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Within a group of phenotypically homogeneous cattle, there may be genotypically driven individual variation that can influence daily movement patterns of cows. This suggests that individual animal selection is a potential strategy to improve grazing distribution in complex rangelands. In North America, there have been industry trends for larger and black-hided beef cattle yet there is limited information about how sized and colour influence movement rates and habitat selection. Annual production stages may further influence cattle movement due to time-varying nutritional and physical demands on reproductive females. To better understand beef cattle movement ecology, we placed GPS collars on multiparous Angus beef cows at the Padlock Ranch in Montana and Wyoming, USA to understand how daily distance travelled and habitat selection differed among age classes, body size s, hide colour, production stage, and temperature. Daily travel distance was shortest during the mid-gestation stage, and greatest during breeding. We found interaction s between temperature and both hide colour and production stage. Re d cattle mov ed more during colder temperatures and cows mov ed more during late-gestation, lactation, breeding stages as temperature increased. Larger cattle selected greater herbaceous cover and forage production in most stages and closer proximity to water during lactation. Additionally larger cattle selected steeper slopes during breeding. Younger cows selected greater heat loads during late-gestation and lesser heat loads during breeding. Older cows also selected gentler slopes during breeding and weaning. Together, our findings provide information to livestock managers regarding individual characteristics that could be advantageous to their operation and may inform adaptive grazing management practices. Black hided cattle may be better suited to northern latitudes due to higher solar radiation capture. Larger cattle consume more forage but evidence of steeper slope selection during part of the year may offer trade-offs between feeding efficiency and distribution.