March 29, 2024

ICA to host performance tested bull sale Friday

AMES — The Iowa Cattlemen’s Association will host its second performance tested bull sale of the season at 6:30 p.m. Friday at the Dunlap Livestock Auction in Dunlap.

To celebrate 30th anniversary, the ICA Bull and Heifer Evaluation Program Committee will host a meal right before the sale. In addition, buyers at the sale will be entered into a drawing for a $500 or $200 credit certificate that can be used on a purchase that night, or a purchase at a future sale date through the 2016 sales.

“Breeders have consigned an excellent set of bulls that carry breed-leading pedigrees and outstanding EPDs (expected progeny differences),” ICA Seedstock Manager Kellie Carolan said.

Thirty-one bulls are on the sale list, including 10 angus, eight charolais, 10 simmental and three simmental composites.

All bulls go through a 112-day test at the Van Meter Feedyard in Guthrie Center.

Breeders of the highest-indexing bull from each breed that qualified for the Dunlap sale will be honored prior to the sale by ICA and Zoetis Animal Health. The terminal index is comprised by average daily gain; weight per day of age; weaning weight EPD; yearling weight EPD; marbling; and retail product numbers.

At a sale held March 16 in Bloomfield, the ICA performance tested bulls sold for an average of  $4,175, which is a new average high for that sale.

There will be a final sale of seedstock that has gone through the ICA evaluation program. On May 1, a sale will be held at the Tama Livestock Auction in Tama that features both heifers and bulls.

For more information about the ICA Bull Evaluation Program or to receive a sale catalog, contact the ICA office at 515-296-2266.

The sales catalog and other bull and heifer test information are on the ICA Web site at www.iacattlemen.org.