Santa Cecilia Ranch
Raymondville
, TX
The Schulz Family – Donald, Cecilia, John & Joe
The brand is a contraction of the “C” and “D” initials of the owners, Cecilia and Don Schulz.
As written prior to February 2018:
Dating back to July 4, 1790, when the San Juan de Carracitos Spanish land grant (600,000 acres) was originally surveyed, the Santa Cecilia branch was established from the portion that was awarded to Francisco Yturria, great grandfather of Cecilia Schulz. She and husband, Don Schulz, with sons John and Joe, carry on the rich family tradition of Francisco Yturria by operating their Kennedy County ranch, the second southernmost Hereford ranch in America, as the home of Siesta Herefords. The present ranch contains 4,000 plus acres and provides for a herd of 150 plus Hereford cows, plus 50 Commercials. Some F1 (Hereford X Brahman) females are kept as transfer recipients. Mature cows weigh 1400 to 1500 pounds, large cows for the area, and they are bred to bulls of Canadian and Line One herd bulls to produce large bulls for the area Commercial Cattlemen. Calving begins after October 1 and before May 1 to beat the heat problem that is prevalent in the area at other times. The Santa Cecilia Ranch has withstood attacks from bandits, Indians, drought, a war, and other challenges but it continues today proving that Herefords, carefully managed, thrive in South Texas.