Beef evaluation program to present top bulls at auction
October 9, 2012
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Purdue University's Indiana Beef Evaluation Program is holding its 70th bull sale in conjunction with the Springville Feeder Auction Association's Heifer and Cow Sale on Oct. 20.
The sale will start at 2 p.m. at the Springville Feeder Auction, 4426 State Route 54 West, Springville. Heifers and cows will be sold first and the bull sale will follow. Both sales will be broadcast at http://www.DVAuction.com. Buyers can bid online.
The sale is especially relevant for cattle producers looking for bulls that will add pounds, quality and value to their herds and calves, said Donna Lofgren, Purdue Extension animal breeding specialist. This year's sale will offer 18 Angus, two Charolais, one Red Angus, four Simmental and four SimAngus bulls.
All bulls offered for sale completed the Indiana Beef Evaluation Program, a 125-day performance test at the Feldun-Purdue Agricultural Center in Bedford. Top-indexing bulls of each breed will be offered. All bulls were checked for lethal genetic defects, and there are no potential carriers in the group.
"The bulls also are examined for structural and breeding soundness and disposition," Lofgren said. "The test identifies bulls that will help improve herds."
All the bulls have been evaluated for carcass merit and have undergone an ultrasound for the ribeye area, backfat and marbling, also known as percent intramuscular fat. Expected progeny differences, or EPDs, for birth weight, weaning weight, yearling weight, maternal milk, calving ease, carcass traits and $ indexes, are available to bidders.
Lofgren, who handles the test performance records, said the bulls were fed a moderate-energy ration, and the daily gain for the entire group was 4.01 pounds.
A total of 60 bulls were entered in the summer test from 27 seedstock producers in Indiana and surrounding states.
Prospective buyers can view the bulls at the test station at 1117 State Route 458, Bedford, until the day of sale. The bulls will be moved to the auction site the morning of the sale and can be viewed there until the auction starts.
Sale order is determined by test performance, carcass merit and genetic merit using EPDs.
A sale catalog with Web pages and videos for each bull is available at http://www.ansc.purdue.edu/ibep/, or contact Lofgren at 765-494-6439 to request a print version of the catalog.
Writer: Amanda Gee, 765-494-8402, agee@purdue.edu
Source: Donna Lofgren, 765-494-6439, dlofgren@purdue.edu
Ag Communications: (765) 494-2722;
Keith Robinson, robins89@purdue.edu
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