Over in the world of performance programs, we’ve wrapped up 2023’s Bull Development Program with our annual sale, where 21 bulls complete with 100K genotypes, a complete set of height and weight measurements, gain test data, positive fertility tests, and cattleman approved were sold for a collective $70,950 by Best Cattle Sales. This year’s program featured some new additions, including prizes other than the fantastic bulls.
As an incentive to sign up and bid in our sale, ABBA gave away an RTIC Cooler to Mr. James White, two yeti beverage buckets, one to Mr. Ryan Roth, and one to Mr. Tobin Sczepanik, as well as two official ABBA hats and tumblers, to Mr. Richard Wright and Mr. Andrew Cure. A special thank you goes out to our bidders and everyone who signed up for the sale. Of course an ending always brings a new beginning, and I am excited to announce our 10th annual Bull Development Program, will take place March 15th to August 1st at Texana Feeders, in Floresville, Texas. Nominations are due by February 15th, so make sure to get signed up today!
Details of that program are outlined on page 38, as well as our official ABBA Facebook page, along with a nomination form. All new for this year, we are partnering with research groups from Texas A&M University in College Station, University of Tennessee, University of Florida, and University of Missouri to identify genetic indicators of early puberty, the development of scurs, docility scores, resistance to insects, carcass quality, and lifetime fertility outcomes. These projects will not only help us develop new EPDs for fertility, they will also give breeders deeper insight into the carcass performance of their herds, allowing for highly accurate selection decisions for the traits that matter most to the bottom line. Keep an eye out for the dates of our planned field days, where you can come learn about the program from the researchers, view the herd, meet the breeders, and maybe even buy one of these spectacular bulls!
But wait, there’s more! We’re also bringing back the ABBA Annual Steer Feedout, formerly known as the E.A.R. Program. Nominations for that are due February 15th as well, with the program scheduled for March 5th – October 1st. Program details can be found on page 55, as well as our official ABBA Facebook page, and features research into Brahman carcass improvement, docility, growth, and insect resistance.
If you want a deep look into the performance of your herd, you won’t find a better value than these programs we’ve put together for you. All of our development programs are helping us create and curate the largest and most comprehensive evaluation of American Brahman cattle available, backed by the power of over 16 million data points and a DNA library that has grown by over 200% in the last year! By entering your cattle into these programs, you are ensuring that ABBA’s genetic evaluation is built to represent the performance of your herds, guaranteeing the accuracy of your selection decisions for generations to come. Buyers benefit too! When you buy an animal that’s been in one of these programs, you can rest assured that the data on those animals comes backed by the ABBA brand. As always, please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions, comments, or concerns at ajknowles@brahman.org.
