Sieben Live Stock Company

Introduction

Sieben Live Stock Company is a family-owned and managed ranch nestled where the high plains meet the mountains in north central Montana. Raising cattle and sheep, the Sieben family practices sound business strategies and stewardship to ensure the health of their lands, the prosperity of their people, and the profitability of their ranch.

A Family Business

The Sieben Live Stock Company was founded in 1868 by Henry Sieben near Helena, Montana. For five generations, the Hibbard Family, descendants of Henry Sieben's daughter, have managed the ranch with a strong commitment to stewarding and improving the land. Today, the ranch is run by Cooper Hibbard, guided by the Hibbard Family’s constitution that states, “We are stewards first, owners second.”

Challenges and Adaptation

The Sieben Live Stock Company faces many of the same challenges it did in the 1800s. High elevation, short growing seasons, limited access to water, and bitterly cold and long winters are just some of the obstacles. However, the Hibbard’s commitment to regenerative management has been a critical tool in developing a thriving and sustainable ranching business. They have travelled the world to learn about innovative ranching practices and have brought home the best ideas for their operation.

Regenerative Practices and its Benefits

In 2015, the Sieben Live Stock Company started practicing adaptive planned livestock grazing with 1-day grazing patterns. The aim was to increase the density and uniformity of livestock impact and extend field recovery times to promote healthy soil and diverse vegetation communities. The benefits of these regenerative practices have materialized quickly. Implementing planned adaptive grazing has had a big impact on the land and business. Forage production has increased by nearly 450 percent in some fields and wild populations of deer, antelope, birds, and elk have also seen significant increases.

Looking Ahead

The Sieben Live Stock Company is committed to finding, testing, and implementing the best practices it can to ensure the long-term health of their land, animals, and family business. Their openness to new ideas and careful monitoring are critical ingredients for growing an operation that will succeed for generations to come.