South Central Kentucky is center of the beef production in Kentucky.  Barren County is the largest beef producing county in Kentucky, and the largest beef producing county east of the Mississippi River.   The influx of beef genetic improvement cost share dollars, funded by the County Agriculture Improvement Program, has drawn must attention to educating producers on making the best bull buying decisions for their individual operations.  Barren County Extension cooperated with the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture Food & Environment Beef Extension Specialists to bring the Bull Value Assessment Program to South Central Kentucky.  Beef producers for Allen, Barren, Hart, Metcalfe, and Monroe counties participated in a two-part program to educate them on making better bull buying decisions.  Part one of the program covered factors to consider when purchasing a bull for their herd.   At the end of the first session participants were given a scenario and mock sale catalog.  The participants were to go home and make bull selections based on their scenario and what they learned in the first session.  The second session was a mock auction.  The auction simulation was a combination video and an actual auction.  A professional cattle auctioneer and ring team were on hand to conduct the auction.   Producers purchased bulls in the auction based on their given scenario.  At the end of the auction producers were evaluated on their decisions and given feedback.

At the end of the program producers commented they felt more comfortable purchasing bulls at purebred sales.  Producers enjoyed the mock auction.  The auctioneer explained the auction process and offered tips for bull buyers.

One Barren County producer said, “there are a bunch of local purebred sales that offers folks good bulls that will work in their herds.  This deal here let them see that auctions don’t have to be scary.”