While in the area, the group also stopped by and visited with Richard Kane at Kane's East Texas Meats in Henderson, Texas, and with Bill Marable, president of the Texas Association of Meat Processors at Jacksonville Packing Company in Jacksonville, Texas. The purpose of the study was to understand the effect of pork lean quality attributes and consumer acceptability. Miller's article is part of a special National Barrow Show Progeny Test Report insert in the National Hog Farmer magazine. The Ranch to Rail program helps ranchers determine how their cattle fit in the beef industry. Reports provided by Ranch to Rail allow producers to assess their current breeding programs and make changes if necessary to position themselves for the future.
Minimum nominations are five head per ranch.
Producers may choose to feed their cattle in South Texas or the Panhandle. Ranch to Rail-South cattle will be fed at the Hondo Creek Cattle Co. in Edroy. Steers in the Ranch to Rail-North program will be fed at the Swisher County Cattle Co. in Tulia. On Monday, August 7, a Beef Carcass Evaluation Workshop was held at the Rosenthal Meat Science and Technology Center. Davey Griffin served as coordinator of the program, sponsored by the San Antonio Livestock Exposition, and was assisted by graduate students Dave McKenna, Brian Covington, Ryan Person, and undergraduate student worker Steven Lowak.