Gleason Cattle Company & Meats

Gleason Cattle Company & Meats We are a 4th generation family farm in the rolling hills of Southwest Wisconsin. Follow along or find us at a farmer's market. Chad and Katrina Gleason

We share what rural life is like on a diversified farm that focuses on healthy soil, for better crops for healthier animals. We strive to provide the best quality beef, pork and lamb at affordable prices. By eliminating the middle man we can cut costs while maintaining a high quality. Gleason Cattle Company offers beef, pork and lamb at prices your whole family can enjoy every day of the week. We

offer custom quarters, halves and whole beef and half or whole hogs. A quarter of beef is around 260lbs hanging weight and pigs average 150lbs per half. If you are in need of smaller amounts we have an on farm store where you can purchase individual cuts of our home raised meats or request an 1/8th of beef. Buying meat farm fresh saves money while giving you a high quality product and a fair price for the farm helping us build a legacy our kids will get to be a part of. At Gleason Cattle Company we pride ourselves on top quality meat, year round. We look forward to helping you with your beef, pork and lamb needs!

Calf #2 on the ground. No, it isn't that small. Yes, momma is that big.
04/02/2026

Calf #2 on the ground. No, it isn't that small. Yes, momma is that big.

The elusive black panther has been around again. He is super stealthy and an excellent hunter. And they say black panthe...
04/01/2026

The elusive black panther has been around again. He is super stealthy and an excellent hunter. And they say black panthers aren't in Wisconsin. 😆

No, we don't actually have a panther. Just Vermie our extra large neutered barn cat. He is a black smoke tabby that has outgrown the other cats.

First calf is on the ground. A nice bull calf from Sarge(Red River). Fun fact: all our calves get either red or green ta...
04/01/2026

First calf is on the ground. A nice bull calf from Sarge(Red River).
Fun fact: all our calves get either red or green tags. Red is for keeper heifers. Green is for steers or free martins. (Red stop, green go) Helps sorting day go easier when you can just see a color and know where they go.

Beef weighed in at 280lbs/quarter. Beef cost is 💲 1120 and processing is paid at pickup. I have 2 quarters available. Po...
03/31/2026

Beef weighed in at 280lbs/quarter. Beef cost is 💲 1120 and processing is paid at pickup. I have 2 quarters available.

Pork has been ordered.

Corn-fed beef and pork go to the locker Wednesday morning. There is 1½ pork available and ½ beef available. Pork can be purchased in halves of wholes and beef take the whole half of just a quarter.
Pork will be cut Thursday and requires the quickest response for ordering.

It gets close to calving time and the cows get loud. I don't mean mooing but the loud breathing and moaning and groaning...
03/28/2026

It gets close to calving time and the cows get loud. I don't mean mooing but the loud breathing and moaning and groaning while they sleep and get up. The calves are getting bigger and you can tell everyone is getting more uncomfortable. Mid day cow check done and no calves yet.

We preg checked cows today. We've watched some of the cows and they seemed to be coming into estrous again and again. Wh...
03/27/2026

We preg checked cows today. We've watched some of the cows and they seemed to be coming into estrous again and again. While others Tri-pod, our stag dairy calf, seemed to be following a lot. With being down a bull for the year we are starting to plan who goes to what pastures and who we will send on their way due to too many chances.

Bertha is my favorite cow because of her absolutely massive size but unfortunately she was open and this lady has had too many free passes. She will leave us soon. Everyone else came up positive. Woo-hoo.

We also learned Tri-pod is a terrible judge of who is in season. (No we didn't keep him there for that reason but it does give you something else to observe while watching cattle behavior) He got a ticket to the steer yard and quickly went from feeling like top dog to the new kid on the block.

Call me crazy but watching these tests slowly change color has always been my favorite from vet clinic work to being able to run them at home. These have been a great addition to management practices.

Insurance. This sure isn't the kind paid to a company that offers a compensation program on losses but its insurance tha...
03/25/2026

Insurance. This sure isn't the kind paid to a company that offers a compensation program on losses but its insurance that our calves and occasionally lambs and goats kids have the best start possible. What is it? Colostrum replacer.

Colostrum is any mammal's first milk produced after giving birth. Liquid gold, it is affectionately known as because of its rich color and the fact it is filled with immunoglobulins(IGG's) to protect a newborn mammal and build their immune system. The catch is a newborn's digestive system can only absorb these for a few hours after birth.

Normally the colostrum is produced and fortified in the late stage of pregnancy. Good vitamin and mineral programs, vaccinations for things the herd may come in contact with to place antibodies, proper nutrition and the stress level of the cow, sheep, goat, etc all effect it.

