The RanchStar Program
The RanchStar is a composite (3-way cross) breed of cattle developed at Harding Land & Cattle Company
(HLCC) that is comprised of 50% Red Angus, 25% Charolais, and 25% Tarentaise. The name “RanchStar” was created from the names
of those three breeds—i.e. Red Angus (Ran), Charolais (Chs), and Tarentaise (Tar). These cattle derive their foundation from
nearly 20 years of fundamental research and testing at Fort Keogh Livestock and Range Research Laboratory, located near Miles City,
MT. In 1989, HLCC acquired some of these composite animals from Fort Keogh’s sale of surplus research stock. After nearly two
decades of further selection on the HLCC Ranch, the RanchStar represents a significant step forward in beef cattle production. To find out more about how this program began, please read “How It All Started”.
Today, the Harding Ranch has a herd of
around 280 RanchStar cows. These cows are bred to RanchStar bulls each summer in order to continue the composite breed. HLCC also consists of a commercial cowherd of around 750 cows, which are bred to RanchStar bulls as well. The calves from the
commercial cows are sent to the Harding feedlot near Terry to be backgrounded and then to a feedlot in Nebraska to be finished.
HLCC still works closely with Fort Keogh in continuing this breeding program. Geneticists at the Fort Keogh Research Laboratory
help create inbreeding coefficients each summer before breeding season so that HLCC can mate certain bulls and cows that have no risk
of inbreeding. The RanchStar herd consists of eight different families, each of which originated with one sire. These
families are maintained in order to maximize the breeding potential between different animals and eliminate inbreeding.
When breeding
season arrives, the RanchStar cows are split into eight different breeding groups based on the inbreeding coefficients. Each
group contains a single sire RanchStar bull. These groups are put in separate pastures for the duration of the 45-day
breeding season.
The hide color of RanchStar cattle can cover a wide range of tan, red, white, and even black (though fairly unusual).
Right: This photo shows a good representation of the color variety in the RanchStar herd. In this scene, the herd was
being gathered in mid-June and moved home for sorting and the breeding season.
Left: The RanchStar pairs are being sorted
in this photo. Sorting is performed horseback, and the breeding groups and the various cow numbers, which have been assembled
beforehand, are printed on pieces of paper and carried by those who are working the gates.
