Donato Ramos was born in Laredo, Texas, and has lived there his entire life, with the exception of his years in high school and college. His involvement with cattle started at the very young age of 7, when he helped his grandfather and great aunts on their cattle operation.

Donato started his Hereford herd in 1964 after asking his family to buy him a registered polled Hereford bull for his high school graduation. His family bought a registered polled Hereford bull from longtime polled Hereford breeder E. E. Vogt, San Antonio, Texas. At the time, Donato had a few Brahman cows, and he started an F1 breeding program. He soon learned Brahman cattle did not have the best disposition and returned to Vogt to purchase three registered polled Hereford cows.

Over the years, Donato was very active with the Texas Polled Hereford Association, where he served as president and later was elected as a board member for the APHA. He is the longest-termed board member of both associations, serving from 1994 to 2001 and from 2000 to 2001 as vice chairman. Donato has consigned cattle to regional sales and has had four production sales in Laredo.