Producer
Elkhead Creek Ranch (Yampa Valley Wagyu, Shadow Laine Farm)
Contact: Tim and Laine O'Neal
Address: 2626 CR 29 Craig, CO, 81625
Phone: 720-201-9469
Website: https://www.elkheadcreekranch.com
About Us
Elkhead Creek Ranch is Family owned and operated by Tim and Laine O'Neal and their three sons.
Sitting above Elkhead Creek, below Elkhead Reservoir, on the border of Moffat/ Routt Counties, our 131 acres of natural grasses and meandering river are perfect for a Prime Plus Pasture finished Wagyu Beef Operation, "Yampa Valley Wagyu".
Our Wagyu are American Wagyu Steers raised on these beautiful river grasses.
Cattle in the U.S. can reach slaughter around 16 months, Wagyu reach slaughter 30 months or longer. Because they live longer they eat more feed which is one reason Wagyu brings a higher price. Marbling, or intramuscular fat, is what gives Wagyu its melt in your mouth texture and rich buttery taste.
The welfare of our animals and flavor profile are our premier concern, we believe in raising them as naturally and humanely as possible. Our cattle are grazed on the lush green grasses in the growing seasons of spring, summer and fall, supplemented with local grass hay and sunflower pellets (Mechanical Extracted Sunflower Meal; min 27% crude protein, min 9% crude fat, max 25% crude fiber from Colorado Mills in Lamar, Colorado . A total natural feeding program.
As passionate promoters of growing cattle on grass, we never pass up an opportunity to convince people of the benefits of raising our animals on grass using rotational grazing principals. Practices like rotational grazing are what sets our Wagyu beef apart from other beef products. Regenerative Rotational grazing along with a balanced and specific diet, and no use of hormones or antibiotics, lead to a better life for our cattle and higher quality food for ourselves and you.
As any rancher of quality will tell you, if you want steaks with abundant marbling, make sure your cattle never see a bad day. So what’s a good day for cattle? Honestly, not all that different from a good day for a human: plenty of delicious food, lots of shade outside on a sunny day, and respect and care all around.
We pride ourselves on our thick cut bone in steaks, exceptional flavor and value, all packages are sealed with our custom label.
Shadow Laine Farm @ Elkhead Creek Ranch .......
Our chickens are free range, and fed organic feed as well as kitchen scraps. We have a Rainbow of Brown Dark Brown, Tan, White, Olive, and Blue Egg layers.
Herbs, Produce and Flowers as available during the summer to harvest
Cookies, Candies, Crackers, Chips as available
You can keep up with us and Like our Facebook page.... go to https://www.facebook.com/Elkhead-Creek-Ranch-LLC-2005400863076368/
Feel free to reach out with question, if you would like to plan a visit or to pre order "to your own specs/cut sheet" a full, 1/2 or 1/4 steer to fill your freezer. We process 2 to 3 times yearly.
Sitting above Elkhead Creek, below Elkhead Reservoir, on the border of Moffat/ Routt Counties, our 131 acres of natural grasses and meandering river are perfect for a Prime Plus Pasture finished Wagyu Beef Operation, "Yampa Valley Wagyu".
Our Wagyu are American Wagyu Steers raised on these beautiful river grasses.
Cattle in the U.S. can reach slaughter around 16 months, Wagyu reach slaughter 30 months or longer. Because they live longer they eat more feed which is one reason Wagyu brings a higher price. Marbling, or intramuscular fat, is what gives Wagyu its melt in your mouth texture and rich buttery taste.
The welfare of our animals and flavor profile are our premier concern, we believe in raising them as naturally and humanely as possible. Our cattle are grazed on the lush green grasses in the growing seasons of spring, summer and fall, supplemented with local grass hay and sunflower pellets (Mechanical Extracted Sunflower Meal; min 27% crude protein, min 9% crude fat, max 25% crude fiber from Colorado Mills in Lamar, Colorado . A total natural feeding program.
As passionate promoters of growing cattle on grass, we never pass up an opportunity to convince people of the benefits of raising our animals on grass using rotational grazing principals. Practices like rotational grazing are what sets our Wagyu beef apart from other beef products. Regenerative Rotational grazing along with a balanced and specific diet, and no use of hormones or antibiotics, lead to a better life for our cattle and higher quality food for ourselves and you.
As any rancher of quality will tell you, if you want steaks with abundant marbling, make sure your cattle never see a bad day. So what’s a good day for cattle? Honestly, not all that different from a good day for a human: plenty of delicious food, lots of shade outside on a sunny day, and respect and care all around.
We pride ourselves on our thick cut bone in steaks, exceptional flavor and value, all packages are sealed with our custom label.
