By . Wil Longbottom . Last updated at 1:37 PM on 16th August 2011 . At first glance, it could be the perfect occupation for a Benedictine monk seeking the isolation to pray and lead a simple life. But the last cowboy monks in the U.S. are being forced to sell off their 1,900-acre farm in North Dakota because of a chronic lack of 'Wrangler Brothers'. Since 1893, Benedictine monks have kept cattle at Assumption Abbey, a Roman Catholic cloister in the hill country established near a then railway town. Rural idyll: Brother Gross has tended the Assumption Abbey herd for 51 years, but the number of monks has dwindled . One of around 40 Benedictine monasteries in the U.S., it originally raised pigs, chickens and dairy cows but switched to beef ranching when these became unprofitable. Now Brother Placid Gross, 76, who has tended the herd for more than half a century, is finally hanging up his spurs as he is unable to carry out the heavy manual labour to look after 318 cattle. Dying breed: Brother Placid Gross, 76, tends to the cattle at the Assumption Abbey Benedictine monastery ranch in Richardton, North Dakota. The farm is being sold off due to a lack of new recruits . St Benedict of Nursia laid down his rule in the 6th century and it is largely regarded as the basis for Western monasticism. Around the year 500, St Benedict became disillusioned with the immorality of Rome and left the city to live as a hermit in a cave near Subiaco. The Rule of Saint Benedict stipulates absolute obedience, forbids private possessions and has a 'three strikes and you're out' policy for monks leaving the abbey. It also forbids monks from striking each other and lay out rules on how much food they are allowed to eat. Celibacy is compulsory and it takes four years to become a St Benedictine monk. Many Benedictine monks, particularly in Belgium and the Netherlands, brew alcohol and wine as it is not forbidden under the rule. Even bringing in hired help to assist . with hay baling and fence repairs would be too expensive and against . the Rule of St Benedict, which requires that monks 'are true monks who . live by the labour of their hands'. Younger . recruits are becoming much less common too. The last U.S. monk to be . accepted at the Assumption Abbey was in 2002, and the 28 remaining in . residence have been unable to recruit more. In the autumn, the abbey will sell of its herd of 155 black angus cows, 155 calves and eight bulls. It will also rent out some of its alfalfa fields and pasture land to neighbours. Brother . Placid told the New York Times: 'It's so good to have the animals here, . to see cows when you look out the window or go for a walk. 'I'll miss it a lot. But I know that there comes a time in life when you have to retire.' The order dates back to St. Benedict, who in the sixth century set rules for monasteries where monks lived communally, sharing duties and spending their time in prayer or working. Once they have joined, monks are expected to spend the rest of their lives with the abbey. Every day, prayer services begin at 6.20am and 11.40am, Mass at 5pm and vespers at 7pm. The monks were normal clothes during the day, but habits for the evening services. They also enjoy watching baseball in the evenings, and get popcorn, beer and rented films on Saturday nights. Brother Placid joined the abbey at the age of 22 after working on his parents' farm. He began wrangling cows while riding bareback, but now uses an all-terrain vehicle to cover the vast ranch.
Benedictine Brother Placid, 76, has tended herd for 50 years .
1,900-acre North Dakota ranch was established in 1893 .
By . Wil Longbottom . Last updated at 1:37 PM on 16th August 2011 . At first glance, it could be the perfect occupation for a Benedictine monk seeking the isolation to pray and lead a simple life. But the last cowboy monks in the U.S. are being forced to sell off their 1,900-acre farm in North Dakota because of a chronic lack of 'Wrangler Brothers'. Since 1893, Benedictine monks have kept cattle at Assumption Abbey, a Roman Catholic cloister in the hill country established near a then railway town. Rural idyll: Brother Gross has tended the Assumption Abbey herd for 51 years, but the number of monks has dwindled . One of around 40 Benedictine monasteries in the U.S., it originally raised pigs, chickens and dairy cows but switched to beef ranching when these became unprofitable. Now Brother Placid Gross, 76, who has tended the herd for more than half a century, is finally hanging up his spurs as he is unable to carry out the heavy manual labour to look after 318 cattle. Dying breed: Brother Placid Gross, 76, tends to the cattle at the Assumption Abbey Benedictine monastery ranch in Richardton, North Dakota. The farm is being sold off due to a lack of new recruits . St Benedict of Nursia laid down his rule in the 6th century and it is largely regarded as the basis for Western monasticism. Around the year 500, St Benedict became disillusioned with the immorality of Rome and left the city to live as a hermit in a cave near Subiaco. The Rule of Saint Benedict stipulates absolute obedience, forbids private possessions and has a 'three strikes and you're out' policy for monks leaving the abbey. It also forbids monks from striking each other and lay out rules on how much food they are allowed to eat. Celibacy is compulsory and it takes four years to become a St Benedictine monk. Many Benedictine monks, particularly in Belgium and the Netherlands, brew alcohol and wine as it is not forbidden under the rule. Even bringing in hired help to assist . with hay baling and fence repairs would be too expensive and against . the Rule of St Benedict, which requires that monks 'are true monks who . live by the labour of their hands'. Younger . recruits are becoming much less common too. The last U.S. monk to be . accepted at the Assumption Abbey was in 2002, and the 28 remaining in . residence have been unable to recruit more. In the autumn, the abbey will sell of its herd of 155 black angus cows, 155 calves and eight bulls. It will also rent out some of its alfalfa fields and pasture land to neighbours. Brother . Placid told the New York Times: 'It's so good to have the animals here, . to see cows when you look out the window or go for a walk. 'I'll miss it a lot. But I know that there comes a time in life when you have to retire.' The order dates back to St. Benedict, who in the sixth century set rules for monasteries where monks lived communally, sharing duties and spending their time in prayer or working. Once they have joined, monks are expected to spend the rest of their lives with the abbey. Every day, prayer services begin at 6.20am and 11.40am, Mass at 5pm and vespers at 7pm. The monks were normal clothes during the day, but habits for the evening services. They also enjoy watching baseball in the evenings, and get popcorn, beer and rented films on Saturday nights. Brother Placid joined the abbey at the age of 22 after working on his parents' farm. He began wrangling cows while riding bareback, but now uses an all-terrain vehicle to cover the vast ranch.
'Wrangler Brothers'. Since 1893, Benedictine Brother Placid Gross, 76, who has tended the herd monastery ranch in Richardton, North Dakota. The