Silver Spur Ranch Divisions
Division Stories
In 1879 Albert H. Huston homesteaded what is now know as the Silver Spur Ranch in Encampment, Wyoming. It is located in the North Platte Valley, surrounded by the Rocky Mountain and Sierra Madre Mountain Ranges. During the summer months cattle graze on forest and mountain allotments, meadows or native sage brush country. Winter months bring the cattle closer to home in preparation for calving. The Encampment ranch divisions include; Headquarters, Cow Creek, Hanging Bull, Elk Hollow, Bar M, VX, Mill Iron and Cedar Creek and the Basin.
Each division has its own story of those who came before and homesteaded what is the modern day Silver Spur.
Platte River Valley Ranches in Wyoming
Wyoming
Our Walden Division is in the Northpark Region of Colorado and includes Diamond J, Dunaway, Blevins, 3 Rivers, Lone Pine, Platte, Hill Ranch, and Big Horn. This area is high altitude and sage brush country. In this herd, we challenge the genetics from our seedstock herds and learn which lineages will survive and create the most profitable opportunities in the cow herd, in the feedyard and on the rail. We care for 10-15,000 of customer cattle from April-September.
Northpark/Walden Region
The Kiowa Division of Silver Spur Ranches is spread throughout Elbert, El Paso and Douglas counties in central front range of Colorado. This division is the seedstock provider of Angus, Red Angus, Charolais and RangeFire genetics for the commercial cow-calf divisions in New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming and Nebraska. Kiowa Division retains home raised replacement females and bulls for the registered and commercial operations, prioritizing sustainability over short-term trends. The core breeding philosophy emphasizes low-maintenance, thrifty, maternal cows that wean high-performance calves. These genetics must thrive on grass, gain efficiently in the feedlot and perform on the rail.
The Silver Spur cow herd at large must function in a number of diverse environments. The Desert Southwest in New Mexico, the high elevation and harsh winters of the High Dessert of North Park Colorado and the Encampment Valley of southern Wyoming as well as the highly productive Sand Hills of Nebraska are where this cow herd makes a living.
Kiowa Creek
Division Stories
The iconic Bell Ranch was purchased in 2010, adding an additional 290,100 acres to the Silver Spur. The Bell Ranch was first granted as a Mexican Land Grant to Pablo Montoya in 1824. At the time it was almost 646,000 acres of vast, colorful and productive grassland located in the desirable northeastern quadrant of New Mexico. The Montoya Grant was confirmed by a special Act of the United States Congress in 1869, and the renowned single-iron brand was recorded in 1875.
The ranch has supported herds of cattle for 188 years, but was sold into six large tracts of land in 1949. By the mid 1970’s Bill Lane had reassembled 44% of the original grant to its current size of 290,100 acres. The Bell Ranch Headquarters is listed on the New Mexico State Register of Cultural Properties and National Register of Historic Places. The Bell is home to the Silver Spur horse breeding program and boasts the largest Remuda of all the Ranches.
The Bell Ranch Division
Division Stories
In 1999 the Silver Spur purchased one of New Mexico’s most historic ranches, the TO. Located near Raton the ranch was founded in 1864 by Antoine “Tony” J. Meloche. The original home is still standing and is currently the TO Ranch’s office. In its early history, the TO was home to one of the country’s most famous Hereford herds.
The TO Division
In 1999 the Silver Spur purchased one of New Mexico's most historic ranches, the TO.
Silver Spur Farms, located in Paxton and Wallace, adds farming to the operation, supporting the sustainability of the feedlot and stocker segments. They grow corn silage, sorghum, alfalfa, and grass hay to feed both feedlot cattle and supplement pasture-raised cattle.
Silver Spur Farms
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Silver Spur Feeders, a division of Silver Spur, manages over 5,000 acres in Minatare, Nebraska. Focused on pasture-based cattle raising, their extensive pasture and farm system helps to limit confinement time for cattle. Their irrigated pastures allow for extended grass diets for weaned calves and yearlings, and are ideal for heifer development.
Silver Spur Feeders
