“If you are looking to replenish your cattle herd consider the upcoming Southwest Missouri Show-Me-SelectTM (SMS) Replacement Heifer Program Sale at Joplin Regional Stockyards on May 17th at 7:00 p. m.,” says Patrick Davis MU Extension Livestock Field Specialist. This sale will consist of approximately 80 commercial fall calving bred heifers.
“About 65% of the sale heifers are black or black whiteface and 35% of the sale heifers are red or red whiteface,” says Davis. The breed and breed crosses include Angus, Balancer, Gelbvieh, Red Angus, SimAngus, and Hereford. Most of the heifers are crossbred, providing them with a production boost from hybrid vigor. Research consistently shows crossbred females have more longevity, providing one extra calf in their lifetime compared to a purebred cow.
“Many of the heifers have been artificially inseminated (AI) and carrying a pregnancy from a high accuracy AI sire,” says Davis. Davis urges cattle producers to buy heifers carrying AI pregnancies from high accuracy sires because this gives more knowledge on how their progeny will perform. Furthermore, it also helps in choosing replacement heifers that will produce progeny to help the cattle operation’s bottom-line.
“An SMS heifer is a sound, blemish free heifer that sells as a bred heifer in optimum condition,” says Davis. These heifers follow a research-based heifer development program from weaning to sale day, which promotes optimum management in growth, reproduction, and health. The heifer is bred to a bull whose progeny are likely to be born with ease. The heifer has been pregnancy checked multiple times to provide the most accurate calving date possible.
“Therefore, as cowherds rebuild consider an SMS heifer since their development leads to functional, sound, healthy females that have their first calf with ease and continue to produce in the herd for a long time. To view a heifer presale catalog, go to https://shorturl.at/rDY09. For more information on the program and the sale contact Davis at (417) 276-3313 or by email at [email protected] or Andy McCorkill MU Extension Livestock Field Specialist at (417) 345-7551 or by email at [email protected] or Elizabeth Picking MU Extension Livestock Field Specialist at (417) 256-2391 or by email at [email protected]. In addition, you can go to the program website which is https://extension.missouri.edu/programs/show-me-select-replacement-heifer-program.
