Utah Beef Improvement Association

GENERAL TEST RULES

OF THE 2010-2011

UTAH BEEF IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION

PERFORMANCE BULL TEST

 

The testing policy will be set by Utah Beef Improvement Association, in accordance with guidelines established by the Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) and with the assistance of Utah State University Extension in operating a Central Bull Testing Station in Levan, Utah.  Purebred producers of all breeds are invited to participate in the program.

               

The following rules will be followed:

 

  1. Accept bulls for test within a relatively narrow age group.  Bulls entered in the Sr. Test must have been born between September 1, 2009 and December 31, 2009.  Bulls entered in the Jr. Test must have been born between January 1, 2010 and March 31, 2010.  Bulls must be individually identified with permanent ear tattoo and/or brand before they are delivered.

 

  1. All bulls must have a minimum 2.5 pound Weight per Day of Age (WDA) at the official start of the test to be placed on official test.  Bulls not meeting this criterion may be placed on “unofficial” test status, but will not be eligible for the UBIA Performance Bull Test Sale.

 

  1. It is suggested that you test four or more bulls of the same sire, as this provides a test on the sire as well as giving performance on each individual.  However, you may bring individuals as well.

 

  1. The maximum number of bulls that can be enrolled by a single owner within a breed in each test is 10 head.  If an owner has both Sr. and Jr. bulls, they may enroll up to 10 head per division.

 

  1. All breeds will be accepted.  However, they must be eligible for registry with a recognized beef breed association and be at least 7/8 pure blood or designated "purebred" by their respective association.

 

  1. Composite bulls may be entered in the UBIA Performance Bull Test if ALL of the following conditions are met:

a.       Composite bulls must have both sire and dam registered in a nationally/internationally-recognized beef breed association.

b.       Percentage blood bulls must be recorded with a recognized breed association.

c.        Consignors must be participating in an official herd performance testing program with weaning data reported to and processed by their breed association.

d.       A registration certificate and pedigree must accompany bull at delivery to the test station.

e.        Only composites consisting of two breeds will be eligible to test.

 

  1. Owners must administer pre-conditioning vaccines, which include Blackleg, Malignant Edema, Clostridium Perfringins types C and D, IBR-PI3, BVD, and BRSV; three to four weeks before arriving at the bull test.  Vaccines for Mannheimia (Pasteurella) haemolytica and Pastuerella multocida or Heamophilus somnusmay be given if the consignor feels so inclined, but these are not required.  It is also recommended that owners treat for internal and external parasites, and that the treatment used for internal parasites be a product that will kill the larvae as well as the adults. Some of these products are Panicure, Ivomec, Synanthic, Safeguard, Dectomax, Cydectin and Valvazen, or any others that are registered for control of larval forms of parasites in cattle.  If you have a problem with liver flukes, choose a treatment that will also control them. Complete the treatment record accompanying the cover letter and see that it accompanies your bulls to the test station. Bulls will not be allowed to be unloaded at the feedlot without this form!

 

  1. Bulls coming from within the state of Utah will not need a brand inspection, but must have proof of ownership (brand card, etc.).  They will be inspected for health upon arrival. Out of state consignors should check entrance requirements into the State of Utah before leaving home.

 

  1. All bulls will be received on October 4, 2010.  No bulls will be received after this date.  If a producer would like to bring bulls to the test station earlier than this date, he/she must contact the feedlot to make arrangements for those early arrivals.  Bulls brought to the feedlot after 3:00 p.m. will be held overnight and processed the following day.  Receiving will be followed by a 21-day conditioning/warm-up period.  The official test will begin on October 26, 2010, and end February 15, 2011 for both tests.  The UBIA Bull Test Sale is set for March 19, 2011.  Bulls which will not be sold through the UBIA Sale may be picked up after being cleared for release by the feedlot veterinarian.

 

  1. Beginning- and End-of-test individual weights will be an average of two weights taken at equal intervals.

 

  1. Bulls will be weighed according to the following schedule:

 

October 4, 2010                   Receive/Process Bulls in Levan

October  26, 2010                Official Weigh-on Date

November 29, 2010            Ultrasound Sr. Bulls

December 1, 2010               All Performance Records due to UBIA Executive Secretary (No Exceptions!)