So why do we buy replacer? And why do we call it insurance? Purchased colostrum replacer is lab verified to hold a certain level of IGG's in each serving. So if the mother animal doesn't produce a quality colostrum we have something to boost those levels in those first critical hours and get the newborn fed. We offer a half dose to every calf born and offer it solely to lambs and goat kids we need to bottle feed up until day 2.

With calves at record highs we want every single one to be set for the healthiest start possible. This is one of those things that is not debatable for us and we brought over from our calf raising days.

Healthy immune systems create healthy and productive animals.

This morning, the well people stopped to see why our well was kicking out. It was most likely a capacitor, but they no l...
03/25/2026

This morning, the well people stopped to see why our well was kicking out. It was most likely a capacitor, but they no longer manufacture capacitors only for the one we have, and now it needs a new control box.

The well technician came with his apprentice, and one stands at the well power source and one in our basement where the part they were checking was. Things are rolling along. I'm putting caramel rolls in the oven when I hear Hank. Hank is pretty sure every human is put on this Earth to either entertain him or give him scratches. Sitting idle is not an option. Hank grabs Romeo or Juliet, (yes the 2 dead raccoons got named, and no, I can't tell them apart) and starts carrying it to the poor apprentice. "No, dude. I don't want to play with your raccoon. Oh, don't bring it over here." Hank hauls it over to the horse shed and promptly starts barking at the kid over his lack of ambition to play. (If you've never owned a heeler, they judge everything you do. Not kindly, either. Like hurt your feelings and expect you to do it their way without complaining.) I open the door and call Hank because not everyone understands vocal dogs vs a dog that doesn't like you so I prefer to save people that question. Hank hits the house and starts deciding where Mr GCC is before a quick nap. He went back out when the work was done to say bye to them, and all is good.

Gotta love heelers.

Walking through the local farm supply and hardware store, the store manager calls over, "How are you guys today?"Not a s...
03/24/2026

Walking through the local farm supply and hardware store, the store manager calls over, "How are you guys today?"
Not a single one of us said anything. Which is odd for us but evidently we all assumed the other would speak up.
"That good huh?" 😆 🤣 😂
We all laughed together.

Because I've been asked that at least 4 times and not in a store, what's going on that isn't story worthy.
🐑 Sheep start spring lambing April 18th. The winter lambs need to be worked for castration day and the other routine things for weaning.
🐐 Goats start kidding April 26th.
🐄 Cows can start calving anyday. We are starting to look for new bulls. Probably 1 but maybe 2.
🪣 Our well is having fits so the well people are coming tomorrow and hopefully it's a capacitor otherwise we pull the well for a bigger fix. (Fun, fun🙄)
🌾 Oats and ground peas are hopefully getting planted this week.

It was Christmas week this past year when a padded envelope addressed to me from Ohio arrived. I opened one end and saw ...
03/24/2026

It was Christmas week this past year when a padded envelope addressed to me from Ohio arrived. I opened one end and saw it was a hard cover book put together by Ohio State University, Penn State University and the National Children's Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety as a thank you for the study I participated in about farm safety during the covid years. I was busy and placed it on the desk and occasionally saw it but honestly, hadn't opened it.

These past few weeks of teaching Gearing Up For Safety have been a roller coaster, of feeling like we are helping our rural community and a tiny part of failing at the same time. The first week the kids learned how to pack wounds, cpr, how to stop blood in an emergency in situations that were fun for them but also they will remember. After week 1, 2 kids were pulled from the class. "My kids don't need to know safety stuff. Just how to drive a tractor." Dumb struck would have to be the response I had. Seriously? Kids don't need to know safety on a farm? I expected a resounding response from the community of, "this is important."

The second week they had grain bin simulations, a local farm mom talk about her son's accident and recovery from a pto accident and fire safety with each kid learning how to operate and handle a fire extinguisher. Once again my own child came home talking about what he learned. And once again a kid dropped out. "If I had known my kid was learning safety I wouldn't have signed them up." I cannot express the lose for words to hear parents say those words. But what about...? But what if..? In a worst case scenario...? 😔

After feeling the weight of the world that envelope on my desk called my name again. I opened the package removed the ribbons and opened the book. The tears started to flow as I saw the pages featuring moms like me that had shared stories of daily life, heartbreak, of injured family members, and even lost children. Choices they wish they could change and ones that in hind sight had kept their loved ones safe. Moms that shared how some days they struggled because the job they were required to do seemed bigger than them. The days you make the safest choices possible and know that a part of the world wouldn't agree with you. About having safe spaces, boundaries, etc, and plans for the worst case scenario because that is Agriculture.

