Department of Animal Science
Date of this Version
December 2007
Abstract
Altenburg Super Baldy Ranch has been a family owned business for nearly 30 years. The yearly calendar of events may help explain the philosophy and the cattle. The 150 head cowherd is made up of Simmental and Angus, both black and red. They are summered on large, native grass pastures on the Soapstone Grazing Association (20 acres per cow) on the Colorado/Wyoming border. They and their calves are trailed horseback there each June, a 15 mile drive crossing two ranches and using the help of friends and neighbors. After weaning and preg check, the cows are trailed home to graze hay stubble and corn stalks for two months. One week after National Western Stock Show, the cows and bred heifers are brought home to start calving February 1st. They calve outside and are brought to the barn only when we are trying to “save the ears.”
An annual bull sale is held after the 100 day gain test on the third Saturday of March where the Simmental, Angus (both black & red) and “Super Baldy” composite bulls are sold to commercial cattlemen in Colorado, Wyoming and Nebraska. Branding is done in early April, with A.I. and Embryo Transfer starting the 25th of April. The heifers are synchronized and A.I. bred for two cycles, cows for one cycle and then go to a single clean-up bull pasture. The cows are run under range conditions, similar to the Altenburg’s commercial customers. Altenburg Super Baldy utilizes the technology of A.I. and Embryo Transfer while relishing the tradition of trailing the cowherd to the ranch horseback and utilizing range conditions.
Comments
Published for the Proceedings, The Range Beef Cow Symposium XX December 11, 12 and 13, 2007 - Fort Collins, Colorado.