Each fall, Missouri State University’s Journagan Ranch hosts Missouri’s most distinguished Hereford cattle sale.  

This year’s event took place at the Darr Agricultural Center on Oct. 4. It achieved a record-breaking total of $650,000, becoming the most successful sale in the ranch’s history.  

“This year marked our 34th anniversary sale, a major milestone for us. The market was strong, which helped increase the value of sales and enabled us to exceed last year’s results,” said Garrett Kirk, the center’s farm operations manager. 

A legacy rooted in generosity 

In 2010, Leo Journagan and his family donated the Journagan Ranch to Missouri State to support agricultural research, education and hands-on student learning.  

The 3,300-acre ranch, which came with purebred Hereford cattle, maintains a herd of between 600 to 900 on average depending on the season. The herd consists mainly of registered Herefords with a smaller group of commercial cattle. 

A look behind the scenes  

Preparing for the sale began with the selective breeding of the cows. The ranch selects herd traits using the dam and sire’s phenotype, genetic profile and expected progeny differences, which predict a parent’s genetic contribution to its offspring.  

“One of our greatest strengths is that we’ve adapted our cattle to suit our environment. Each generation is carefully developed, building on the strengths of the previous herd and improving over time,” said Marty Lueck, ranch manager.  

This philosophy guides more than just herd development — it also shapes how Marty presents the cattle to potential buyers. Every July, he creates marketing and advertising materials for the upcoming sale. This involves coordinating with photographers and videographers to take pictures and videos of the cattle. He then reviews the photos, writes footnotes, assembles them into a catalog and ensures it is printed. 

As the sale approaches, attention turns from marketing to logistics. The animals are transported to the Darr Agricultural Center three weeks before the sale each year.    

“During this period, we focus on improving the cattle’s body condition. This involves providing accurate feed rations for steady weight gain and ensuring they look their best for potential buyers,” Kirk said. 

While a strong cattle market played a significant role, the sale’s success this year is a testament to the team’s hard work.   

Collaboration and learning in action 

“The team at Journagan and the Darr Ag Center have a strong sense of cohesion and at this time of the year, everyone works together to make our biggest event at the center happen,” Kirk said. 

Agriculture students also play an active role in the sale, helping staff feed and prepare the animals, and create marketing materials. 

“The biggest benefit for student workers involved in the process is learning the conditions needed to produce a quality cow that buyers desire and how to market it,” Kirk said. 

For Chance Harber, a sophomore animal science major, participating in the sale was a great experience.  

“I was able to learn more about production sales and build new connections,” he said.  

A community tradition 

Beyond the economic impact, the annual sale strengthens the university’s ties to the agricultural community. Since its first sale in 1985, the Journagan Ranch sale has become the longest-running Hereford cattle sale in the state of Missouri by a breeder.     

“We’re leaders in the Hereford breed in Missouri,” Lueck said. “Our cattle are time tested and have a reputation of working in the Missouri environment and for our clients.” 

Looking ahead, the team hopes to continue improving the herd, build on this year’s record-setting success and expand opportunities for student involvement.  

Learn more about ranch management