An excellent set of bulls, standing-room only crowd and steady cattle prices played a significant role in creating a successful MCA-MSU Bull Evaluation Sale.  Sixty-three bulls representing four breeds grossed $194,850 to average $3,093. The top selling animal was the Lot 27 Angus bull owned by Apple Hill Angus, from Harrisville, and was purchased by Charles Fisher from St. Louis for $5,000. 

MI Cattlemen Association's Bull Evaluation Sale Sets New Record

Other high selling Angus bulls included Lot 4 bull consigned by Bordner Farms from Sturgis sold to Doug Curtiss of Blanchard for $4,750; the top indexing bull, Lot 35 owned by Seldom Rest Farms in Niles, sold for $4,500 to Robert Leonard from Harrisville;  the Lot 8 bull owned by Rietberg Farms of Hudsonville, sold for $4,500 to the MSU-Chatham Research Station in Chatham for $4,500; another Apple Hill Angus bull, Lot 31, sold for $4,500 to Andrews Beef from Sault Ste. Marie; and another Bordner Farms bull, Lot 5 sold to Bernie Nevill from Clare for $4,500.

There were five Simmental bulls that sold for $4,000 or more.The high selling Simmental bull was Lot 97 owned by Stough Livestock of Marshall and it sold for $4,750 to Louis Katterman of Hale. Other high selling bulls included: Lot 89 owned by Lattimore Cattle Company of Rodney sold to Cass River Ranch of Troy for $4,500; Francis Delong of Cass City purchased the Lot 103 bull owned by Plank Simmental Farm of Crystal for $4,500; another Lattimore Cattle Company bull, Lot 91 sold to Todd Flatt of Engadine for $4,000; and another Plank Simmental Farm bull, Lot 104 sold to Patrick Goodband of Camden for $4,000. 

Fifty-three buyers bought superior, performance tested bulls that were evaluated for growth, structural soundness, disposition and reproductive potential. All bulls were ultrasounded to evaluate rib eye area, external fat and percent intra-muscular fat. Expected Progeny Differences (EPDs) for growth, maternal and carcass traits were available to assist buyers in evaluating bulls for their operations.

The breed results were as follows: 37 Angus bulls averaged $3,253, 17 Simmental bulls averaged $3,103, 4 Red Angus bulls averaged $2,625 and 5 Herefords averaged $2,250. Many of the bulls sold to repeat buyers from previous MCA-MSU Bull Test sales. 

The 2012 MCA Bull Evaluation Program was held in cooperation with Michigan State University.  The bulls were evaluated at the Plank Farm in Crystal.