Our Story

Oxbow believes that healthy land gives us healthy cows

“Our livelihood depends on the health and resilience of the land where we graze our cows.”

We value our livestock and strive to give them the highest standard of care while believing our most important task is good stewardship of the streams, foothills, forests and grasslands where we work. We partner with local organizations to protect our land from urban development, to regenerate creeks and riparian areas, and to reestablish native flora and fauna.

We Share the Same Rivers and Mountains

Our Cows Graze between the Bitterroot River, Miller Creek, and the Sapphire Range

We feel very fortunate to graze our cows on such varied terrain in multiple locations. From our headquarters at Miller Creek with its flood irrigation and subirrigated drainage right next to town, to our lease on the Sapphire Ranch with its hills of native grasses and river basin full of moose, bear and elk, our cattle experience a wide range of what Montana has to offer. We love adapting to and working with our land to benefit and strengthen its biodiversity, resiliency, and habitats for all of its inhabitants, bovine and otherwise.

The Cows

Happy, healthy cows, built for our environment

Our cows are bred and selected for genetics that work with the land. We aim for a shorter, more compact cow that is easier on the land, designed to convert grass, legumes and forbes efficiently into nutrient-dense beef. Working with our cows is one of the things we enjoy most about ranching. We take pride in our stockmanship, handling our cows without undue stress. All of our cattle moves are done on foot or horseback, allowing us the finesse and response time needed to move cattle most effectively and quietly. Find out more specifics about our cows in our FAQs page.