Novy Ranches is a family operation based in the Shasta Valley area of Northern California since 1976.
The ranches are the ongoing life work and commitment of Dr. Lowell Novy, a veterinarian, whose interests in conservation, cattle-ranching and animal welfare have informed his decision to turn away from “traditional” feedlot cattle production by developing an entirely grass-fed program that is healthy for the land, cows and people.
Highly Marbled Grass-fed Beef
We use Ultrasound technology to measure the Intra Muscular Fat (IMF) or marbling percentage of our 200 of our youngest heifers and bulls. The average percentage marbling was 5.25%, which is equivalent to grading “Choice”. Among cattlemen, these results would be considered excellent for grain-fattened beef, but are practically unheard of in a strictly grass-fed program.
Ranch Practices
All Novy Ranch cattle are born and raised entirely on our ranch. We raise our herd in large, open pastures with room to roam and places to hide from inclement weather or when a mother cow feels the need for privacy to give birth. They are never confined in feedlots, ever. In the winter months when grass is dormant, they are fed high quality hay (high protein) of mixed grasses and alfalfa and are provided straw to bed in.
Our cattle have never been fed anything other than pasture grass and hay and the extra salt and minerals we supply them. “Mad Cow” disease has only been found in cattle that have been fed animal by-products and has never been found in cattle that are exclusively grass-fed. Our cattle are never fed commercially mixed feeds , growth hormones, feed additives, antibiotics. or anything other than grass, grass pellets, hay and a salt/mineral mix.
