To be direct, STRA Ranch Hand 2010 has confirmed himself to be the most significant and impactful Red Angus bull I have witnessed in my history of being immersed within the Red Angus breed. His phenotypic and genotypic combination
is rare. But, the true effectiveness and legacy of a bull is not demonstrated until his daughters have calved and entered production. Today, I sincerely believe, Ranch Hand has become the Red Angus herd sire of my lifetime.
With 188 calves reported, and 140 of those with genomic data, accuracies continue to increase, and Ranch Hand’s genetic combination of traits proves to be remarkable. The breed had been ripe for a source of genetics that would increase the traits associated with the Herdbuilder Index. Expressed as dollars per head born, Herdbuilder is calculated based on the scenario that bulls are mated to heifers and cows, replacement heifers are then retained, and all remaining progeny are marketed at weaning. As you can see, based on this definition, the Herdbuilder Index is arguably the most important tool available for the cow/calf operator. The database and genomics told us that Ranch Hand “should” be among the best in the Red Angus breed. The performance, and real-world output we’ve experienced from Ranch Hand has solidified… he is the answer. The foot quality (toe shape and depth of heal) of Ranch Hand’s progeny is among the best in the breed. Ranch Hand injects his bold, powerful, dense body type and muscularity into each of his calves, in an efficient, moderate size.
His daughters are… exceptional. In my opinion, they embody what beef cattle industry experts describe as an “ideal” beef cow. The udder quality, structure, and teat size of his daughters are consistently stunning. Bold, dense, attractive and structurally correct, they leave very little to be desired. Studying them in volume is truly a sight to behold. Semen has been distinctly unavailable and restricted only for use among the partnership. Since the current ownership structure formed, the owners have offered only 8 units of Ranch Hand at public auction, donated as lots to the Western States Red Angus Association in their Bet on Red sale. The first year, in 2024, 5 units were offered. The semen commanded $2,600.00 per unit selling to JLMorris Farm of Douglas, Georgia. The breed was abuzz with news of its unprecedented price per unit. The following year, in 2025, 3 units were made available for the donation auction. By the time the auction ended, the winning bidder paid $5,710.00 per unit. Most recently, 2 units happened to cross the auction block at the 2026 Embryos on Snow, at $6,000.00 a unit. Semen will permanently remain unavailable for purchase.
ranch
hand Progeny
NIO Improver 4099 RAAA # 5011785
NIO Jolene 4073 RAAA # 5025879
NIO Backcountry 5058 RAAA# 5172035
NIO Rise Above 5194 RAAA# 5172163
NIO Throwin’ Elbows 5205 RAAA# 5172183
Made with FlippingBook - Share PDF online