Ebersole Cattle Company

Ebersole Cattle Company

An Iowa ranching family thrives with a love for the land, passion for cattle and desire to feed families

By Ann Foster Thelen

If you take care of the land, the land will take care of you. This short phrase is the guiding daily mantra for Beau and Shanen Ebersole, owners of Ebersole Cattle Company in south-central Iowa. It’s a philosophy evident in every aspect of the family’s ranching operation and the high-quality cattle they raise.

As first-generation ranchers, the Ebersoles and their children Adelyda, Jolene and Wyatt sell their pasture-raised and grass-fed beef directly to customers through various avenues. Their prized beef can be purchased directly through the Ebersole Cattle Company website or via the Des Moines’ Downtown Farmer’s Market, Iowa Food Cooperative, a pickup location at a Peace Tree Brewing Co. and at local restaurants.

“Many people are surprised when they hear us call ourselves ranchers instead of farmers,” explains Shanen, who grew up as a self-proclaimed horse girl outside of Des Moines.

“Farmers use tractors. I don’t get along with tractors, and tractors don’t get along with me,” she adds with a smile.

The Ebersole family is passionate about their cattle, horses, land and family. Pictured from left to right: Jolene, Shanen, Beau, Wyatt and Adelyda.

Journey to Become Ranchers

The journey to becoming ranchers began when Shanen and Beau met at Iowa State University more than 25 years ago while pursuing animal science degrees. Although educators cautioned students against starting their own farm or livestock operation from scratch, the duo wasn’t deterred from pursuing their dream of building a life together as ranchers.

Today, the Ebersoles have a diversified herd of primarily full-blood Maine-Anjou and some Angus cattle, which are all born and raised on the ranch just northwest of Kellerton. The Maine-Anjou breed originated in the northwestern part of France and was imported to North America in 1969. These cattle were then introduced to the U.S. through artificial insemination. The Maine-Anjou are feed-efficient, large cattle that provide excellent marbling qualities in their beef.

“We love our Maine-Anjou because of their willing attitude, great mothering instincts and amazing beef,” Shanen explains. “Because we raise our cattle on pastures and grass, when we need to move them, they are worked slowly to the new area from horseback. This process allows us to be very careful and quiet when handling all our cattle, which we believe helps us to live out our passion of raising happy and healthy cattle.”

Grass-Fed and Pasture-Raised

On the ranch, the Ebersoles raise two distinct groups of cattle – 100% grass-fed and pasture-raised. The spring calves are raised on grass and offered small amounts of grain after weaning from their mothers. The beef produced from these cows is Ebersole Cattle Company’s most popular item.

“We call it our pasture-raised beef, and it boasts enormous flavor and natural nutrients,” Shanen explains. “These calves are always on fresh green pastures. Each day, when they are moved to new pastures, we offer them small amounts of grains to enhance the natural flavor of their beef. The calves receive less than 2% of their body weight daily in grains.”

Because grains help cows heat their bodies through the digestive process, adding grain allows these calves to thrive in Iowa’s cold winters. These cattle are fed grains later at night because it helps them ruminate more and stay warmer overnight. Rumination, or cud-chewing, is the process by which the cow regurgitates previously consumed feed and chews it further.

The fall-born calves are kept 100% grass-fed. These calves are weaned in the spring and harvested in the fall at about 14-18 months of age. Grass-fed beef is deeper, darker and richer in color, similar to bison or buffalo. The Ebersoles prefer smaller steaks from their grass-fed cattle, which leads to 10- or 12-ounce tender ribeye cuts. Their pasture-raised beef tastes more like corn-fed, with the beef being lighter and brighter with sweeter flavors, while still retaining the health and environmental advantages of grass-fed beef.

“We like to talk about beef the way many people like to talk about wine,” Shanen explains. “With beef, there is a wonderful diversity that results from the region, feed type or breed. When I cook a steak for my husband, he can tell you if it’s a Maine- Angus cross or a full-blood Maine-Anjou and whether it’s grass-fed or pastureraised simply by the color, texture and flavors of the beef.”

While raising cattle requires a multifaceted approach and juggling many daily priorities, putting the animals first is always the utmost priority for the Ebersoles.

