2026 Cedar Top Ranch

FEBRUARY 17, 2026

12:30 pm Burwell NEBRASKA

Welcome to the Sale

Dear Beef Producers,

The cattle business has come full circle to the cow-calf operators’ time to profit in the beef industry. There have been a few speed bumps thrown at us and we just seem to slow down and then come right back. Not surprising, as I see the beef producers that are left the resilient kind that just charge ahead and don’t let a few bruises stop our movement. Trust me there will be many more come and today as I write this Tyson is closing their Lexington plant and the Amarillo plant is reducing one shift. However, I believe those bumps are already priced in. The live market is as alive as it has ever been showing surreal optimism and rightfully so as the nation’s cowherd will not grow in numbers for another year. It appears heifer retention has started to happen, but we are two years away from the result hitting the market. So, I believe we will see sustained prices for at least two years, and I also believe we are at a new price level in the cattle business.

This year’s bull offering is the most uniform we have ever produced, and top end bulls will be available all day long. We cull as hard as anyone in the business with only the top 20% ever making it to the sale. We input over 250 embryos a year from the elite dams in our program to add to the large seedstock herd producing. We are different than most that we make a cow prove production before she can ever enter the donor pen. By doing this we identify fertility first and foremost and the production and quality after that. Our seedstock cowherd is run exactly like commercial cows in our area and are mixed in with our commercial cowherd most of the year with exception of breeding pastures. Thus, the real-world data and results.

We like to call our method of raising these seedstock cattle “Forage Built”. A great cattleman I know has told me that our cattle excel on the feed efficiency test better than any other herd out there because we identify cattle that can convert grass first and then corn after. He says, and he is right, all cattle can convert corn, but not all cattle can convert grass. If you think about that it is why CTR bulls sire more uniformity than any other operation. I have always said “corn helps those that can’t help themselves”. By identifying the cattle that hustle and go hunt and forage for themselves you identify the cattle that will hustle. They hustle in the pasture; they hustle at the bunk and therefore hustle to the best hanging on the rail.

Unique to our operation is the Grass Productivity Index. We test the cattle we raise for gain while on pasture. All operations sell grass through the cows and it is one area that does not get tested. Understandably it is impossible to measure intake, but we take the gains and then body condition scores and combine the data to identify the leaders. With over 20 years of collecting data we have found certain bloodlines that excel. WE test the bulls, heifers and the steers. We run everything over as yearlings, so it is an easy luxury test for us to do versus other operations. The bulls are also tested at an approved Feed Efficiency yard in Lincoln County to help identify the cattle that will excel when in a feedyard. I feel this is very important for our customers as approximately 80% of every calf crop will be fed in a feedyard. We have done carcass testing since the early 90’s on our steers and heifers to find real world carcass cattle.

Come look at the bulls anytime it fits into your busy schedule. Video’s will be done but I still feel it is best to look at the cattle as well. Currently the bulls are at Ryan and Christena Schultis’ yard a mile south of Ringgold. The Saturday before the sale the bulls will be moved the salebarn at Burwell Livestock and can be viewed anytime there as well.

Scott Starr

The Starr Family

Eldon & Kathy Starr

210 Starr Dr. Stapleton, NE 69163 800-535-6173

Fax 308-587-2248

bullbarn@accessdirectwb.net

Scott & Raberta Starr

212 Starr Dr. Stapleton, NE 69163

308-530-3900

cedartopranch@yahoo.com

Austin & Ellie Starr

214 Starr Dr. Stapleton, NE 69163

308-530-2720

starr.austin@ymail.com

Rich & Maureen Johnson P.O.Box 248 Tilden, NE 68781 402-750-7814

Johnson_labs@yahoo.com

AUCTIONEER:

MATERNAL

BULL SALE 48th Annual

FEBRUARY 17, 2026 12:30 pm

Tracy Harl, Wellington, CO..............................................402-461-3575

LIVESTOCK PRESS REPRESENTATIVES:

