Farm Protocol

All farm ground owned by WHF operators have been managed using organic methods for over ten years. This means no industrial / commercial fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides. We have used natural manure and organic certified fertilizers. Hay production and grazing are used in rotation on all fields to optimize soil health.

Livestock Protocol

Our cattle operation is generally refered to as a cow/calf operation as we maintain a small herd of mother cows which calve every year in the spring. The calves are weaned at eight to nine months of age in late fall and are fed over the winter on hay that we have raised.

The following spring the yearling calves are fattened on irrigated grass pasture. These calves will be at market weight by the time they are around 18 months old. This makes for the most tender meat. We do our best to offer our cattle the most natural and safe environment for them to live. They spend most of their time in open pastures / hay fields during the winter and open high country (7000 to 9000 ft.) during the summer and early fall.

The livestock are never in confinement unless they need special treatment. This could be medical attention or temporary holding for transportation. All livestock have access to clean water and minerals. We believe the first defense against disease is a high quality and consistent mineral program, which also promotes nutrient dense healthy meat for our customers. Our first choice in medicinal treatment is homeopathy and probiotics. When necessary for serious cases or timely treatment, we will use antibiotics. We keep strict records of all treatments and finished animals medicated are only offered to customers with full transparency and full compliance with drug withdrawal periods. Mature cows that have required conventional medical drugs are removed from the herd and placed into the conventional beef industry.

Know Your Food / Know Your Farmer

We believe our cow calf operation fits this perfectly, as we know the complete history of all our animals and feed. We encourage our customers to be as knowledgeable about our operation as they can be. To this end we offer tours and do our best to be as accessible by phone and email. Please feel free to contact us with any questions about any part of our operation. Access the CONTACT page from the Home page for information on the owners and operators of Western Heritage Farms.