By Blake Jackson
Record-high prices marked the spring sales of Show-Me-Select bred heifers, with total gross sales reaching $2,321,900 from five regional events involving 602 heifers.
The University of Missouri Extension’s Show-Me-Select Replacement Heifers Program spans nearly a year. Heifers are examined about four to eight weeks before breeding, with assessments including pelvic measurements, reproductive tract scoring, and weight checks.
Heifers can be bred via artificial insemination or natural service, but service sires must meet specific calving-ease expected progeny difference (EPD) standards based on breed.
On May 2, the Southeast Missouri Livestock Sales in Fruitland sold 85 Show-Me bred heifers, averaging $3,745 each. The May 9 sale at Farmington Regional Stockyards saw 153 heifers sell for an average of $3,689 per head.
The May 16 sale at Joplin Regional Stockyards in Carthage set a record average price of $4,010 per heifer, with eight consignors offering 124 head.
Total sales amounted to $497,240, comparable to the November 2018 sale when 311 heifers sold for $493,400, averaging $1,586 per heifer. That earlier sale moved 2.5 times more heifers to reach similar gross sales.
At the South-Central Regional Stockyards in Vienna on May 17, 58 heifers sold for an average of $3,917 each. The final spring sale on June 7 at F&T Livestock Market in Palmyra featured 182 bred heifers, averaging $3,926 per head.
“Show-Me-Select helps us consistently produce and market top-quality replacement heifers,” said Thiago Martins, state extension beef reproduction specialist.
“These record-setting sales reflect producer commitment to quality and the value of science-based heifer development. The Show-Me-Select program continues to raise the bar for reproductive management and herd genetics in Missouri and beyond.”
A longtime consignor and participant praised the program as a valuable tool for selecting quality replacement heifers for retention or marketing through Show-Me-Select.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-jacqueline-nix
Categories: Missouri, Livestock, Beef Cattle