American Gelbvieh Assn. • 785-547-7999.......................Tom Strahm

American Angus Assn. • 740-272-1386 Will Harsh

American Cattleman • 308-539-6195........................... Randy Rasby

Tristate Livestock News • 605-380-6024.............................Scott Dirk

Midwest Messenger • 402-640-2377..........................Kent Snowden

Livestock Digital • 402-380-8244....................................Chris Buetler

AMERICAN GELBVIEH ASSOCIATION:

Tom Strahm ...................................................................785-547-7999

ACCOMMODATIONS:

Pump and Pantry............................................................308-346-5556

Rodeo Motel..................................................................308-346-4408

Crest Motel, Taylor, NE....................................................308-942-3430

Wildlife Inn, Taylor, NE....................................................308-942-6234

Airport Motel, (North Hwy. 11, Ord, NE)............................308-728-3649

HERD HEALTH AND PERFORMANCE:

All cattle will be ready for interstate shipment within the United States. All bulls sell with performance data, are fertility examined, and DNA tested for all available markers. All bulls will be tested negative for BVD, Johne’s, and leucosis.

Ranch Veterinarians: Dr. Richard Christen and Kevin Albertson, Stockman’s Veterinary Clinic, North Platte, NE

TERMS AND CONDITIONS:

Cash sale day. All cattle will sell under the recommended terms of the AGA and the AAA. CTR and Johnson’s will retain ½ semen interest in all bulls selling.

LIABILITY:

Neither the sale host, sale facility, sale management, nor auctioneer assumes any liability for any accidents which may occur.

SALE DAY PHONES:

Scott Starr

Cell: 308-530-3900

Eldon Starr

Cell: 308-530-0825

Cell: 308-530-6344

Rich Johnson

Cell: 402-750-7814

Austin Starr

308-530-2720

Sale Barn

308-346-4257

DELIVERY & TRUCKING:

Cedar Top Ranch and Johnson Gelbvieh will cooperate in every way possible to deliver your bulls. Free delivery in Nebraska. Free delivery to surrounding states on purchases of $7,500 or more. Free delivery to anywhere in the continental U.S. on purchases totaling $30,000 or more. Bring your own trailer and deduct $100 per head if hauled away sale day. Deliveries will begin soon after the sale as bulls are older and don’t require extra feed. If this does not work, please notify us to make other arrangements before the sale.

VOLUME DISCOUNTS:

5-9 head........................ 5% 10 or more...................10%

GUARANTEE:

Unconditional first breeding season guarantee against death or injury. If something were to happen to your bull, Cedar Top Ranch and Johnson Gelbvieh will get a replacement for the season and give credit in our next bull sale. Credit for the amount of purchase less salvage value will be applied toward a replacement. Credit or liability can never exceed purchase price. The end of the breeding season guarantee shall be September 1. However, if you breed out of season (fall breed), notify us and we will adjust to your needs. DNA for Homo Black, feed efficiency and actual scrotal will be available sale day or call ahead and we will send a supplement sheet. DNA was not available at printing time. Sorry for the inconvenience.

CTR PAYWEIGHT 4873M ET

Top Bull! Absolute stud, stout, thick and full of muscle. Great feet and sound as you can make one, this virile bull will cover lots of cows. One of the best ever produced at CTR.

Top Bull! Very complete, long made,

PAYWEIGHT 1682 GRANDSONS

Big footed sound bull from a truly unique right time 24j daughter that was impeccable in production. Older proven genetics that keep you in production agriculture.

9 CTR PAYWEIGHT 4885M

Moderate made and very long bull that is top 10% DOC and CW. Will add pounds to a calf crop

Flush brother to lot 8 and both bulls are incredible in their phenotype and genotype. Bulls that will move any cowherd to the front of beef production.

Top bull! Top 15%

a

Line bred bull of 19C.

Long made and smooth shouldered with a double-digit CE spells calving ease with excellent growth numbers and top 15% Marbling.

