The annual Ridgefield Farm Braunvieh Bull Sale took place on a beautiful and warm first fall Saturday. Fortunately for us and our buyers, the sale fell between hurricanes Ivan and Jeanne. Although we had substantial rain and some wind associated with each storm, we experienced minimal damage. There were many new buyers this year, as well as repeat buyers, at the best attended sale yet.

The top selling bull was sold for $3,500 to Mr. Russ Putnal, a commercial cattleman and citrus grower from Myakka City, Fla. The bull had an adjusted rib eye area of 13.6 inches, in a frame score of 6.5, and an average daily gain of 4.7 lbs., IMF of 2.19 and BF of 0.20.

Volume buyer was Mr. Brian Wells of Colquitt, Ga., another commercial cattleman, who bought four two-year-olds to take home to extreme southwest Georgia. One of several repeat buyers was Mr. Robert Thornton, from Clinton, N.C., located near the coast of North Carolina. He couldn't attend but sent his representative, Mr. Paul Gonzalez, to purchase two bulls to go with the two he bought at last year's sale. Mr. Hugh Hill and Mr. Steve Morrison of Long Branch Cattle Co. of Beersheba Springs, Tenn. added two more bulls to the dozen they have previously bought from Ridgefield Farm, to use on their 400-cow commercial Longhorn herd.

The following people also purchased bulls: Mr. Bull Shiflet of Union City, W.V.; Mr. George Wheeler and Mr. Loye Mayfield of Gaffney, S.C.; Mr. Jeff Elam of Morrison, Tenn.; Mr. Silas Shelburne of Pennington Gap, Va.; Mr. Autry Bissette of Spring Hope, N.C.; Mr. Joel Winchester of Chester, S.C.; Mr. Harold Jernigan of Flowery Branch, Ga.; and Mr. Harlan Doeschot, Jr. of Firth, Neb.

Twenty bulls sold, ranging from $1,100 to $3,500 with an average selling price of approximately $1,700.