Our History

Upstream Ranch is owned and operated by Brent and Robin Meeks. Upstream Ranch is located 17 miles north of Taylor, NE on Hwy 183 in the midst of the Sandhills. The ranch was purchased in 1955 by Alfred and Mildred Meeks, and Ferrall and Gloria Meeks, Brent's grandparents and parents. The Meeks families had previously raised Hereford cattle in Logan, NM and then Dalhart, TX. Brent and Robin have 2 children, Marshall  and Carlee.

Upstream Herefords originated back in 1937 when Alfred bought some heifers from his father, JD Meeks. Now Upstream Ranch calves out 1,000 head of registered calves each year, with half calving in the spring, and half in the fall. We have a very intensive AI and ET program.

We have a production sale each year on the first Saturday in February with 325 head of polled and horned bulls and 50 females. Our main focus is the production of bulls for the commercial cattleman. Some of our buyers run a straight Hereford operation but most of our bulls will go into a crossbreeding program, primarily on black cows.

Roughly two-thirds of our bull crop will make the bull sale. They are rigidly culled for performance, soundness, fertility and disposition. The cow herd is also culled very aggressively for problem free production. Good feet, eyes and especially sound udders are essential.

Genetically, Upstream Ranch is trying to produce cattle with balanced trait selection. We are constantly striving for the proper balance of calving ease, growth, maternal, fertility and carcass traits. We also are strong advocates of using EPD'S and ultrasound, but we must remember, they are just another selection tool. We still like our cattle to look good phenotypically, be sound on their feet and legs, and docile in their temperament.