King Ranch | Cattle Ranching, Agriculture, Wildlife (2024)

FAQs

What is some of the wildlife at King Ranch? ›

Hunters can pursue deer, wild turkey, quail, javelina, and wild hog on the Ranch. The exotic, but elusive, nilgai, a native species of Indian, is also a popular hunter's pursuit on the Norias Division.

Over the course of over 160 years, King Ranch led some of the first cattle drives, developed the Santa Gertrudis and Santa Cruz breeds of cattle, bred the finest Quarter Horses, and produced champion Thoroughbreds—all under its iconic Running W® brand.

Today, King Ranch – Florida is involved in sugar cane, sod, sweet corn, green bean and specialty lettuce production. Additionally, King Ranch is the largest juice orange producer in the United States.

Ranching is the practice of raising herds of animals on large tracts of land. Ranchers commonly raise grazing animals such as cattle and sheep. Some ranchers also raise elk, bison, ostriches, emus, and alpacas. The ranching and livestock industry is growing faster than any other agricultural sector in the world.

American Red. Expanding upon the developments and success of both Santa Gertrudis and Santa Cruz cattle, King Ranch now proudly breeds and raises the American Red. King Ranch American Red cattle were developed in partnership with Santa Gertrudis Breeders International and the American Red Angus Association.

Today, King Ranch sprawls across 825,000 acres of South Texas land, an area larger than the state of Rhode Island. As the home of 35,000 cattle and over 200 Quarter Horses, King Ranch is one of the largest ranches in the world today.

King Ranch is the largest ranch in the United States. At some 825,000 acres (3,340 km²; 1,289 sq mi) it is larger than both the land area of Rhode Island and the area of the European country Luxembourg. It is mainly a cattle ranch, but also produced the racehorse Assault, who won the Triple Crown in 1946.

Headquarters for the ranch are in Kingsville. After King's death in 1885, the King Ranch continued to deal in cattle and horses, as well as in sorghum and wheat. Beginning in about 1910, the ranch began to develop the breed of beef cattle known as Santa Gertrudis, which is part Brahman and part Shorthorn.

Since the death of Captain King, the ranch has been run by an in-law (Robert Kleberg, Sr.) in the second generation, a younger brother (Bob Kleberg) in the third, and an in-law (Jim Clement) in the fourth.

The estimated total pay range for a Cowboy at King Ranch is $77K–$143K per year, which includes base salary and additional pay. The average Cowboy base salary at King Ranch is $102K per year. The average additional pay is $0 per year, which could include cash bonus, stock, commission, profit sharing or tips.

How did King Ranch get so much land? ›

Formal purchase began in 1853, when they bought a Spanish land grant, Rincón de Santa Gertrudis, of 15,500 acres on Santa Gertrudis Creek in Nueces County. A short time later they purchased the Mexican land grant, Santa Gertrudis de la Garza grant, of 53,000 acres.

The historic 825,000-acre King Ranch in South Texas is the largest cattle ranch in the US. In Kenedy County, Texas, it raises cattle and grows cotton, grain, and other commodities.

Ranching is one of the oldest agricultural activities. It refers to the act of managing and caring for a herd of animals—such as cows, sheep or goats—on a grazing area to produce milk, meat, hides, or other animal products.

Ranching is a type of livestock agriculture in which animals are left to graze on grasses in an enclosed pasture. Most ranches revolve around livestock, but some ranches may revolve around hunting (game ranches) or agritourism (guest ranches).

Most people realize that wildlife predators often pose a problem for ranchers when they kill sheep, cattle and horses. The ranchers expend a great deal of money to keep predators in check. The reduced numbers of predators also benefit deer, antelope, elk, small mammals and birds.

However, the clear winner of the largest ranch in Texas is definitely King Ranch. Sitting at nearly 825,000 acres, its landmass is larger than the state of Rhode Island. It is home to 35,000 cattle and over 200 Quarter Horses.

Nilgai have cemented themselves as a mainstay in the South Texas ecosystem with a growing estimated population over 50,000, which is particularly enticing when considering the restrictions prohibiting hunters from harvesting them on their native soil.

They are among the most abundant free-ranging exotic ungulate in Texas, with an estimated population of 15,000 individuals now living in south-central and southern Texas. The majority of Texas nilgai are found in free-ranging populations on several large ranches in Kenedy and Willacy counties.