2008 Virginia BCIA Southwest Bull Test & BCIA-Influenced Virginia Premium Assured Plus Bred Heifer

Livestock Update, May 2008

Scott P. Greiner, Ph.D., Extension Animal Scientist, Beef, VA Tech

The 29th Annual Southwest Virginia Performance Tested Bull Sale sponsored by the Virginia Beef Cattle Improvement Association was held Saturday, March 29, 2008 at Wytheville.  The 135 bulls offered commanded an average price of $2180 per head.  Breed averages were as follows:  91 Angus averaged $2134, 13 purebred Simmental averaged $1900, 12 Simmental Hybrids $2783, 10 Charolais $2000, 5 Gelbvieh Balancers $2180, 3 purebred Gelbvieh $1633, and 1 Polled Hereford at $6250.  The BCIA-Influenced Virginia Premium Assured Plus Bred Heifer Sale held in conjunction with the bull sale sold 32 heifers for an average price of $1183 per head.

The strong sale was paced by the Polled Hereford bull, Lot 201, bred by Fields Edge Inc., Roger and Terry Slusher from Floyd, VA.  This March, 2007 son of DR World Class 517 10H sold to Select Sires for $6250.  His EPDs of +5.0 CED, +83 YW, +25 MM, +0.13 IMF, +$22 BMI and +$23 CHB all rank in the top 25% of the breed.  Select Sires also acquired Charolais Lot 311, consigned by Virginia Tech for $5250.  This polled son of LT Rio Blanco 1234 P had a test YW ratio of 111, REA ratio 116, along with YW EPD +71 and REA EPD +0.40.  Another sale feature was Lot 316 Charolais, also sired by LT Rio Blanco bred by Pratt Enterprise of Atkins, VA and selling to New Hope Farm of Siler City, NC for $3250.  This bull’s impressive test YW and ADG of 1422 and 4.23, respectively, was complemented by a YW EPD of +74 and ultrasound REA ratio of 110.

The high-indexing Junior bull, Lot 161, led a very solid Angus sale commanding $5000 from The Duncan Farm of Chilhowie, VA.  This calving ease son of Rito 2 878 of 2536 1407 was bred by J & M Windy Acres of Maryville, TN.  He gained 4.16 on test and had an adjusted YW of 1343 pounds which was backed by a BW EPD +1.2, YW EPD +94 and REA EPD +0.55.  Also selling for $5000 was Lot 156 consigned by Mullins Angus Farm of Clintwood, VA and going to Barbara Edwards of Woodlawn, VA.  A son of WAR Alliance 9126 6006, he had BW EPD +0.2 and YW EPD +102.  Mullins Angus Farm also consigned Lots 155 and 157, which both sold to Bobby and Martha Jackson of Draper, VA for $4000 and $3600, respectively.  Lot 155, a calving ease son of Bon View New Design 208, was the high YW Junior Angus bull at 1386 pounds, ratio 110.  Lot 157 was sired by Rito 0I62 of 4R13 Rito 6I6.  J & M Windy Acres also bred the high-selling Senior Angus bull, Lot 66, a December 2006 son of GAR Solution.  He posted test YW and ADG ratios of 109 and 125, along with ultrasound REA and IMF ratios of 126 and 115, respectively.  Another GAR Solution son, Lot 143, bred by Echo Ridge Farm of Atkins, VA sold for $3400 to Malcolm Boothe of Pulaski, VA.  His EPDs read +0.8 BW, +89 YW, +27 MM, +0.37 IMF, and +0.48 REA.  The high-indexing Senior Angus was Lot 7 from Triple R Farms of Pembroke, VA and sold to James Sponaugle of Doe Hill, VA for $2800. Sired by HHF Alliance 704 L102, this bull was the high ADG bull across all breeds at 5.04 and had YW EPD of +103.

A sale highlight was the Simmentals, which were led by Lot 441, a SimAngus bred by J & M Windy Acres of Maryville, TN and selling to Teter Farms of Beverly, WV for $4000.  This homozygous black, January 2007 son of GAR Solution posted a BW EPD -4.0, YW EPD +69, and MB EPD +0.48 along with ultrasound IMF ratio of 116.  Demand was particularly strong for the SimAngus bulls, evidenced by a trio of homozygous black GAR Predestined sons bred by Hounshell Farms of Wytheville, VA.  Lot 406, sold to Malcolm Boothe of Pulaski, VA for $3700.  He posted a test ADG of 4.26 pounds, ratio 107, along with EPDs of -1.3 BW, +68 YW, +0.63 MB and +0.03 REA.  Lot 433 also sold to Malcolm Boothe for $3500 and posted strong EPDs as well-  +71 YW, +0.42 MB, and +0.07 REA.  Lot 432 went to Richard Goode of Moseley, VA at $3300 and read very similarly in his growth and carcass profile along with an API index EPD of +113. 

Tom and Ruth Clark of Wytheville, VA consigned the top-selling purebred Simmental which went to W.D. Harvey of Piney River, VA for $2400.  This October-born, homozygous black son of GW Twentyfour Seven 62L had a YW EPD +55 and API EPD +116.  Trio Farms of Luray, VA sold Lot 425 Junior Simmental for $2100 to R.L. Blanton from Amelia, VA.  Sired by Trio Fullhouse 10P, this bull had a CE EPD of +9.2, YW EPD +79, REA EPD +0.26 and ultrasound REA of 16.7, ratio 120.

The Gelbvieh sale was led by Lot 610, a Balancer bred by Little Windy Hill Farm of Max Meadows, VA and sold to Gale Rippey of Galax, VA for $4500.  This homozygous black, homozygous polled son of SAV 8180 Traveler 004 had a test ADG and YW ratios of 114 and 110, along with YW EPD +106 and ultrasound REA of 16.0, ratio 111.

A new sale feature this year was the BCIA-Influenced Bred Heifer Sale, which consisted of 32 fall-calving commercial bred heifers.  All heifers were designated as Virginia Premium Assured Plus females.  Demand was strong and prices steady, as the heifers averaged $1183 per head.  Hillwinds Farm of Dublin, VA consigned Lot 7 to top the sale at $1300 each and selling to Dusty Long of Galax, VA.  This pair of AI-sired heifers due to calve in October were bred to Lucas Future Direction 5F5.  Slusher Valley Farm of Floyd, VA sold a pair of September calving heifers sired by LCC Dillon G689L, and bred to Rito 3V44 of 1I40 1407, to Gillespie Cove Farm of Tazewell, VA for $1250.

All bulls and heifers were consigned by members of the Virginia Beef Cattle Improvement Association.  Bulls were developed at Hillwinds Farm at Dublin, VA owned and operated by Tim Sutphin.  The sale was managed by Virginia BCIA and the Virginia Cattlemen’s Association, and the auctioneer was Mike Jones.

Virginia BCIA and the Southwest Bull and Heifer Sale consignors would like to thank the following buyers for their support:

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