NMSU Purebred Cattle Program & Sale

The Department of Animal and Range Sciences maintains three purebred cattle herds for the purpose of teaching, research, and demonstration.

The Angus herd was initiated in 1979. The majority of this herd is maintained at the Corona Range and Livestock Research Center (CRLRC) in central New Mexico under the management of Richard Dunlap with the remainder of the herd being maintained at the Chihuahuan Desert Rangeland Research Center (CDRRC) near Las Cruces under the direction of Andrew Cox.

The Brangus herd which was initiated in 1966 and the Brahman herd which was initiated in 1999 are maintained at the CDRRC. All mature cows in these herds are managed as range cattle with limited supplementation and assistance at calving.

Breeding season for the mature cows in the Angus herd at the CRLRC begins in June and involves estrus synchronization and artificial insemination followed by a 45-day clean-up period. Breeding season for the mature cows at the CDRRC involves natural service mating from May 1 - August 1.

All heifers from these herds are developed, estrus synchronized, and artificially inseminated on the NMSU campus each spring before being placed with clean-up bulls at the research centers. The heifers that become pregnant from this management system return to the NMSU campus to have their first calf under the assistance and observation of the students within the Department of Animal and Range Sciences. All open yearling heifers in the Angus and Brangus herds are culled.

Heifers and bulls from the program are made available through a spring auction held each year. For additional information call Eric Scholljegerdes (575) 646-1750. For information regarding Angus cattle contact Richard Dunlap (575) 849-1015. For information regarding Brangus and Brahman cattle contact Andrew Cox (520) 210-1338.

For more information regarding NMSU horses contact Joby Priest (575) 202-3646.