Virginia BCIA Update

Livestock Update, January 2001

Scott Greiner, Extension Animal Scientist, Beef, Virginia Tech

The 43rd Annual Virginia Beef Cattle Improvement Association Culpeper Senior Bull Sale was held Saturday, December 9, 2000 at Culpeper Agricultural Enterprises in Culpeper, Virginia. Sixty-two bulls representing the top sixty percent of the 96 bulls tested sold for an average price of $2015. Breed averages were as follows: 58 Angus at $2068, 2 Polled Hereford at $1400, and 2 Gelbvieh at $1100.

The top selling bull was Angus lot 25, consigned by Echo Ridge Farm of Atkins, Virginia. Two-thirds interest and full possession of this son of GAR Exceptional sold to Woodhill Farms, Viroqua, Wisconsin and ABS Global for $6400. The bull had a test gain of 4.20, ratio 106, and an adjusted yearling weight of 1492, ratio 123. His expected progeny difference for birth weight was +1.9, weaning weight +54, milk +20, and yearling weight +94. Lot 9, an Angus consignment from Pipe Dream Farm in Beaverdam, Virginia commanded $4000 from Mountain Level Farm of Culpeper, Virginia for two-thirds interest and full possession. This Gibb Illini son was the high-gaining consignment with 5.54 ADG, ratio 139, and an adjusted yearling weight of 1329, ratio 109. His EPDs were +1.3 for birth weight, weaning weight +34, milk +24, and yearling weight +66. Thomas Tullidge of Tappahannock, Virginia purchased lot 21, an Echo Ridge consignment for $3600. This GAR 6807 Traveler 4144 son gained 4.42 on test, ratio 111, with an adjusted yearling weight of 1316, ratio 108. His EPDs were +1.3, +47, +17, and +82.. Another son of Gibb Illini, lot 80 consigned by Quaker Hill Farm of Louisa, Virginia sold to Mountain Level Farm for $3400 for two-thirds interest and full possession. This bull was the high indexing bull of the test with an ADG of 5.27, ratio 133, and an adjusted yearling weight of 1385, ratio 114. His EPDs were +3.0, +45, +20, and +82. Selling for $3200 was lot 32- a Sitz Traveler 8180 son consigned by Soldiers¼ Hill Angus, Warrenton, Virginia and purchased by Edgeworth Farm, Gordonsville, Virginia. He gained 4.29, ratio 108, and had an adjusted yearling weight of 1235, ratio 101. His EPDs were +0.8, +35, +26, and +72.

The top selling Polled Hereford bull was consigned by Deer Track Farm of Spotsylvania, Virginia and sold for $1800 to Donald Vess of Staunton, Virginia. He had a test gain of 3.57 and an adjusted yearling weight of 1246. This son of BTF Forage Finder 109W had EPDs of +3.8 birth weight, weaning weight +33, milk +13, and yearling weight +55. C.H. Morris and Sons of Appomattox, Virginia consigned the pair of Gelbvieh bulls that were both polled, black sons of CTR Echo 575E. The top lot commanded $1200 from Glenmary Farm of Rapidan, Virginia. This bull gained 3.66 on test, had an adjusted yearling weight of 1167, and had EPDs of calving ease 98, birth weight +3.7, weaning weight +39, milk +21, and yearling weight +67.

All bulls in the test and sale were consigned by members of the Virginia Beef Cattle Improvement Association. Bulls were tested at the Culpeper bull test station operated by Glenmary Farm, Tom and Kim Nixon, at Rapidan, Virginia. Sale manager was VA Sale Services in Staunton and the auctioneer was Mike Jones.

The 26th Annual Virginia All Breed Performance Tested Bull and Commercial Heifer Sale was held at Augusta Expoland near Staunton, Virginia on Saturday, December 2, 2000. Twenty-seven Angus bulls grossed $36,250 to average $1343. An excellent set of 85 commercial bred heifers commanded a $972 average.

