National Gelbvieh and Balancer® Sale Averages $8,480

3          Bulls                                $14,667
1          ½ Embryo Interest           $13,000
1          50% Cloning Rights        $13,000
8          Pick of Breeder’s Herds    $8,500
5          Bred Heifers                      $5,834
7          Open Heifers                     $5,857
            Gross on 25 Lots           $212,000
            Average                             $8,480

The National Gelbvieh and Balancer® Sale kicked off the 2012 sale season with a bang, posting an increased average of $8,480 on 25 lots. Held annually during the National Western Stock Show (NWSS) in Denver, Colo., the National Gelbvieh and Balancer Sale was the first beef cattle sale of the NWSS. The standing room only crowd proved the excitement for and interest in Gelbvieh and Balancer genetics by seedstock breeders and commercial cattlemen. With at total gross of $212,000, the average for the 2012 sale was a 20 percent increase over last year’s sale, and a 75 percent increase from the sale two years ago.

The high-selling lot of the National Gelbvieh and Balancer Sale was Lot 1 at $22,500, the 2012 Breeder’s Choice Gelbvieh Bull Futurity champion. Bred by Plateau Gelbvieh, Peetz, Colo., PLA Big Dog 101Y is a January 29, 2011 purebred son of HYEK Black Impact 3960N. He is homozygous polled, double black and boasts a tremendous EPD profile of: CE 107; BW 0.8; WW 47; YW 81; Milk 18; CW 21; RE 0.23; CV 21.84 and FM 10.42. After active bidding, Locust Hill Farms, Ruffin, N.C., purchased full possession PLA Big Dog. Semen packages were purchased by the following breeders: D Bar D Gelbvieh, Hazelton, N.D.; CJ & L Livestock, Hermosa, S.D.; Diamond D Gelbvieh, Mandan, N.D.; Two Step Ranch & McCabe Cattle Co., Farley, Iowa; and Chimney Butte Ranch, Mandan, N.D.

The second high-seller of the day was Lot 10 at $20,000. This was the pick of the 2011 bull or heifer crop from Bar Arrow Cattle Company, Phillipsburg, Kan. Flying H Genetics, Arapahoe, Neb., was the winning bidder. Bar Arrow Cattle Company showed the grand champion Pen of 5 Gelbvieh bulls and reserve grand champion Pen of 3 Balancer bulls at the 2012 National Western Stock Show.

Lot 5 was the sale of 50 percent cloning right on the black, homozygous polled, purebred donor dam EGL G565, consigned by Boehler Gelbvieh, Orleans, Neb. EGL G565 has produced three AI sons including Ludacris, Big N’ Rich, and Drew, and has generated $115,350 in sales at the National Gelbvieh Sale alone for Boehler Gelbvieh. Eagle Pass Ranch, Highmore, S.D., and Judd Ranch, Inc., Pomona, Kan., purchased the 50 percent cloning rights for $13,000.

Wes and Brittney Spencer, Pierre, S.D., offered 50 percent, lifetime embryo interest on BEA Cindy Lou Who 0001X ET as an added lot to the sale. This double polled, purebred donor female is an ET full sister to Beastrom Ranch’s $24,000 2011 National Champion Bull, BEA Passion 001X ET, and the many time champion JCGR BAR GT Ella 265X. Hart Farm, Kansas City, Kan., and Scott Bachman, Chillicothe, Mo., teamed up to purchase this lot at $13,000.

Little Windy Hill Farms, Max Meadows, Va., consigned Lot 2, LWHF Premium Balance 462Y. He is a homozygous black, homozygous polled Balancer bull. This bull was a runner-up in the 2012 People’s Choice Balancer Bull Futurity and reserve champion winter bull calf in the 2012 National Balancer Show the day after the sale at the NWSS. Malm Ranch, Albin, Wyo., and SS Ranch, LaGrange, Wyo., teamed up to purchase full possession and 2/3 semen interest for $12,000

Prairie Hills Gelbvieh, Gladstone, N.D., purchased the pick of the 2010 bred heifers at Beastrom Ranch, Pierre, S.D. Beastrom Ranch has produced many outstanding AI sires and donor females, producing cattle that offer consistency, power and performance combined with strong maternal traits and balanced EPDs. At the fall of the gavel, this added lot sold for $10,000.

Judd Ranch, Inc., consigned Lot 3, JRI Trump 270W13B. This coming three-year-old herd sire prospect is a homozygous polled, red purebred Gelbvieh bull. He was purchased for $9,500 by Lazy TV Ranch, Selby, N.D., and Kal-Kota Ranch, Steele, N.D., for full possession and one-half semen interest. The day after the sale, this bull was named the 2012 reserve grand champion national Gelbvieh bull.

The National Gelbvieh and Balancer Sale is sponsored by the American Gelbvieh Association and managed by Cattlemen’s Connection, Hiawatha, Kan. The American Gelbvieh Association would like to recognize Judd Ranch, Inc., and Jumping Cow Gelbvieh, Ramah, Colo., for sponsoring the meal prior to the sale.

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