SOUTHERN WEST VIRGINIA BULL EVALUATION PROGRAM

RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR 2009-2010

 

Sponsors:

WVU Cooperative Extension Service

WVU College of Agriculture & Forestry

West Virginia Department of Agriculture

West Virginia Cattlemen's Association

______________________________________________________________________________

 

LOCATION:  Jack Crank Farm, Point Pleasant Station, U. S. Rt. 35, Henderson, WV  25106

                        Phone - 304-675-2776

 

WEB PAGE:  www.wvbeef.org/bulltest/

 

PURPOSE:

 

1.         Provide opportunity for consignors to evaluate genetic merit of bulls produced in their herd and their breeding program.

2.         Provide commercial producers with a source of genetically superior bulls and to provide them with the opportunity to evaluate differences in genetic merit.

3.         Provide data and animals that can be used for educational programs conducted by West Virginia University.

 

HEALTH REQUIREMENTS:

 

1.         All bulls must have a negative Brucellosis test within sixty (60) days prior to delivery, including bulls that are from certified herds.  All bulls, except those from West Virginia accredited herds, must also pass a negative TB test within 60 days prior to delivery.

2.         No bull may enter from any herds under Federal or State quarantine.

3.         All bulls will be tested for both TB and Brucellosis at the end of the test.  All bulls must be negative to both TB and Brucellosis to sell or leave the station regardless of destination unless to slaughter.

4.         All bulls must be weaned by September 1, 2009.

5.         A "certificate of vaccination" signed by the producer or vet is required verifying your bulls have been vaccinated.  This certificate must accompany bulls on delivery.

6.         Bulls must be enrolled in the Boehringer Ingelheim “Range Ready” program and

            vaccinated with the approved Boehringer Ingelheim vaccines.  (It is the consignors

            responsibility to become enrolled in the “Range Ready” program.)

7.         All bulls must be vaccinated as follows:  No substitutes or exceptions.

3 to 4 months of age

 

                        Alpha 7/MB-1

                        Elite 9 or Express  FP 10

                                (Depending on Cow vac. Program)

                       

Preweaning (August 1-15)

 

                        Elite 4-HS or Express 5-HS (Depending on cow

                                Alpha 7/MB-1                                    Vac. Program)

                                Pulmo-guard PHM

                       

                        Express 5-HS

                        Pulmo-guard MpB for Mycoplasma                        After weaning (Sept. 1- Sept. 10)

                       

 

                        Pulmo-guard MpB booster for Mycoplasma –                   3 weeks prior to delivery

                        Express 5-PHM                                                                     (September 22 - 30)

 

 

8.         All bulls will be PI ear notched on delivery day to test station.  Any bull testing PI

            positive will be sent home immediately.

9.         All bulls will be dewormed and deliced on delivery to the test station.  DO NOT

            administer any worm or lice treatment within 21 days of delivery.

10.       All bulls will be vaccinated 60 days prior to sale with Express FP3 VL5 and 30 days           

            prior to sale with Caliber 7 and Citadel VL5.

11.       Bulls with evidence of active pinkeye or warts more than 3 will be REJECTED.

12.       All horns MUST be removed and fully healed before delivery to the station.

13.       Bulls must be fed a complete beef mineral which meets NRC requirements for at least 90 (ninety) days prior to weaning.

 

            ALL HEALTH PAPERS MUST ACCOMPANY BULLS BEING DELIVERED TO THE STATION.  HEALTH PAPERS MUST BE PRESENTED AND CLEARED BEFORE BULLS ARE UNLOADED.

 

ELIGIBILITY:

 

1.         Consignors must have completed a certified BQA training.

2.         Consignors must be members of the West Virginia Cattlemen's Association (304-472-4020).

3.         Consignors must be enrolled in their Breed Association Performance Test Program (i.e AHIR, Guidelines, CHIP, SMILE, etc.).  All bulls must have birth weight and adjusted weaning weight recorded to sell.  Birth weights should be recorded to the nearest pound within 24 hours of birth.  A copy of the AHIR report must be sent to Rodney M. Wallbrown before delivery or brought on delivery.  Ratio eligibility will be determined before bulls are unloaded.  Ineligible bulls will be sent home. 

4.         Restriction to new consignors –

            A.        Must mail a copy of previous years weaning report with consignment form.

            B.        Disposition of animals will be considered.

            C.        Post mark dates may determine preference given.

            D.        Selection committee will have final say.

            E.        First year consignors will be limited to three bulls of a contemporary group and

                        second year consignors limited to three bulls of a contemporary group.  Out of

                        state consignments will be limited to a maximum of 10% of the number fed.

