2013 Sale Reports
On a 65 degree, rainy May Saturday in Wadley, GA, buyers from 17 states invested in genetics designed to meet the needs of a complex beef industry, regardless of marketing end point. The 6th Annual Ogeechee Farms/CAM Ranches Production Sale, held May 4, 2013, consisted of 80 lots of maternally-focused females that excel for end-product merit and 26 profit-minded bred commercial heifers.
GAR Bextor 558, the leadoff cow and full sister to the GAR, Ogeechee, and CAM Ranches herd sire GAR Prophet, had been a favorite of many visitors and certainly didn’t disappoint sale day. When the dust cleared, Boyd Beef Cattle, Mays Lick, KY and Trowbridge Angus, Ghent, NY teamed up to own arguably the greatest daughter of GAR Objective 1885 for $31,000.
While being represented throughout the offering, three of the absolute best GAR Prophet daughters were selected from the Ogeechee and CAM programs that exhibit elite genetic predictions and superb phenotype. Richie Longanecker of Big Timber Cattle Company and Roger Hirschy made a formidable duo and paid $17,000 for half interest in GAR Prophet A2048 (Lot 3), while John Massaro of Cigar City Cattle in Tampa, FL paid $8,000 and $10,500 for half interest in Lots 2 and 4, respectively.
A new addition to the sale was an offering of elite spring-bred heifers and was well received. Rocking W Angus, Commerce, GA, added to their impressive, forward-thinking program with the selection of the high selling bred heifer, Lot 13, a Daybreak maternal sister to GAR Fruition for $7,000, while Rimrock Angus, Giddings, TX and Peterson Angus, Alcester, SD added lots 19 and 12 to their programs for $4,750 and $4,500, respectively.
GAR New Design 5050, one of the great outlier breeding bulls of his time, was well represented by two donors in Lots 5 and 6. When the gavel fell, Travis Bunch, Surrency, GA and Scott Lundberg, Fort Scott, KS added these females to their programs for $8,750 and $6,500.
The fall pair division, which always produces top income earners for their new owners, was arguably the strongest portion of the sale from top to bottom. Beutel Angus, Lindy Sheppard, and Britt Angus Farm added Lots 34, 60, and 64, to their herds for $5,000, $4,250, and $4,100. Several elite breeders including Deer Valley Farms, Fayetteville, TN; Bricton Farms, Social Circle, GA; Hillhouse Angus, LaGrange, TX; and B.L. Grady, Faison, NC purchased elite weaned heifer calves that will only propel their programs forward.
Sale Totals and Averages
80 Registered lots grossed $408,000 to average $5,106
8 Donors/Feature lots grossed $94,552 to average $11,819
55 Bred Cows grossed $149,400 to average $2,717
28 Open Weaned Heifers grossed $85,200 to average $3,043
11 Spring Bred Heifers grossed $37,500 to average $3,409
11 Fall Bred Heifers grossed $27,550 to average $2,504
26 Commercial Bred Heifers grossed $42,800 to average $1,646