Success StoryWest Kentucky Select Bred Heifer Sale



West Kentucky Select Bred Heifer Sale

Author: Kevin Laurent

Planning Unit: Animal and Food Sciences

Major Program: Beef

Outcome: Long-Term Outcome

The West Kentucky Select Bred Heifer Sale held in Guthrie, KY was established by the University of Kentucky Extension in November 2000 as an annual opportunity for progressive cattle producers to purchase quality replacement heifers.  In 2005, the effort was expanded to include the University of Tennessee and Tennessee producers in a cooperative effort.  Starting in May of 2006, an additional sale was added to the calendar to offer fall calving bred heifers.

Heifers are inspected and screened by University of KY and University of TN extension personnel and must meet the following stringent health and physical requirements to be eligible for this sale:

  1. Reproductive tracts are evaluated and pelvic measurements greater than 160 sq. cm.
  2. Vaccinated for protection against IBR, PI3, BVD, BRSV, Vibriosis & Leptospirosis.  
  3. Boostered for Leptospirosis within 90 days of sale.
  4. Mineral program approved by the University of KY and the University of TN.
  5. Dewormed and treated for external parasites within 90 days of sale.
  6. Heifers are inspected to eliminate shorts, scarred eyes, rat tails and light muscled heifers.
  7. Bred to calving-ease bulls with known genomic enhanced calving-ease EPDs. 
  8. Tested for PI BVD and found negative

 Since its inception, 8183 heifers have been sold in 43 sales for a total gross receipts of $13,993,892. This calculates an average of 190 heifers per sale at an average price of $1,710 selling to 31 buyers.  Detailed results of the two most recent sales can be found in the tables that follow. These two most recent sales exceeded the historical average of past sales in number of head sold, price per head and number of buyers. This indicates that buyer acceptance of heifers sold in the West KY Select Bred Heifer Sales is as strong as ever. In fact, this sale has become a price discovery indicator for valuing bred heifers in the West KY and Middle TN region. Many heifers are sold private treaty and are priced based on the most recent Select Sale.


West KY Select Bred Heifer Sale Results – November 18, 2023

KY-TN Livestock – Guthrie, KY
 Heifers due to calve Jan – April

 

 

 

No. Head

Breed Type

Avg Price

108

Angus cross

2,447

11

Angus

2,582

13

Hereford or Black Hereford-Angus F1

2,796

48

Gelbvieh or SimAngus influenced 

2,636

15

Red Gelbvieh or Red Angus influenced 

2,597

16

Ultrablacks (Brangus-Angus)

2,563

 

 

 

211

Head/Average

$2,538

           

Notes:  Prices ranged from $2,050 - $3,150 (43 buyers)

                            155 head (73%) sold between $2,350 and $2,750.

    103 head below the sale average sold at an average of $2,382.

                            108 head above the sale average sold at an average of $2,687.

                            37 AI bred heifers averaged $2,618.

                            28 AI sired heifers averaged $2,624.

                            18 AI sired and AI bred averaged $2,626.


West KY Select Bred Heifer Sale Results – May 18, 2024

KY-TN Livestock – Guthrie, KY
 Heifers due to calve Aug-Nov

 

 

 

No. Head

Breed Type

Avg Price

106

Angus cross

3,009

4

Angus

3,050

36

BWF (including 17 F-1 Hereford-Angus) 

3,246

37

Black Gelbvieh-Angus, Balancer type

2,889

10

Red Angus/Red Gelbvieh influenced

2,665

8

Red Angus

4,013

20

Ultrablacks (Brangus-Angus)

3,143

221

Head/Average

$3,061

 

          Notes:  Prices ranged from $2,300 - $4,300 (46 buyers)

                            101 head below the sale average, sold at an average of $2,815.

                            120 head above the sale average, sold at an average of $3,268.

                            31 AI bred heifers averaged $3,211.

                            13 AI sired heifers averaged $3,527.

                            11 AI sired and AI bred averaged $3,527.  







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