How Ranch Hero works
The highland cattle market is full of people who've been burned — by fake listings, misrepresented animals, payment scams, and disappearing sellers. Ranch Hero was built specifically to eliminate all of that.
The problem we're solving
Mini highland cows sell for $1,500–$8,000. Most transactions happen over Facebook, text message, and Venmo — with zero verification on either side. Sellers fake registration papers. Buyers send deposits and never hear back. Animals arrive sick, undersized, or not the animal in the photos. Ranch Hero is the infrastructure that makes this market trustworthy.
Buying with confidence
Six steps that protect you from the moment you start browsing to the day your animal arrives.
Browse verified listings
Every animal on Ranch Hero has been listed by a vetted seller. Filter by sex, color, price, location, and documentation. What you see is what exists.
Check the Trust Score
Every seller has a Trust Score (0–100) showing exactly how they were verified. Click it to see a full breakdown: identity, farm, documents, listing quality, and reviews.
Review the documentation
Registration papers, vet health certificates, and DNA tests are flagged on every listing. Never buy an animal without knowing which documents are on file.
Inquire through Ranch Hero
All messages go through our platform — not personal cell numbers or Facebook DMs. This creates an auditable trail. If anything goes wrong, we have the record.
Arrange vetted transport
Don't use a random hauler from Craigslist. Our transport partners are background-checked, insured, and send GPS updates + photo proof of delivery.
Leave a review
Your verified review helps future buyers. It also affects the seller's Trust Score — so honest feedback has real consequences here.
Sell to buyers who trust you
Verification is a feature, not a burden. Buyers pay more and move faster when they know exactly who they're dealing with.
Apply to list
Submit your application with your name, ranch name, location, and a reference from a past buyer. Takes about 10 minutes.
Identity & farm verification
We verify your government ID and confirm your farm address via a short video call or satellite farm review. No anonymous sellers — period.
Upload your documentation
For each animal: registration papers, vet health cert, and any DNA records. We flag what's present so buyers know exactly what they're getting.
Receive your Trust Score
Once verified, you get a Trust Score and badge. It starts high and grows with reviews. Your score is prominently displayed on every listing.
Trust Score
One number tells you everything about a seller.
Our Trust Score combines identity verification, farm verification, document completeness, listing quality, and verified buyer reviews into a single 0–100 score. It's not a badge you buy — it's earned through every check we run and every transaction completed.
See how scores are calculatedCommon questions
Is Ranch Hero just for mini highlands?
For now, yes — we're focused on miniature Scottish Highland cattle in Texas. Starting focused lets us do the verification work properly. We may expand to other breeds in the future.
How long does seller verification take?
Typically 2–5 business days. Identity verification is automated. Farm verification involves a short video call which we try to schedule within 48 hours of your application.
What if I receive an animal that's not as described?
File a dispute through Ranch Hero within 72 hours of delivery. We have the listing, the conversation record, and the transport log. Misrepresentation is taken seriously and can result in permanent removal from the platform.
Do you take a cut of the sale?
Currently no — Ranch Hero is free for both buyers and sellers during our launch phase. We plan to introduce a small platform fee when we add transaction processing (escrow, deposits).
Can I sell animals if I'm not in Texas?
Not yet. We're building trust in one market first. Texas is a huge highland cattle hub and getting verification right here before expanding is the responsible approach.
What makes transport 'vetted'?
Our transport partners have submitted valid USDOT numbers, proof of livestock insurance, and pass a background check. They also agree to our GPS tracking and photo-proof-of-delivery requirements.