Commitment to Health and Nutrition

While raising cattle requires a multifaceted approach and juggling many daily priorities, Shanen says one thing is always paramount – putting the animals first.

“Our utmost priority is taking care of the animals and giving them the best care possible,” she explains. “Antibiotics are a frequent topic and source of questions from consumers. I want to assure people that we don’t use routine antibiotics – it would be costly and not what’s best for the animal. Just like if a child was sick and needed an antibiotic, we approach cattle care with the same compassion and work closely with our veterinarian. We wouldn’t let them suffer with an illness and not be treated with a helpful antibiotic.”

We like to talk about beef the way many people like to talk about wine. With beef, there is a wonderful diversity that results from the region, feed type or breed.

All meat, poultry and dairy foods sold in the U.S. are free of antibiotic residues, as required by federal law. If a farm animal does get sick and needs antibiotics, farmers must follow strict U.S. Food and Drug Administration guidelines for the proper dosage, duration and withdrawal time.

“We use high-quality vitamins and minerals for our cattle,” Shanen says. “We want their immune systems to be strong and healthy. Because our cattle graze year round, we like to work with Mother Nature and provide natural supplements to help them more easily digest native grasses. This helps regulate their body temperature and keep them comfortable.”

The Ebersole’s cattle are raised on pastures and grass, and they use horses to help herd and move them to new areas. This process allows the family to be very careful and quiet when handling their cattle, which they believe leads to happy and healthy animals.

Passion for the Land

The Ebersole’s passion for caring for their cattle is grounded in a deep-rooted commitment to environmental sustainability. The couple uses the herd to help cultivate the soil and create a positive environment for a diversity of plant species. By incorporating a variety of grazing methods, the cattle fully utilize the available land and balance forages, including rich clover and fescue grass, plus their manure provides a natural fertilizer for the land. This creates a favorable environment for preventing soil erosion while allowing insects and other wildlife to flourish.

“The natural fertilizer excites all the microbiomes and species underneath our soil to do amazing things,” Shanen explains. “Soil is alive – moving, changing and growing all the time. It’s a fascinating process, and we’re grateful to be able to contribute to sustainability in this way.”

The care for the land extends to every inch of the ranch. Ditches are not mowed until well after July 15 to protect vulnerable bird

nests that find desirable homes in the tall grass. Technically in Iowa, unless it’s a safety hazard, ditches aren’t supposed to be mowed until after this date, which the Ebersoles gladly embrace. Goose nesting boxes and other nesting areas surround ponds on the property as a haven for wildlife.

“We have small, wooded areas and diverse open pastures, where deer and our turkeys wonderfully coexist with our cattle,” Shanen says.

Consumer Connection

Although the Ebersoles sell their beef directly to consumers, Shanen stresses that consumers don’t have to buy an entire half or quarter of beef to know where their food comes from.

“Increasingly, people want to know the origination of their food. We trust our grocery stores, and the food is safe, healthy and nutritious,” she says. “But if you want to know more about your food, get to know your farmers and ranchers. I care deeply about helping to feed other families and take enormous pride in the quality of products we produce.”

Stir-Fried Beef Gyros in Pita Pockets

• 1 pound beef round tip steaks, cut 1/8-inch to 1/4-inch thick

• 2 teaspoons minced garlic

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

• 3 teaspoons olive oil, divided

• 1 medium onion, halved, thinly sliced

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/8 teaspoon pepper

• 4 pita breads, cut in half, warmed

• 2 small tomatoes, thinly sliced

• 1/2 small cucumber, cut into 1/8-inch half moons

• 1/2 cup prepared cucumber ranch dressing

Stack beef steaks; cut lengthwise in half, then crosswise into 1-inch-wide strips. Toss with garlic and oregano.

Heat 2 teaspoons oil in large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add onion; stir-fry 3 to 4 minutes. Remove.

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in same skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add 1/2 of beef; stir-fry 1 minute or until outside surface of beef is no longer pink. Do not overcook. Remove. Repeat with remaining beef.

Return beef and onion to skillet, heat through. Season with salt and pepper. Serve in pita pockets with tomatoes, cucumbers and dressing.

Recipe: Iowa Beef Industry Council