Dependable reproduction, good maternal instincts and milking are essential traits of OH cows. Commercial cattlemen don't make money unless their cows wean calves each fall. All OH cows are bred to Range Tested® bulls during a maximum 60-day breeding cycle. If a cow at the OH fails to breed, requires assistance a birth or, for any reason, fails to wean a calf in the fall, she is culled from the operation. But, just weaning a calf isn't enough. That calf must be healthy and meet the requirements of the Range Tested® Program or both mother and calf are culled. This rigorous, zero-tolerance culling insures only genetics predisposed to breeding ease and success are maintained within our herd.

Each year, at the OH Ranch's Annual Production Sale, we offer 200-300 bred One-Iron Range Tested® Red Baldy Heifers. We're proud of these cattle and we are sure they will help improve any commercial cattle operation. Carrying the genetics of our Range Tested Program and bred to low-birth-weight Red Angus bulls, these heifers will deliver a live calf in the spring and be ready to rebreed in the summer.

Heifer selection begins at birth. Calves from cows which don't winter well have their ears split and both mother and calf are culled. As well, if the mother displays limited milking ability, poor maternal instincts, or poor conformation, both are culled. This zero-tolerance culling ensures only the best genetics are kept in the OH Herd.

After weaning the heifer calves are vaccinated, dewormed and backgrounded in a feedlot situation. They are all run in one pen, with culling from the bottom end after the first month. Our goal in the feedlot is to provide adequate nutrition for growth without storing unnecessary fat. Ability in the feedlot is crucial for OH Range Tested® females. If heifers do not make the grade in the feedlot, they will not have the ability to perform on grass.

On May 1, heifers are palpated, pelvic measured and weighed as well as being given booster vaccinations. Heifers with less than a 144 sq. cm. are culled. By grossing up May 1 weights by a factor of 1.5 lbs/day, our heifer calves must weigh 725 pounds or more on June 4 when we turn our bulls out.

After culling, heifers are shipped to OH Bassano for a 45-day breeding cycle performed by natural service on open range using moderate birthweight Range Tested® Red Angus bulls. In late September, the heifers are pregnancy tested and given a physical examination. They are then vaccinated and dewormed again and at this time we do a strict cull based on performance and conformation.

We keep enough replacements to maintain our operation and the balance of heifers which earned the Range Tested® mark are sold at the Annual Production Sale.

These one-iron, ranch-raised red baldy heifers embody the very best of our Range Tested® Program. They have the genetic ability to survive under harsh circumstances and deliver live, high-performance calves each spring. An OH Range Tested® Red Baldy Heifer will excel in any commercial cattle operation and is capable of weaning many top-quality,high-performance calves in her lifetime.