Who are you?  We are the McNeil Ranch, which has operated south of Monte Vista, CO since the the1800’s.  We named our beef distributing company after our oldest of 4 brands, the Diamond F.  We are designated a Centennial Ranch by a joint committee of the Colorado Department of Agriculture, the Colorado Historical Society, and the Colorado State Fair.  McNeil Ranch, LLC and Diamond F Brand Beef, LLC are both owned and operated by Mike and Cathy McNeil

What is grass fed beef?  Grass fed beef comes from cattle, like ours, that have eaten only grass or forage, out on pasture, with no grain.  Most commercial cattle are fattened or “finished” in feedlots with grain, though they may have grazed on grass earlier in their lives.  The grain feeding of finishing animals causes extreme changes in their digestive tract, which result in lower levels of CLA, Omega 3 and other good fats in their meat.  Grass fed beef is shown to contain higher levels of desirable fats such as CLA, Omega 3’s, Vitamin E, Beta Carotene, and others.  Studies have demonstrated that those nutrients can aid in the prevention and treatment of diseases such as diabetes, cancer, heart disease, obesity, and others.

Why is your beef better than grocery store beef?  We think you will find the flavor unparalleled, perhaps reminding you of something you had as a child.  Nevertheless It’s the health benefits, and knowing exactly where your food comes from and how it was raised that can help you feel good physically, and feel good about how your food was raised.

Do you use hormones or antibiotics?  Our cattle are never given any kind of hormones.  Antibiotics are never administered to any of our Diamond F Steers.  We use natural and organic forms of treatment such as homeopathy and others, but any animal that needs to be treated with antibiotics as a last resort is pulled from the Diamond F program, and never sold as Diamond F Brand Beef.

How can grass fed beef be tender and marbled?  While grain feeding can make almost any steer tender and marbled, certain grass fed animals can be just as tender and marbled, it mostly depends on genetic make up, and of course the kind of happy, stress free life that we provide them, with access to plenty of lush pastures and meadows.  However, one thing that we do to ensure the highest quality of meat is to ultrasound test our cattle to determine their tenderness and marbling before they are ever processed.  That way we only process those that we know will be highly tender and marbled.  Is our beef tender?  Yes.  Is it mushy tender like some grain fed beef is?  No.  We guarantee tenderness, but not the kind that can be cut with a spoon.

Why are your prices higher than the grocery store?  Simple, it costs more to raise high quality, premium beef cattle without the use of grain and antibiotics.  There is a reason why grain feeding and the use of growth hormones and antibiotics became the industry standard; it’s cheaper!  So we must charge more than commercial prices for our beef, but we truly believe that the unparalleled flavor, along with the benefits to your health make it worth every penny.

Where do your animals come from?  All of our beef cattle are bred and born here on our ranch to our own cows and bulls, and have only lived on our home place south of Monte Vista, or up on our summer range by Platoro.

Do I need to cook grass fed beef differently?  Actually yes!  Grass fed beef is best cooked a little slower at lower temperature.  Steaks can be grilled at medium low, for a little longer time.  Steaks like Sirloin Tip and Round Steak are best marinated before grilling.  Cook most roasts low and slow, except for tenderloin and eye of round.

What if I’m not satisfied?  We guarantee our beef, and if for any reason you are not satisfied with it, we will either replace it or refund your money.

How can I purchase? There are several ways to purchase Diamond F Brand Beef:

Internet: go to www.diamondfbrandbeef.com and click on the shop for beef button, and use the standard checkout cart.
or
Contact us directly at: 877-659-2352 or 719-852-2458, or email us at: info@diamondfbrandbeef.com.  We can take credit cards over the telephone.

San Luis Valley residents: Call or stop by during our office hours of 10 – 3 M – F to order.  We can deliver by pre-arrangement to Monte Vista, Alamosa, Del Norte, South Fork, Crestone, and Saguache.

If I order over the internet, how is it shipped to me?  We ship in insulated cartons, with dry ice, via UPS Two-day air.  We ship out on Mondays and Tuesdays to make sure your package arrives well before the weekend.  All orders placed between 8:00 AM on Tuesdays and 8:00 AM Monday mornings will be shipped out on Monday.  Orders placed before Tuesday 8:00 AM will be shipped out on Tuesdays.  We calculate our shipping costs by the weight of the order.  The shipping price per pound decreases as the weight of the order increases.  See shipping costs at our shipping page.