Jack Holden's grandfather, Les, purchased his first Line One bull for the ranch in 1947. Since then the cattle have been line bred and developed with emphasis on maintaining moderate birth weights while adding performance, milk, thickness, carcass strength, and predictability. Other considerations include phenotype, EPD's, pigment, soundness, and fertility. The Holden herd has been estimated to have an average in breeding co-efficient of about 25%. The benefits of this are the uniformity and predictability that these cattle will breed, and also the fact that heterosis from crossing a line bred Holden bull on an unrelated Hereford cow has been estimated to be equal to that of a cross between breeds (10-15%). When you use a Holden bred animal, you take advantage of generation upon generation of top quality genetics with balanced selection for the traits that will add $$$ to our customers pockets.
The ranch is located on the rolling plains of north central Montana 90 miles NW of Great Falls, MT and just off the east slopes of the Rocky Mountains. It is home to over 250 registered Hereford cows and 150 commercial cows that are used as recipients for the ET program. They run on over 3500 aces of deeded and leased ground and 800 acres are irrigated for hay production.
Visitors are always welcome and it is always a pleasure to have people stop by to see our ranch and cowherd.
Learn more about our ranch on The American Rancher
SEPTEMBER 19TH, 2024-at the ranch
SELLING
75 ELITE LINE ONE FEMALES
Bred Heifers, Donors, Young Bred Cows, and Open Fall Yearling Heifers
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Online Catalog
MARCH 10, 2025-at the ranch
SELLING
150 POWERFUL HEREFORD BULLS
40 ELITE LINE ONE FEMALES