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Built by Ranchers: The MSU Angus Herd
October 1, 2025
During the 52nd Montana Angus Tour, one of the most meaningful stops was at Montana State University’s Red Bluff Research Ranch. There, tour attendees had the chance to see the MSU Angus herd, a program born directly from the support of Montana Angus ranchers.
Dr. Tim DelCurto, Professor and Department Head of MSU’s Department of Animal & Range Sciences, explained how the program was created less than a decade ago thanks to a strong partnership with the Montana Angus Association.
Watch the full conversation with Dr. Tim DelCurto and Lane Nordlund here:
“Within the first few months of my time at MSU, Montana Angus leaders came to me with the idea of establishing a purebred Angus herd at the university,” DelCurto recalled. “At first, I was reluctant — but they reminded me that Montana is the number one seedstock producing state in the nation and a leader in exporting genetics worldwide. We needed to reflect that reality at MSU.”
That vision quickly took shape. Angus seedstock producers across the state donated heifers, embryos, and in-kind support valued at nearly half a million dollars, making the MSU Angus herd possible. Today, those genetics continue to thrive in the rugged environment of the 10,000-acre Red Bluff Ranch.
Not only has the program created a living classroom for students — giving them hands-on experience with elite Angus cattle — it has also opened doors for research partnerships, including studies with the American Angus Association and Montana Angus producers.
“It’s been a win-win,” DelCurto said. “Students work with some of the best cattle in the world, and the industry stays directly connected to the university.”
The Red Bluff environment, with its rough terrain and low-input grazing system, provides a proving ground for Montana genetics. Cows graze nearly year-round, and only the cattle that thrive in those conditions remain in the herd. Today, the herd is about 50% registered Angus, with plans to transition to 100% registered in the coming years.
Beyond education and research, the herd is also entering the marketplace. Bulls are selected for the Treasure State Bull Test, with long-term plans for a seedstock production sale hosted on the MSU campus.
As DelCurto put it, the success of the herd all goes back to the generosity and vision of Montana Angus ranchers:
“It was great seeing donors return on the tour, looking at the heifers they gave us years ago — still working in the herd. That’s an investment in the future of the breed, and it shows through.”
