PrimeTime_Fall_2018

NEW BLOOD IN THE OLD WEST Continued from page 16

The ranch currently runs slightly more than 100 pure- bred Akaushi cows, 70 Akaushi/Red Angus-cross females and a small herd of three-quarter Akaushi cows. Hawkins says the ranch in- tends to phase into a purebred Akaushi operation over the next few years. “We have seen how well Akaushi are able to adjust to

road from Brush Creek – and like Hawkins, has been with the operation since 2008. Keller says the Akaushi cattle get around the rocky and mountainous terrain better than some of the other breeds he has seen on the ranch, and while it does take some time for them to adjust to the eleva- tion, adaptability is one of the characteristics he appreciates most about the breed. “I’ve really been impressed with the way the Akaushi climb the hills and utilize the pastures better than other cat- tle we’ve had,” Keller says. “A lot of our Akaushi cattle come from HeartBrand in Texas, and when we turn them out into the sagebrush hills, they just put their heads down and get to eating.” Keller and Hawkins have also been pleased with the bull battery they have established over the last few years. They continue to use purchased bulls on their Akaushi cow herd and are now able to use home-raised genetics on their commercial cows. They plan to begin utilizing an artificial insemination program over the next few years to take advan- tage of the growing selection of high-quality Akaushi genet- ics that are available. Calving season at Brush Creek begins in May, which Keller says has helped improve overall herd health and works especially well for the ranch’s beef program. Cow-calf pairs spend the summer on the range, and weaned calves be- gin a preconditioning program near the end of September. Just before the harsh Wyo- ming winter sets in, calves are shipped a few hours south to Fort Collins, Colo., where they are put on a backgrounding feed program for six months before they are finished on all- natural feed for about a year.

quality beef we can,” Hawkins says. “The excellent marbling and tenderness qualities of the Akaushi, combined with the added health benefits, make it the perfect fit for the upscale dining experiences we strive to offer our guests here at Brush Creek.”

Brush Creek Ranch’s Akaushi bulls roam the range. The operation has sourced most of its sires from HeartBrand ® Beef. Hawkins and his staff be-

our environment here in this area of Wyoming, and they are a great fit for the pasture-to- plate concept we’ve initiated at Brush Creek,” Hawkins says. “We feel transitioning to the purebred cattle operation in the future will help us reach our goal of producing the highest quality and healthiest beef available.” The cattle spend spring and summer months eating the rich, hard grasses found among the sagebrush in the foothill pastures at the base of the Medicine Bow National Forest, located at nearly 8,000 feet in elevation. They are then moved down to the ranch’s hay meadows in the fall and winter. Assistant Ranch Manager Jake Keller was born and raised in the high mountain desert plain – just down the

came involved with the Ameri- can Akaushi Association early in the herd-building process and relied on association staff and fellow member partners for advice and feedback. “Our early relationships with HeartBrand ® Beef and Bovina Feeders were pivotal in help- ing us get our operation start- ed off on the right foot and making the needed improve- ments to our genetics along the way,” Hawkins says. “We also appreciate the continued support we’ve received from Bubba Bain and his staff.” Brush Creek purchased its first set of halfblood Akaushi females from a producer in South Dakota and now sources most of the herd’s bulls and re- placement heifers from Heart- Brand ® Beef.

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Akaushi Prime Time • Fall 2018

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