December 21, 2010             Mid-test weigh day

January 18, 2011                                January weigh day

February 15, 2011               Official Weigh-off Date

February 16, 2011               Ultrasound Jr. Bulls

February 17-18, 2011         Conduct Breeding Soundness Exams

February 28, 2011               Non-Sale Bulls released (Earlier if no bulls test positive for a Trich organism)

February 21-26, 2011         Fitting of Sale bulls

Feb. 28-March 2, 2011       Sale bull photos

March 17, 2011                   Re-evaluate bulls for Breeding Soundness & Sifting

March 19, 2011                   UBIA Bull Sale – Salina

 

                A report of these weights, rate of gain, etc. will be sent to all participating breeders.  Comparisons will be made on a breed basis, within the Sr. and Jr. tests.  Breeds with less than five head will be compared to the average of the test in which those bulls are enrolled.

 

  1. The ration will be formulated by a beef nutritionist, in cooperation with Utah State University Extension.  All animals will receive free choice of a 70% TDN ration, developed with optimum productive life of the bulls in mind, as well as essential gain and efficiency records.  Every effort will be made to maintain a test average daily gain of three pounds.

 

  1. Proper care will be provided for bulls on test.  Professional veterinary service will be available, when necessary, at the owner’s expense.  However, liability for cattle on test is not assumed by the UBIA, Kenison Farms & Feedlot, or their agents/personnel.

 

  1. COSTS:

                        A.            Feed Charge $500/bull in three installments as follows:

                                                                        $150 at receiving

                                                                        $175 on January 1, 2011

                                                                        $175 at conclusion of the test

(Feed Charges are broken down as approximately 60% for feed and 40% yardage and management costs. This year’s feed charges are comparable to the 2009-2010 bull test, even though grain prices are trending up.)

                                B.            Following the end of the test, feed will be charged at $2.50 per head per day through sale day or until the bulls leave the feedlot.

                                C.            Treatment of sick cattle, together with all tests and vaccinations given at station will be charged to the bulls' owner.

                                D.            $15.00 per bull enrolled will be due and payable to UBIA on January 1, 2011 to                 pay for ultrasound scans of each bull. 

 

  1. TERMS:

                                A.            A completed entry form must be postmarked by September 15, 2010, and received in advance of the bulls' arrival at the feedlot.

                                B.            Initial feed payment of $150 per bull must accompany bulls to the feedlot.  All feed bills will be paid to Kenison Feedlot.

                                C.            The second feed payment of $175 per bull will be due and payable on January 1, 2010, with the remaining $175 per bull due prior to bulls being removed from the feedlot.  These payments can be mailed to Kenison Feedlot, P.O. Box 100, Levan, UT  84639-0100.  After 30 days, interest will be charged at the going rate.  No bulls can be removed from the yard until all outstanding bills are paid.

                                D.            Consignors must be members of Utah Beef Improvement Association.

                                E.            An entry fee of $55.00 per bull is due with application.  Payment of the entry fee constitutes membership dues in the Association.

                                F.             Make the check for the feed charge of $150.00 per bull payable to Kenison Feedlot.  Make the check for the entry fee of $55.00 per bull payable to Utah Beef Improvement Association.

                                G.            Mail entry fee check with the entry form on or before September 15, 2010 to:

 

                                                UTAH BEEF IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION

                                                ATTN. - C. KIM CHAPMAN

                                                Utah State University

                                                250 N. Main

                                                RICHFIELD, UTAH 84701-2158

 

                                H.            If there is a question on age of bulls, a veterinarian may be employed to mouth bulls in question.

                                I.             Any consignor who has a history of delinquency relative to payment of fees and feed will be required to pay a deposit for feed and fees, the amount of which to be determined by the Board of Directors.

                                J.             A charge of $15.00/bull on test will be due and payable on January 1, 2011 to the UBIA for ultrasound services which will be performed on the bulls as part of the data collection for the test.

 

  1. Bulls committed to the test must remain until the test is completed, unless they develop a chronic illness or there are other extenuating circumstances.  It is the decision of the Board of Directors to release a bull.  This policy applies to unofficial bulls also.

 

  1. Bulls must be fully weaned and conditioned to dry feed before bringing them to the station.  This will allow them to adapt to feed and the new surroundings much better.  This is only fair to the management of the station.  Bulls which are “trailer weaned” on the way to the feedlot will not remain on the test and the owner will be asked to take them home.

 

  1. Utah Beef Improvement Association will conduct a sale at the end of the test.  Any bull with a combination ratio of 95 or higher and an adjusted yearling weight of at least 1,000 pounds, at the end of the test will be considered for the sale(See rule 19 for further explanation to qualify for the sale).  If an owner does not want a qualified bull to sell in the Association sale, the owner must inform the Executive Secretary prior to the end of the test that the bull will not be offered in the sale.

