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Show-Me-Select heifers set another price recordMissouri The second Show-Me-Select Replacement Heifer Sale of the fall season set another record price, Nov. 24, averaging $1,473 per bred heifer. The ninth annual fall Show-Me-Select sale topped the previous record price of $1,445 in 2005 at the Kingsville Livestock Auction. It also topped the record set one week ago at the Joplin Regional Stockyards at Carthage, Mo. In all, 111 heifers sold for a total of $163,550. The top selling individual pen of heifers averaged $1,750 per head. The two Simmental crossbred heifers were consigned by Crooks Farm LLC of Leeton, Mo. The farm is operated by Alvin and Doug Crooks and Howard Early. "We had a good sale of very high quality heifers," said David Hoffman, University of Missouri Extension regional livestock specialist, Harrisonville, Mo. A tally of repeat buyers showed they bought 83 of the heifers for an average of $1,509. "That was a premium of $140 per head over what the first-time buyers paid," Hoffman said. "We had one repeat buyer who bought 50 head for an average of $1,511. "We could have sold more heifers, as we had potential buyers who wanted heifers go away without heifers. It was a standing-room-only crowd." Demand for quality heifers is strong and the supply is limited, said David Patterson, MU Extension beef specialist, Columbia, Mo. "The fact that we have so many repeat buyers indicates producers are looking to Show-Me-Select as a source of replacement heifers." The educational program emphasizes growing heifers that will have ease of calving plus proven genetics. Nutrition plays a big part in the developing of heifers. Also, veterinarians do pre-breeding exams including pelvic measurement on heifers to ensure they can have a calf. Reproductive tracts are scored for breeding condition before breeding season. The heifers are bred to sires with proven EPDs (Expected Progeny Differences). After breeding, heifers are checked twice for pregnancy and are sold guaranteed pregnant. On arrival at the sale barn, heifers are examined for soundness and conformation by graders from the Missouri Department of Agriculture. Patterson said one reason for the shortage of heifers is that many participating producers are keeping heifers to build their own herds. Interested producers can sign up by Feb. 1 to participate in the 2008 sales. Sheets with detailed requirements, including calfhood vaccination protocols, are available from MU Extension regional livestock specialists. Enrollment details are at http://agebb.missouri.edu/select/, Patterson said Four other sales are scheduled. Dates, sale locations, times and Extension coordinators are: --Dec. 1: Fruitland, Mo., 1 p.m., Roger Eakins, Jackson, Mo., 573-243-3581; --Dec. 1: Green City, Mo., 1 p.m., Jim Humphrey, Savannah, Mo., 816-324-3147 and Chris Zumbrunnen, Milan, Mo., 660-265-4541; --Dec. 8: Mountain Grove, Mo., 1 p.m., Randy Saner, West Plains, Mo., 417-256-2391; --Dec. 14: Palmyra, Mo, 6 p.m., Al Kennett, New London, Mo., 573-985-3911; All approved Show-Me-Select Replacement Heifers carry a black-and-gold ear tag with the copyrighted logo of the corporation. The Show-Me-Select educational program is run by MU Extension. The sales are coordinated by a producer-elected board of Show-Me-Select Replacement Heifers, Inc., a non-profit corporation. Each sale has a farmer panel with a regional MU Extension livestock specialist as coordinator. Date: 12/6/07
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