Artificial insemination
For decades, the abbey maintained a [[dairy]] operation, but that effort was abandoned in 1964 with an open auction of the dairy cattle. Beginning in 1999, the abbey decided to make another attempt and began raising a registered herd of black [[Angus cattle]], starting with cattle donations from local ranchers. The quality of the herd is carefully controlled with a program of [[Artificial insemination#Artificial insemination in livestock and pets|artificial insemination]]. In 2001, the cattle operation became one of the first to begin a program of [[ultrasound]] of pregnant cattle, which enabled close monitoring of the breeding program. Bulls were quickly sold. The program reached a milestone in January 2005, with its first sale of registered Angus cattle, which brought an average price of more than $5500 per animal. In 2018, the cattle operation was leased to a local farm family, but continues on the property.