 

(Combined ratio = [60% x Test Gain Ratio] + [40% x Adjusted 365-day Weight Ratio(Jr. Bulls) or                 Adjusted 452-day Weight Ratio(Sr. Bulls)])

 

  1. The UBIA Board of Directors has established that a maximum of 135 bulls will be offered for sale at the annual UBIA Performance Bull Test Sale.  This shall include all bulls which have a Test Sale Ratio above 100. Additionally, if the 135-bull threshold is not met, bulls which have a Test Sale Ratio of 99.99 to 95.00 will be considered for the sale on a sliding scale, beginning with the highest indexing bulls, until the sale slots for that breed are full. The number of sale lots assigned to each breed will be according to the percentage of the test represented by a particular breed (Example: Bulls in breed A = 65; Total bulls on Test = 240; 65/240 = .27; 27% of the 135 sale lots or 37 lots would be breed A bulls).  All sale bulls must pass the breeding soundness exam and sifting criteria. 

 

  1. A performance record from your breed association and a copy of the registration certificate for each bull is due to the Executive Secretary by December 1, 2010.  The performance record should contain the adjusted 205-day weight as calculated by your breed association, as well as EPD’s for at least the following:  Birth Weight, Weaning Weight, Yearling Weight and Maternal Milk. Failure to provide this information by December 1, 2010 will result in the bull or bulls being placed on unofficial test making them ineligible for the sale.  This means that all bulls entered into the test must be participating in their breeds’ performance record program.  All performance data must be official breed association calculations, and come from the association.  Hand-calculated data or data sent on a spreadsheet developed by the consignor will not be accepted.  Additionally, a vaccination treatment form for the entire consignment must accompany the bulls to the feedlot.  If your breed registration papers list performance information, a copy of the registration papers for each bull will be sufficient.

 

  1. Bulls will be fed by breed.  Breeds which do not have adequate numbers to fill a pen (typically 50 head) will be commingled with other breeds and fed together.

 

  1. Biosecurity

 

In order to protect the bulls enrolled in the Utah Beef Improvement Association (UBIA) Central Bull Test, and to maintain the biological integrity of the test, the Board of Directors has adopted the following policy regarding the biosecurity of the test:

 

Any bull enrolled in the UBIA Central Bull Test will be required to remain at the test station from the time he is received at the test until such time as the test management releases him after the conclusion of the test.  The only exception to this is when a bull is taken by feedlot personnel to a local veterinary clinic to have the bull treated for an illness. In such a case, the bull may be returned to complete the test following treatment.

 

Any bull removed from the feedlot prior to the UBIA Sale will automatically become ineligible to be sold through the UBIA Performance-Tested Bull Sale, and cannot, under any circumstances, be returned to the feedlot.

 

  1. UBIA eartags will be placed in each bull’s left ear.  If you want your ranch ID eartag to be retained, it needs to be placed in the bull’s right ear prior to delivery of the bull to the test station.  Any ranch tags found in the bull’s left ear at receiving will be removed and discarded to facilitate placement of the UBIA eartag.

 

  1. Any Angus bull, or Composite bull with Angus breeding in its pedigree, that is a potential carrier of either the AM (Arthrogryposis multiplex) or NH (Neuropathic hydrocephalus) gene must be tested negative for the defect prior to entry in the test.  Any carriers of these defects are ineligible to sell in the UBIA Performance-Tested Bull Sale. Potential carrier bulls not tested and found to be negative prior to arrival at the test station, will be tested and the laboratory fee along with all costs associated with the testing and a $20 handling fee will be charged to the owner of the suspect bull.

 

  1. Sale consignors will be asked to assist with delivery of bulls to their home area if buyers of bulls request delivery.  Those asked to deliver bulls will be reimbursed at a rate of $0.75/mile for the round trip mileage beyond their home operation that they are required to travel in delivering the bulls.

 

 

General Test Information:

 

                1. The feedlot will provide at least 375 square feet of pen space and 2 1/2 feet of bunk space per bull to allow all bulls to eat at once without crowding.

                2. Pens will vary in size, each holding around 50 bulls. 

                3. Weighing and reports will be provided by USU Extension.  All such weights will be considered official.

 

2009-2010 SALE RESULTS

 

                                                                Breed                         Number Sold                    Average Price

                                                                                                                   

                                                                Charolais                               3                                   $1,733

                                                                Gelbvieh                                5                                   $2,680

                                                                Angus                                     73                                $2,611

                                                                Hereford                                9                                   $2,444

                                                                Red Angus                            10                                $3,025

                                                                Simmental                            18                                $2,458

 

                                                OVERALL AVERAGE                       118                              $2,600

                                                               


UBIA Bulls