Missouri cattle headed for Hawaii
By Melissa Shipman
From the January, 2015 issue of Missouri Beef Cattleman
Ralph Voss is passionate about cattle, specifically, South Poll cattle. He has been
in the cattle industry for more than 40 years and has been raising the breed since
2003.
He and his wife, Jerry, first learned about the breed from Clark, Mo., grazer Greg
Judy in 2003.
The South Poll breed is a maternal composite combining Angus, Hereford, Senepol
and Barzona, into a moderate-framed, slick-haired cow ideally suited for hot, humid
conditions, originally developed by Teddy Gentry, of Bent Tree Farms, Fort Payne,
Ala.
“We wanted a grass-fed beef product that was more heat tolerant,” Gentry said.
The breed is fairly new, with the first calf born in 1992. Now, there are about 75
members in the breed’s association. Gentry said there are more South Poll cattle in
Missouri than any other state.
“They are very well educated on grasses and how that system works for this breed,”
he said.
Gentry said that the breed will adapt to handle conditions in more northern
environments but doesn’t necessarily recommend that as the ideal.
“It’s really a breed intended for the south,” he said.
He’s very pleased to see Voss’s bulls in Hawaii.
“I’m real excited about the Hawaii sale. I think they will work perfectly there,”
Gentry said.
Voss is quick to share his passion for South Poll cattle with other farmers and
ranchers, however, even he never expected how far that influence might actually
reach.
In December, Voss sold 21 bull calves to Tyler Westhoff on behalf of Hana Ranch,
located in Maui, Hawaii, nearly 4000 miles away from Voss’s home in Linn, Mo.
The cattle had a four day journey that included 36-48 hours in a truck, a five hour
flight, and a barge to their final destination—a long trek, but one worth the wait once
they arrived safely on Dec. 9.
“I understand it’s one of the most beautiful places on the planet. A real Garden of
Eden kind of place,” Voss said. “Everyone we know was offering to travel with the
cattle to make sure they arrived safely,” he joked.
The 4,600-acre ranch surrounds the village of Hana, and as Voss understands it,
these cattle will be grazing on or near Oprah Winfrey’s land. Westhoff serves as the
livestock manager for the operation and personally traveled to Ralph’s partners, John
Lyons in Piedmont, Ala., and Don Schulte in Koeltztown, Mo., to select the bulls he
wanted.
Voss said the story of how his bulls ended up in Hawaii stems back to Tyler
Westhoff’s Father, Utah rancher Steve Westhoff, who also connected with Greg
Judy in 2004. Despite living in a totally different climate than South Poll cattle were
initially bred to handle, Westhoff has found a lot of success with the breed’s ability
to adapt to the rocky terrain and drought conditions in Utah.
Tyler was introduced to the breed through his father’s success, and by working
with one of Voss’s partners in previous years.
Voss said when he spoke with Tyler Westhoff about his needs for cattle on the
ranch, one important characteristic was a smaller size profile with higher quality
beef with good flavor, particularly with grass as the primary food source.
Voss said the majority of cattle raised in this region of Hawaii are shipped out of
the country. Hana Ranch is working to develop a grass fed beef product that would
sell locally.
“If they can produce a grass-fed product that’s able to be marketed in that area,
there are huge opportunities there,” Voss said.
The breed’s mild mannerisms were another major drawing factor for the Hawaii
ranch, and for Voss, who said he couldn’t imagine working with other breeds now
that he’s used to South Polls.
“I’m 73 years old, and just really love this breed. The cattle are so gentle, which is
one major selling feature. I’m too old to be chasing wild cattle around,” Voss said.