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From 1939 to 1986, the Gualtieri family owned and operated the Magnolia Dairy in Bothell, Washington. In 1986 the dairy herd was sold to the Federal Dairy Buyout Program. Until 2005 the farm remained in the care of the Gualtieri’s having been preserved for agricultural use under the covenant of the King County Farmland Preservation Program. In 2005 we purchased Magnolia Dairy for the purpose of breeding and raising Wagyu cattle.
Proponents of sustainable farming and committed to raising our cattle in a natural and healthy environment, we limit the number of animals we keep at any given time. This allows each animal ample space and lots of individual attention. We usually have a maximum of 25 - 30 cow and calf pairs, some replacement heifers, a few steers and one bull.
During the grass growing months we practice management intensive grazing, a method of rotational grazing that utilizes the pasture grasses completely. This practice leaves the land in better condition through even grazing and resting periods. The cattle are also healthier from consuming all the pasture grasses instead of picking and choosing their favorites. Since they’re moved to fresh pasture every few days they are not forced to graze over parasite infested ground. Every section of pasture has a chance to rest for nearly one month before being revisited by cattle. As the name implies, it is a management intensive method, but the payoff in health benefits to farmland and livestock make it well worth the effort. When the winter rains return we limit the cattle to one large pasture with shelter. They are fed on a diet of high quality timothy and alfalfa hay twice each day. The remaining pastures are then allowed to rest until the grass begins to grow again, usually beginning in March.