Elite Bull and Replacement Female Sale
November, 18, 2000
Virginia Livestock, Front Royal, Va.

Livestock Update, August 2000

Bill McKinnon and John Hall, Extension Animal Scientists, Virginia Tech

The Virginia Livestock group has scheduled the Elite Bull and Replacement Female Sale to be held on Saturday, November 18, 2000, at Front Royal. The sale will afford breeders the opportunity to market bred heifers, young cows, and yearling bulls under a strict set of criteria. The sale is sponsored by Virginia Livestock and the Virginia Cattlemen's Association.

The bred heifers must meet one of three levels of requirements to be consigned. The top two levels come from the Virginia Premium Assured Heifer program: the Premium Assured and the Premium Assured Plus levels. The third and least demanding level of criteria is the "Source Verified" designation.

Virginia Premium Assured heifer requirements:

Physical
Age -- Stated birth date with projected age at calving of 22 to 26 months (Spring calving heifers); 22-30 months (Fall calving heifers).
Frame size -- All heifers must be frame score 4.5 to 6.5. Structure -- All heifers must be deemed structurally correct by the local VA Premium Assured Heifer Committee.
Muscling -- All heifers must posses adequate muscling without being extreme. Muscling score 2-4 on the VA BCIA muscling system.
Body Condition Score -- All heifers must be BCS 5 to 7 (1=emaciated, 9=obese).

Genetic
Breeds -- Any breed or breed combinations are eligible, but breeds must be specified.
Service sires -- Service sire must be identified
Minimum EPD requirements (based upon birth year of bull)
All service sires must be in the best 40% for birth weight and breed average for weaning weight and yearling weight. No requirement for milk EPD, but it must be listed.

Reproductive
All heifers must have conceived within the first 50 days following initial artificial inseminations and/or natural mating.

Health
Vaccinations -- Calfhood brucellosis, IBR, PI3, BVD, and 7-way clostridial. Five-way leptospirosis(2 doses) (Vibriosis encouraged). Tests -- Negative anaplasmosis test within 30 days of sale. Virginia is a TB free state and no test is required for native Virginia heifers. Parasite control -- Endecticide (controls both internal and external parasites) within 60 days before sale and before November 1. Defects -- Heifers with bad eyes, horns, rat tails, bob tails or frozen ears will not be accepted. No lame heifers will be accepted. Disposition -- No heifers judged to be excessively nervous or aggressive will be accepted.

Va. Premium Assured Plus heifer requirements:
(In addition to above requirements)

Sire of heifer -- Sire of heifer must be identified.
Minimum EPD requirements (based upon birth year of bull)
British X British or straightbred British heifers -- Sires must be in the top 50% for weaning and yearling weight and 70% for Milk.
Continental, Continental X Continental, or Continental X British heifers - Sires must be in the top 70% of the breed for weaning weight, yearling weight and milk.

Maternal Grandsire of heifer -- Identification of maternal grandsire is optional, but encouraged.

Source Verified heifer requirements:

Ownership -- Seller must have owned the heifer at least 6 months prior to the sale.

Genetic - Breed of sire must be known, but no requirement for individual sire identification. Breed of service sire must be known, but there are no requirements for individual sire identification or EPD minimums.

Reproductive -- All heifers must have conceived within the first 50 days following initial artificial inseminations and/or natural mating.

Health
Vaccinations -- IBR, PI3, BVD, 7-way clostridial, and 5-way leptospirosis.
Tests -- Negative brucellosis test
Parasite control -- Endecticide (controls both internal and external parasites) within 60 days before sale and before November 1.
Defects -- Heifers with bad eyes, horns, rat tails, bob tails or frozen ears will not be accepted. No lame heifers will be accepted.

Disposition -- No heifers judged to be excessively nervous or aggressive will be accepted.

All heifers will be tagged with either a VAPAH ear tag or an individual sale tag ("Source Verified" heifers) and sold by ownership and requirement level. All heifer consignors are also required to members of the Virginia Cattlemen's Association.

The November 18 sale will also accept a limited number of young cows with calves and young bred cows. Requirements for young cows to be sold are listed below.

Cows with calves requirements:

• The seller must have owned the cows for at least one year.
• Only cows 4 years of age or less will be sold.
• Cows must be open.
• Cows must have sound udders.
• Calves should have been born between September 1 and October 31 and display appropriate growth and condition for their age.
• Cows vaccinated against IBR, PI3, BVD, 7-way clostridial, and 5-way leptospirosis between calving and sale date.
• Cows must have a negative brucellosis test given on farm.
• Seller must be Virginia Cattlemen's Association.

Bred cow requirements:

• The seller must have owned the cows for at least one year.
• Only cows 4 years of age or less will be sold.
• All cows must be BCB 4 to 7 (1=emaciated, 9=obese).
• Breed of service sire must be known.
• Expected calving date of February 1 to April 30.
• Vaccinated for IBR, PI3, BVD, and 5-way leptospirosis within 12 months of sale.
• Cows must have a negative brucellosis test.
• Seller must be Virginia Cattlemen's Association member.

Bull requirements:

• Only registered bulls from 12 to 24 months of age will be accepted.
• Growth requirements:
  

  Adjusted 205 day weaning weight	600 pounds
  Adjusted 205 day weaning weight with creep feed	650 pounds
  Adjusted yearling weight	1100 pounds

• All bulls must be frame score 5.0 to 7.0.
• Bulls must be graded at least a 3 on the VA BCIA muscling scoring system.
• Bulls with ultrasound data must have a minimum adjusted yearling ribeye area of 12.0 square inches.
• Bulls must be deemed to be structurally correct by a grading committee.
• Bulls must be inspected on farm for soundness and suitability. Bulls must also pass the anatomical examination components of a breeding soundness exam.
• Minimum scrotal circumference:

  Bull age in months:	12 -14	15 -17	18 +
  Min. circumference (cm)	32	33	34

• Sellers guarantee the bulls to be breeders
• Current EPD's should be provided for catalogue listing.
• If more than 25 bulls are consigned; bulls will be accepted based upon a ranking of their adjusted yearling weight.
• Seller must be Virginia Cattlemen's Association member.

The heifers, cows, and bulls will be delivered to Virginia Livestock on Friday, November 17, 2000 for sorting and penning. The sale will be conducted on the following day, November 18.

The consignment deadline for the Elite Bull and Replacement Female Sale is October 15. Breeders wishing to consign cattle to the sale should contact either Virginia Livestock, VDACS livestock marketing personnel or Extension agents in the northern Virginia area. There will be a maximum of 300 females offered for sale. Consignments will be taken on a first come, first served basis.

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