James Ranch Grass-Finished Beef

It all starts with our mother cow herd – but where are they?

If the Animas Valley ranch finishes the market animal, where are the mother cows that produce these market beeves? We use mostly public lands to graze our mother cow herd. In the summer the cows graze on San Juan National Forest lands in the Dolores, Colorado area about a two hour drive from the Animas Valley. From there they are trailed down the mountain into Disappointment Valley, Slick Rock, Colorado.

the herd

Then we begin the cycle again. We try very hard to emulate nature in all that we do. When we cannot control the intensity of the grazing animal with permanent or electric fence, we herd them with horses and cattle dogs—the old fashion way. The idea is to control where and how long the herd grazes in order to benefit the land not hurt it.

nursing calf

Our cowboys are educated about the importance of grazing as a tool to improve the land as well as producing a calf from every cow each year. Colby Wells, our cow foreman, is working with Dave to blend the best of the old ways with the best of the new.

herd in the aspens

We have to select cattle that will harvest the lush green grass of the high altitude meadows as well as the browse and different type grazing on the brittle Utah desert. Ours are moderate size cows, with sound constitutions ready to climb and forage and are good mothers ready to protect their calves.

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