North Range
Our Facility
The Department of Animal Sciences' North Range Cow Research Center is used for cattle nutrition and reproduction research studies. It is also used in cooperative studies with researchers in Veterinary Medicine and Entomology. It consists of two units; North and South Cow Research Ranges. Most of the acreage sits between Lake McMurtry and Lake Carl Blackwell, west of Stillwater, Oklahoma.
Our Purpose
The Range Cow Research Center is focused on providing applied research answers, timely extension educational programs and hands-on cow/calf management experiences for graduate and undergraduate students. Estimated service of the facility is 85% research and 15% extension.
The research program includes component projects as well as systems studies investigating beef cow nutrition, reproduction, genetics, carcass quality and associated interactions. Research capabilities include replicated pasture experiments, replicated pen studies including water intake, individual feed intake and feed efficiency measurement, individual beef cow supplementation and greenhouse gas measurement for individual animals.
North Cow Research Range
Our Facilities
The North Cow Research Range consists of approximately 2,800 acres (10% wooded) with 160 acres bermudagrass and the remaining in native rangeland.
Our Herd
The unit is the location of our beef cattle breeding research program. It supports approximately 200 fall-calving cows and 40 to 50 replacement heifers. Calves are weaned in June or early July and grazed for about 90 days on summer pasture at the unit prior to being shipped to a feed yard for finishing.
Our Research
Research at the Range Cow Research Center, North Range Unit focuses on improving forage utilization efficiency in beef cattle and understanding how genetics and management influence productivity, production costs, and environmental sustainability. In collaboration with the South Range Unit, a long-term systems study evaluates cattle sired by Angus bulls ranking in the top 10% or near the 50th percentile for yearling weight. The study includes fall-calving cows at North Range and spring-calving cows at South Range, with retained heifers bred within their respective sire growth categories to develop cow herds with divergent genetic potential for growth.
Researchers evaluate how these breeding strategies influence feed intake, mature cow size, maintenance requirements, reproductive performance, calf weaning weight, cow costs, and greenhouse gas emissions. Steer offspring are followed through finishing to assess growth, feed efficiency, carcass characteristics, and indicators of stress and heart health. Together, these efforts aim to identify breeding and management strategies that improve profitability and resource use across the beef production system.
Contact Us
Do you have questions about our facility? Please contact us to learn more.
North Range Herd Manager: Jay Edens
Asst. Herd Manager: Gregg Perdue
Facility Supervisor: David Lalman