AMES, Iowa —The Iowa Cattlemen's Association will hold its first two performance-selected bull sales of the season on March 17 at the Bloomfield Livestock Auction Market in Bloomfield and March 28 at the Dunlap Livestock Auction in Dunlap. Both sales begin at 6:30 p.m.
"With the U.S. cattle industry reporting its lowest cattle inventory since 1952, the time is right to select a bull that will maximize your investment in the cow-calf segment," said Kellie Carolan, ICA seedstock manager. "The bulls consigned for these sales have the genetic potential to add pounds to your calf crop and dollars to your bottom line."
The sales feature bulls that have met the standards of ICA's Bull Evaluation Program, indicating they will provide genetics with high economic value.
"Breeders have consigned an excellent set of bulls that carry breed-leading pedigrees and outstanding EPDs (expected progeny differences)," said Carolan, who oversees the evaluation program.
All yearling bulls were tested from Oct. 28 to Feb. 17 at Van Meter Feedyard near Guthrie Center. The sale bulls represent the top 75 percent of the group tested and were selected based on carcass, growth and reproductive merit.
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Bloomfield sale preview
The Bloomfield sale will include yearling and older fall bulls. The group includes 28 Angus yearling bulls, and 12 senior yearling bulls that will average 18 months of age at sale time.
The fall bulls were developed at the Kirkwood Community College test station. There are 11 Angus and one Simmental composite in the group.
Breeders of the highest-gaining bull from each division that qualified for the Bloomfield sale will be honored prior to the sale by ICA and Zoetis Animal Health. One honoree is Jay Coble, of Rhodes, who consigned an Angus bull sired by "SF Turtlerock RFI W124." The bull gained 5.51 pounds per day. Also, hitting a top mark was an Angus senior yearling bull raised by Dianne Witt, of Arcadia. The October 2012 son of "Meredith Alliance 37" gained 5.12 pounds per day.
Dunlap sale preview
Five breeds are represented in the bulls that will be sold in Dunlap. The 58 yearling bulls include 31 Angus, eight Charolais, six Simmentals, two Simmental Composites and two Herefords.
ICA and Zoetis Animal Health will honor Kylee Knop, of Ida Grove, an Angus bull sired by "Sitz Upward 307R," which gained 5.27 pounds per day.
Cody and Jessica Wilson, of Pierson. This son of "Sand Ranch Hand" gained 4.96 pounds per day. The top Charolais bull, Lot 152, came from Larry Wakefield, New Richland, Minn. His ADG was 4.48 pounds, and he is the son of "WR Wrangler W601."
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In the Simmental Composite division, Cody and Jessica Wilson, Pierson, again consigned the top performing bull. This son of "Triple U Bull X3" gained 4.82 pounds per day on the 112-day test. Randy Golightly, of Van Meter, had the top-performing Hereford bull in the group. The son of "Baja Loaded 90Y ET" gained 4.46 pounds per day.
There will be one other sale date for bulls that have been tested through the ICA evaluation program. It will be May 2 at the Tama Livestock Auction in Tama. A sale of performance-tested open heifers will also be held on that date.
For more information about the ICA Bull Evaluation Program or to receive a sale catalog, call the ICA office at 515-296-2266. You also can view the sales catalog and other bull and heifer test information on the ICA website at iacattlemen.org.
