– John F. Grimes, Ohio Cattlemen’s Association Replacement Female Sale Manager
On Friday evening, November 27, the OCA will be hosting their eighth annual Replacement Female Sale. The sale will be held at the Muskingum Livestock facility in Zanesville and will begin at 6:00 p.m. The entry deadline for consignments for the sale are due to the Ohio Cattlemen’s Association by October 1, 2020.
The 2020 Ohio Cattlemen’s Association Replacement Female Sale will provide an opportunity for both buyers and sellers to meet the need for quality replacements in the state. Consignments may include cow-calf pairs, bred cows and bred heifers. Females must be under the age of five as of January 1, 2021 and may be of registered or commercial background. Bred females must be bred to a bull with known EPD’s and calves at side of cows must be sired by a bull with known EPD’s. Pregnancy status must be verified by an accredited veterinarian through traditional palpation, ultrasound or by blood testing through a professional laboratory. Analysis must be performed within 60 days of sale. Consignments will also be fulfilling specific health requirements.
As you consider any potential marketing decisions, keep in mind some factors that have led to successful consignments in previous Replacement Female Sales. Young, high quality cattle backed by solid genetics are in demand with potential buyers. Yearling heifers bred artificially to proven calving ease sires are very marketable. A shorter breeding season that results in a tighter calving window has also proven to be popular with potential buyers. A Body Condition Score in the 5-6 range on a 9-point scale at sale time is a good goal to strive to achieve. Prospective buyers may complain about overly fat breeding cattle, but they certainly resist purchasing breeding cattle that are in thin body condition.
Sale information can be obtained by contacting the Ohio Cattlemen’s Association at (614) 873-6736 or at their web site located at www.ohiocattle.org . If you have any questions about the sale, you can call me on my cell phone at (937) 763-6000 or contact me by e-mail at john@maplecrestfarms.com . Please consider this sale as an option for both buyers and sellers to help contribute to the improvement of Ohio’s beef cow herd.