Beef Custom-Exempt Shares

HERITAGE RAISED CATTLE

At Blue Ox Ranch we take immense pride in our cattle. Our genetic philosophy and management style have passed through seven generations, essentially creating dual purpose crossbred animals that can produce the high quality milk needed for St. Jorge cheese and beef that is decadent, rich and [just like our cheese] has the most incredible flavor.

We generally utilize a four-way crossbreeding method, allowing natural hybrid vigor to take effect. All our steers are dairy based crossbreds, we do not utilize Angus or Waygu genetics.

 

HERITAGE RAISED BEEF


Blue Ox Ranch beef is incredibly marbled and tender, with a rich, decadent buttery flavor, owing to the longer maturity time of our cattle (18 or more months) and our life-long commitment to providing our animals with fresh, high quality forage and foodstuffs. While we continue to offer custom exempt shares directly to the consumer, we now have our farmstead raised beef locally harvested and processed at USDA facilities and available for wholesale and retail sale.

SUSTAINABLE FARMING PRACTICES

Regenerative Pasture Management- our pastures are irrigated seasonally and fertilized using only manure produced by our cattle. All dry hay and silage fed is produced on our farm from these pastures. Minimal tilling (every 10 years) is utilized to prevent soil compaction.


Food Waste Diversion- fresh feedstuffs utilized include fruit, vegetables, bread and whey. Calves are started on whey when they are weaned from fresh, raw milk and continue until they are a little over a year old. By about six months of age our beef consumes half of their diet as food waste, diverting at least 7000 pounds of fruit and vegetables from landfills daily.


No Routine Antibiotics or Hormones- all cattle grow and mature at their own rate and are never fed additives or preventative antibiotics. No growth or cycle augmenting hormones are used in our herd.


Born and Raised on our Farmstead- our cattle are dual purpose, producing milk for our St. Jorge cheese and meat. Bull calves born on our farm are castrated and raised on pasture along with our replacement heifers in the Laguna de Santa Rosa.

CUSTOM EXEMPT SHARES

Purchasing a beef share from Blue Ox Ranch is an extremely economical way to feed yourself, your family and friends with local, nutrient dense, sustainable, biodynamic and incredibly delicious beef. 

Also, see our Custom Exempt Shares page for more information on how you can support our sustainable farming practices and participate in our meat share program.