First Generation
Story by Amy Beth Graves
CATTLE PRODUCERS FOCUS ON RAISING QUALIT Y ANGUS Story by Amy Beth Graves For Zane Gross, a couple of years stick out as the most influential in his cattle operation in Ashland County. The first is 2010 when he bought some heifers after showing steers at the county fair for FFA projects. Intrigued by the production side of the business, he bought four Limousin/Angus crossbred heifers. It was also the year he met his future wife, Courtney, who has shared his passion for raising cattle. Three years later, Zane bought his first registered Angus cow, which became the foundation for the couple’s operation and is still roaming their pastures near Ashland. It was in 2017 that all the pieces came together. Zane and Courtney were graduating from Ohio State University and trying to figure out the next steps in their lives when property next to the hobby farm owned by Zane’s parents came up for sale. It was the perfect start for the young couple who were ready to make a go at being first generation cattle producers. “We’re fortunate that we got the support from our parents. Buying our neighbor’s property was a milestone for us,” Zane said. “It’s a passion of ours to raise cattle, and we hope someday to make it sustainable enough for us to live off of.” As the couple work toward that goal, Zane works at nearby E.R. Boliantz Meat Packing Co. where owner Bob Boliantz has been a mentor to him. It’s there that he’s learned how to better manage his cattle, determine efficient feed rations and develop relationships with cattle producers across 12 | Ohio Cattleman | Spring Issue 2022
the state. He started there the day after graduating from Ohio State where he got a degree in animal science and agricultural business. “Bob has really taught me a lot. Sometimes I go with him to get cattle and I’m able to see how they’re raised and handled. I see their feed rations and can mimic them or take other ideas on how to better raise cattle and fit them into our operation,” Zane said. “With him harvesting about 250 head a week, I see a lot of cattle and the end product. Seeing them hanging in the cooler lets me see the quality of the meat and make management decisions on how to get to a quality end product.” Today, the couple, who have two small children, raise about 20 registered Angus cows and specialize in breeding bulls and replacement heifers for commercial cattle operations. They also sell freezer beef directly to consumers with the cattle processed at Boliantz. Their operation is named Buckeye Creek Angus, reflecting their love of the Angus breed and Ohio State. A row of Buckeye trees found along the edge of a creek inspired the name.
Improving the quality of the cattle is a never wavering goal of Zane. He’s bought registered Angus cows from state industry leaders like Fred Penick of Way-View Cattle, John Grimes of Maplecrest Farms and Boyd Beef Cattle in Kentucky. “While I was in college for the first couple of years at ATI, I grew a passion for the genetics side and went through (artificial insemination) school,” he said. “Our goal from the beginning has been to improve every generation of our herd. Since the Angus association has been a long-time leader in EPDs and genetics, it made sense to get started with that breed to help jump start the operation. And having kids, I wanted to make sure I had a breed that was more calm and controlled.” One of the couple’s goals is to raise cattle that meet the qualifications of being Certified Angus Beef. They’ve been focusing on genetics that result in their animals being more efficient and uniform to meet the weight and ribeye size requirements of Certified Angus Beef. Environmental stewardship and sustainability go hand in hand at
