W ILKINSON G ELBVIEH R ANCH Wilkinson Gelbvieh Ranch is located in the arid prairie of SE Colorado, between Trinidad and LaJunta. Bill and Nancy own around 250 Gelbvieh and Balancer cows, about 2/3 of which are registered. Their daughter, Sydney, has recently returned to the ranch, working for CSU as Extension Specialist for 4-H and Agriculture for Las Animas County. Together, the three of them make up Wilkinson Gelbvieh Ranch. AGA # 7007
The land has been in Bill’s family since the early 1950s, when his parents, Charles and Jo Wilkinson, moved their sheep and Hereford cows from the family’s ranch in the Hill Country of Texas. Charles laid the foundation for the Colorado ranch, with his forward- thinking conservation and infrastructure practices - all of which have greatly benefited the Wilkinson’s in their operation. Growing up with Herefords, Bill made some big changes in the ranch’s genetics. After obtaining an Animal Science degree from CSU, then managing a registered Limousin herd in the San Luis Valley of Colorado, Bill moved to West Texas in the early-1980s to manage a ranch there, bringing his Herdbuilder Gold Strike son, a PB Gelbvieh cow and a yearling heifer. He had based his decision to move to the Gelbvieh breed on the landmark 1980’s MARC study, which showed the breed’s superiority in both performance and maternal characteristics. During his time in Crane, Bill met and married Nancy, added Sydney to their family and returned to Colorado in 1990, with 2 PB bulls, 10 PB cows, 15 half-blood females and 65 head of crossbred cows.
Back in Colorado, they went to work to develop their Gelbvieh herd, through select purchases and use of AI and ET. They used Angus sires as the logical choice for breeding heifers and, after seeing the acceptance and marketability of the Gelbvieh-Angus cattle, they began to incorporate Angus genetics into their mature Gelbvieh cowherd. So, when the Balancer program was implemented, the Wilkinson’s easily took advantage of the new opportunity. The environment of SE Colorado can be difficult, but the Gelbvieh cow excels. Forage is almost always in short supply and can be pretty spread out, so the Wilkinson’s emphasize the traits that produce good-structured cattle that thrive in these conditions, while still producing the pounds that everyone needs to stay in business. To best adapt to the environment, the Wilkinson’s also maintain a Gelbvieh- based commercial herd. That allows them to better utilize some of the large 10,000+ acre pastures, with larger groups of cattle and multiple bulls. Also, having commercial cattle gives them the option to reduce their herd more quickly, if needed, and still realize the value of those cows.
From the beginning, the Wilkinson’s have been actively involved in the leadership and development of the Breed, through Association membership and cattle exhibition at local, state, and national levels. “The history of the Gelbvieh breed is a tribute to so many people and we are proud to have been a part of that history since 1986. The road has been a little hard to navigate at times and has had its ups and downs, but we are proud to have been on this path. We are excited to stay the course and see what the next 50 years will bring for the Wilkinson family and the Gelbvieh breed.”
Model, CO
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