A FAMILY BUSINESS FROM THE START!! 

Leon Noack’s father, Ernest H. Noack began raising Registered Herefords in the early 1920’s and handed over the reins to the business to his son, Leon in 1952.

 Leon began his own herd of cows around 1945 when he showed cattle in high school and began a breeding program.  It was ranching that sent him to Texas A&M University and 25 cows put him through school.  Leon majored in animal science and after receiving his ag degree in 1952, he worked as a meat grader.  This training has taught him to be concerned with carcass traits. “If the meat’s not tender who wants it?” Leon says.

 Leon purchases improved sires that have traits such as low birth weights, good pigmentation and good milking females in their pedigree.  Seldom does Leon purchase a new herd sire without having seen both the sire and dam.  Leon believes that the females are just as important as the bulls.  He is a strong advocate of performance in his registered herd and was one of the first breeders to participate when the American Hereford Association began the Total Performance Registry.  He keeps detailed performance records on his cow herd.  Leon says, “A cow that doesn’t perform to my standard doesn’t stay around long.”  In the 1960’s, Leon entered a number of feedlot tests across the country and always came away the winner.  Leon continues to conduct his own version of a feedlot test on his sale bulls with a 6 month testing period set up on 28-day weight gain information.  For many years he ran    sonogram tests for fat thickness on those bulls with good results.  Quality and performance is our main goal.

 Bulls will sell beginning at 13 months of age.  Heifers are selected for replacement and the rest sold.  The Noacks have a  strong repeat customer base.  About 80% of their buyers are repeat customers and live within 150 miles of the ranch.  They would like to sell cattle further distances and are convinced that the cattle would do well.  As Leon says, “If they can make it here on this poor land, they can make it anywhere.” Ranching has been a way of life for Leon & Billie and their family. 

Their five children grew up learning how to work and continue to have a great interest in the ranching operation.  The ten grandchildren are now beginning to help out at the ranch – the beginning of another generation of Hereford breeders.