CTR MATERNAL KIND 4799M

PAYWEIGHT 1682 GRANDSONS

Attractive bull that is deep and stout all while being able to still move freely. Productive cow family that consistently brings in top calves in the fall. Keep all the daughters you get to give you the productive cows that help a ranches bottom line.

First of 4 flush brothers (lots 26-28 & 32)in these fall ET bulls. This is one of the most anticipated flushes to be born. The tying together of Lass 3200 and Tumbleweed 7228. The breeding power of these bulls will be second to none. Long free moving bull here.

Another flush of 3 (lots 29-31) brothers that combine Tumbleweed 7228 and the great 841U. Maternal at

CTR MATERNAL KIND 4905M ET

Flush sibs to lots 29 & 31. Top bull! Stout and deep all while moving sound as a cat.

Flush brother to lots 29 &

RINGGOLD 4806M - Sells as Lot 36.

CTR RINGGOLD 4822M

CTR RINGGOLD 4806M

Double digit CE and stems back to a cow Eldon brought out of Canada. Very complete, thick and deep. Find this one he is good.

A real business bull here. Long, stretchy, full of muscle and sound as can be. This must find bull backs it up with data, EPDs and gain ratios. Top 10% YW, DOC and REA. Top 15% WW and DOC. Top 20% STAY and CW. He does it all.

Very complete and full of muscle. This big topped bull

Complete female maker that stems from an elite past donor dam. O33H is on her way to gaining the donor status at CTR herself with her fertility, fleshing ability and production. Top carcass data as well with top 10% YG and REA.

This

Higher percentage ET bull from an absolute great cow. Keep every daughter this bull combines 841U and 198L. Masculine bulls make feminine females, and this bull is all that. Very complete made with absolutely perfect feet. Top 2% PG30, top 20%

and DMI, Top 25% marbling. You just can’t make a better female maker.

CTR WASATCH 4805M

Top Bull! This big volume bull combines elite donor dams 7228, 198L, 5160R and 7281T. Absolutely stacked maternal pedigree. Numerically balanced across the board in a complete sound made bull. And the best is he performed at the top of ADG and GPI with elite feed conversion. A must find bull!

Top Bull! Another great bull stacked with elite donor dams. 7281T, 5160R, 131Y, 2101Z and the great 442D (twice). This is the cow family that created the great breeding bull Sandhills. Maternal numbers of top 3% STAY and top 20% PG30 spell longevity. This long deep bull also has elite ADG, feed conversion and GPI. Add ratios of 113 WWR and 118 YWR you have a powerfully packed herd bull That will calve easy, smash scales at weaning and yearling and leave top females.

DLW SAND TRAP ET

SIRE OF LOTS 61-63

CTR SAND TRAP 4891M ET - Sells as Lot 61.

BGGR MS ABOUT TIME 841U - Dam of Lots 29-31, 54, 61-63, 72-75.

Top Bull! Another bull that lines up elite donor dams all through his pedigree. Starting with his elite dam 841U, 198L and 7281T (the dam of Sandhills), Matron 802U. This stout made, wide walking bull is as smooth as you can make one. Elite ADG and solid GPI. Flush brother to lots 62 & 63.

Flush brother to lots 61 & 63. Lots 62 & 63 are fall born bulls while 61 is a

Flush brother to lots 61 & 62.

Calving ease red bull that has breed greats in his pedigree. Sandhills, Hard Drive, Conquest and it all stems back to 198L. We believe this bull will work on heifers with a 14 CED and a -1.7 BW. With a great momma cow behind him keep the low birth daughters. Top 5% PG30 Top 15% YG.

Big growthy high volume red bull that will leave tremendous replacement females. 5119C has entered our donor program and her dam has been a long-standing donor in our herd. The Day Money daughters are impeccable and that is the reason we brought him back into use at CTR. Longevity is a given with this bull. Dam is 11 and still producing and granddam is 17 and still here with HP and PG30 both top 20%. Add in the carcass values of Top 1% FAT, top 2% YG and 4% REA, elite feed conversion and GPI and you have a real breeding bull.

