Broke Tree Ranch - How Cattle Are Raised

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How do you raise your cattle with land conservation in mind?

Broke Tree Ranch has implemented conservation practices to reduce soil erosion and improve water quality. Wherever possible, we utilize a rotational grazing program with a watering system of pipeline to tanks instead of relying on ponds and streams. Cattle are kept within 800 ft. of a clean water source. Cattle are moved to fresh pasture between our divided paddocks every few days. This system reduces overgrazing, builds soil organic matter, encourages greater plant biodiversity, and infiltrates more water making pastures more drought-resistant.

How are your calves weaned? 

Our calves are weaned using a peaceful, low-stress method called "fenceline" weaning. Calves and mothers can see, hear, and smell one another, but cannot nurse. This eliminates nearly all the stress involved with the transition, creating an environment that supports both baby and mother until the calves are ready to move on. 

Once the calves are weaned, they receive a mix of nutritious annual cool season grasses, hay, supplemental feed, and a mineral supplement to support their nutrient needs.

How are your cattle finished? 

We focus on creating the perfect marbling to really add flavor to our beef. Our cattle are sweet-feed finished for a period of 180 - 250 days to ensure flavorful meat throughout the animal. We also provide hay and fresh water for the cattle being finished.  

Do you use growth hormones? 

Our cattle never receive growth hormones, implants or preventative antibiotics. When an animal gets sick, we try a natural remedy like a vitamin shot. If the animal’s well-being is in danger, we will go ahead and treat the animal with antibiotics, but the treated animal is REMOVED from our program and NOT sold as Broke Tree Ranch beef. 

What does hanging weight mean? 

Hanging Weight is the weight of the carcass after the hide and internal organs have been removed.

Who processes Broke Tree Ranch Beef? 

We are proud to have several Arkansas Meat Processing partners to process our beef safely, humanely, and with the highest quality standards.

Is your retail beef inspected by the USDA? 

For our retail cuts, we use an Arkansas processor who has USDA-inspected facilities, with an inspector examining every animal. 

Are the cattle harvested humanely? 

This is important to us. We are ethically bound to treat the animals in our care with the highest standards of stewardship and care. We husband these animals throughout their life, and are adamant that the harvest of our beef be done with no stress and no pain. The animals are handled quietly and dispatched instantly. 

How Is The Meat Packaged? 

Our meat processor partners vacuum seals all individual cuts of meat and labels them appropriately.

Can I request different cuts for my beef?

Yes. Your beef will be processed into whatever cuts you desire

Why is the meat I purchased darker in color than what I've purchased at the grocery store?

When meat is fresh and protected from contact with air (such as in vacuum sealed packages), it has the purple-red color that comes from myoglobin, one of the two key pigments responsible for the color of meat. When exposed to air, myoglobin forms the pigment, oxymyoglobin, which gives meat a pleasingly cherry-red color. The use of a plastic wrap that allows oxygen to pass through it helps ensure that the cut meats will retain this bright red color. However, exposure to store lighting as well as the continued contact of myoglobin and oxymyoglobin with oxygen leads to the formation of metmyoglobin, a pigment that turns meat brownish-red. This color change alone does not mean the product is spoiled.

Does the color of beef indicate freshness?

Beef muscle not exposed to oxygen (in vacuum packaging, for example) is burgundy or purplish in color. After exposure to the air for 15 minutes or so, the myoglobin receives oxygen and the meat turns bright, cherry red. After beef has been refrigerated for about five days, it may turn brown. This darkening is due to oxidation, the chemical changes in myoglobin due to the oxygen content. This is a normal change during refrigerator storage.