NETBIO sale grosses $2.5 million; Board sets additional date for preconditioned calf sale; next female sale

By LORI COPE | East Texas Edition

March 27, 2003 -- The March 19 Northeast Texas Beef Improvement Organization (NETBIO) Special Stocker and Feeder Calf Sale generated close to $2.5 million from the 5,324 head that passed through the sale ring at Sulphur Springs Livestock Commission.

This was the 18th NETBIO sale open to calves preconditioned and vaccinated by the region's producers. The calves are sold in commingled lots, an attractive feature for the buyers, who pay more for the quality calves, according to statistics.

"Many benefit from this sale," commented SSLC co-owner David Fowler on March 20. "It's important to the producers, but also it's good for the people that get the calves ready (preconditioned), such as the feed dealers, the vets and equipment dealers."

During the four days prior to the March 19 sale, when the calves began arriving at the sale barn, "we fed over 70,000 pounds of feed, over 200 round bales of hay, and 500 square bales," Fowler added.

Caring for the calves, plus sorting and commingling them, are the big chores. "Sale day, that's the easy part!" Fowler said. The 5,324 head were sold within four hours.

Then there's the chore of loading out all the calves. Fowler estimated 60 truckloads of the preconditioned and vaccinated calves headed to West Texas and Oklahoma to be "grazed out" on wheat.

"But there were buyers from this area too," he said. "Many of the calves go just 50 to 75 miles from here to go on grass."

Figures show 150 producers consigned calves - from one or two head up to 170 head - to the special sale.

The March 19 NETBIO sale was the second largest ever with 5,324 head that grossed $2,499,907.10. The largest sale was in November 2001 when 5,590 calves were sold for a gross of $2,529,038.14.

At NETBIO's board of directors meeting March 21, it was decided another sale date would be added, bringing the total of Special Stocker and Feeder Calf sales to five per year. The additional date will be January, beginning Jan. 21, 2004, according to Dwyatt Bell, NETBIO's chief operating officer. Calves to sell should be at least 45 days weaned and vaccinated according to NETBIO specifications.

At the meeting, the recent NETBIO Special Female Replacement Sale was discussed. "We are so pleased with the outcome of this sale (held March 8 at SSLC) we are going to go ahead and have another one this year," Bell said. The date of the next female sale is Dec. 13. Bell pointed out the earlier females are consigned, the better they are advertised.

Fowler noted the first sale sold 425 females that had been "screened" for quality. "We sold heifers for more than we've ever sold them for in Sulphur Springs," he added.

Bell pointed out the top lot (Brangus pairs) brought $1,110 per pair. The top lot of open heifers sold for $900 per head.

For details about the special sales, contact Bell at 903-885-7608 or SSLC at 903-885-3311.