Cattle Drive Program
A Donation That Keeps on Growing
The Cattle Drive program, Montana’s largest steer feedout contest, allows ranchers and supporters to donate a steer or donate the market value of a steer. Donors can also partner with friends or neighbors to participate. This annual program allows your donation to gain in value to contribute an even larger impact in the future of the industry!
To donate, contact MSF at foundation@mtbeef.org or (406) 442-3420.
About the Cattle Drive
Each fall, the MSF Cattle Drive program seeks steer donations from ranchers and businesses across the state. Donated animals are transported to Yellowstone Cattle Feeders in Shepherd, Mont., where they are put into the program and fed to ideal market weight. When each steer is at optimum weight, MSF, through the Montanans Feeding Montanans Initiative, matches the donor’s steer with a restaurant or retailer in the region in which the steer had originated starts.
Become a Donor
Donation commitments can be made at any time throughout the year by contacting MSF at foundation@mtbeef.org or (406) 442-3420. Pick up will be coordinated beginning in mid October.
Donor Benefits
Steer Data
Donors receive individual ADG and carcass data back on all donated steers.
Branded Apparel
Donors receive custom branded apparel each donation year.
Donor Updates
Monthly updates on the progress of your steer.
Cash & Prizes
Donors have opportunities to win cash and prizes from contests.
Charitable Tax Deduction
The Montana Stockgrowers Foundation (MSF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
NEOGEN Partnership
MSF has partnered with NEOGEN to provide donors with more valuable information on their donated steers. Donors will receive information back from Igenity’s Feeder test, as well as results from BCHF testing.
Does Your Steer Stack Up?
Grand Prize
The steer placing highest in both the ADG contest and carcass value contest is recognized as the Champion Steer. The donor of the champion steer is awarded a grand prize at MSGA’s Annual Convention.
For the 2025 Cattle Drive Program, we’re excited to announce that we’re partnering again with Western Ranch Supply and MJE Livestock Equipment to award the overall winner of the 2025 Cattle Drive Program with a portable lading chute package, valued at over $19,000.
Average Daily Gain
Steers weights are taken as the steers are placed on contest and before harvest. Donors are provided with ADG information. The top three steers are recognized at MSGA’s Annual Convention.
Carcass Value
After harvest, each carcass is evaluated and graded. Carcasses are prices based on a grid formulated from USDA data the third week of June each year. The top three steers are recognized at MSGA’s Annual Convention.
Upping the Steaks
MSF Partners with Montana Breed Associations
MSF has partnered with Montana breed associations to provide incentives for the quality cattle genetics raised by Montana producers. Montana Angus, Hereford, Red Angus and Simmental associations have pledged a combined $20,000. In cooperation with the breed associations, parentage of the steer will be determined. If the steer is sired by a bull registered with one of the four participating breeds associations and places in the ADG and carcass value contest, the donor stands to receive a financial award.
Montanans Feeding Montana Initiative
Montana Stockgrowers Foundation Works to Connect Consumers and Ranchers Through Montana Food Service Industry
The Montana Stockgrowers Foundation (MSF) Cattle Drive program has set out to do something no other cattle organization in the state has done—match Montana born, raised, and fed cattle with local restaurants and retailers. The “Montanans Feeding Montana Initiative” seeks to connect the Montana food service industry to the high-quality beef raised by Montana ranchers.
“Montana Stockgrowers understand the importance and desire of customers to know where their food comes from. What we have strived to do is link some of the best producers in the world, that are right here in Montana, with Montana consumers. We have it all right here in Montana. We have the best ranchers in the world, we have feedyards, and we have a lot of feed coming off the Yellowstone Valley that is being fed. To link Montana consumers through Montana restaurants and retail is really a win-win for everyone.”
“I have always had a deep appreciation for where the food is coming from, what it’s eating, where it’s been, who’s handled it. To be able to come out to Yellowstone Cattle Feeders, from day one, and be able to see that and be hands-on in the process, it’s been an incredible experience. Anyone can go to the grocery store and pick up beef and take it home, put it on the grill and have dinner. But I want it to be more than dinner. I want it to be a meal. I want it to be a memory.”
Thank you to our purchasers
2024 Cattle Drive Awards
GRAND CHAMPION STEER
Determined by placement in both ADG and Carcass Value
- First Place – Jim and Lesley Robinson, Lazy YE Cattle Company of Dodson
- Second Place – Turk and Jenny Stovall, Stovall Ranches of Billings
- Third Place – 2023 M Bar Class Members, Rocky Forseth, Al Koenig, Stan Olson, and Cameron Wolenetz, with a steer purchased from Cornwell Ranch of Glasgow
- Fourth Place – Cody Cornwell and Jake Newton, Glasgow Stockyards of Glasgow with a steer purchased from Veseth Cattle Company of Malta
- Fifth Place – Jim Steinbeisser, Steinbeisser & Sons of Sidney
- Sixth Place – Don and Pam Griffin, Griffin Ranch of Miles City
- Seventh Place – Ty Jones, Jones Cattle Company of Miles City
- Eighth Place – Dusty Hahn, Hahn Ranch of Townsend
- Ninth Place – Lee and Madylon Cornwell, Cornwell Ranch of Glasgow
- Tenth Place – Montana Stockgrowers Board of Directors and Foundation Trustees members Cheryl Curry, Kirk Donsbach, Dean Lerum, Ty McDonald, and John Patterson with a steer purchased from Curry Cattle Company of Valier
AVERAGE DAILY GAIN
- First Place – Turk and Jenny Stovall, Stovall Ranches of Billings
- The Stovall Ranches steer was sired by a registered Angus bull through the American Angus Association and the Montana Angus Association supports this sired verified steer.