Performance bull of the cowmakers (lots 72-75) with a great ADG. Perfect feet on this long heavy muscled bull. Ties together two of the greatest cows at CTR in 7228 and 841U.

Top Bull! Deep, wide made, heavy muscled bull that is free moving. Find this bull! Homo black and polled status will be available sale day.

SQUARE DEAL 4888M ET - Sells as Lot 76. MYERS FAIR-N-SQUARE M39 - Sire of Lots 76, 77. S A V RAINFALL 6846 - Sire of Lots 78, 79.

RAINFALL 4887M ET - Sells as Lot 79.

If you want muscle and mass in your calf crop, he is your bull. A favorite bull ever since a calf and displayed elite ADG. Dam is our favorite of the 198L daughters, and the replacement females will be as good as you will find. All this in an attractive package make this a must find bull. Homo black and polled status will be available sale day.

CTR WRANGLER 4726M

Free moving bull with tremendous balance of numerical data. A favorite as a calf. Top ADG and GPI. Will make tremendous females. Double-digit CE top 20%, top 10% MILK, 15% TM & DOC and 25% YW & CEM.

REA, 10% CW and top 25% marbling spells feeder cattle deluxe.

Big footed bull that top 3%DOC, 10% WW, YW, CW, REA & FAT

Bigger bull that shows good muscle shape. Elite growth potential with

JUSTIFIED GRANDSONS

MCJ 413M - Sells as Lot 92.

Complete bull with a big top and really sound on the move. Incredible number set of top 15% CED, 3% STAY, 15% MARB. The balance of numbers is understandable when you look at his pedigree…it’s a list of who’s who in longevity and productivity. Find this bull he’s a good one.

Big stout long made bull with good

This wide based bull is full of muscle and looks

Top Bull! If you are looking for a herdbull this year here he is! This stud is long and deep, stout and wide based, and as sound as you can possibly make one. Every time when viewed on grass this summer this gentle cuss would come up and you just had to stop and look at him. Numerically he is just a phenomenal top 1% DOC, 2% WW, 4% TM, 10% YW, 15% CED and MPI. Top end ADG, GPI and herd ratios.

Great cow family behind this bull. Granddam was my pick of the entire Black Gold cowherd many years ago and has produced the popular Gridline bull at Johnson’s for several years. These Logos are the real deal, and this is a certain breed changer kind of a bull.

This long attractive big topped bull is sure to please. Granddam is the great Vanna cow now at Black Gold that has produced sale topping cattle over a couple decades. Solid growth ratios and ADG! Numerically just as outstanding top 1% DOC, 10% WW MWT CERY, 15% TM and 20% YW. Outstanding gain ratios on grass and ADG. Find this one.

PINE COULEE FOUNDATION - Sire of Lot 102.

Heifer bull that is phenomenal with top 2% CED and top 3% BW. Big topped bull with excellent muscle shape and attractive to look at. Also a top 1% CEM, 2% MILK, 15% TM and DOC. A heifer bull everyone should find with elite feed conversion.

EXPECTED PROGENY DIFFERENCES

Below is a list of the expected progeny differences (EPDs) and index values provided by the AGA along with a definition of each trait that is measured. Since AGA’s release of BOLT-powered EPDs on August 6, 2018, the majority of EPDs are BOLT EPDs, which means that Gelbvieh and Balancer® animals BOLT EPDs can be directly compared with other animals in the registries of other partner breed associations within the International Genetic Solutions group. Gelbvieh and Balancer EPDs that are excluded from BOLT include heifer pregnancy and 30-month pregnancy. The FPI™ index is unique to the AGA and are not comparable across breeds.

MATERNAL TRAITS

Calving Ease Direct (CED): Percent of unassisted births of a bull’s calves when he is used on heifers. A higher number is favorable, meaning better calving ease. This EPD can be vital to a rancher looking to decrease the amount of calves pulled in his herd.

