Featured Lab: News from 6666's Ranch

November 29, 2011

Posted by SBS in Affiliate News

Legendary Quarter Horses and superior Black Angus cattle are hallmarks of the Four Sixes Ranch, a historic Texas ranch established in 1870, located just west of Guthrie, Texas. We are dedicated to the production of the greatest American Quarter Horses and Black Angus cattle in the country, but also to our role in reproductive technology. A member of Select Breeders Services for more than four years the ranch has a state of the art full-service equine clinic where we breed more than 1,200 mares annually, maintaining a 95% conception rate. The facility offers on-site breeding, transported cooled semen, on-site semen freezing and storage, mare management, embryo transfer and foaling.

Four Sixes Ranch wears many hats: working cattle ranch; stallion station consisting of 28 western performance and race stallions; research facility; emergency and general medicine services; and we provide many additional client services including sale prepping and representation.

This summer was a busy time at the ranch. As we were wrapping up our breeding season mid-July much of the staff and summer interns were already busy getting more than 300 horses prepped for premier horse sales starting in August and winding down in January 2012. Our consignments consist of ranch-, performance- and race-bred prospects, broodmares and stallions to nine sales in Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and California. Also, each September we, in conjunction with three neighboring ranches, host the Return to the Remuda Sale – offering sale goers a quality selection of 125-150 horses including weanlings, yearlings, 2-year-olds and stallion prospects. 

Currently, we are conducting a research project to evaluate INRA 96 semen extender that has been spiked with the antibiotic, Timentin®. The study involves observation of the antibacterial effectiveness of the spiked extender when mixed with semen and after the antibiotic has first been subjected to various storage conditions. Fifteen different stallions are incorporated in the project in order to evaluate for possible individual stallion variation. We are also taking into consideration the well-being of the sperm. This is evaluated by critically examining sperm motility and viability immediately following exposure to the extender and following 24 hours of cooled storage. This investigation may help us identify a way to enhance both semen quality and mare reproductive health following insemination.

On October 15th, Ashley Maly, semen freezing and reproduction technician at 6666s Ranch, got married to Travis Hobgood in Arlington, TX. Travis also works on the ranch in the cattle division. Congratulations to the happy couple! In the photo is Ashley, Travis, Dr. Glenn Blodgett and his wife Karen.

This winter we will be freezing semen from a few of the stallions here at the ranch as well as some outside stallions to stock up on our export and domestic semen.

Finally with the 2012 breeding season fast approaching we are getting prepared and are looking forward to another great year here at the 6666s!