Our Cattle

All beef cattle on our farm are raised as naturally and humanely as we can. In fact, I’ve been accused of treating them better than my own children. We don’t use hormone implants to enhance or force unnatural growth. We also feel that hormones promote an unnaturally higher lean to fat ratio, hindering both flavor and tenderness. Sub-therapeutics are not used, nor necessary, as our cattle are naturally resistant to sickness. Antibiotics are only used in health or life threatening situations.

The cattle have large pastures year round to graze in. As soon as possible in the spring when the weather is starting to warm up the cattle are moved from their winter pasture to a large rye and winter oat field. They will graze that field until the next pasture consisting of alfalfa, oats, grass and clover, is ready for them. This field will hold the cattle while we make hay on the other fields, and after allowing for regrowth, the cattle will graze the rest of the acreage until the hard freezes hit, upon which they will be moved to winter fields which consist of bean and corn stubble. At all times of the year they have vitamins and minerals free choice at their demand. During the winter they are also fed as much quality hay and corn fodder as they can consume to maintain their weight as most of the girls will be carrying calves.

Breeds

We have registered Angus, registered fullblood and purebred Wagyu, Angus/Limousin crosses and Angus/Wagyu crosses.

We went with Angus for the huge genetic gene pool, the natural mothering instinct, the large frame which produces a heavy, nicely marbled carcass and the fact that they do very well in the heat and the extreme cold.

We then started crossing the Limousin, which produces a lot of milk, with the Angus to wean off a bigger calf. Whew! Do they produce some milk!

We have recently invested in the Wagyu breed, the highly touted Japanese ‘Kobe Beef’ breed for their extensive natural marbling that is high in the unsaturated Omega 3 and Omega 6 fats, and the mono-unsaturated fatty acids that are the reason for the phenomenal flavor, texture and moisture. These fats have an extremely low melting point creating that “melt in your mouth tenderness". These cattle take a lot longer to mature than our other breeds but are well worth the wait.

Market Steers

Our best market steers are selected in the Fall, weaned, castrated and put on to their own pasture. The steers are kept at least a year after weaning to finish out at their own pace, making them at least 1½ to 2 years old when ready for processing. Although we do supplement with a nutritionally balanced grain mix, we don’t threaten their health or force them to grow unnaturally fast by feeding them large amounts of grain. We feel the flavor of grain fed meat can’t be beat.

We are now calving our second season of Wagyu/Angus and Wagyu/Limousin crop of calves and so far all are safely on the ground and hope to be able to offer Wagyu beef by the fall of 2008 depending on how well they grow and finish.

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