Milk (MILK): The genetic ability of a sire’s daughters to produce milk expressed in pounds of weaning weight.

Calving Ease Maternal (CEM): Represented as percent of unassisted births in a sire’s first-calving daughters. A higher number represents more favorable calving ease. This EPD is important to a rancher’s bottom line because it predicts which animals produce daughters with a genetic predisposition to calve unassisted as heifers.

Heifer Pregnancy (HP): Predicts the probability that a bull’s daughters will become pregnant as first calf heifers in a regular breeding season, expressed as a percent. A higher value of this EPD is favorable, meaning that a higher percentage of a sire’s daughters get pregnant as first calf heifers compared to other sires in his contemporary group. 30-month Pregnancy (PG30): Predicts the probability that a bull’s daughters will become pregnant and calve at three years of age, given that they calved as first-calf heifers. This EPD is expressed as a percent, again, with a higher number being more favorable meaning a higher percentage of a sire’s daughters will calve at three years of age, given they calved as first calf heifers.

Stayability (STAY): Predicts the genetic difference, in terms of percent probability, that a bull’s daughters will stay productive within a herd to at least six years of age. The stayability EPD is one of the best measures currently available to compare a bull’s ability to produce females with reproductive longevity.

PERFORMANCE TRAITS

Birth Weight (BW): Predicts the difference, in pounds, for birth weight of the calf.

Weaning Weight (WW): Predicts the difference, in pounds, for weaning weight (adjusted to age of dam and a standard 205 days of age). This is an indicator of growth from birth to weaning.

Yearling Weight (YW): Predicts the expected difference, in pounds, for yearling weight (adjusted to a standard 365 days of age). This is an indicator of growth from birth to yearling.

CARCASS TRAITS

Yield Grade (YG): Differences in yield grade score, which is a predictor of percent retail product. Smaller values suggest that progeny will have a better lean to fat ratio.

Carcass Weight (CW): Differences in pounds of hot carcass weight, adjusted to an industry standard age endpoint.

Ribeye Area (REA): Differences in ribeye area in inches between the 12th and 13th rib. Greater ribeye areas are preferable.

Marbling (MARB): Predicts the differences in the degree of marbling within the ribeye as expressed in marbling score units. Greater marbling numbers are preferable and are an indicator of higher carcass quality grades.

INDEXES

Total Maternal (TM): An index that combines growth and milk information as a prediction of the weaning weight performance of calves from a sire’s daughters. As an index, this value is not reported with an accompanying accuracy. A greater TM value means a mother returns comparatively higher weaning weights on her calves. TM Index = MK EPD + ½ WW EPD.

FPI™: An economic selection index, which stands for feeder profit index, is designed to aid producers in selecting sires whose progeny will perform in the feedlot and are sold on a grade and yield standpoint. Well ranking sires for FPI have higher marbling and carcass weight than their contemporaries. As a terminal index, little emphasis is put on maternal traits such as stayability and calving ease.

GRANDSONS AND GREAT GRANDSONS SELL AS LOTS 103-107

Heifer bull top 25% both CED and BW) that is super complete deep and wide made. Another bull that ties together many top cows in the Balancer breed: Hot Bobbi, 7228, 503C, 198L, 7281T and 301N…Thus keep every daughter. Life Time is proving to be an elite sire and coupled with the tumbleweed cow family makes this a breeding bull! Other top notable EPDs include top 10% STAY & SC, top 20% HP & MARB, top 15% FPI.

Same sire and cow family as lot 103 but in a growth package. This long heavy muscled bull offers a nice balanced set of numerical values. Top ADG, Feed conversion and GPI. Many top females in this pedigree equates to a sire to use for replacement heifers. Top 15% SC and 20% HP.

