Dan is a 5th generation rancher who grew up on a ranch that his great grandparents homesteaded in 1882 near Walden, Colorado . The ranch was operated as a cow/calf operation that ran 1,000 head of efficient 1,100 lb Hereford cows that were pastured raised and fed no grain.

Here at the Open A Bar 2 Ranch, we do not feed any grain to our breeding stock. There are several reasons why we choose not to.

It is not healthy for breeding stock to eat grain since they are ruminants and designed to eat forages. Studies have shown that feeding grain to bulls lowers the live semen count.

One of New Zealand's leading bull studs documented the following:

1) Bulls that had been developed entirely on grass had a live semen count of 80-90%.

2) Bulls that had been supplemented with unprocessed grain had a live semen count of only 65-70%.

3) Bulls that had been supplemented with heat-treated commercial feed had a live semen count of only 60-65%.

According to world-renown South African animal scientist, Dr. Jan Bonsma, cows fed grain and maintained in high body condition require far more veterinary attention than those maintained on grass alone. Their fertile life-span is reduced as they succumb to laminitis, arthritis and uterine infections.

Another reason is economics. You can imagine trying to feed 500 to 1,000 head of commercial cows grain, it would break the bank! Most large commercial producers do not grain their cows or their bulls for this reason.

If you are a commercial producer who does not feed grain to your bulls, why buy a bull who has been fattened on grain?

We do not mask our breeding stock genetics by feeding grain. Our 100% forage fed bulls will not fall apart, but will continue to grow through their first breeding season. Our bulls have quality that is bred in, not fed in and will work in most any environment.

“Pastured raised cattle with quality that is bred-in not fed-in."

Registered Purebred and Percentage American Lowlines