Range Cow Research Center
Our Facility
Our Purpose
North Cow Research Range
Our Facilities
The North Cow Research Range consists of approximately 2,800 acres (10% wooded) with 160 acres bermudagrass and the remaining in native rangeland.
There are two working facilities with scales in the area. The headquarters area is located along Highway 86 and includes an individual feeding barn equipped with 32 individual feeding stanchions, a barn used for hay and feed commodity storage, a small office and eight replicated pens equipped with individual feed intake units.
Our Herd
The unit is the location of our beef cattle breeding research program. It supports approximately 200 fall-calving cows and 40 to 50 replacement heifers. Calves are weaned in June or early July and grazed for about 90 days on summer pasture at the unit prior to being shipped to a feed yard for finishing.
Herd Manager
Have questions? Contact the herd managers for the North Cow Research Range.
Herd Managers: Jay Edens and Dale Schadel
South Cow Research Range
Our Land
The South Cow Research Range consists of approximately 1,800 acres of native range (15% wooded) and 85 acres of bermudagrass. This unit is equipped with one individual feeding barn with 32 stanchions, a processing/equipment storage building that also serves as the office, and two animal handling facilities.
Pastures are in four main tracts: 640 acres, About 600 acres north of the lake, 380 acres in a single pasture and additional land with the “headquarters” area.
Our Herd
This unit supports approximately 175 commercial, spring-calving beef cows and 40 replacement heifers. All calves are weaned at the unit and preconditioned/grazed for 45 to 60 days. After weaning and preconditioning, steers are either shipped directly to a feed yard for finishing or grazed from December through April on leased wheat pasture prior to entering the feed yard.
Cattle inventories of research leaders are combined and selected for projects according to most appropriate breed, age, weight, condition, etc.
Herd Manager
Have questions? Contact the herd manager for the South Cow Research Range.
Herd Manager: Mike Major
- Highway 86 Area
The Highway 86 area has an individual feeding barn identical to those at the headquarters, covered cattle scales and working facilities and limited, but adequate, permanent cattle sorting facilities. The 380-acre pasture located just west of this area is used only for temporary grazing of cattle. Section 32 has one permanent holding pen for small groups of cattle.
Weighing is conducted with portable scales and corral equipment. This area is used primarily for less intensive studies because of its lack of facilities.
Contact Us
Do you have questions about our facility? Please contact us to learn more.
North Range Herd Managers: Jay Edens and Dale Schadel
South Range Herd Manager: Mike Major
Facility Supervisor: David Lalman