- Second Place – Jim and Lesley Robinson, Lazy YE Cattle Company of Dodson
- Third Place – Garrett and Donna Harshbarger, Waterloo Land & Cattle of Waterloo
- Waterloo Land & Cattle steer was sired by a registered Hereford bull through the Hereford Association. The Montana Hereford Association supports the sire verification of this baldy steer.
- Fourth Place – Lee and Madylon Cornwell, Cornwell Ranch of Glasgow
- Fifth Place – Cody Cornwell and Jake Newton, Glasgow Stockyards of Glasgow with a steer purchased from Veseth Cattle Company of Malta
- Sixth Place – Montana Stockgrowers Board of Directors and Foundation Trustees members Cheryl Curry, Kirk Donsbach, Dean Lerum, Ty McDonald, and John Patterson with a steer purchased from Curry Cattle Company of Valier
- Seventh Place – Don and Pam Griffin, Griffin Ranch of Miles City
- Eighth Place – Matt & Kris Pierson, Highland Livestock Company of Livingston
- Ninth Place – Jim Steinbeisser, Steinbeisser & Sons of Sidney
- Tenth Place – Keith and Christl Bales, Bales Ranch of Otter
CARCASS VALUE
- First Place – Gary and Tammy Heiken, Walking 5 Ranch of Lavina.
- The Walking 5 Ranch steer was sired by a registered Simmental bull through the Simmental Association and the Montana Simmental Association support this sired verified steer.
- Second Place – Jim and Lesley Robinson, Lazy YE Cattle Company of Dodson
- Third Place – 2023 M Bar Class Members, Rocky Forseth, Al Koenig, Stan Olson, and Cameron Wolenetz, with a steer purchased from Cornwell Ranch of Glasgow
- Fourth Place – Kyle Kelley, Paws Up Cattle Company of Greenough
- Fifth Place – John Grande, Grande Ranch of Lennep
- Sixth Place – Jim Butcher, Gateway Simmental of Lewistown
- Seventh Place – Turk and Jenny Stovall, Stovall Ranches of Billings
- Eighth Place – Tyrell McClain, Sunlight Ranch of Parkman, Wyoming
- Ninth Place – Wayne and Karalee Slaght, Two Creek Monture Ranch Company of Ovando
- Tenth Place – Joe Dooling, Cedar Creek Land & Livestock of Helena
2025 Cattle Drive Donors
2016 Leadership Class
21 Mile Creek Ranch
3C Cattle
52 Ranch
9-F Ranch
AgriBest
Al Koenig
Bales Ranch
Bill & Floydena
Billings Livestock
Bliss Livestock
Bobcat Angus
Boucher Ranch
Buggy Creek Livestock, LLLP
Cameron & Abbey Wolenetz
Castle Mountain
Checkerboard Cattle
Cherry Creek Ranch
Chokecherry Cattle
Coffee Cattle Co
Cooper Herefords
Corey Schultz
Cornwell Ranch
Crandell Brothers JV
Crescent Cross Ranch
Cross 4 Ranch
Cross W Livestock
David Schuett
DeVries Ranches
Donsbach Ranch
Down T Angus
Dynneson Ranch
Ehlke Herefords
Elmose Angus
Eric & Andy Moore
Ferguson Ltd., LLC
Forseth Livestock, LLC
Frenchman Valley Ranch
Garrison Ranch
Gateway Simmental
Gaugler Angus
Gideon & Celia Herbel
Glasgow Stockyards
Glennie Farm & Ranch
Gordon Cattle Co
Grande Ranch
Griffin Ranch
Hagenbarth Ranch
Hammond Cattle Co
Harding Land and Cattle
Highland Livestock
Hinman Angus
Hockett Farms
Hougen Ranch
IMI Global- Where food comes from
Iverson Ranch
IX Ranch
Jacobs Ranch
Jeff Johnson
Jim Peterson Ranch
Joe & Lacee Kovanda
Joe Dooling
John Patterson
Jones Brothers Livestock
Jones Cattle Co
Kat Taylor
Kellom Livestock
Kevin Elias
Lazy JD Cattle Co
Lee & Cam LaBree
Lee & Madylon Cornwell
Lesh Cattle Co
Little Belt Cattle Co
LO Cattle Co
Mark Cain
Marks Miller Post & Pole
Matador Ranch
Merck
Merrimac Cattle
Mike & Raylee Honeycutt
Mikkelson Ranch
MJ Jansen Livestock
Olsen Ranch
Open A Feeders
Open Range Resources, Inc
Ostendorf Red Angus
Paws Up
Phillips Creek Ranch
Powers Land Brokerage LLC
Prewitt & Co
Public Auction Yards
Quarter H Ranch
Rein Anchor Ranch
RJ Fitzgerald
Rolling Stone
Russell & Katelyn Larson
Sitz Angus Ranch
Steinbeisser & Sons
Stevenson Diamond Dot
Stovall Ranch
Sunlight Ranch
Sutherlin Farms
Tash Livestock
Taylor Ranch
Thoeny Angus Ranch
Thousand Hills Angus
Trent & Alexis Prevost
Two Creek Monture Ranch
Vermillion Ranch
Veseth Cattle Co
Vogel Land & Cattle Co
Voldseth Livestock
Walking 5 Ranch
Waterloo Land & Cattle
Western Ag Network
Wilson Ranch
Woody Creek Cattle & Grain
Thank You
Yellowstone Cattle Feeders
for managing the cattle in the program
Marc King
for his help with the carcass data