Attendees cite highlights: high-quality cattle, good conversations and plenty of beef.
Breeders from across the United States joined the 50th Annual Montana Angus Tour last week, viewing cattle from more than 20 different ranches centered around Billings, Mont.
“Every year it travels around, and different ranches get to put their cattle on display,” says Jena Lee Wagner, a Montana producer and key organizer of this year’s event. “It’s a once in a decade time that you get to have that many people walk through your cattle and see the genetics and see the amount of work, and see opportunity that they could also add to their herds.”
A total of 423 registrations came from 27 states, as well as Canada, Australia and South America, giving tour goers plenty of opportunity to catch up with old friends and meet new. They also spent time looking at pedigrees and seeing the cattle in person.
“Joe Goggins talked about we have to have cattle that, one, read well on paper, but also look good with our eyes,” Wagner says. “We have to actually like these cattle when we look out at them.”
Wagner would like to thank the following operations for the work they put into hosting the group:
Pine Coulee at Beartooth Ranch
Barragree Cattle Co.
JL Farms
H-C Cattle
Indreland Angus
Green Mountain Angus
Currant Creek
Frosty Creek Angus
West Wind Angus Ranch
A Bar Angus
Vermilion Ranch
Beartooth Angus
Heiken Angus
World West Sire Services
Midland Bull Test
Winding River Angus
McDonnell Angus
Hunt Creek Angus
Craft Angus
Basin Angus
Next year’s tour will be based at Lewistown, Mont., in mid-September.
To hear the entire interview with Wagner, follow this link or listen below.