McGuire Cattle Company of Waverly consigned this year’s top indexing bull. MCCO Prescription 110, an Angus bull born in September 2001, had an average daily gain of 4.8 and a final weight on test of 1,605 pounds. This bull will be the first bull sold when the sale begins at noon.

Once again, young consigners had several of the top bulls in the test. The top junior Angus bull was consigned by George Richburg, an Auburn University college student. Last year, Richburg had the top overall indexing bull at the Auburn Bull Test.

The top Hereford bull this year is owned by Randa Owen of Fort Payne. Owen is an active competitor in the Alabama 4-H youth livestock program. Randa’s bull outperformed three Tennessee River Music bulls. Tennessee River Music, Inc. is the Hereford operation owned by her parents, Randy and Kelly Owen.

Dr. Lisa Kriese-Anderson, Extension animal scientist and the Auburn Bull Test supervisor, says it’s exciting to see young people with small herds producing high quality animals just like older producers with more extensive operations.

She explains that a bull consigned to the Auburn test goes on an 84-day feed test. At the end, vital information, such as average daily gain, weight per day of age, and feed efficiency is available on each of the bulls. They also undergo ultrasound evaluations that indicate the size of the ribeye and marbling scores among other data. Bulls must also pass a breeding soundness exam before being included in the test sale.

"Having a bull participate in a bull test programs is the only way most producers can get quality performance data about their animals," says Kriese-Anderson.

An added benefit is the prestige of the Auburn Bull Test Sale.

"The test is one of the premier bull tests in the country, " says Kriese-Anderson. "Producers bring their animal to the test. There it goes through the feeding test and breeding soundness exam and is held until sale time. Producers don't really have to promote their bulls because the test enjoys such a good reputation among Southeastern cattle farms."

The Auburn Bull Test, begun in 1951, is the oldest continuous performance bull test in the United States. Extension specialists have supervised the test since the early 1980s.

The facilities used by the Bull Test are some of the most modern in the country. Electronically operated feed bunks accurately measure feed consumption on each bull, allowing feed efficiency to be calculated on each bull.

"The Auburn Test is one of the few in the country that can provide this data to the cattle industry," says Kriese-Anderson.

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