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Bull Buying Season
ELDON COLE
MT. VERNON, MO.
The 95th Southwest Missouri Beef Cattle Improvement Association’s All-Breed Performance Tested Bull Sale will be held March 30, 7 p.m. at the Springfield Livestock Marketing Center at exit 70 west of Springfield off of I-44.
The offering is small at 37 head but powerful when you consider the performance numbers. There are 35 Angus and 2 Gelbvieh, one purebred and one Balancer that is red.
Qualifications for the sale require the bulls to be DNA tested and have a genomic profile. The genomic data improves the accuracy of the expected progeny difference (EPD) values of the bulls. The sale requires that a bull must be above breed average for three of the following six EPDs; calving ease direct, weaning weight, yearling weight, milk, marbling and ribeye area.
Other specifications the bulls must meet include an 1100 pound or greater 365-day weight, frame score of 5 or better and if a potential carrier of a genetic defect they must have been tested and declared free of the defect. Most of the consignors will have complete EPD and genomic profiles available on their bulls sale day. The catalog also includes index values for $Wean, $Beef, $Cow and $FP, a terminal value.
The goal of the BCIA’s first bull sale in 1973 was to help educate beef producers on using performance data in making sire selections. At that time, much emphasis was also based on the bulls’ appearance. The primary performance information was 205 and 365 day weight and a frame score. Most of the bulls in that sale were 3 frames.
The first mention of EPDs in the sale catalog was at the October, 1988 sale. Unfortunately, many attendees at our sales still rely solely on appearance and price as they make their selections. However, progressive buyers use all the data including genomic information, as they decide which bulls will help improve their calf crops.
Many of this sale’s bulls rank in the top 30 percentile on 3 or 4 of the EPDs. That rank should make them capable of improving many herds in the area. To assist in the decision-making process, cow owners should have goals set for his or her herd. They should have a record of the EPD values of the bulls they’ve used in the last few years. This information does simplify the bull buying dilemma. It also helps build a resume' for future calves at market time.
Prior to the sale at 5:30 pm on the 30th, University of Missouri Extension field specialists in livestock will have a 30-minute session to answer questions regarding buying bulls by the numbers in the sale arena.
More details and catalogs for the sale may be obtained from sale manager Phoebe Wiles at 417-293-8002, or contact extension field specialists. ∆
ELDON COLE: Extension Livestock Specialist, University of Missouri
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