FA Silver Canadian ET 37D Total Maternal EPD +42	LCI Royal Red ET 83A Total Maternal EPD +42

Credits: This story was written by Donna Duncan and published in the Mountaineer newspaper in Rocky Mountain House in 1996. Minor updates added 2000 and 2007 by Ross Crain.
 

A STORYBOOK SETTING
Approaching the Rocking "Are" Ranch southwest of Rocky Mountain House is like driving onto a western movie set. The winding driveway leads through stands of tall trees, around bends, and down hills, finally emerging into a meadow where red white-faced cows and their newborn calves contentedly soak up the sunshine. The log ranch house at the end of the meadow fits perfectly into the western setting.

Power poles and criss-crossing wires overhead are nonexistent at the Rocking "Are". Electricity is provided by a generator and batteries. Water comes from a well within the house, and heat is provided by wood and natural gas.

In spite of its picture-book appearance, this is a real working ranch, capably managed by a computer-wielding cowboy by the name of Ross Crain.

Ross virtually carved the Rocking "Are" out of the wilderness. Beginning in 1976 by clearing land to create pastures and haylands, cattle were added to the ranch in 1979 and he designed a network of corrals that are second to none in efficiency. One person can manage any of the cattle handling chores on the ranch, but Ross is quick to add, "Two can make it even easier." His right-hand on the ranch is Sonja McEwing, who can handle any machine or critter with calm determination.

MAXIMIZING PRODUCTIVITY
The Rocking "Are" Ranch is made up of 260 plus acres, 100 of those being a Crown lease. The land is extensively cross fenced for intensive grazing from mid May to late September. Paddocks vary from 8 to 20 acres. Each has access to naturally flowing water or dugouts. Rotating cattle through the various pastures provides the maximum carrying capacity for this relatively small property.

A "modified holistic" approach is used to maximize forage production. "As a result, our critters qualify as Organic Beef" says Ross. No pesticides, chemical fertilizer, or growth promotants are used. Most weeds that affect forage productivity are pulled by hand and burned. Tough spots are hit with Roundup, which biodegrades quickly.

All winter manure is composted and put back on the fields. One or two pastures are re-cultivated each year and reseeded to a good quality, frost tolerant variety, usually meadow foxtail with some clover.

Cattle are vaccinated against many diseases and for parasite control. Sick animals are treated with antibiotics under veterinary supervision and drug withdrawal times are strictly honored.

Ross used to put up hay for winter feed but found that the weather this close to the mountains was too erratic to make for a good haying season, and of course the conditions for growing grain are equally unpredictable. From a financial point of view, it seemed best to increase the acres allotted for pasture and the numbers in the cattle herd, and purchase all the feed grain, hay, and straw required for the winter. There is also virtually no stress as there are no machinery breakdowns or rain at critical moments.

The ranch carries a maximum 60 cow herd, plus yearling calves, and three or four breeding bulls. A creek runs through the ranch, providing fresh water for the livestock. It rarely freezes over even during the winter.

KEEPING TRACK OF IT
Although we keep our own computerized weight gain records for herd selection purposes, we also contribute to the Canadian Hereford Association "Total Herd Evaluation" (THE) program. This allows us to compare our performance against the rest of the Hereford breed. Expected Progeny Differences (EPD's) predict the average performance of an animal compared with the average of his/her contemporaries. EPD's for our bulls are generally above average, but we carefully avoid extremes in any category.

CHOSE THE BEST - CHOOSE HEREFORDS
With the myriad of beef breeds available for the producer to choose from why did Ross Crain choose Horned Herefords? "I like their docile temperaments. I like the genetic potential of Horned Herefords - they attain a greater size than polled animals. And they're economical animals to raise - not so big that they eat you out of house and home!" The average cow on the Rocking "Are" is 1450 lbs. and has been bred to be attractive to both the producer and consumer. The conformation shows an animal that is large in the hip area, where the best cuts of meat originate.

Pedigree is important (but the latest fad is not!) and choosing a cow with sound feet and udder is vital. In choosing breeding cows for the herd, Ross looks for cows in the same weight range as the rest of the herd, with lots of hip area, and in synch with a breeding season that allows for January calving. Animals not displaying these characteristics, or any with high strung temperaments, are quickly culled from the herd.

Most bulls are chosen with a proven track record plus characteristics needed in the herd. Bulls and cows that perform well stay in the herd until they die. There is no mandatory retirement age at the Rocking "Are"!

FA Silver Canadian ET 37D	LCI Royal Red ET 83A

Young females born to the herd go through several cullings. The first cut keeps only those that are of the best weights and visual appearance at weaning time, when they are also registered. Another cut is made at one year of age, just before breeding. The final cut is made after they have birthed their first calf. Although most of the older cows in the herd have the characteristic curved horn of their breed, many younger females have been dehorned. About 30 per cent of the bull calf crop are kept to sell as breeding bulls and are registered. The remainder, which do not meet the highest standards of their breed, are sold as steers.

Some of the Rocking "Are" livestock is marketed through auction markets in central Alberta, but most of the young breeding stock is sold right from the Ranch. Ross's 1999 20th Anniversary Sale, called "The Millennium Event", was a great success. It was held outdoors and bidders walked to the pens, where each animal was paraded without restraint among the audience. Many were impressed by the well behaved nature of the stock.

UPDATE
In 2005, the heart of our herd was sold to the Bohnet family of High River and the younger bred cows were dispersed through Innisfail Auction. The bred heifers, yearling bulls, and 2-year old bulls were sold in 2006. There are still cows at Rocking "Are" - now we run grassers in the summer and lease some grass to keep the pastures in good condition. 

We put a lot of time and effort into our Herefords, not to mention love and affection for the cows, their calves, and our great bull power. We miss their peaceful nature and truly mourn the loss of our “family” of purebred Herefords.