SALE REPORT
SPITZER RANCH BRANGUS BULLS SPARKS STRONG DEMAND

SALE SUMMARY                                                                       Average 26 Brangus Bulls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $2,973 40 Black Gold Commercial Brangus Heifers . . . . . . . . . .$1,018

February 26, 2005
Pelzer, S.C.

“A really useful, practical set of bulls” seemed to be popular barn talk as potential buyers scoped out bulls at the 2005 edition of the Spitzer Ranch Performance Tested Brangus Bull Sale. The Spitzer Family has devoted the past 23 years to earning the right to be called the “Performance Brangus Breeders” by stacking generations of performance genetics in demand by commercial cattlemen. Each year the Spitzers sell a few bulls into registered operations, but are proudest of the demand for their bulls by farmers and ranchers who make a living with commercial cow herds. At this year's sale 25 of the 26 bulls offered found homes with commercial cattle operations.

A large crowd of bidders and buyers spurred the average to $2,973 on the 26 Brangus Bulls while the 40 head of customer consigned “Black Gold” commercial Brangus yearling heifers averaged $1,018. Furious bidding from the audience and over telephone lines saw the first bull in the ring command a bid of $5,750 for 2/3 interest and possession from new Brangus breeder Willard Huffman from Stoney Point, N.C. SR Cadence Warrior P456 was flagged as a “calving ease” bull, but had tremendous growth numbers and EPDs to enhance the value. An ultrasound scanned REA of 14.3 put the icing on the cake for this potential herd sire.

Repeat customer Graham DuBose, DuBose Cattle Company from Rembert, S.C. grabbed the second highest selling bull at $4,750. Another “calving ease” bull, SR Wrangler Warrior P407 also had a yearling EPD in the top 10 percent for non-parent Brangus bulls. He ultrasound scanned a REA of 14.7 with a phenomenal 3.77 percent IMF. Third high selling bull SR Wrangler Warrior P406 kept up the pace on “calving ease” bulls selling for $3,900. P406 sold to another repeat customer, Choestoea Farm, Reid and Jack Arnold of Westminster, S.C. Gene Moretz, Moretz Land and Cattle Company from Bristol, Va. picked off the fourth high seller at $3,700. WT Wrangler Warrior P120 was consigned by one of our cooperator herds, Will Taylor of Honea Path, S.C.

Spitzer Ranch recognized Nelson Casey, Casey Farms in Canon, Ga. as the 2005 addition to their Customer Honor Roll. The Customer Honor Roll was established to recognize those who have been long term repeat customers of Spitzer Ranch genetics. Mr. Casey and daughter Melinda run a few over 100 crossbred Brangus cows and both were on hand to accept the honor. The Caseys have been buying Spitzer Ranch bulls since 1994 and have come back to purchase five bulls over the ensuing years as well as several pens of “Black Gold” commercial females. Spitzer Ranch also awarded Carcass Data Certificates (each worth $500 toward purchase of a bull) to Blue Branch Farms, the McAllister Family of Mt. Carmel, S.C.; Joe Davis, Davis Farms of Westminster, S.C.; and Bar T Ranch, Richard Taylor of Honea Path, S.C.

Over the past 12 years Spitzer Ranch has held a “Black Gold” Customer Female Sale in conjunction with their annual Bull Sale. This year getting their bull customers to part with those “Black Gold” females was nearly impossible and only Blue Branch Farms, the McAllister Family were participants. They were highly rewarded however, as their 40 open yearling heifers averaged $1,018.

Jared Tavernier from Anderson, S.C. gave $1,100 each for a pen of their fancy BWF heifers as high sellers. Three pens tied for second high sellers at $1,075 per head with a pen of four solid black heifers selling to Chad Burton from Westminster, S.C.; a pen of two black heifers selling to Robert Crockett from Evans, Ga.; and a pen of two chocolate gray heifers selling to Tavernier. Volume female buyers were Graham DuBose, DuBose Cattle Company of Rembert, S.C. with eight heifers and Robert Crockett of Evans, Ga. with seven head.

For more information on Spitzer Ranch, their annual Brangus Bull Sale held the last Saturday each February, their Customer “Black Gold” Commercial Brangus Female Sale, becoming a Bull Cooperator Herd or any other of their programs please contact them. Spitzer Ranch, 1511 Hwy 59, Fair Play, SC 29643 or 864/972-9140 or spitzeranch@mindspring.com.