The Ranch
Take a visit down to Clifton, Texas (about an hour and a half southwest of downtown) Dallas, and you'll find KV Ranch, a 7,500 acre plot that reminds one more of nature preserve than a cattle ranch. In fact, it's not really a cattle ranch...it's a large ranch where a small number of cattle are raised by an incredible team of people.
Our goal with introducing cattle to the ranch was to create a symbiotic relationship between wildlife and the cattle. The cattle eat the grass which creates more room for other vegetation that support the native white tail deer, wild turkey and wild hogs.
Richard Kincheloe
The Space
With a very small herd on so much pasture, KV Ranch provides the space for the cattle to roam freely about and live a happy and stress free life. The pastures are also natural...no fertilizers, no chemicals.
Once the cattle reach a certain size, they are moved to what Richard refers to as the "Ritz Carlton" of the Ranch.
The People
Crossbuck Cattle Co. focuses on raising “happy cows” from the moment they are born on the KV Ranch, located in Clifton, Texas. The cows are raised in an open, natural, comfortable, and stress-free environment, with programs in place to ensure an abundance of shade, multiple clean and fresh water sources, easy access to scratching brushes, and fly control and prevention. “It’s more than just a feeding program,” states McLaughlin, “it’s about creating the optimal environment for these cows, because we have determined that happy cows make happy beef.”
The feeding program is also a vital part of Crossbuck Cattle Co.’s process though. The cows are grass fed, grazing freely on open pastures, nourished by their mother’s milk. Once they are weaned, they move to a sustainable pasture where they put on weight naturally and are monitored by the ranch to ensure their needs are met. Once they have reached the desired weight, they are moved to a finishing pasture where they are fed a carefully balanced diet of natural grass, hay and grain to develop optimal fat content. To ensure natural and healthy growth, no growth hormones are used.
The Amenities
Creating a stress-free, happy life for the cattle is the key to creating happy cows. KV Ranch employs a number of "amenities" to ensure a happy stay.
Fly Control
There is little debate that flies bother cattle and can pass along diseases. At KV Ranch, we not only treat the cows with fly deterrents, but take further steps to control the flies by deploying fly traps around water troughs and feed sources. Our "Happy Cows" spend more time grazing and less time fighting flies...less time turning their necks...less time tensing muscles.
Shade
While most Texas breeds of cattle are bred to endure heat, shade is still curial to creating a comfortable environment. KV Ranch's pastures include numerous shady areas while its covered feed out areas and barns provide plenty of shade for the crucial final 3-4 months when the marbling work really happens.
Scratchers
You can imagine not being able to scratch your back and how frustrating that can be!! Cattle rub...a lot. KV Ranch features "rub brushes" throughout the feed out barns that increases the cattle's comfort.
Water
Water is the most important element to creating Happy Cows and it goes beyond just ensuring that they have "clean" fresh water. Even more important is the water's location. Cattle will not travel more than 3/4 of a mile away from water in the heat. This limits their intake choices = less gain per day.
By increasing water sources using natural rainwater, we can give the cattle the ability to move and feed in other areas of the pasture which is key to both their happiness and the pasture's health.