Our herd is of
mixed breeding with an Angus base. Our cattle are selectively bred to gain well on pasture conditions as well for cold tolerance. Calves are born in the spring to be in sync with the natural grass cycle, bulls are castrated in the spring and heifers are left intact. Cattle are mid framed in order to reach a quality finishing weight of 1,000 in 18-24 months. 

 

Herd Nutrition and Management

  Our herd is managed with low stress and environmentally friendly practices. Warm River Ranch cattle graze on 1500 acres of native Wyoming grasses and irrigated grass alfalfa mix pastures free of fertilizer and pesticides. Our cattle drink clean water supplied by the Wind River.

  Three months out of a grazing year, the cattle trail out our back gate and onto our high mountain lease, comprised of 80,000 acres of productive meadows and grasses. The cattle are moved consistently to encourage grazing in a way that is positive to soil structure and to accommodate the needs of other herbivores like deer, elk and moose. By keeping our herd moving we also limit the impact on wildlife ecosystems and watersheds on national forest land. After the summer grazing season the cattle return home from the national forest, and enjoy stockpiled irrigated pasture for the long winter. This area has minimal standing snow in the winter, allowing cattle to graze nearly year round, while supplementing their diets with grass/alfalfa hay raised here on the ranch.

 

This type of grazing practice often uses temporary electric fences and large herd concentrations in a pasture for small amounts of time relative to the pasture’s size. It is multi-purpose of tilling, seeding and fertilizing a pasture all with the use of cattle. This method keeps cattle moving quite often and allows plants to get the rest they need after they are grazed. It also helps to limit disease, soil compaction, and manure build up.  

 Cattle Handling

  As our cattle are handled from one area to another, whether across grazing lands or in the pasture, they are moved with ease not harassed. Horseback is the way we prefer to handle our cattle, so we are a little old school. We pride ourselves on working them as efficiently and calm as we can. We built our corral facilities to work for us rather than against us to improve the handling of our herd.