Beef
2025 Herdbuilder Replacement Female Sale
The 27th Annual Herdbuilder Replacement Female Sale is Friday, August 29, at 11 a.m. The event will be at the Alabama Livestock Auction located at 700 Highway 80 East, Uniontown, AL 36786. This sale is known for the quality and reputation of both the cattle and the consignors to the sale.
Consignments
Consignment nominations are now being accepted. For information on the requirements and to download the nomination form, visit albcia.com/herdbuilder-sale.
About the Sale
The Herdbuilder Replacement Female Sale is a marketing program conducted by the Alabama Cooperative Extension System’s Animal Science and Forages team and the Alabama Beef Cattle Improvement Association. The sale has two primary goals: provide high-quality bred replacement heifers to beef cattle producers and add value to commercial replacement heifers to enhance profitability.
The idea for this sale was initiated by Extension agents in 1998, with the first sale being was held in August 1999 at the Alabama Livestock Auction in Uniontown, Alabama. This sale has become known for top quality and top genetics in the consignments offered and is one of the top replacement heifer sales in the Southeastern United Sates. It has also added to the positive reputation of beef cattle in Alabama and the Southeast. Over the years, beef heifers consigned to the program have been primarily Angus, Sim-Angus, Brangus, and F1 Brahman crosses. This collection of different breeds has provided buyers with the opportunity to purchase heifers that best fit their respective breeding programs. Heifers are sorted based on quality, size, and expected calving dates then offered in uniform lots of three to five heifers.
Data
From 1998 to 2024, the Herdbuilder Replacement Female Sale has marketed 7,517 heifers, for an economic impact of more than $10.9 million. In 2024, 181 marketed bred heifers averaged $3,183 per head, directly impacting 32 beef operations, for a total economic impact of $576,100.
Outcomes
The success of this program over the years surpasses the initial goals of the commercial beef consignors in central and west Alabama. Producers have adopted Extension best management practices when developing these heifers. These practices have helped create a stream of income comparable to income generated from feeder steers. Additionally, the sale has developed many repeat buyers, indicating buyer satisfaction and functionality of the heifers purchased.