Makara Vista Ranch

ABOUT MAKARA VISTA RANCH

How long has it been since you had a truly goooood tasting steak? or for that matter, even some good tasting lean hamburger? Are you tired of tough tasteless steak? Then you need to try Makara Vista beef. We raise healthy cattle without the use of chemicals, stimulants, or implants, and we do not use any feed containing animal byproducts or such things as corn gluten or distiller grains. Great care and attention is given to the natural health of our herd. We carefully formulate and customize our herd’s feed to meet their seasonal changes or maintenance needs to assure the healthiest cattle possible for either eating or breeding purposes. Top quality beef is our #1 priority.

Makara Vista Ranch is located just north of Branson, Missouri, and is the home to RRF2 Michael Oak, a Fullblood Pinzgauer Bull and a growing herd of percentage and purebred cows, and soon home to some new fullblood cows to offer the absolute best in breeding stock. Pinzgauer cattle are without a doubt the best answer to any questions about raising or selling cattle anyone will ever find. Believe me growing up around cattle, we saw our dads and neighbors have lots of problems and questions, but none of them had Pinzgauer cattle. All those problems and questions can be answered and solved by raising PINZGAUER cattle. In the near future we can not only offer custom beef (discussed in full later), but also percentage breeding stock or some extremely impressive fullblood lines as breeding stock for you to either upgrade an existing herd, or to cross with your herd to add desirable Pinzgauer qualities including tenderness of meat as well as noticeable flavor improvement, strong mothering instinct, high milk production and calving ease make Pinzgauer cows an efficient addition to any herd. The adaptability, maintenance and handling attributes of the Pinzgauer breed can mean more profit and less work.

Makara Vista Ranch is also home to dairy goats {for fresh milk and delicious cheeses}, emus, chickens, turkeys, several cats, 3 full-sized Australian Shepard dogs, one miniature Australian Shepherd dog that is all stockdog in a smaller body, and two huge beautiful Anatolian/Pyrenees guardian dogs. There is never a dull moment at Makara Vista Ranch with new babies of all kinds arriving through the year.

Be sure to click the “Originals by Makara” button on the left sidebar. Read the introduction on the MakaraPhotos* page then start a fun shopping adventure by clicking any of the icons that interest you, and it will take you to my other site where over 2,000 “original” cards and gift items can be viewed; many featuring our animals here at Makara Vista Ranch. Be sure to visit frequently or join my fanclub to keep updated on new items as I present them.

ABOUT PINZGAUERS — Pinzgauer Cattle originate from the Pinzgau region of Austria, and it is thought that they arise from cattle used in the area around 500 AD, which were later improved by herdsmen. By the 1600's, they had acquired their present form and began to be recorded officially in Austria, and were exported to other countries. The first four head of Pinzgauer were imported into Canada in September 1972. Austrian Fullbloods were first imported to the USA in 1976. Pinzgauer as we know them today are the result of rigid performance and registry demands.

Pinzgauer cattle are one of the most beautiful distinctive breeds with dark red being their primary color and each m

arked with irregular individual white along the top of their backs and down their tails and having solid red heads and faces. Many people favor white markings around the legs calling them “banded legs”. The most distinctive markings are viewed while standing behind them; again each having a different amount and design of white on the very back of their hips. Nothing is more beautiful than to see a herd of grazing Pinzgauer cattle. We enjoy being able to distinguish each cow or heifer by her markings unlike cattle herds of one-color that must wear ear tags to tell them apart. Enjoy the pictures of some of our Pinzgauers; and for those that truly love or admire the Pinzgauer cattle, I also offer greeting cards, calendars, t-shirts, and many other gift items. Either hit this link www.zazzle.com/Makaraphotos*, or scroll back up and click the "originals by Makara" button on my left sidebar.

Susie and Bonnie which is polled are grazing

and showing the beauty of the characteristic
markings.

Whether you are interested as a beef consumer or as a stockman, Makara Beef is a wise choice.

Makara Beef — #1 in tenderness and #1 in flavor
For those concerned about eating healthier more natural beef, you’ve found your answer. Makara Vista Pinzgauers not only offers you the very best breed of beef, but the added assurance it’s raised without use of chemicals, stimulants, implants, and animal or grain by-products like corn gluten and other things used by many stockman. DNA laboratory testing for cattle is identical to that used in humans and can show a genetic marker for potential tenderness, which is an inherited trait. Pinzgauer cattle have proven to be at the very top of this much sought after trait. Journal of Animal Science 1994, reported Pinzgauer the tenderest of all breeds tested. GeneSTAR Tenderness DNA tests have 86.7% Pinzgauers testing 2 Stars compared to Angus 76% 2 Stars. A Carcass Tenderness report by the Meat Animal Research Center in Nebraska indicated four beef breeds-- Pinzgauer, Red Poll, South Devon, and Piedmontese—rated outstanding in the area of transmitting tenderness to the beef carcass, with the Pinzgauer coming in as “most tender.” Pinzgauer cattle can also perform on pasture alone and reach market weight without the use of grain; which is a becoming more in demand by some of the strictest health oriented people. Today's health conscious consumer wants tender, tasty, low-fat beef .