Attractive complete bull that is very sound. One of the youngest of the 2’s. He was kept because of his quality and the quality of his dam. Excellent numbers and an outstanding breeding bull. Top 3% DOC

Sale Notes

109

CTR WATCHMAN 4910M

Red Heifer bull that is also a top bull. Very complete and wide made! This easy fleshing bull has top 4% $GAIN, 5% PG30, 15% CED & MARB, 20% DMI and 25% BW. Find this calving ease red bull.

Heifer bull from the same cow

We have been raising Balancer cattle for some time and have tried a few different operations. The CTR cattle impressed me from a maternal standpoint in what they could raise and how well they crossed with other breeds when I worked for Scott. Scott was doing large carcass tests at the time for the AGA and the data was very good for their home raised cattle and sires. After trying some other genetics I have settled on the CTR cattle our last year’s calf crop went 95%CH or higher with 39% going CAB. And 12% Prime. Weights were heavy indicating the grow these cattle have even though they are maternal bred. We feed several other cattle out as well and Scott has helped me source those cattle and I am always in the market if your cattle are CTR sired, especially 100% CTR sired. Call Scott if you have some to sell and he will get a hold of me. I don’t want a lot of calls and he will know what I’m looking for.

- Travis and Crystal Reith, Avoca, MN

Heifer bull that is big and growthy and long bodied. Should produce extra pounds on your virgin heifers. Solid on ADG, feed efficiency and GPI.

Heifer bull with ideal pedigree for the Sandhills. Dam is a promising young female. Outstanding ADG and feed efficiency!

Heifer bull from a proven mature

Heifer bull from 2 of our most proven sires ever here at CTR in Logo and Industry. Dam is time-tested and still producing at 13. Perfect udder on 3919 and an ideal made cow for the Sandhills. Keep all the daughters.

4539

4517

4519

CTR FAIR-N-SQUARE 4522

CTR WRANGLER 4531

Top Bull and heifer bull! Does he ever put it all together. Low birth and excellent growth in pasture settings. Absolute herdbull is high volumed, easy fleshing , long made and thick throughout. Cattlemen find this bull.

CTR FOUNDATION 4513

TAHOE 4534

MAKE YOUR CROSSBREEDING COUNT

“The maternal strengths of Gelbvieh are a great advantage in my cowherd. These females are good mothers, have quiet dispositions, claim their calves at birth and milk well.”

- MATT JARVIS, PHILLIPSBURG, KS

GELBVIEH & BALANCER ®

Make Crossbreeding Easy

PERFORMANCEPRODUCTIVITYPROFITABILITY

Gelbvieh maternal influence in a crossbreeding system offers added fertility, increased longevity, and more pounds of calf weaned per cow exposed.

The crossbred female is 30 percent more productive over her lifetime. Greater productivity equates to more money in the bank.

GELBVIEH.ORG

Using Gelbvieh and Balancer ® genetics can increase profitability through heavier weaning weights, improved feed efficiency as well as heavier, faster gaining feeder cattle.

Gain on Grass

We are the only operation that I know of in the seedstock industry identifying cattle that convert the one thing that every cow calf producer sells and that is grass! We have been taking individual weights going to and coming off of grass for 20 years. I have tried to get the academia experts to do this and establish a EPD but it has mostly fell on deaf ears as most seedstock producers and industry feeders don’t feel it is important or it impedes their marketing plans. Most all bulls are developed on a perfect managed feed and never challenged in life to identify those that know how to go get their own mouthful and convert it to pounds and thriftiness.