Sometimes moms hold the world on their shoulders and part of being a farm or ranch mom is knowing you can't control everything and you need to learn to live with fear that some days is crippling. But we can also prepare for some things and teach our children and youth how to be safe.

For the families that have lost loved ones to farm accidents, we teach this class. For the families that have their lives changed forever, we teach this class. For the kids wanting to follow in mom and dads foot steps, we teach this class. Because if we prevent one child or family from experiencing the pain of an accident it has been worth it.

That is why we teach Safety.

"Can you come help fix the feedbunk cable on the feedbunk?""Sure. How did you find it?""I was walking back to the barn w...
03/23/2026

"Can you come help fix the feedbunk cable on the feedbunk?"
"Sure. How did you find it?"
"I was walking back to the barn with metal for the manure spreader and all the sudden hear a thwack sound and out runs this red steer. He's up by the sheep." (Picture is not of said steer)
"Let's get him back in first then fix the cable. I'll send him down you turn him."
If you've ever moved, sorted or did anything cattle related, you know there is a 50/50 chance someone will raise their voice.
The steer comes running down the driveway I step out to block him he spins and heads another way, I block him again and he decides the first turn was the correct one. (It wasn't) I step in a rut, twisting my knee and almost biffing it in the driveway as the steer takes off before catching myself. Great.
"You go get him, I'll turn him."
I run down where he is, at the cow gate. He can't go in with the soon to be mommas. He keeps circling and does not care where I want him to go.
"Step out, I'll send Hank in. Hank, go get him!"
Hank, our red heeler, gets the game on, look and dives in. Nip and duck. Nip and duck. 3rd turn the steer decides maybe the direction I tried to turn him was better and Hank tails him back to the pen.

Feedbunk fixed and turn to put tools away and the fixed cable is already in use. 🤦‍♀️ Gotta love steers.

3 years ago my ewe Duchess gave birth for the last time. She had a healthy ewe lamb, Sundae, and then DOA fused twins. W...
03/23/2026

3 years ago my ewe Duchess gave birth for the last time. She had a healthy ewe lamb, Sundae, and then DOA fused twins. What I didn't know then but had a bad feeling about, it was the beginning of the end for Duchess.

Duchess wasn't cuddly. She would tolerate you and then rub her stubby horns on your arm to hurry the process along if catching was required. She was the steady Eddy. Never raised a fuss and was a fierce momma to her lambs. Rocky, the old dog, avoided her as she never hesitated to knock him on his butt if given the chance. Pretty impressive for a little deer legged ewe.

Younger me, she doesn't make it. Prepare your heart now. It will be rough. You will try all you can and she will fade.

Duchess, if you could see this, your daughter's are beautiful. Sundae recovered from a broken leg and will have her 2nd set of lambs this year. She is a farm favorite and did great as an orphan. Penelope, (her first lamb with us) had her 3rd lambs last year and she is a great momma like you. Daisy, your oldest raised triplets last year all on her own. Daisy's one lamb is named Snuggles and you would probably roll the grandma eyes at her. She thinks people are great and never hesitates to ask for attention. They all don't like the dogs and stomp at them just like you. Because of you Duchess we have Daisy, Sundae, Penelope, Stormy, Coco, Bean, Skittles, Mocha, Snuggles, Fluff, Milk House, Circle Butt and Star Butt. (You'll have to forgive the creativity on those last 2, they were supplemented bottles and the kids used chalk to give them shapes so they could tell them apart.)

I remember Duchess and while it still brings a tear to my eye, you have an impressive legacy here. Thank you.

Address

Shullsburg, WI
53586

Opening Hours

1pm - 5am

Telephone

+16084823291

Website

,

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Gleason Cattle Company & Meats posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Gleason Cattle Company & Meats:

Shortcuts

Share

Gleason Cattle Company

We strive to provide the best quality beef at affordable prices and build a legacy we can pass on to our children while working to sustainably and responsibly raise our crops and grow our cattle. Gleason Cattle Company offers freezer beef at reasonable prices.Every other month we offer custom processing of quarters, halves and whole beef animals. A quarter is typically 185 to 215 pounds of meat. Buying meat farm fresh saves you money while giving you a high quality product. When processing is added in the meat averages under $3.15 a pound! At Gleason Cattle Company we pride ourselves on top quality meat, year round. We work with many professionals on the forefront of the newest technology to improve our soils, increase our yields, promote animal health and comfort. Most importantly we are creating lasting memories with our family. Book your beef today! Chad and Katrina Gleason .