Oswald Cattle Company
Contact: Steve & Nancy Oswald
2241 CR 1A
PO Box 304
Cotopaxi, CO 81223
719-942-4361
Grass-finished beef, antibiotic and hormone-free. Call for availability.
stephen_o@wildblue.net
backcountrybeef.com
Photos courtesy of Mike Rosso, Colorado Central Magazine • www.cozine.com
Steve and Nancy Oswald raise grass-fed cattle and goats on 2,700 acres owned by Nancy’s family for more than six decades. Committed to mimicking nature and natural occurrences to keep the land productive, the Oswalds monitor 13 permanent sample areas (transects) and record changes in plant diversity and density, erosion and other factors annually to ensure their methods are beneficial to the land.
They employ Management Intensive Grazing, moving the herd frequently with long rest periods, to prevent overgrazing and promote healthy grass/plant growth. In drought conditions the herd is reduced if the land can’t support them all without degradation, and goats have been added to forage for food that the cattle won’t eat.
The market for grass-fed beef is increasing as people learn more about its healthful qualities. The Oswalds’ sales are generated by word of mouth; referrals from customers who appreciate the quality of their natural beef and the ethics they practice with regard to land management. “People want to know who raised (their food) and where it came from,” says Steve.
