Hello Donors!

Thanks to your generous support, we have 102 animals in this year’s program. The contest began February 4, 2026, at Yellowstone Cattle Feeders in Shepherd, where starting weights and TSUs were recorded to kick off the competition.

Donors should have already received an email with your tag number(s) and starting weight(s). If you did not receive that information, please reach out and we’ll make sure you have everything you need. You can find all starting weights organized by tag number below.

We also want to extend a sincere thank you to our donors and the leadership from the Montana Stockgrowers Association Board of Directors and the Montana Stockgrowers Foundation Board of Trustees who generously volunteered their time to help haul and deliver steers to Yellowstone Cattle Feeders. It’s a true team effort, and we’re grateful for your hands-on support.

Below you’ll find photos from the official start of the contest, including the weigh-in and TSU collection. We’re excited to share the kickoff with you and look forward to keeping you updated as the contest progresses. Thank you again for your commitment to the Cattle Drive Program and to the future of Montana ranching!

Questions? Please reach out to Rachael Green at rachael@mtbeef.org or (406) 442-3420.

Happy New Year!

The 2025 Cattle Drive Program is nearing its official kickoff as we have 99 steers already delivered to Yellowstone Cattle Feeders (YCF) as of this week.

Next, the crew at YCF will process, tag your donation steer, and take a weight to begin the competition. 

As we move into the new year, the Cattle Drive is once again providing exciting partnerships that should add even more anticipation as we continue this ever growing program. Neogen will be a partner again, offering DNA services for donated steers. Each steer will have a tissue sample taken from their ear and will then be sent off to the lab where they will be able to make early predictions and markers of how your steer will perform. 

Along with Neogen adding the genetic insight, we have partnered with our very own Leoma Donsbach from Data Genie LLC to add another facet in better understanding the DNA predictions and how you can tie it all back to your own herd. The Montana Stockgrowers Foundation (MSF) is extremely excited to have Leoma as a partner offering her skillset for our donors.

Lastly, we’re excited to share the  announcement of this year’s Grand Prize sponsored by MJE and Western Ranch Supply (WRS). Both MJE and WRS have been very generous with their support and MSF is fortunate to continue our partnership with them again this year. The Grand Prize is a portable loading chute package valued at $19,000. The prize will come with the portable loading chute, panels, two gates, and an alley frame. A prize any producer would gladly welcome on their ranch!

As we launch the 2025 Cattle Drive Program for the year, we will continue keeping you updated on your donation’s progress and other events that you can take advantage of through MSF and MSGA.

Questions? Contact MSF at foundation@mtbeef.org or (406) 442-3420.