blackfoot-valley

Calves are weaned in late October, when they weigh an average of 450 pounds. A month or so after weaning, the registered Red Angus calves are sent to a feed lot in Carbon County (near Boyd, north of Red Lodge). Weight gain is targeted at roughly two pounds per day, the bulls somewhat more and the heifers a bit less. In keeping with the Meyer philosophy they are not pushed to meet the targets. “We’re not trying to see how much weight they can gain or how fat they can get,” Jim says. The commercial calves may be sold in January at 550-575 pounds or in May or June at 750 pounds. Most of the calves are sold to Meyer Natural Angus, the separate Meyer company headquartered in Missoula. Since the company is looking toward a steady supply of calves throughout the year, the later season for calving at the Ranch helps in meshing with the input from independent ranches. In keeping with this goal, the latter are encouraged to raise more fall calves as well. Weight growth rates of cattle in the Meyer Natural Angus program are admittedly somewhat less than the U.S. average, but this is the price willingly paid for the benefits gained in producing a premium product. “Our feed conversions are about 20 percent under the industry average, and it’s because of the way these cattle are fed,” notes Jim. In other words, no force-feeding is practiced by Meyer Natural Angus, and the feed is all natural whether grazed in the pasture or supplemented. This results in an end price higher than the indus- try average, but consumers looking for a premium product have proven to be willing to pay somewhat more to get it. By the end of July, after weaning, the calves are sent to the Weborg Feedlot in Pender, Nebraska, where they continue to get natural feed. At this stage, the superior heat tolerance of the Red Angus breed, not a major factor on the relatively cool Ranch itself, can sometimes become critical. Jim told the 2000 Breeder Edition that in the previous year a midwestern heat wave killed a lot of cattle on feedlots in Nebraska and Iowa. “Of the cattle that died, 92 percent were Black, but the Reds survived.” When ready, the cattle are processed and the meat hand-cut at a plant at West Point, Nebraska. The cuts are taken to the Ranch’s plant in Lincoln, to be packaged, and distributed from there. One point of company pride is that typically 92 percent of Meyer’s naturally raised commercial calf carcasses receive a quality grading of Choice or better. Another is the 2001 American Tasting Institute award to Meyer Natural Angus as being the best tasting beef on the market. Not only has Meyer Companies beef achieved nationwide distribution, but also the recognition of the Ranch for developing the protocols and standards for naturally raised beef. International recognition and distri- bution is also beginning. 188