Breeding stock — All stockmen have several considerations when choosing what breed they want to raise or what breed they want to use to cross with their existing herds . Three top considerations should be: Fertility, Milk production, and Feed efficiency. Pinzgauer have all these qualities and more, making them a #1 choice for profitably.

Fertility is the most important economic factor in any breeding program. Pinzgauer bulls show masculine characteristics very early in life, and are fertile, aggressive breeders {meaning willing not rough in character} . Yearling bulls weigh from 1200 - 1400 pounds. While on feed as yearlings, tests have shown Pinzgauer bulls to be quick gainers with excellent feed conversion. Even though Pinzgauer bulls have aggressive breeding instincts, mature Pinzgauer bulls generally remain docile and easy to handle. Many bulls continue breeding past 10 years old with no decreases in productivity, in part due to strong boned legs and hard, dark hooves. Average mature weight is 2000 - 2300 pounds The two most valuable qualities necessary for a breeding sire are high sperm count and an elevated libido. Pinzgauer bulls consistently prove they have these qualities for success to increase a breeding stock herd or beef sales.

Pinzgauers are balanced with thick muscling down their hindquarters, a deep flank and width over their top and loin areas. Pigmented skin on the head protects eyes from ultra violet rays, thus making eye disease virtually non-existent. Smooth hair and pliable skin play an important role in adaptability, allowing them to thrive in hot or cold climates. Hard, dark, closed hooves and strong leg bone formation give Pinzgauers excellent ranging ability.

Cows have strong mothering instinct, high milk production and calving ease. This makes Pinzgauer cows an efficient addition to any herd. Careful selection and breeding for both meat and milk production has resulted in a cow that maintains herself well enough to rebreed early in the season and produce enough milk to wean a calf with exceptional growth and weigh gain. Early maturity is also evident in Pinzgauer heifers. I read information stating average age for puberty is 305 to 340 days, although we’ve been told by some breeders this can be much younger; and we’ve found that to be true with some of our heifers. Therefore, we practice and advise cautiously watching young heifers to avoid being bred too soon. When one year old, most heifers have cycled regularly for months and are ready to conceive early in the breeding season; but that again is a matter for each stockman to decide . Optimum breeding weight is easily achieved with proper management. The "first calf" Pinzgauer exhibits strong mothering instincts paired with exceptional milk production. It is rare to find a Pinzgauer that will not accept her first calf or produce sufficient milk. Milk productivity of Pinzgauer cows can be, on average, in excess of 8800 pounds of milk with one of the highest butterfat contents in beef cattle. Their milk contains 3.5 % protein and 3.8% fat. Pinzgauer cows are generally easy calving, with average birth weights of 85 pounds in heifer calves and 90 pounds for bull calves with a general range of 80 to 100 pounds. Many cows continue calving regularly past 16 years old, easily top quality calves. A mature Pinzgauer cow weighs from 1200 - 1500 pounds and weans a calf weighing 600 - 800 pounds. Pinzgauer calves grazing with their dams with no additional feed maintain a daily weight gain over 2.5 - 2.9 pounds after weaning; and those destined for the meat industry gain weight rapidly due to efficient feed conversion. Pinzgauers adapt to life in a feedlot easily due to their docile temperament. Minimal days on feed with the ability to convert grain and forage into well marbled beef is part of a Pinzgauer's natural inheritance and makes them the best choice for beef stockmen considering optimum slaughter weight of 1200 pounds by 12-14 months of age is easily achieved. Pinzgauer cattle can also perform on pasture alone and reach market weight without the use of grain. Grass fed beef is a becoming more in demand by some of the strictest health oriented people. Today's health conscious consumer wants tender, tasty, low-fat beef and once they taste Pinzgauer beef, they demand it, realizing it is superior to the commonly advertised and recognized breed. Journal of Animal Science 1994, reported Pinzgauer the tenderest of all breeds tested with a shear force test 4.47kg compared to 5.62 Limousin and 5.15 Charolais. GeneSTAR Tenderness DNA test have 86.7% Pinzgauers testing 2 Stars compared to Angus 76% 2 Stars. A Carcass Tenderness report by the Meat Animal Research Center in Nebraska indicated four beef breeds-- Pinzgauer, Red Poll, South Devon, and Piedmontese — rated outstanding in the area of transmitting tenderness to the beef carcass, with the Pinzgauer coming in as “most tender.”