COX, DONALD ALEXANDER

As Donald, the first of three children born to A.B. (Eck) Cox and Minnie Kirk Cox, I was born on her Kincaid in South Cherry Co. May 7, 1912. Two days later Dr. Rolland Roth showed up and checked the new arrival. No doubt this wasn't unusual in those days. Wm. & Minnie Luke were the closest neighbors and Mrs. Luke was a competent midwife. Growing up, we children adopted Luke's for our Grandparents. When we would get into trouble at home, which was often, we would hike over the hill to Luke's house where we always found sympathy.

My education was in a one room rural school through the eighth grade. I graduated from Hooker Co. High in 1929. One of those four years I stayed with Editor Walton and worked for my board. Perhaps I learned more there than I did at school. Then I stayed with Luther Phipps' in Lincoln while attending N.U. I took courses under “Bill'' Darrich (teaching without a PhD) in Animal Hus-bandry. He was good. Agronomy was under A.H. Gooding and Botany under the noted Dr. Ramond Poole. The depression of the 1930's ended my college days and I have spent the rest of my years digging out knowledge Dr. Poole could have taught me.

Married Donna Osborn, daughter of “Colonel'' and Aunt Jenny Osborn of Cherry Post Office in August 1935. We lived on part of the Cox ranch, which had been home-steaded by Van Pratt, for 13 years. Beverly and Marvin came along in 1938 & '39. We milked 10 to 15 cows, raised hogs, chickens, turkeys, a big garden and farmed some (corn, rye & oats). In 1937 I teamed up with E.P. Steen of Thedford selling wind and engine driven ranch light plants, wiring houses, etc. Later I took on distributorship for a wind-machine. My area was west of Nebr. and Wyoming. I didn't have much luck getting dealers and couldn't cover the area adequate-ly.

In 1947 H.J. and I each bought half of Dad's ranch and cows (150 apiece). By 1949 I had added 50 more cows to them. When the '49 blizzard was over I was back to 150 head. Shortly after this I started reviewing college text books on "Heredity" by Schull and "Animal" "Bredding Plans" by Lush. I was convinced the compressed animals winning at the fairs were not what the beef industry needed. We put identification marks on each cow, used one sire breeding pastures and started checking each cow's production. About this time Dr. Paul Guyer came to N.U. Between us the Nebraska Production Testing Program was developed. Thus we have the first P.T. herd in Nebraska. Our 18 month weights have averaged 4 lbs. gain per year. The program is proven.

During this same period a rotation grazing system was implemented. To accomplish this, several extra miles of fence were re-quired. Cherry Co. required 18-20 acres per animal unit to keep one unit year-long when we sold. For the past 20 years we have supposed an animal unit on 10 acres year-long. We did this while cow weights were increasing 200 pounds and 18 month weights by 125 pounds. During this period I helped form the Nebraska Beef Cattle Improvement Assoc. and helped set up the Ogallala Bull Test.

I served 15 or so years on Cherry Co. Extension Board and led the first 4-H club in South Cherry Co. This was a Baby-Beef Project which didn't fit the area but was the closest to any offered. Robert Herrington was agent then. Corwin Mead was the first agent in Cherry Co. His salary came from individ-ual donations.

Over the years I have helped with the youth range camp held at Halsey. In the beginning only boys were accepted. I instrumented a change and girls were accepted. The first girl who attended now has a PhD in Range Management. She also adopted me as a second father. Today girls outnumber boys at this week-long workshop. I served as chair-man of the Nebraska Section Society for Range Management in 1964. Next I was elected to a three year term on the Board of Directors for the International Society of Range Management, taking office in Rapid City when the annual meeting was held there. Four years later I was elected president of S.R.M. I assumed office in Calgary, Alberta, in 1969. This was the first time the annual meeting was held outside the U.S. That year, working with graduate students Fe Busby at Lubbock, Texas, we started the Student Conclave which created a nitch for college students at the annual meeting. Also accom-plished was starting a second publication (non-technical) which evolved into the pres-ent "Rangeman's Journal"

Retired, I now have time to generate a lot of sawdust making spinning wheels, baby cradles, grandmother clock cases, etc. Cou-pling the woodworking with some weaving and spinning keeps me occupied if not out of trouble!

In recent years I also served two years as chairman of Mullen Commercial Club and several offices in the Mullen Masonic Lodge.

Awards-contributed by daughter Beverly: 1957 – Grant-Hooker S.W.C. aerial ranch photo – first picture awarded in our area for grazing land management. 1966 – Nebraska Section S.R.M. plaque – in recognition for outstanding work in the development and use of Nebraska's re-sources. 1976 – Upper Loup N.R.D. silver plate -in honor of conservation practices. 1977 – International Society for Range Management Fellow Award plaque – in recognition of his time and effort over many years in behalf of Society objectives. Pre-sented at Portland, Oregon.