OUR APPROACH TO PASTURE STEWARDSHIP

At Cold Water Ranch, the cattle are more than just livestock—they’re family. Especially the calves. To Jordan, every newborn is a precious gift, and every mother is treated with the care and respect she deserves.

The cattle at Cold Water Ranch typically stay with their mothers and their herd from birth to harvest—except for a short period during weaning. This family-based, low-stress approach makes all the difference. Stress isn’t just bad for people—it’s bad for cattle too. Studies have shown that stress directly impacts cattle health, growth, and meat quality. That’s why we ask ourselves one key question before doing anything on the ranch: “How can we make this less stressful for the animals?” Keeping the herd together and providing consistent, positive human interaction is our answer.

We’re always learning and improving, from reading research to watching the latest handling techniques. (If you haven’t seen the movie Temple Grandin, we highly recommend it!) In most operations, calves are weaned and sold at 6–9 months so the mother can regain condition for her next calf. But we’ve found that, with just a little extra nutrition, a healthy mother can continue nursing all the way up to the next birth—no stress, no sacrifice. This extended nursing period promotes better growth and stronger calves.

That said, we still do wean before the next calf arrives to ensure that each newborn gets the full benefit of its mother’s colostrum, without having to compete with an older sibling.

At the end of the day, we do what’s best for the animals—because that’s what’s best for the land, the meat, and you.