South Dakota Producer Troy Thomas

Troy Thomas is a seed stock producer from Thomas Ranch in South Dakota. They have a very diversified operation there with several breeds of cattle. So why so much diversity? 

“I guess we’ve tried to kind of diversify ourselves enough that we can supply bulls to people that are using different breeds and some crossbreeding systems. So what kind of breeds do you primarily focus on? We primarily have Charolais and Angus, but also have some Red Angus and some Simmental cattle. And I guess every year we’re kind of surprised, you know, several customers, more than one breed, and kind of incorporate it into some different crossbreeding programs. Depending on what they want to add or what they’re trying to do at the present time, we kind of try to fill all their bull needs if we can.” 

So do you produce any crossbred bulls? 

“We’ve done a few. We’ve mainly stayed with the purebred registered side. The Simmental cattle, we’re doing a little more of the SimAngus, the percentage cattle. But the majority of our cattle are purebred and all registered cattle.” 

That was Troy Thomas, seed stock producer from South Dakota, on today’s Cattleman’s Corner.