2020 Fall Calving Show-Me-Select Heifer Sale

The Northeast Missouri Show-Me-Select Replacement heifer program held a fall calving heifer sale where 138 heifers averaged $1,815. The sale was held on Saturday, May 30th at F & T Livestock Auction.
The 9 producers were enrolled in the University of Missouri Extension’s educational heifer management program. The heifers were bred to sires with both calving-ease and growth genetics. The top selling lot, consigned by Twin Hill Stock Farm, brought $2,500.
Highest consigner average was $2,000 on 2 head from JB Ranch, Ewing, Mo. Other high averaging consignors were Harold Trump, Luray, Mo. $1,925 on six head; Schieffer Farm, Troy, Mo. $1,906 on twelve head; Twin Hill Stock Farm, Silex, Mo. $1,879 on thirty-four head.
Twenty-three buyers purchased over $250,000 worth of bred heifers; exchanging hands in less than 50 minutes. Calving surveys returned by buyers provide important information that is given back to consignors to guide improvements in future years.
The Show-Me-Select heifer development program takes nearly a year to complete. Pre-breeding exams are completed on heifers usually 4 to 8 weeks before being bred. These exams include a pelvic measurement, reproductive tract score, and weight record. Heifers may be bred artificially or be exposed to natural service, however; the service sires must meet specific calving ease EPD requirements based on breed. This year 69 head, or 50 percent, of the heifers in the sale were synchronized and bred AI. In this sale, the choice to AI, showed a $42 price advantage over those bred naturally.
All Heifers must be pregnancy tested within 90 days of breeding by a veterinarian to determine expected calving date. The use of ultrasound has helped many of the veterinarians improve their accuracies on calving dates. During the development period the heifers undergo an extensive health program and are vaccinated at weaning, pre-breeding, and pregnancy examination as well as treated several times for internal and external parasites. Heifers are also screened for blemishes, condition, muscling and structural soundness by MU Extension livestock specialists and Missouri Department of Agriculture graders.
This is the 24th year for the Show-Me-Select heifer sale in Palmyra, Mo., over 50,000 heifers have been through the program, and 7,002 head have been sold. If you are interested contact your local MU Extension Livestock Specialist.