The Louisiana Brangus Breeders Association held their Fifth Annual Bull and Commercial Female Sale on Saturday, October 20th at the Burton Coliseum in Lake Charles. The excellent offering of 59 bulls averaged $1,736 while the offering of bred and open heifers averaged $839. An admiring crowd of cattlemen from north and south Louisiana as well as southeast Texas filled the stands as Col. Mark Switzer of Bellville, Texas sold the excellent offering of Louisiana Bred and Raised Brangus cattle to thirty-five actual buyers.

The bull offering for the fifth year in a row was graded by 20 practicing commercial cattlemen from across Louisiana and Texas. The overall high grading bull was consigned by Michael D. Johnson of Oakdale, La. The January coming two year old was also the high selling bull and sold for $4,400 to Jim McCord of Gause, Texas. McCord also purchased the 3rd high selling bull of the sale when he paid $3,100 for Ronnie Link's The Eagles Ranch lot 33 bull. Roderick Gautreaux's G3 Cattle Co. of Mamou purchased the second high grading bull, another Eagles Ranch bull for $3,300. Gautreaux ended the day buying three head of the top ten high selling bulls. Roderick and son Craig for the third year were two of the cowmen graders.

Placing bulls in the top fifteen high grading bulls were Michael D. Johnson, Cletus Gibbon's Smiling C Ranch, Bubba Reed's R & R Farms, and Rene Hebert's Deux Crochet Brangus Farm.

Volume buyers in the bull sale were Reina Enterprizes of Grand Chenier, Thomas Lyons of Prairieville, Thurman Floyed, Ville Platte, Billy Doland of Grand Chenier, Womack's Farms, Zachary, Charles Slay of Labusse and Gautreaux's G3 Cattle Co. Ten bulls were sold into Texas to McCord, the J. B. Gary Estate, Richard Hodge, Johnny Fenn, and Jim Theeck's Walking T Ranch.

One hundred ten commercial Brangus females were met with approval as several good cattlemen spread the cattle all over South Louisiana and Southeast Texas. The top selling pen of females were spring coming two year olds bred six months that were consigned by Rene Hebert's Deux Crochet Brangus Farm. These top selling females sold for $1,100 to Nilas Young of Eunice. The high selling open females were consigned by Dr. Wayne La Haye that for $970 to Michael Langlinais of Abbeville. Walt McCann of Baton Rouge was the volume female buyer and was ably advised by Raymond Long of Lottie. Alfred Bauddin of Erath, and Don and Linda Holt of West Columbia, Texas were also volume female buyers.

Ronnie Link, LBBA President, said “Our fifth annual sale was our best yet and proves the value of excellent Brangus genetics to commercial cattlemen in the southeast. Our association will endeavor to make sure that our sale offering will be the kind of bulls and females that meet the needs of the practical producing cowman.” Link added that he thoroughly appreciated the efforts of the cowmen graders who donate their time to help with the sale effort. Randy Deshotel, LBBA, Vice President for sales said “The key to this year's offering being our best yet has to be the dedicated efforts of our LBBA breeders to breed, select and sell the kind of cattle that work for commercial cowmen in our area.”

Mark Switzer of Bellville, Texas, owner of Switzer Auction Services, the premier handler of farm and ranch equipment sales, sold the high powered Brangus genetics to commercial cowmen in Louisiana and Texas. Port City Stockyards Co. of Sealy and Brenham, Texas was the sale manager.

High Selling Bull: $4,400-- Consigned by Michael D. Johnson, Oakdale, La. and bought by Jim McCord of Gause, Texas.

High Selling Pen of Females: Two head of 6 mo. bred females consigned by Deux Crochet Brangus Farms, Raceland and bought by Nilas Young of Eunice for $1,100.

Volume Bull Buyer: Reina Enterprizes of Grand Chenier, La.

Volume Female Buyer: Walt McCann of Baton Rouge, La.

Sale Manager: Port City Stockyards Co., Sealy, Texas.

Auctioneer: Mark Switzer, Bellville, Texas.