Our Cattle

Our Cattle & Why It Matters

One of the questions I get asked quite often is why ranchers raise different breeds of cattle and whether one breed is better than another.

The truth is, you'll probably get a different answer from every rancher you ask. Every operation is unique, and what works best for one ranch may not be the best fit for another.

Rather than tell you what's right or wrong, I'd like to share why we do what we do here at Bar S Bar Ranch. The decisions we make—from the cattle we raise to how we manage them—are based on years of experience, careful observation, and a commitment to producing the highest-quality beef possible.

So, let's take a look at the breeds we use and the reasons they've earned a place in our program.

When I was attending the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, one concept that really changed the way I looked at cattle breeding was hybrid vigor. Before that, I had heard the term, but I didn't fully understand how valuable it could be in a real-world ranching operation.

Hybrid vigor, or heterosis, occurs when the offspring of two genetically distinct parents outperform the average of their parents in important traits such as growth, fertility, longevity, health, and overall productivity.

In simple terms, it allows us to combine the strengths of different breeds and create cattle that are better than either parent alone. For us, that means cattle that grow efficiently, stay healthy, perform well in our environment, and ultimately produce a higher-quality product.

Hybrid vigor is one of the most powerful tools we have to continually improve our herd. By carefully selecting the genetics we use, we can make steady progress generation after generation, building cattle that better fit our goals and the needs of the families we serve.

As I began studying different breeds and the strengths each one brings to the table, two breeds consistently stood out to me: Angus and Hereford.

When crossed together, their offspring are commonly known as Black Baldies—cattle that often combine some of the best traits from both breeds while benefiting from hybrid vigor.

The Angus breed is well known for traits that directly impact beef quality and profitability, including exceptional marbling, feed efficiency, fertility, maternal ability, and longevity. These are the traits that help produce a great eating experience while also creating productive cows that remain in the herd for years.

The Hereford breed brings a different but equally valuable set of strengths. Herefords are known for their docility, structural soundness, maternal instincts, and body size. Their influence often results in calves that are hardy, vigorous, and easy to manage, while also contributing to larger-framed cattle that can produce bigger, more consistent cuts of beef.

By combining these two breeds, we can capitalize on the strengths of both while benefiting from hybrid vigor. The result is a cow herd that is productive, efficient, maternal, and long-lasting, along with cattle that produce the kind of high-quality beef our customers have come to expect.

For our operation, the Angus-Hereford cross isn't just a breeding decision—it's a tool that helps us continually improve both our cattle and the beef we provide to your family.

If you ask ten different ranchers which breed or crossbreed is best, you'll probably get ten different answers. That's one of the things I love about the cattle industry—there are many different paths to success, and every producer has their own philosophy based on their experiences.

My preference for the Angus-Hereford cross isn't based solely on what I've seen out in the pasture. It's also shaped by six years of owning and operating a locker, where I had the unique opportunity to evaluate cattle from harvest all the way to the finished product.

Day after day, I was able to see firsthand which cattle consistently produced the kind of beef families want in their freezer—beef with excellent marbling, desirable cut sizes, consistency, and overall eating quality. Over time, I noticed that the Angus-Hereford cross repeatedly checked those boxes.

That's not to say other breeds can't produce outstanding beef. They certainly can. But based on my experience both on the ranch and in the locker, I believe this combination offers one of the best balances of maternal strength, efficiency, longevity, and beef quality available.

At the end of the day, every breeding decision we make has one goal in mind: producing the highest-quality beef possible for the families who trust us to fill their freezers.