called their progeny Ultrablacks. They began actively marketing them in 1996 and trademarked the Ultrablack name in 1998. In 2005, Cow Creek Ranch sold the Ultrablack trademark to the International Brangus Breeders Association which is now a growing component of their breed registry.

“This transaction will create a dynamic ranching company that can deliver long-term genetic value to cattlemen both here and abroad. By joining forces with Southern Cattle Company, there is significant opportunity for the Reznicek family to continue the Cow Creek Ranch legacy and initiatives shaped by Joe Reznicek over the past 25 years. We are excited to be a part of their team,” says Joy Reznicek of Cow Creek Ranch.

Since the mid-1990s Southern Cattle Company has worked diligently to develop premier Angus and Charolais herds focusing on real-world genetics and customer satisfaction. In 2008, Southern began producing registered Brangus cattle in earnest to meet the growing demand of functional, efficient, environmentally adapted genetics in the southern tier of the country.
Southern Cattle Company has accumulated substantial feed efficiency data by partnering with the University of Florida Research Station in Marianna and utilizing their GrowSafe System. During the past four years, Southern Cattle Company has evaluated over 1500 calves with the GrowSafe System. This revolutionary system weighs and records every ounce of feed consumed each time an animal feeds at the bunk. Calves are weighed every two weeks and data is compiled over a 90-day test period. Data obtained from the tests results in hard factual statistics, which allows for true comparisons between herd mates and contemporaries using residual feed intake (RFI). Animals identified as “feed efficient” will, in many cases, eat 10 to 30 percent less feed yet out-gain their herd mates by 50 to 200 pounds. Heritability of feed efficiency is estimated to be between .30 and .40, which is the same as carcass traits and, therefore, is considered to be highly heritable. Southern Cattle has combined its efforts with Leachman Cattle of Colorado, BIO, and the University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada, to produce feed efficient cattle by gathering individual feeding records on more than 10,000 head of cattle to compare accuracy of the test results.

Currently, Cow Creek Ranch has private treaty bulls available for viewing in Rose Bud, AR. They can be viewed online via individual videos at www.CowCreekBulls.com or www.SuperiorLive.com. Bulls are individually priced and presented with performance and ultrasound data. For more information, please contact Joy Reznicek, 205/373-2269; Keith Cagle, 501/940-0299; or John McKnight at 501/281-1040.

On Saturday, October 9, 2010, Cow Creek Ranch will host its 16th consecutive 400 head customer-owned heifer sale at the Alabama Livestock Auction, Inc., Uniontown, AL, at 1 pm. Cow Creek Ranch will also offer 50 Cow Creek Ranch bulls for auction. Cow Creek Ranch’s Commercial Bred Heifer Sale, a sale in which Cow Creek Ranch bull customers’ market genetically-tracked Cow Creek sired commercial bred heifers bred back to Cow Creek bulls, is the longest running customer sale of this kind in the beef industry. For more information, please contact Joy Reznicek, 205/373-2269, Email CowCreek@CowCreekBulls.com, or 1170 Cow Creek Road, Aliceville, AL 35442.

Southern Cattle Company will hold its annual “Less Feed-More Gain” Bull Sale on Saturday, October 30, 2010, 12 noon, at the ranch in Marianna, FL. They will be offering more than 225 Angus, Brangus, Ultrablack and Charolais bulls, as well as 150 head of commercial females bred to Southern’s feed efficient bulls. For a copy of their catalog or to be added to their mailing list, contact Southern Cattle at 850/352-2020 or visit them on the web at www.SouthernCattleCompany.com.