Ruggles Angus, located near McCook, NE, entered the purebred business in 2015 when Jeff and Kelcy Ruggles purchased 500 head of registered cows from Mill Bar Angus, owned by Mick and Marlene Cox of Hayes Center, NE. Jeff and Kelcy had been long-time customers of Mill Bar Angus while they were developing their commercial herd, so it was only fitting for the couple to have the opportunity to buy Mill Bar’s complete set of registered Angus cows. “The chance to start a seedstock business with a complete set of cows wasn’t something that was going to come around more than once,” said Kelcy.
“The chance to start a seedstock business with a complete set of cows wasn’t something that was going to come around more than once,” -Kelcy Ruggles.
Jeff and Kelcy have always had a genuine love for agriculture, specifically the cattle industry. Jeff grew up on the family ranch and after graduation returned to the operation. Ever since then, he has been heavily involved with both cattle and farming. Kelcy grew up on a small farm near Imperial, NE where she was actively involved in FFA and 4-H. When Kelcy and Jeff met, Kelcy accepted a job at Nebraska Bull Service in McCook and worked there until the couple purchased their registered cowherd.
From left to right: Taylor, Glenn, Grant, Kelcy, Jeff, Tracy, Rick, Jim, Cassidy, Lori, Jake, Natalie, Kyler, Jennifer, Brandon, & Kasyn.
Jeff and Kelcy’s three kids, Glenn, Taylor, and Grant are an enormous part of Ruggles Angus. According to Kelcy, the benefits of raising her kids in an agricultural setting is huge. “With the kids being so involved in the operation, they have learned numerous life skills such as responsibility, grit, and perseverance,” explained Kelcy.
Agriculture, especially the cattle industry, isn’t for the faint of heart. Volatility in the industry is at an all-time high, but that doesn’t deter the Ruggles. “Volatility in agriculture has been constant, it’s what we’ve always known, dealt with, and enjoyed. We can look back at the work ethic and examples our parents and grandparents represented, and we want to instill the same characteristics in our children,” said Kelcy.
Ruggles Angus has become a lifestyle for Jeff and Kelcy and their kids. It’s a lifestyle that can be described as noble and rewarding.
Focusing on the commercial cattleman
The Ruggles cowherd is built on maternal, easy keeping traits with the commercial cattleman in mind. “With our background as commercial cattlemen, we focus on what works for them. We manage our purebred cows just like we manage our commercial cows,” said Jeff. The Ruggles expect their cows to get the job done, the cow must work for them as much as they work for the cow. Jeff recalls Mick Cox always saying, “you have to breed for the cow.”
“With our background as commercial cattlemen, we focus on what works for them. We manage our purebred cows just like we manage our commercial cows,” -Jeff Ruggles.
When it comes to bull selection, Jeff and Kelcy focus on moderate, powerful, thick animals. They also want their bulls to be deep-ribbed and structurally sound. The couple is well aware a person can buy Angus bulls just about anywhere. To set their operation apart from the rest, they strive to go above and beyond when it comes to customer service.
The Ruggles cowherd is built on maternal, easy keeping traits with the commercial cattleman in mind.
Ruggles Angus will be hosting their 7th annual production sale on Friday, January 27, 2023, at Tri-State Livestock in McCook, NE. Sale will begin at 1:00 PM CST with lunch being served beforehand. They will be selling 130 yearling and 18-month-old bulls, along with twenty-two registered replacement heifers. Additionally, 40 head of commercial bred heifers AI’ed to Ruggles Charisma coming from O’Dea Cattle will sell. If you can’t make the sale, be sure to tune in to DV Auction to view and bid online.