Cattle in new Colorado community Sterling Ranch protects residents from wildfires, preserve land

A small calf grazing in a pasture is just one of Sterling Ranch's newest 179 residents.

They're both a mascot for the community and serve an important role.

"Cattle and wildlife and living with nature are just part of the experience of Sterling Ranch," said Harold Smethills, founder and owner of Sterling Ranch.

The master-planned community already has nearly 7,000 residents. And its near-3,500 acres are currently only 18% built out.

"We'll be building for the next 20 years," said Smethills.

But as development continues, about two square miles of open space are being preserved and used for cattle to roam.

"Hundreds of years ago, buffalo came through here and their hooves aerated the soil, fertilized the land and grazed it so it would grow. Well, we don't have buffalo anymore; we have cattle, and they do that exact thing," said Smethills.

By grazing the grass, the cows remove fuel and reduce fire risk.

"It makes it a much safer, better community and a community that lives with the land," said Smethills.

It's part of Sterling Ranch's prairie management plan to keep the land vibrant and a habitat for wildlife. Elk, deer, foxes, birds and the occasional bear also frequent the area.

"I need the grass as bad as they need the cattle to keep the fire mitigation down, and it's a perfect partnership," said local rancher Matt Clough.

Clough and his daughters own the cattle and lease the land from Sterling Ranch.

This year, 180 mother cows gave birth to almost as many calves.

"They were born within the last 60 days," said Clough.

The small cows are healthy and growing thanks to a wet spring. Soon they'll be branded and brought to summer pastures.

Sterling Ranch residents get along well with their new neighbors. The community even adopted a calf last year and named it "Milkshake."

"Having the cattle in our backyard is something that's neat for me to be able to share with my kids," said Sam Johnson, a Sterling Ranch resident.

"I think they're really cool. It's like a home animal, but it's not in your house living," Johnson's 9-year-old daughter Kathryn said.

It's emblematic of suburbia coexisting with pastures as the cows preserve the land for future generations.

In the next three weeks, the cattle will go to Highlands Ranch, but come October, they'll return to Sterling Ranch with a cattle drive right through the streets of the community.