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First Year of the Virginia Premium Assured Heifer Sales a Success
Livestock Update, March 2001
John Hall, Extension Animal Scientist, Beef, Virginia Tech
The Virginia Premium Assured Heifer program was started in 1999 to assist producers develop and market quality replacement heifers. VA Premium Assured (VPA) Heifers must meet standards for reproductive and physical soundness, and they are developed under specific health guidelines. All bred heifers are mated to bulls that are calving ease and have above average EPD's for growth. In addition, Premium Assured Plus Heifers are sired by bulls that are above average for growth EPD's and meet a minimum EPD level for milk.
From the beginning of the program, approximately 800 heifers have been evaluated in the program. Three hundred and twenty-five VA Premium Assured Heifers have been sold a public sales with additional heifers sold private treaty. Premium Assured Plus heifers garnered an average premium of $143.32 over non-VPA heifers (Table 1) when both VPA and non-VPA heifers were sold in the same sale.
Table 1. Results from Major VA Premium Assured Heifer Sales in 2000 Where Non-VPA Heifers Were Represented
| Sale | Heifer Type | Number of Head | Average $/head | VPA Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beef Expo - April 2000 | Non-VPA | 43 | 930.23 | |
| VA Premium Assured + | 28 | 1,127.68 | $197.45 | |
| Front Royal - Nov. 2000 | Source Verified | 137 | 876.46 | |
| VA Premium Assured | 114 | 926.75 | $50.29 | |
| VA Premium Assured + | 68 | 1006.98 | $130.52 | |
| Staunton BCIA - Dec. 2000 | Non-VPA | 42 | 907.26 | |
| VA Premium Assured + | 43 | 1,035.58 | $128.32 |
Three major VA Premium Assured Heifer sales are scheduled for this spring. The sales will be located in Winchester, Front Royal and the VA Beef Expo. For more information about these sales, interested buyers or consignors should contact Reggie Reynolds or Forrest Ashby at the Virginia Cattlemen's Association at 540-992-1009.
For more information about VA Premium Assured Heifer requirements and standards, producers should contact Dr. John B. Hall, Extension Beef Cattle Specialist, VA Tech at 540-231-9153 or jbhall@vt.edu. Producers interested in enrolling heifers in the program should contact their County Extension Agent or Dr. Hall.