The 52nd annual Montana Angus Tour took place last week in southwest Montana, spotlighting some of the finest Angus programs in the state—and the nation. Known for its deep genetic roots, Montana drew visitors from 28 states and 4 countries, all eager to explore the high-quality Angus cattle bred in Big Sky Country.
Representing the Northern Ag Network, Colton Young and Amelia Siroky were on-site for the event. Colton caught up with Mark McCully, CEO of the American Angus Association, who shared his admiration for what Montana breeders have built.
“The breeders here in Montana should be incredibly proud,” McCully said. “They’ve organized a world-class tour that’s attracting people from around the globe to see this beautiful country, incredible Angus cattle, and the great people behind them.”
Montana has earned a national reputation in the cattle industry as it’s often referred to as the Seedstock Capital of the Angus Breed, with one in every five Angus bulls sold in the U.S. coming from Montana and neighboring Wyoming.
McCully emphasized the state’s significance:
“Montana is a powerhouse in Angus genetics. It leads the nation in registered cattle entered into the American Angus Association herd book each year,” he noted. “In today’s market, where feeder calf and cull cattle prices are strong, it creates a unique opportunity for commercial producers. Not only are they able to pocket some well-deserved profit, but many are reinvesting in superior genetics—and that ROI has maybe never been better.”
“If you think of what an additional 30 pounds at weaning can get you, not to mention the premiums on top of that for those cattle that are Angus-sired and can go on and grade well and do things on downstream,” McCully added.
Also attending the 2025 Montana Angus Tour was Paul Dykstra, Director of Supply Management and Analysis for Certified Angus Beef. A long-time supporter of the event, Dykstra has attended nearly 20 Montana tours over the years.
“Well this tour is a great one,” Dykstra said. “So many people represented here this year from several states and international as well. So the number one thing that it provides for is an opportunity to interact with Angus breeders and Angus enthusiasts across lots of regions.”
Dykstra also noted a strong sense of optimism at this year’s tour, fueled by several favorable market dynamics.
“Obviously, the first one that I always point out is the genetic progress that we’ve made, particularly in the last 20 years, as we’ve seen just an evolution, a revolution, if you will, in the nation’s carcass quality.”
“Obviously, the Angus breed for us is particularly impactful to that. But then you add on the fact that we’ve got extremely tight supplies of fed cattle. We’ve got very cheap corn. Those are advantageous to causing feed yards to be driven to add more days on feed in the feed yard, adding carcass weight, creating the tonnage for packers, and simply adding marbling just due to the extra days on feed. So we’ll continue for sure to see high quality grades.”
There’s something special about stepping onto a ranch that’s been in the same family for generations. The Montana Angus Tour offers just that—an inside look at operations where heritage, and family pride shape every decision. One of the most recognized names that needs no introduction in the state is Sitz Angus.
During the tour, owner Jim Sitz shared a bit about what keeps him motivated. “The big thing for us is giving our kids the opportunity we had,” he said. “It might not look exactly the same or happen at the same age, but my goal has always been to keep this ranch in our family for years to come.”
The 2025 Montana Angus Tour was a great success, celebrating the legacy and future of Angus genetics in the northern region. If you missed it, don’t worry—plans are already underway for next year’s tour.
Mark your calendars: The 2026 Montana Angus Tour will head to Havre along the Hi-Line from September 22–24, 2026.
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By Colton Young, Broadcaster – Northern Ag Network
