Santa Elena Ranch
37 animals · Red Brahman · Madisonville, Texas
The Premier Source for American Red Brahman Genetics
Registered VL herd sires, champion donors, semen and embryos, bred since 1959 on almost 3,000 acres just south of Madisonville, Texas.
Why Santa Elena Ranch
Champion VL Bloodlines
Decades of National, International and World Brahman Congress champions, with Register of Renown sires and dams throughout the pedigrees.
Performance-Recorded Herd
Every animal is enrolled in ABBA's BHIR program, with records kept on birth, weaning and yearling weights, scrotal circumference and EPDs, and pelvic measurements on replacement heifers.
Genetics Shipped Worldwide
VL cattle have sold to more than 18 countries, and semen and embryos have gone to every country in Central and South America, with export partners to handle shipping.
Foundation Sires: Semen Available
The legendary bulls behind the VL herd. Contact the ranch for semen.
VL Herd Sires
Champion-producing sires from Santa Elena's own cow families.
Champion Donor Program
International champions and proven producers. Embryos and matings by inquiry.
Our Story
Santa Elena began in 1959 with 987 acres in Houston County, Texas, and 250 registered red Brahmans bought from the Fondren Estate herd. For the first decade, nearly every animal except herd replacements went to Venezuela, where many helped found the Lecuna family's well-known red Brahman herd.
The ranch grew to almost 3,000 acres and more than 450 mother cows, nearly all raised at home on Estrela, Arauto and later Manso-influenced bloodlines. In 1970 the VL brand was opened to U.S. Brahman breeders and commercial cattlemen, and longtime manager Steve Allen guided the herd's progress for 27 years.
Alfredo and Josefina Muskus became sole owners in May 1991. Today Santa Elena keeps performance records on every animal, runs an on-farm embryo transfer program, a commercial herd and an ABBA Golden Certified F1 program, and has sold cattle, semen and embryos to more than 18 countries.
Our Journey
Santa Elena is founded
987 acres in Houston County, Texas, and 250 registered red Brahmans from the Fondren Estate herd.
Six Yoakum heifers
Six heifers from the C.E. Yoakum herd, the only outside females brought into the herd until 1987.
VL cattle offered in the U.S.
After a decade of exporting to Venezuela, VL-branded cattle become available to U.S. Brahman breeders and commercial cattlemen.
Quarter Horses join the program
The ranch begins breeding and selling American Quarter Horses.
Muskus family ownership
In May 1991 Alfredo and Josefina Muskus become sole owners of Santa Elena Ranch.
World Brahman Congress champion
+VL Elena 170/4 is named 2008 World Brahman Congress and International Red Brahman Champion Female.
Brahmans at the Camellia Sale
Santa Elena offers semen packages on its polled bull VL Rojo Mocho 92/2 (P) at the July 19, 2025 sale in Perkinston, Mississippi.