“Strong bidding at the recent Show-Me-Select™ (SMS) SW MO sale set new records for both high and average prices,” says Patrick Davis, MU Extension Livestock Field Specialist. Twelve consignors sold 165 heifers for a record average of $4,947 per heifer. That is more than $900 higher than the spring 2025 average on 124 heifers and more than $700 above the fall 2025 average on 246 heifers. Gross sales totaled $816,350, which is slightly above the spring 2015 sale, which sold 283 heifers at an average of $2,861 per heifer for a gross of $809,750. At 2015 prices, it would have taken about 1.7 times as many heifers to match the current sale’s gross. Even the lowest priced lot in the recent sale sold for $200 more than the highest priced lot in the spring 2015 sale.
“Compared with feeder heifer prices, bred heifers are currently selling at a slightly lower ratio than historic norms,” says Davis. A University of Tennessee guide indicates that fall calving heifers sold in May have typically been worth 2.5 times the price of a 550 pound feeder heifer. In the current sale, bred heifers brought 1.98 times the value of a 550 pound feeder heifer, based on the previous week’s SW MO Weekly Summary Report from the Missouri Department of Agriculture. That ratio is slightly lower than the two 2025 Joplin Regional Stockyards SMS sales.
“Three longtime consignors posted average sales of more than $5,700 per heifer,” says Davis. Nolan Kleiboeker Farms LLC of Wentworth, Missouri, had the top selling lot, an artificial insemination (AI) bred Hereford/Angus crossbred red mottle faced heifer that brought $6,750. The farm also had the second highest selling lot, three black white face natural service (NS) bred Hereford/Angus crossbred heifers that sold for $6,700 per head. In all, Nolan Kleiboeker Farms LLC sold 22 heifers for the sale’s third highest average at $5,720 per head. Mast Farms of Lamar, Missouri, had the third highest selling lot, two NS bred Red Angus/Gelbvieh crossbred heifers that sold for $6,400 per head. Mast Farms sold six heifers and posted the sale’s highest average at $5,833 per head. Show Me Prime Angus Ranch of Sarcoxie, Missouri, had the fourth highest selling lot, an AI bred registered black Sim-Angus heifer that sold for $6,300. The ranch sold five heifers and posted the second highest average at $5,820 per head.
“Internet bidding played an important role in the sale,” says Davis. Volume buyer Bruce Mershon of Lee’s Summit, Missouri, purchased 27 heifers online. Overall, 33 heifers were sold through internet bidding.
“The SMS program is a great program to learn to development and market high quality bred heifers,” says Davis.
