On May 31, 2024, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS) celebrated the 100-year anniversary of Fort Keogh Livestock and Range Research Laboratory in southeastern Montana and its past and present contributions to the livestock industry and scientific community.

For a century, ARS Fort Keogh Livestock and Range Research Laboratory, in partnership with Montana State University’s (MSU) Montana Agricultural Experiment Station, have been at the forefront of livestock, poultry, and swine performance and genetic enhancement through their innovative work on animal breeding and nutrition. Their work has helped producers improve agricultural production nationwide since 1924.

The development of a closed herd of purebred Hereford cattle named Line One is the product of 90 years of ARS’ collaborative work with MSU. This research project is one of the world’s oldest beef cattle selection experiments, and it has become a cornerstone for modern genetic evaluation of beef cattle.