ABOUT THE OWNER
A lifelong resident of Wise County, Texas, Gilbert has been involved with the agricultural industry for most of his life.
Although a livestock producer for almost 30 years, Gilbert founded Horton Hay & Cattle Company in 2014, expanding his herd with legacy stock from his uncle Wayne Niblett in the Flatwood Community. At this time he also began producing quality coastal hay for his own livestock, selling surplus to the public on a limited basis.
As the price disparity between live cattle and retail beef increased in 2016 (and continues at record highs today), Gilbert has been increasingly concerned with the plight of the American family farmer and tighter production margins they face. Add in "all time highs" that consumers pay for beef ... and common sense tells you something is wrong with Beef economics in the USA. In 2020, Gilbert began preparing to market his own livestock directly to the consumer to meet the beef demands of local citizens. And North Texas Beef was founded.
Gilbert's philosophy regarding animal husbandry is to treat animals with respect, understanding the sacrifice each makes to feed people. He firmly believes in animal well-being and low-stress livestock handling and emphasizes those philosophies in his children and family.
Gilbert has held numerous positions within local organizations, including several years as a board member of the Wise County Champions & Blue Ribbon club, Bridgeport Chamber of Commerce, Bridgeport Youth Association, Wise County Youth Basketball, Bridgeport Boys Basketball Booster Club, and Calvary Baptist Church. In each of these organizations, Gilbert has served terms in the organization's leadership/offficer team.
Gilbert earned his bachelor’s (1994) and master’s (1996) degrees from Angelo State University, focusing on animal genetics and reproduction. His Master's thesis analyzed the genetic variability and natural sub-population genetic homegeneity of White-tailed deer.
Gilbert is a 1990 graduate of Paradise High School, where he was Valedictorian of his class. The father of three children, and three grandchildren, Gilbert spends his days overseeing his cattle and hay operations east of Paradise (Flatwood Community) and west of Paradise (Draco Community).