Meadowbrook Angus of Afton, Virginia consigned the top-selling bull, which went to David Heizer of Fairfield, Virginia for $2850. This October, 1998 son of WRA Treasure D1 had EPDs of birth weight +2.9, weaning weight +37, maternal milk +17, and yearling weight +74, with an adjusted yearling weight of 1237 and test gain of 3.41. Skyway Hills of Washington, Virginia consigned a March, 1999 son of N Bar Emulation EXT that sold to Charles and Linda Campbell of Shenandoah, Virginia for $2700. This bull had an adjusted yearling weight of 1387 pounds and a test gain of 5.00, with EPDs of +1.4, +39, +23, and +72. Meadowbrook Angus also consigned a pair of bulls which sold for $2000. A March, 1999 son of SAF Fame went to Steven Moore of Marlinton, WV and a October, 1998 son of DHD Traveler 6807 sold to Carl Lindgren of Upperville, Virginia.

The commercial bred replacement heifer was paced by a Tucker Family Farms of Amherst, Virginia consignment of five _ Angus x _ Gelbvieh heifers confirmed to all be carrying bull calves by Rito 6I6 of 4B20 6807. These heifers sold to Oden Thompson of Brandywine, West Virginia for $1150 each. Another Tucker Family Farms lot of similar genetics, but carrying heifer calves, sold to Charles Props of Mt. Solon, Virginia for $1080 each. Other top-selling heifer lots ranged in price from $1020 to $1050 per head and included consignments from Cleremont Farm in Upperville, Virginia and McDonald Farms from Blacksburg, Virginia. All of the high-selling females qualified as Virginia Premium Assured Plus heifers.

The bulls and heifers were consigned by Virginia Beef Cattle Improvement Association members. Virginia BCIA sponsored the sale. The sale was managed by VA Sale Services of Staunton, Virginia and Dale Stith was the auctioneer.

The 16h Annual Southside Virginia All Breed Performance Tested Bull Sale and 10th Annual Commercial Replacement Heifer Sale was held Friday evening, November 17, 2000 at the Southside Livestock Market in Blackstone, Virginia. A total of 23 bulls grossed $30,750 for an average of $1337. Twenty-two Angus bulls averaged $1316, and one Gelbvieh sold for $1800. Twenty-seven spring-calving bred grossed $25,925 to average $960.

The top selling bull was an Angus consigned by Shelton Angus Farm at Gretna, Virginia and sold to Edward Tucker of Kenbridge, Virginia for $2300. This October, 1999 son of Sitz Traveler 8180 had EPDs of birth weight +3.3, weaning weight +36, maternal milk +23, and yearling weight +70; with an on-farm test ADG of 4.93 and adjusted yearling weight of 1398. Quaker Hill Farm of Louisa, Virginia consigned a September, 1999 Angus bull which sold to Clyde Davis of Farmville, Virginia for $1900. This son of Ideal 1418 of 8103 4286 had EPDs of +4.2, +39, +17, and +71.

Triple D Farm of Sedley, Virginia sold a homozygous black, polled Gelbvieh bull for $1800 to Clyde Davis. This son JBOB 254D had EPDs of birth weight ‚0.2, weaning weight +40, maternal milk +19, and yearling weight +74.

All bred heifers sold met the qualifications for the Virginia Premium Assured Plus heifer program. The heifer sale was topped by a consignment of 5/8 Angus x _ Gelbvieh x _ Hereford females from Tucker Family Farms in Amherst, Virginia. These heifers were bred to Rito 6I6 4B20 6807 and KCF Kincaid J20 and sold to Louis Clay of Dewitt, Virginia for $1000 per head. Clay also purchased a group of _ Angus x _ Simmental heifers bred to Rito 6I6 4B20 6807 and consigned by Sunnyside Farm of McKenney, Virginia for $1000.

The sale was sponsored by the Virginia Beef Cattle Improvement Association, headquartered in Blacksburg, Virginia. The sale was managed by VA Sale Services of Staunton, Virginia and E.B. Harris was the auctioneer.

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