As I have always said “corn helps those that can’t help themselves”. It is impossible to measure intake while out on grass and that makes it hard to quantify, but we have over time identified cattle that can do just that. EPDs are mostly developed off of a starch diet and don’t analyze a true forage diet. But EPDs can be helpful but not totally used to get your needed goal. EPDs are a tool for use in the big picture and only one tool in the whole toolbox. For example, a lower growth EPD will help identify an animal that also has a much lower maintenance requirement. That is important info because if you run a low input operation those lower maintenance cattle will actually gain more. Reason being all cattle have a net energy maintenance and a net energy gain requirements, they have to meet maintenance before they can express gain. We have seen first-hand cattle with low EPDs actually weigh more in a low input environment because they met their needs at a lower requirement and then could express gain. Along with that we have seen high growth EPD cattle weigh much less and just look depleted and not thrifty. Conversely if your operation has more feed you can utilize the higher growth cattle and get more output with more input. We all want to walk the fine line as to getting as much growth as our environment will sustain because most of our calf crops will eventually be put on a high energy diet and we still want them to gain good as it just puts more money in the pocket of the feeder. We have done the much more structured tests in the past of feed efficiency testing the bulls on a feed test that weighs every mouthful. I believe it is very important information as we are always searching for the cattle that can do both and do both more efficiently. When we did test our cattle they did extremely well. Steve Scholz that performed the test said our cattle outperformed almost all cattle from top to bottom on test. He believed our grass tests identified better cattle over time from top to bottom and aggressive eaters and converters. We will be testing bulls again this year at Lincoln County Feed Yard feed test station. And we will then perform the grass test next summer as usual. I firmly believe our grass test is more important to your bottom line as the producer, you are selling grass. After you wean many will be selling feed but those that make yearlings the grass test is huge. It is also huge to the females you keep for replacements as for their lifetime they will by converting forage from your program.

We are now unveiling a 1 through 5 star system for now on how the individual bull gained as compared to the rest of the group of bulls. For this initial year we are identifying the top 30% of the bulls for gain. A 5* would be the top 10%, 4* top 20% and 3*top 30%. I’m hoping over the next couple years I can identify a number system from all of the pedigree to identify the genetics through parentage that have excelled. Like for example our Sandhills line of cattle have been at the very top every year and if you look through the pedigrees he is in most of the bulls.

To test our work we run a commercial yearling operation. We AI our commercial cows and then track the AI sired calves. We individually track the AI sired and also track the clean up as a group) The calves are weighed at weaning, yearling and coming off grass at approximately 16-18 months of age. The standard assumption for yearlings gaining on grass is 1.8/lb/d from yearling weigh to off grass weight. We have had many gain over 3/lbs/d and have the entire groups( AI sired and clean up bulls) gaining at 2.6/lbs/d. That is .8/lbs/d better than average and that is a lot of dollars in your pocket. Figure a 4 month turn out of 120 days. 120 times .8 increase is 96 more pounds! Cattle Fax today showed a 750 pound feeder worth $2.68/lb. That equates $257.28 more value per calf assuming the now 846 pound steer is at the same price as the 750 steer.

You can trust our bulls to sire cattle that will be more aggressive to go out and forage grass and be able to convert it to pounds. Our cattle will get to the back side of a pasture and graze, not lay around the well. Cattle that get to the back side will always have healthier thrifty cattle that just perform well in any environment they are managed. We have also noticed our cattle handle different grasses especially well. Fescue would be an example we have sent several hundred cows to fescue and they just got fat and raised big fat calves. Short grass and mountain grass we see phenomenal gains and obviously Sandhill grass we do very well on. I had a prominent Angus breeder tell me once if you can get cattle to do well on Sandhill native grasses they will do very well in any other environment. I believe this is because they have to consume so much more volume of grass to meet their needs that when put on higher nutrition grasses they excel.

This is a large test, a continual work in progress, and has taken many years to identify lines and propagate them into all of our cows. Behavioral differences play a large factor like the cows that are aggressive to graze further out and teach their calves to do the same. I believe that is why it took time in the beginning to find the lines that were solid and several progeny to prove them. One reason we waited this long to start to release results we wanted every bull we offered to have these genetics bred into them. We are identifying the top 30% but we also feel every bull in the sale has many of these inherent genetics bred into them better than you can find anywhere else in the industry. We are constantly searching for new lines of cattle that will not obviously have the testing done but we also need to identify outside genetics to outcross to your program for heterosis and thus increased profitability. The line breeding is our responsibility to your profitability. Your success is our number one goal and it is something we take very seriously.