The dream of Pampero Longhorn Ranch goes back 10 years when Jim spent two years living in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Beef is such an integral part of the Argentine culture that he ate beef every day while there. Over time he developed a love for great beef and a palette that could discern between average and excellent beef.
Upon returning to the United States he was incredibly disappointed in the taste and quality of the average beef. After researching the difference, he learned that the average "USDA Prime Choice" comes from feedlot cattle that are confined to overcrowded holding pens and given a diet of predominately antibiotics, growth hormones and corn. Argentine beef is free-range grass-fed and finished cattle, whereas the American beef process focuses only on quick profits with little concern for the quality of beef or the quality of life of the cows.
In order to bring the quality of beef found in Argentine cattle to the U.S. we decided to start raising our own free-range and grass-fed cattle. The idea to raise Texas Longhorns started after a family reunion in Texas. There, we saw our first Texas Longhorn and were surprised by their variety in color and their majestic horns. After learning that the Longhorn has such a gentle disposition and is highly adaptable we decided they would be perfect for California.
The word Pampero is an Argentine word for a strong wind that blows across the pampas grasslands of Argentina, Uruguay, and Southern Brazil. We chose Pampero for our name because in Argentina this word is associated with tradition and the Argentine cowboy, the Gaucho. We feel that this tradition continues in the Texas Longhorn as it is considered by many an American icon that symbolizes the cowboy and the old west, especially in Texas.