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Bub Epley and Rancho Tres Hijos: A Numbers-Driven Beefmaster Herd in South Texas

Hard culling, ultrasound and artificial insemination built a 100-cow herd with some of the strongest EPDs in the breed.

Who Is Bub Epley?

Arther 'Bub' Epley III is listed on the Beefmaster Breeders United Hall of Fame page as a 2024 inductee. The association's profile of his ranch, Numbers Don't Lie: The Epley Philosophy, names him Arthur 'Bub' Epley and describes him as having grown up in Magnolia, Arkansas. He and his wife, Nancy, live in Houston and spend time at the ranch when they are not with their grandchildren.

The two spellings and the matching nickname strongly suggest the same man, but the association pages do not state it outright. This profile covers only his public professional record, as a breeder and volunteer leader.

Rancho Tres Hijos Near Tilden

The Epleys bought the ranch in 1995 and have raised Beefmaster cattle there since 1996. Rancho Tres Hijos covers 3,000 acres deep in the brush outside Tilden, Texas. A friend, Jim Wells, suggested Beefmasters and helped them start, and their first heifers came from Fred Brauchle.

Over their first three years they selected the best of Brauchle's cattle to be the foundation of their own herd. That early step set the tone: begin with good females, then let records decide which ones stay.

Artificial Insemination, Scales and Ultrasound

The Epleys began using artificial insemination in 1998. They bought a cattle scale after years of hauling cattle off the ranch to be weighed. Birth and weaning weights have been recorded since they started, and at the time of the profile they had used ultrasound for nearly ten years to measure ribeye area, rump fat, rib fat and intramuscular fat, which shows marbling.

Ultrasound and expected progeny differences, or EPDs, together guide which cattle are kept for breeding and which are sold. About 85 to 90 percent of cows are bred by AI, and afterward the cows are turned out with one of four clean-up bulls.

Harsh Culling and a 100-Cow Herd

The ranch runs about 100 Beefmaster cows. Each year the Epleys cull about 50 percent of their bulls and 10 percent of their heifers, at both weaning and yearling time. Retired BBU field representative John Newborn guides their annual culling.

Docility and a gentle temperament matter most to the Epleys, and growth is also a key trait. Bill Pendergrass, BBU executive vice president, says the Epleys have some of the strongest EPDs in the breed.

The Key to Epley's Success

The association describes the Epley operation as performance-based, numbers-based and quality-based. Their own summary of success rests on four steps: AI, collecting weights, ultrasound data and harsh culling.

Epley's advice to other breeders is blunt: buy a scale, because hard data is difficult to argue against.

  • Start with proven females, here the best of Fred Brauchle's herd.
  • Record birth and weaning weights on every calf from the first year.
  • Add ultrasound data for ribeye area, fat and marbling.
  • Use AI to bring in outside genetics, with clean-up bulls behind it.
  • Cull hard, about half the bulls and a tenth of the heifers each year.
  • Limit: the profile gives no sale prices or customer data, so market results are not documented.

Serving the Beefmaster Breed

Epley has served on the board of Beefmaster Breeders United and chaired its international committee for three years. He is on the South Texas Beefmaster Breeders Association board and previously served on the Live Oak Beefmaster Breeders Association board. The Epleys also support the Beefmaster Educational Endowment Foundation.

They say recorded data makes their cattle more marketable to commercial cattlemen and other Beefmaster breeders, which fits the hall's criteria of support for association programs and local involvement.

The 2024 Hall of Fame Honor

Epley was inducted in 2024 with Gary Frenzel. The hall takes no more than two inductees a year, selected by a committee and approved by two-thirds of the board. Earlier inductees include Mike Collier in 2021 and Nolan Ryan in 2007.

For a wider view of beef breeding, visit the ranching section of farm.FM, or read a farm.FM story on Beefmaster cattle in South Texas. Details of the hall's rules are on the Beefmaster hall of fame page.

Timeline

  1. 1995Epleys buy the ranch near Tilden, Texas
  2. 1996Begin raising Beefmaster cattle
  3. 1998Begin using artificial insemination
  4. 2021Mike Collier and Fred and Judy Long inducted into the BBU hall
  5. 2024Inducted into the Beefmaster Breeders United Hall of Fame

Frequently asked questions

Who is Bub Epley?

Arther 'Bub' Epley III is a Beefmaster breeder from South Texas who runs Rancho Tres Hijos near Tilden and was inducted into the Beefmaster Breeders United Hall of Fame in 2024.

Where is Rancho Tres Hijos?

Rancho Tres Hijos is a 3,000-acre ranch in the brush outside Tilden, Texas. The Epleys bought it in 1995 and have raised Beefmasters there since 1996.

How does the Epley herd select cattle?

They record birth and weaning weights, use ultrasound and EPD data, breed most cows by artificial insemination and cull about half the bulls and a tenth of the heifers each year.

What breed associations has Bub Epley served?

He has served on the board of Beefmaster Breeders United, chaired its international committee for three years and served on two South Texas Beefmaster breeders' boards.

Sources and further reading

Profiles are compiled from public sources and reviewed against them. See our editorial policy to suggest a correction.

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