Steer A Year opens donation period for 2024 25 academic year

BOZEMAN - Montana State University's Steer-A-Year program will return for the 2024-25 academic year and is seeking donations of young cattle and feed.

A program housed in the College of Agriculture's Department of Animal and Range Sciences, Steer-A-Year combines academic courses with hands-on experience and exposes students to the many aspects of raising cattle. Students spend the year feeding, caring for and managing steers through the winter and spring, collecting data on feed efficiency and weight gain, and studying livestock marketing.

"This unique program has been providing students with the opportunity to gain practical, real-life skills for 10 years now," said Hannah DelCurto-Wyffels, an associate teaching professor in the department and the Steer-A-Year adviser. "Offering these experiences in a guided, structured way makes the process more approachable, and watching students become more confident and knowledgeable is so rewarding. They are preparing themselves so well for future careers in the livestock industry."

Steer-A-Year accepts financial support or donations of steers, feed and other supplies. Donated steers are housed at the Bozeman Agriculture Research and Teaching Farm. At the end of the academic year, the cattle are sold to MSU Culinary Services, which serves the meat in both of MSU's award-winning dining halls, Miller and Rendezvous, helping to fulfill the university's commitment to using as many local ingredients as possible. During the 2023-24 academic year, Culinary Services purchased all 25 steers from the program.

Proceeds from sales support travel and other costs for student teams and clubs in the College of Agriculture. Steer-A-Year students also meet with commodity groups and industry professionals, allowing for additional networking and learning opportunities.

"The Steer-A-Year program is always a highlight for our student participants, and it allows us to benefit our agricultural community in a unique way," said Carl Yeoman, head of the Department of Animal and Range Sciences. "From hands-on training in feeding and managing steers to providing Montana beef for our campus and generating valuable information for our generous community donors, this is a truly constructive program from start to finish."

Annual awards are given to the producer who donated the best initial feeder steer, the steer with the top rate of gain, the steer with the best feed efficiency and the steer that produces the best carcass.

"This program has been so successful over the past decade because of the many relationships that foster it," said DelCurto-Wyffels. "Our students gain literacy in crucial elements of animal science while they engage with producers and industry members all over Montana. We hope the learning process is going both ways, and we're so grateful for the continued generosity that makes this all possible."

DelCurto-Wyffels said that calves should be weaned, castrated and dehorned before donation and should weigh approximately 500 to 800 pounds. The ideal pickup period for calves is the first two weeks of November. Those interested in donating steers or feed, providing financial support or learning more about the Steer-A-Year program can contact DelCurto-Wyffels at 406-994-3752 or [email protected].