It is important to note that while the state has large cattle 

 numbers, the Montana beef industry has for many years been recognized 

 for its leadership in producing superior quality animals. This 

 reputation for superior purebred breeding stock, choice type of feeder 

 cattle, and high quality commercial herds is not an unsupported claim 

 based on just having large numbers. The industry and its representative 

 agencies have always been and continue to be innovators in disease 

 eradication programs, performance indexing, artificial insemination, 

 and purebred herd development. 



Montana has the most stringent quarantine regulations and strongest 

 disease control authority in the United States. Livestock health officials, 

 with the support of the industry, initiated scabies control programs in 

 the early 1900 's, recognized and pursued brucellosis eradication, and 

 conducted control programs for bovine tuberculosis . TTiese programs and 

 others like them have provided Montana cattle with "scabies free", 

 "brucellosis free", "bovine tuberculosis free" designations and an 

 excellent overall health reputation. 



For nearly fifty years the Montana beef performance indexing 

 associations have tested the heritability of economic traits of beef 

 cattle. This program selects breeding stock which are genetically 

 superior in the feedlot and in carcass quality. Montana beef herds 

 now have a higher percentage of performance indexed individuals than 

 any state in the nation. It is natural that with the index information 

 on superior sires and the availability of such sires or their semen 

 artificial insemination is incorporated in herd improvement projects 

 to a greater degree than in most other areas. 



The "premium" of purebred seed stock beef cattle of the United 

 States are in Montana. In the last two years our breeders have been 

 the number one producer of quality purebred seed stock in the nation 

 and the world. In the past few years the National Steer Champion, the 

 National Champion Polled Hereford Bull, the National Champion Polled 

 Hereford Heifer and the National Champion Shorthorn Bull came from 

 Montana. People from all over the United States and the world have 

 come to recognize Montana for premium Charolois, Angus, Hereford, 

 Polled Hereford, Shorthorn, Simmental, Maine Anjou, and Limousin cattle. 



Over 500 Angiis breeders, 250 Polled Hereford breeders, 9 2 Shorthorn 

 breeders, 185 Charolois breeders, and 562 Horned Hereford breeders, 

 registered over 47,000 calves in 1973. In addition to these breeds 

 the following exotic breeds have been added to provide the buyer an 

 expanded selection; Murray Grey, Chianina, Simmental, Maine Anjou, 

 Limousin, Tarentaise, and Blonde d' Aquitaine. This level of production 

 provides the buyer tremendous opportunity for selection. 



