Paul C. Genho Endowed Chair in Ranch Management
robert.wells@tamuk.edu
Robert S. Wells, Ph.D., PAS is a South Texas native who has spent his career consulting with ranchers to meet their ranch management and profitability goals across the Southern Great Plains and internationally.
Dr. Wells worked as a Livestock Consultant for the Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, subsequently Noble Research Institute in Ardmore, Oklahoma for 19 years. His areas of emphasis include: forage-based beef cattle production and cow/calf nutrition, herd health programs, improving herd genetics, stocker health and nutrition, marketing and value-added calf programs.
Wells is the Executive Director of the Integrity Beef Alliance which is a value-added calf marketing program dedicated to improving the sustainability, genetics and profitability of member ranches. Under his direction; Alliance programs expanded from one traditional preconditioning program to include a replacement female program, and the nationally focused Integrity Beef Legacy program which is recognized as the first and only member run program where the members own the cows in the United States Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (USRSB) cow/calf sector. Additionally, he co-wrote a USDA Climate Smart Commodity Grant with American Farmland Trust that was awarded a $30 million grant to implement climate smart production strategies and marketing programs across eight states.
Prior to working for the Noble Foundation, Wells was the Assistant General Manager and Operations Manager for the Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show and Rodeo, Inc. in Mercedes, TX. While working for the livestock show, Wells coordinated several hundred volunteers annually for the annual livestock show and professional rodeo. He applied for and received an US Economic Development Administration grant that resulted in the construction of a 134,000 sq. ft. multipurpose event facility, and the building of a 200-stall horse barn to complement the indoor rodeo arena. Additionally, Wells was instrumental in elevating the 4 nights of rodeo performances to PRCA sanctioned events and increasing the entire event to almost 2 weeks long.
Before his two year stint at the Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show and Rodeo, he was the Beef Cattle Research Coordinator at the University of Illinois for over seven years. His responsibilities included coordinating and assisting with all research station activities across the state such as processing newly arrived cattle, artificial insemination, collecting ultrasound and carcass data. Additionally, Wells oversaw the management of a ruminant nutrition laboratory on campus. He also was the university Rodeo Team advisor and coach and had members actively compete on the NIRA Ozark circuit, and the IPRA Midwest circuit. While serving as the coach, the team hosted one of the fastest growing IPRA sanctioned rodeos in the region.
Wells earned a bachelor’s degree in Animal Science from Stephen F. Austin State University, his Master of Science degree with a focus on ruminant nutrition from Texas Tech University, and his Ph.D. from the University of Illinois in beef cattle management and ruminant nutrition in 2004. He is a registered Professional Animal Scientist.
Wells is a member of numerous industry organizations, including the Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association, Texas and Southwestern Cattlemen’s Association and National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, and American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA). He is also involved in several scientific organizations including American Society of Animal Sciences, and Association of Professional Animal Scientists.
Wells grew up in South Texas, where he was heavily involved in 4-H and FFA and raised and showed beef cattle and horses from an early age. Wells most recently owned a small cattle operation in southern Oklahoma and spends his time with his family and watching his daughters compete in 4-H, SHOT and AQHA horse shows; in addition to guiding his oldest daughter in management of her 4000-acre ranch in eastern Oklahoma.