5.         A maximum of 120 bulls will be accepted for evaluation.  Preference will be given to consignors from the previous years although a consignor may be limited on the number of bulls consigned.

6.         Bulls must have a minimum of 205 day weight ratio of 90 and must not exceed 50 lbs below 2.5 lbs. per day of age to be eligible to go on test.  Be prepared to take bulls home if they fail to meet this requirement.

7.         Bulls must be raised by their natural mothers (calves raised on nurse cows and foster dams are not eligible for the sale) except ET calves.

8.         All bulls must be bred and raised by the consigning owner.

9.         Bulls must be born on or after December 1, 2008 through March 15, 2009.

10.       Bulls of any beef breed are eligible for the program.  However, all bulls must be registered.  Registration numbers must be furnished to Rodney Wallbrown by November 1.   Animals not reported by November 1 will not be eligible for sale.

11.       Unmerchantible cattle will be dismissed at anytime throughout the test period.  Costs will be prorated on time to dismissal.

12.       If station vet deems a bull as unfit for sale during the test period, management has the right to excuse the animal.  This also refers to warm up period.

 

PROCEDURES FOR ENTRANCE:

 

1.         Complete the reservation form and mail it to Rodney Wallbrown, Mason County Extension Office, Courthouse Annex, 525 Viand Street, Point Pleasant, WV  25550 by August 15.  Consignor will be notified by September 1st as to the number of bulls allowed to bring.

2.         Complete the consignment form by sire groups and bring it with you when you deliver your approved number of bulls.  FORMS MUST BE COMPLETED IN FULL.

3.         Send Herd Improvement records to Rodney M. Wallbrown, Courthouse Annex, 525 Viand Street, Point Pleasant, WV  25550 by October 1, so that ratios can be verified.  Only AHIR reports will be accepted.

4.         Weigh your calves prior to weaning and submit your data to your breed association.

5.         Bulls will be received between 8:00 A.M. and 4:00 P.M. on October 15, 2009.  Delivery schedule as to time of day will be sent to each consignor.

6.         The consignor is responsible for the following:

A.     Becoming enrolled in the “Range Ready” program.

B.     Reporting 205 day information to breed association.

C.    Reporting yearling weight information to breed association.

D.    Seeing that each nominated bull meets every rule, regulation and requirement set forth.

 

COSTS:

 

1.         A fee of $300.00 per bull is due upon delivery to the test station.

2.         Expenses per bull to consignors include:  

(The afore mentioned $300.00 will apply toward these expenses). 

            a)         $20.00 to Southern Bull Test for equipment.

            b)         $10.00 Advertising fee.

            c)         $100.00 for labor and facilities.

            d)         Feed costs.

            e)         Veterinarian costs.

            f)          Medication costs and vaccine costs.

g)         Breeding Soundness examination costs.

            h)         TB Test costs.

            i)          Ultra Sound fee.

3.         All bulls selling will pay a sale commission to be determined after the sale. 

4.         Bulls not receiving the minimum bid price will pay sales commission on the set floor price.

5.         If a bull dies or is removed during the program the consignor will pay all cost accumulated to that date.

           

 

 

 

 

 

SALE REQUIREMENTS:

 

1.         To be eligible for the sale, all requested data and individual registration numbers must be provided by November 1, 2009 to Rodney Wallbrown, Mason County Extension Office, Courthouse Annex, 525 Viand Street, Point Pleasant, WV  25550.  To be complete, a copy of your performance test program records and a copy of the registration certificate or verification of electronic registration must be provided by November  1.  Original registration papers on bulls that qualify for the sale must be endorsed for transfer purposes and sent to Rodney Wallbrown by March 10.  All bulls must have a registration number by this date so current EPD's can be requested from the Association office.  Make sure you get all your paper work done well in advance.

2.         To be eligible for sale, a bull's adjusted scrotal circumference must be 31 cm or above.

3.         All bulls will be evaluated for muscle by WVDA graders and graded according to the USDA feeder calf standards for muscle.  Bulls must have a muscle score of 1.0 (based on USDA guidelines) or higher to sell.

4.         Frame evaluation will be taken when the bulls are structure scored.

5.         After culling on scrotal circumference and muscle, the balance of culling will be based upon their index.  These total criteria will disqualify approximately one third of the bulls in each breed from the sale.  The index will be used to determine sale order, but will not be published.  The index will be calculated as follows: 

            Index = (40% ADG Ratio + 40% 365-Day Weight Ratio)- BW EPD + 2 IMF EPD + 2 REA EPD + 10% Scrotal Circumference Ratio

6.         No bull will be sold without EPD's for birth, weaning weight, yearling weight and milk.  Polled Herefords may qualify if the bulls own birth weight is recorded and processed through Guidelines.

