History
Rio Alto Ltd. is a privately owned Hungarian beef cattle breeding company in Somogy County, in southwest Hungary. The goal of the company is to assist farmers in Hungary and Eastern Europe to improve the quality and efficiency of beef production by introducing Canadian Red Angus genetics and Western Canadian technology.
The parent company was founded in Alberta, Canada in 1883, using the extensive grazing conditions of the region as a foundation. Frederick Ing established the Rio Alto company by purchasing 300 cattle from O.H. Smith. The Rio Alto Ranch, which followed the original, authentic North American farming methods from the beginning, was managed by the Ings family until 1918.
Rio Alto Billog
In 1918, the ranch was sold to Patrick Burns whose business sold processed and packaged beef. He acquired more and more slaughterhouses and beef cattle breeding companies, and his beef empire grew parallel with the expansion of the state railway network.
In 1950, C.W. Roenisch and Bill Arden acquired the company, and its name was formally changed to OH Ranch. Since those days, the people in charge have always followed the "ranch operation" principles and methods. In order to achieve higher yields, the company developed the efficient pasture management methodology in the 1950's. Accommodating the herds and cattle, avoiding violent and unnatural methods and diving the herd on horseback have been characteristic of farming here ever since. (pictures)
In 1987, the ranch was purchased by Daryl K. (Doc) Seaman, a businessman who continued the farming based on the traditional methods. His work and its results reflected the values that became part of everyday life: independence, hard work, cooperation, generosity, and friendship.
Doc Seaman
Doc established Rio Alto Ltd. in 1994, which started its operation in cooperation with the University of Kaposvár (then called Pannon University of Agriculture), in the cattle farm of the university. The “OH Ranch”, as a source of genetics had ca. 2000 red Angus cows - on 20500 Hectares of land - in Alberta, on the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains. Four purebred Canadian Red Angus bulls, three cows and a set of frozen embryos and sperm arrived from the elite stock of Rio Alto Inc. The elite "OH Ranch" donor cows were selected from the best and most valuable 5% of the Canadian stock. Concurrently, 78 Hungarian roan heifers were also included in the starting stock in order to begin breeding work.
In 1998, the dynamic growth of the stock made it necessary to add new lands to the company for farming, cultivation and management. An agreement signed with the Danube-Drava National Park guaranteed the long-term stable farming conditions for Rio Alto Ltd. As a result, a further gradual growth of the livestock became possible. Through deliberate and consistent breeding work, the Company was able to play an important role on the Hungarian livestock market of the Angus breed. At the same time, the Company achieved good export figures with the end products and breeding stock as well.
Meanwhile the company started the breeding of the black (“base”) color Aberdeen Angus. After the regrettable death of Doc, András Mihalecz bought the company in 2010. His goal was to operate an effective farm while retaining all values the previous owner created in Hungary.
