Much like the state of the economy, it was a tough day to sell bulls on Wednesday, October 16 at the 20th Edisto Forage Bull Test. Buyers were bargain shoppers. They got some really good buys on a quality set of bulls. The 53 bulls sold for $83,400 – an average of $1,574 per bull. Buyers were from South Carolina (44 bulls), North Carolina (six bulls) and Georgia (three bulls). Volume buyer was Randy Wilburn from Union, S.C., who purchased four bulls. Several cattlemen took advantage of the bargain prices and purchased two or three bulls. On Monday before the sale, the 53 bulls average 606 days old, 53.5 inches tall, 5.3 frame score, 1,547 pounds, 2.55 lbs/day WDA and 36.5 cm scrotal circumference. In 20 Edisto sales, 896 bulls have been sold for $1,903,255 – an average of $2,124.14 per bull.

The high selling bull was Sweetwater Plantation's 50 Angus bull at $3,500 going to Don Havird's Shady Hill Farm at Ridge Spring, S.C. Tied for second high sellers at $3,400 were Sweetwater's 44 Angus bull and Deer Valley Charolais Ranch's 78 bull. Thrailkill Farms at Fort Lawn, S.C. purchased the Angus bull. Clemson University's Edisto Research & Education Center purchased the Charolais bull for the IRM Beef Production Systems research-extension program.