"This sale continues to be one of the best sources for total performance genetics in the Midwest," said Travis Meteer, IPT sale manager. "During the past 48 years, the sale has sold 4,673 bulls valued at over $8.3 million."
There were three breeds represented in the 2016 sale: Angus, Simmental, and Polled Hereford. Meteer said a yearling Angus bull was the top seller at $7,250. The bull, Hobbs Granite 47Y-9C, was sold by Hobbs Angus, Good Hope, Ill., to University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Hobbs and Patrick Holland consigned Lot 53, Hobbs I D 21Z-64C that sold for $7,000 to Jim Smart of LaHarpe, Kan. Bruce Betzold consigned the high-indexing Angus bull that was the third-highest selling Angus bull at $6,900. He was Betzold Denver B521 and sold to Darrell Johnson, Oconee, Ill.
The top selling Simmental bull was consigned by Murphy Angus and Graff Land and Livestock. He sold for $7,000 to David Swartz, Pittsfield, Ill. Lot 4 consigned by Osborne & Washburn Simmentals was the second-highest selling Simmental at $6,000 and went to Glenn Wright, Saybrook, Ill.
Sturdy Herefords consigned lot 59 was the top selling Hereford bull at $5,300. Arlyn Rabideau consigned the second- and third-highest selling Hereford bulls. Rabideau's lot 58 brought $5,000 and lot 61 brought $4,800. Harold Ward, Rushville, Ill, selected lot 59 and 61. Jack Kirk of Griggsville, Ill. took home lot 58.
U of I Extension, U of I Department of Animal Sciences, and consigning breeders sponsored the sale. Vita-Ferm, ABS, Merial, Zoetis 50K, Illinois Angus Association, and Illinois Simmental Association provided industry support, Meteer said.
Producers interested in viewing a breakdown of all the prices can visit the IPT Bull Sale website at www.IPTBullSale.com. Also included on this site are the individual bull prices from the 2016 sale and the numbers and averages from the previous 47 sales.
Seed-stock breeders interested in consigning to the 2017 IPT Bull Sale should contact Travis Meteer at 217-430-7030 or wmeteer2@illinois.edu to request a copy of the rules and regulations and nomination form. Nominations must be made by Dec.15, 2016, for the 2017 sale.