Caldwell Cattle & Equipment builds innovation from the ground up

What started as a shared passion for livestock and craftsmanship has grown into a business improving how ranchers handle their herds. Matt and Dawn Caldwell of Caldwell Cattle & Equipment turned a simple idea on their Nebraska ranch into a practical tool now used across the country.
After high school, Matt attended technical school and welded for various manufacturers before contracting his skills locally. Dawn earned her animal science degree at the University of Nebraska- Lincoln, and after they married, the couple started their own cattle herd.
“My granddad had a small farm with a few crops and some cattle,” Matt said. “I guess that’s where I learned to appreciate livestock.”
With the help of Dawn’s parents, the couple worked full-time jobs while building their business.
This led to the idea of designing a calf carrier for the back of a four-wheeler to make pairing cows and calves easier.
“The South Central Cattlemen’s Association Valentine’s banquet does a benefit auction each year that goes to beef for schools, wildfire relief and things like that,” Matt said. “I said, ‘Hey, I’ll make a calf carrier for it.'”
After hearing about the auction item, a local Simmental breeder asked Matt if he could add a scale to the calf carrier.
“I said, ‘All right, I’ll see what I can do,'” Matt explained. “I did a lot of looking around and went to the NCBA (National Cattlemen’s Beef Association) trade show hoping to find an idea, but I left there totally blank. On the plane, I got to thinking about the receiver hitch and boom they use to lift and clean a deer, and I tied that into the calf carrier my in-laws and I had been working on.”
That brainstorming led to the creation of the Scale ‘n’ Trail, a product designed to make handling newborn calves easier and safer while providing accurate weights.
After working with the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center, the design changed from a nylon sling to a metal one. Matt also modified it into two pieces for easier shipping.
“It’s all low stress, and it seems to work quite well,” Matt said. “There’s a calming effect about having that mom right there nose-to-nose with the calf while you’re working it.”
Matt and Dawn see this cattle management tool as a game changer for their operation and for older producers across the country who may struggle to tag and weigh calves safely on their own.
“A lot of guys who tag while the calf is on the ground, as soon as the tag goes in the alarms go off for the mom,” Matt said. “But once you get the calf in the air, you’re in an upright position. There’s safety all around with that.”

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Ranchers across the country have adopted the Scale ‘n’ Trail for their own operations.
“I get the most beautiful pictures from different parts of the United States of guys using them,” Matt said. “Just the backgrounds with the Scale ‘n’ Trail in use.”
Beyond the United States, the Caldwells have sold their product in Canada and have received interest from the United Kingdom, Germany and Australia.
While Matt handles design and manufacturing, he credits the company’s marketing success to Dawn.
“She felt the passion I had once I got this designed and working,” Matt said. “We started marketing them locally, but she came home one day and said, ‘You know, we should probably do some video of this.'”
That decision sparked a wave of social media outreach. Videos showcasing the Scale ‘n’ Trail spread across Facebook, TikTok and other platforms, leading to a major boost in online sales.
“I get a lot of people who just call and order online, but the ones who call and ask a few questions first, I always enjoy that,” Matt said. “We’re all ranchers first, so it’s fun to visit about their operations and genetics.”
Matt’s background in both ranching and manufacturing gives him a “keep it simple” mindset that guides his designs.
“Don’t overcomplicate something, just go back and keep it simple,” Matt said. “That’s what you want when you’re out there doing something on the ranch.”
From a small Nebraska workshop to ranches across the world, the Caldwells have built more than a product, they’ve built a way to make ranching safer, simpler and more efficient. Their story is a reminder that innovation often starts at home, with hard work, determination and a deep respect for the land and livestock that inspire it.