Shadow Laine Farm @ Elkhead Creek Ranch .......
Our chickens are free range, and fed organic feed as well as kitchen scraps. We have a Rainbow of Brown Dark Brown, Tan, White, Olive, and Blue Egg layers.
Herbs, Produce and Flowers as available during the summer to harvest
Cookies, Candies, Crackers, Chips as available
You can keep up with us and Like our Facebook page.... go to https://www.facebook.com/Elkhead-Creek-Ranch-LLC-2005400863076368/
Feel free to reach out with question, if you would like to plan a visit or to pre order "to your own specs/cut sheet" a full, 1/2 or 1/4 steer to fill your freezer. We process 2 to 3 times yearly.
Practices
What is WAGYU?
WAGYU - a Japanese beef cattle breed – derive from native Asian cattle. 'WAGYU' refers to all Japanese beef cattle, where 'Wa' means Japanese and 'gyu' means cow. “Wagyu” refers to any cattle that is bred in Japan or the Japanese-style. "Kobe", on the other hand, is an appellation like Champagne or prosciutto di Parma. Beef labeled “Kobe” must come from Tajima-Gyu cattle that have been born, raised, and slaughtered in the Hyōgo prefecture, of which Kobe is the capital. Kobe beef is subject to a rigorous grading policy that includes measures of fat-marbling ratio, gross weight of beef, and overall meat quality.
Wagyu were originally draft animals used in agriculture, and were selected for their physical endurance. This selection favored animals with more intra-muscular fat cells – ‘marbling’ – which provided a readily available energy source. Marbling, or intramuscular fat, is what gives prime steaks that melt-in-your-mouth feel and rich umami taste. Ideal marbling is bright white and evenly distributed in slender tributaries, rather than thick rivers, across the cut of meat. When you cook a Wagyu steak, the abundant, well-distributed marbling will melt and infuse the entire cut with rich, essential omega-3, omega-6, and omega-9 fatty acids, quite similar to the monounsaturated fats found in olive oil and wild salmon.
Wagyu is a horned breed and the cattle are either black or red in color.
Highly prized for their rich flavor, these cattle produce arguably the finest beef in the world. Wagyu cattle's genetic predisposition yields a beef that contains a higher percentage of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids than typical beef. Wagyu has a particularly rich mouth feel because of the marbling of the fat—not because it has an overall higher proportion of fat than American beef. Wagyu cattle are genetically predisposed to have high levels of unsaturated fats. The fat is evenly dispersed throughout the beef and melts at a low temperature, which gives the steak a buttery texture.
Free from Hormones, Free from Antibiotics, Locally Grass Finished
To order, click on the "Product List" button and begin shopping! To learn more about the CAA Market, click on "Home."
WAGYU - a Japanese beef cattle breed – derive from native Asian cattle. 'WAGYU' refers to all Japanese beef cattle, where 'Wa' means Japanese and 'gyu' means cow. “Wagyu” refers to any cattle that is bred in Japan or the Japanese-style. "Kobe", on the other hand, is an appellation like Champagne or prosciutto di Parma. Beef labeled “Kobe” must come from Tajima-Gyu cattle that have been born, raised, and slaughtered in the Hyōgo prefecture, of which Kobe is the capital. Kobe beef is subject to a rigorous grading policy that includes measures of fat-marbling ratio, gross weight of beef, and overall meat quality.
Wagyu were originally draft animals used in agriculture, and were selected for their physical endurance. This selection favored animals with more intra-muscular fat cells – ‘marbling’ – which provided a readily available energy source. Marbling, or intramuscular fat, is what gives prime steaks that melt-in-your-mouth feel and rich umami taste. Ideal marbling is bright white and evenly distributed in slender tributaries, rather than thick rivers, across the cut of meat. When you cook a Wagyu steak, the abundant, well-distributed marbling will melt and infuse the entire cut with rich, essential omega-3, omega-6, and omega-9 fatty acids, quite similar to the monounsaturated fats found in olive oil and wild salmon.
Wagyu is a horned breed and the cattle are either black or red in color.
Highly prized for their rich flavor, these cattle produce arguably the finest beef in the world. Wagyu cattle's genetic predisposition yields a beef that contains a higher percentage of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids than typical beef. Wagyu has a particularly rich mouth feel because of the marbling of the fat—not because it has an overall higher proportion of fat than American beef. Wagyu cattle are genetically predisposed to have high levels of unsaturated fats. The fat is evenly dispersed throughout the beef and melts at a low temperature, which gives the steak a buttery texture.
Free from Hormones, Free from Antibiotics, Locally Grass Finished
To order, click on the "Product List" button and begin shopping! To learn more about the CAA Market, click on "Home."