Cow Breeding

The Jumping Horse Ranch runs a commercial cow-calf operation, producing females that bring heavy calves to the scale in the fall and making a living on the renewable resource we have available: grass. We use British X Continental crossbreeding (Angus X Gelbvieh/Simmental) through artificial insemination and natural breeding.

At the Jumping Horse Ranch, calving season begins in February and runs for 60 days. Cow calf pairs are then divided into groups and dispersed across the ranch during the summer months. Calf weights are approximately 90 pounds at birth, averaging 700 pounds after seven months. Weaning takes place in the first part of October. Steer calves are sold at that time and heifers are developed for replacements.

Branding, typically performed in March and April, is still a rich tradition at the Jumping Horse Ranch. Friends and neighbors rally to help make quick work of the task, roping and bringing calves to the fire.