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2009 – 2010 BCIA Southwest Bull Test Season Begins

Nov 10, 2009
By Joi Saville

The 31st Annual Southwest Virginia Beef Cattle Improvement Association (BCIA) Performance Tests began on October 6, 2009 with the delivery of 209 junior and senior bulls to Hillwinds Farm in Dublin, VA.

Tim, along with his wife, Cathy, and their 4 children, Laura, Allison, Caroline, and Heath, own and operate Hillwinds Farm, in Dublin.  Tim has been feeding bulls for 5 years for the BCIA test stations.  “I decided to become involved in the process,” stated Sutphin, and the rest is history. As a longtime bull buyer, Sutphin decided to become involved in the process of bull evaluation and became a feeder for the BCIA Southwest Bull Test Station as a result.  “My interest in the program coincided with several other things that were happening at the time, and since then, it has been a great relationship,” continued Sutphin.

Besides custom feeding the bulls for BCIA, Hillwinds Farm has 750 commercial cows.  The cowherd consists of primarily Angus-based cows with a percentage of Simmental and Gelbvieh genetics to capture the established advantages of crossbreeding.  Both fall and spring calving are practiced to make efficient use of resources and labor.  In addition to the large commercial cow herd, stocker cattle, replacement heifer development, bull test feeding and a flock of 120 commercial ewes add diversification to the operation.

As a third party administrator of the Bull Test Program, BCIA works to serve its two purposes of: 1) to foster the improvement of beef cattle in Virginia through improved genetics and management with major emphasis placed on selection criteria for traits of economic importance, and: 2) to carry on educational and promotional work in connection with the production of improved beef cattle.  The Association currently has approximately 175 active members consisting of both purebred and commercial producers from Virginia and surrounding states.  The Board of Directors consists of 10 members representing state breed associations and commercial cattlemen.  Virginia BCIA is a state organization which belongs to the Beef Improvement Federation -- the national organization which sets guidelines and standards for beef cattle genetics (EPDs, performance reporting, etc.)

With the above mission in mind, BCIA sets forth strict requirements for bulls to be tested in one of their programs.  Some of the eligibility requirements include: bulls meeting minimum YW EPD requirements based on breed; minimum frame score of 5.0; soundness; disposition; and pre-weaning and vaccination programs.  In addition to the above requirements, BCIA has adopted a new policy in which all bulls are required to be free of genetic abnormalities.

In addition to the minimum requirements for test, bulls are also required to average 2.5 pounds of gain per day of age at delivery, as well as a minimum weaning period of 45 days and started on feed.

The senior bulls will be on test for 112 days and the junior bulls will be on test for 133 days. During this testing period, weights will be taken as well as hip height measurements, ultrasound data collection, and semen testing.  At the end of the test, the top two-thirds of the bulls on test will be selected for the sale.  This selection takes into account the bull’s growth, average daily gain, frame score, scrotal circumference, and exceeding minimal EPD requirements.

Out of the 209 bulls that were delivered to the test station, the 103 senior bulls consist of 74 Angus, 3 Charolais, 7 Gelbvieh, 7 Simmental, and 12 Simmental Hybrids that were born between September 15 – December 31, 2008.  The 106 junior bulls consist of 63 Angus, 4 Charolais, 5 Gelbvieh, 4 Gelbvieh Balancers, 2 Hereford, 16 Simmental and 12 Simmental Hybrid bulls that were born between January 1 – March 31, 2009.  Please visit the website, www.bcia.apsc.vt.edu to see how the bulls perform over the course of the test.  The senior bulls are scheduled to come off test on February 9, 2010 and the junior bulls are scheduled to come off test on March 2, 2009 with the sale scheduled for Saturday, March 27, 2010 at the former Umberger Sale Facility in Wytheville, VA.  The annual Open House will be hosted at the station on Sunday afternoon, March 22.

Watch for updates in the BCIA Bull-e-tin on the Southwest and Culpeper Senior Bull Tests.  The sale date for the Culpeper Senior Bull Test is set for Saturday, December 12th, 2009.

- Joi Saville, Beef Extension Associate, VA Tech


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