Gordy has been around cattle and horses his
entire life. Being raised on a cattle farm
required his involvement as soon as he could
walk and ride horseback. He was involved in
managing cattle projects in 4-H as a
9-year-old. He cared for and exhibited
mostly Brahman cattle in his nine year 4-H
career. He obtained a student loan through
the Uniformed Services Benefit Association
in 1979 and purchased several purebred
Brahman heifers to begin his own herd.
Gordy distinguished himself as an
outstanding cattle handler and husbandman
during his 4-H career garnering many
championships in showmanship, Brahman
divisions. His skills were noteworthy
training and riding high placing horses in
reigning, cutting, pleasure and horsemanship
events. The skills in animal care and
training he developed in 4-H have shaped his
adult life. After graduating from Vermilion
Catholic, Gordy attended McNeese State
University studying animal science.
In the mid 1980s, Gordy purchased more
Brahmans and began producing F-1 Hereford
Brahman cattle.
He kept most of the female offspring to
begin a commercial cow-calf operation. He
back-crossed these females to Hereford
Bulls, producing steers, bulls and
replacement quality females that were in
high demand.
In 1989, after attending McNeese, he
purchased several Braford cattle and
officially partnered with his father,
forming Broussard Cattle Company.
Within 10 years, Gordy and his father Johnny
had diversified the company to an extent
rarely seen in south Louisiana. In addition
to the large cow-calf operation, they
retained ownership of their calves through
the feeding phase, feeding cattle in Kansas
and Texas. They started grazing 400 - 500
purchased and raised replacement quality
females per year and marketed them as pairs
and bred heifers in local sales.
Gordy knows quality cattle and the type of
cattle that can help him make a living. His
approach to ranching is simple: it is to
make a living through raising high
performing quality cattle. He notes that
although southeastern United States cattle
often suffer from negative perception,
Louisiana Brahman cross cattle have
performed as well and often better than
cattle from other parts of the country in
feedlots in Kansas and south Texas.
Gordy’s livestock enterprise encompasses
more than cattle. He breeds and trains
Quarter horses. He’s brought to Vermilion
Parish some outstanding cutting horse
genetics and has used these studs and his
horsemanship skill to produce ranch horses
for use and sale.
Gordy has taken an active leadership role in
the livestock industry. He has been a member
of the Louisiana and Vermilion Parish
Cattlemen’s Association for 15 years. He’s
served on the Vermilion Association’s Board
of Directors for ten years. He is a
five-year member of the Louisiana Stock
Horse Association and has been a Ranch
Cutting Horse Association member for two
years. He sits on the Vermilion Parish
Extension Service Beef Advisory Committee
and is a Vermilion Extension Service
Building Committee member. He was a charter
member of the Louisiana Braford Breeders and
has served on the Board of Directors of the
United Braford Breeders.