ABOUT THE RANCH

The O’Hare Ranch is located just south east of Johnstown, NE where the original ranch was homesteaded in 1883 by Kenneth O’Hare’s grandfather. As with many homesteads of the era, a variety of livestock was present at all times to make a living. Although the ranch primarily raised cattle, hogs, and chickens- the operation was held together through the depression by raising turkeys and milking cows. Through the years the ranching operation expanded to include row crop farming and a feedlot was built to feed yearlings. In the early 1980’s sons Corby and Doug joined the operation which was then consisted of a cow/calf herd, row crop farming, and feedlot.

While on a cattle buying trip in Montana in the early 1990’s Kenneth called home to relay the news that he had purchased heifers instead of steers – calling them a “better buy.” Seeing an opportunity in bred stock, they decided to breed them instead of feed them. With a cow herd back home in Nebraska, arrangements were made to pasture breed the heifers in Montana. The new venture was a success so the following year the cow herd was completely dispersed and the focus was now on heifer development and AI breeding. In recent years a new generation has entered the operation which is now run by Doug O’Hare and son Jeremy O’Hare.

For the past 30+ years O’Hare Ranch continually strives to deliver quality bred heifers. All of the heifers are purchased either through private treaty or regional sale barns. Located in the heart of the Sandhills we are fortunate to be surrounded by high quality, adaptable females that can shipped anywhere in the country. The development and breeding process has evolved through the years keeping pace with newer technology and genetics. Each heifer is given an EID button at processing and information is collected throughout the breeding process. Record keeping has always been vital in being able to deliver a consistent product year after year. Information entered includes origin, pelvic measurement, reproductive tract score, breeding dates, AI technician, and semen. The information enables us to continually make better purchasing decisions and improve the development process. Through the years changes to the breeding protocols and development process have been implemented and continue to evolve to better meet the needs of our customers. The O’Hare Ranch has been a part of numerous independent and university trials including the University of Nebraska, Phizer (Zoetis) and most recently Missouri University gaining insight to achieve better conception rates and more productive females. We want our customers to be confident they are purchasing quality, calving ease heifer backed by three decades of knowledge and experience in heifer development and AI breeding.