7.         Bulls must be structurally and reproductively sound.  Bulls will be scored for structural soundness by a committee and this score will be published in the sale catalog.  Unsound and questionable bulls will be culled and all bulls cataloged will be considered sound.

8.         A floor price will be established for the 2010 Southern Bull Test when the catalog goes to print.  Any bull that fails to bring the floor price will be the consignor's responsibility.  Consignor will also pay sale commission based on the floor price.

9.         The floor price will be determined as 1200 pounds times fed market sale price on day of off test plus $200.00 equals minimum bid.

10.       Bulls must pass a breeding soundness exam.  Seller agrees to guarantee ability of bulls to breed and settle cows if properly cared for.

11.       The sale committee reserves the right to disqualify any bull because of health, disposition, or lack of identification, and/or if in their opinion, the bull appears to be misrepresented.

12.       Consignors may retain a breeding interest in any bull, but full possession will be assumed by the buyer at the time of sale.  Partial interest sales must be designated by 12:00 P.M., March 1.

 

OTHER:

 

            1.         Sale order will be determined by the sale manager and advisory committee.

            2.         Bulls will be fed as one group.

            3.         All bulls must remain on feed for the entire period unless given written permission.

4.                  All no-sale bulls must be picked up on March 4.

5.                  In order to reduce stress at weaning time and transportation to the station, consignors should follow the conditioning program outlined.  It is in your own best interest to do the best job of preconditioning possible.

6.                  Announcements at the sale will come from the auctioneer's box.

7.                  Auctioneer:  John Spiker

 

LIABILITY:

 

Bulls in the evaluation program will receive top management.  Veterinary services will be used when deemed necessary by the station management and/or the program chairman.  The sponsors assume no liability for loss of bulls, property damage, personal injury, accuracy of consignor information or data collected.

 

SCHEDULE:

 

Birth Dates                                           December 1, 2008 - March 15, 2009

 

Vaccination Dates                            Alpha 7/MB-1, Pulmo-guard PHM, Elite 4-HS or Express 5-HS (August 1-15)

                                                            Express 5-HS, Pulmo-guard MpB -  (September 1-10)

                                                            Pulmo-guard MpB & Express 5 –PHM  (September 22-30)

 

Weaned By                                        September 1

 

Reservations By                                August 15 (To Rodney Wallbrown)

 

Herd Improvement Records Due    October 1, 2009 (To Rodney Wallbrown)

 

Delivery to Test                                 October 15 -- 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

 

Registration Numbers  Due November 1, 2009 (To Rodney Wallbrown)

 

Kick Out Pickup                                March 4, 2010

 

Registration Papers Due                 March 10, 2010 (To Rodney Wallbrown)

 

Sale:               Day                             March 27, 2010

                        Time                           1:00 PM

 

 

CONDITIONING PROGRAM:

 

August 1         Begin calves on a creep feed so that they are weaned, they will know how to eat.  If a calf knows how to eat, he will not miss his mother's milk very much and will, therefore, adapt to the weaning process much easier.  Calves should be eating about .5% of body weight as creep feed.

Aug. 20 -        Wean calves and feed concentrate mixture at 1.0% (5-8 lbs./head/day) of body

Sept. 1            weight.   In addition, feed good quality hay and a complete mineral mix free choice.

Sept. 30         Continue hay and mineral mix free choice and feed concentrate mixture.  If possible start calves on corn silage or green chopped.

Suggested Concentrate Mixture:                1750 lb Corn and Cob Meal

                                                                        250 lb Soybean Oil Meal

                                                                        Free Choice Hay

 

 

WEST VIRGINIA YOUNG SIRE & REPLACEMENT HEIFER EVALUATION TEST BOARD:

 

John McCutcheon, Greenbrier County Extension Agent

Rodney Wallbrown, Mason County Extension Agent

Ed Smolder, Jackson County Extension Agent

David Richmond, Raleigh/Summers County Extension Agent

Brian Sparks, Nicholas/Fayette County Extension Agent

Chuck Talbott, Putnam County Extension Agent

Don Peterson, Producer

Chuck Lipscomb, Producer

Jim Poling, Producer

Robert Wolfe, Producer

Jack Crank, Bull Test Station Manager

Jim Bostic, WV Cattlemen’s Association

Jim Pritchard, West Virginia Cattleman’s Association

Dwayne O’Dell, WV Department of Agriculture

Dr. Bill Crank, DVM, Veterinarian

 

Click here for Official Nomination Forms