Jeff Behnard of Palmetto Angus Farm, Louisiana, purchased several top bull lots in the 2011 Cow Creek Ranch Bull Sale, October 8, near Aliceville, AL. Pictured with Behnard is Leigh Ann Ennis representing Cow Creek Ranch, a division of Southern Cattle Company.

Cow Creek Ranch Bull Sale Sustains Strong Demand

Cow Creek Ranch’s 26 years of producing proven, durable Brangus and Ultrablack bulls laid the foundation for its Annual Bull Sale and 17th Annual Commercial Bred Heifer Sale on October 7 and 8, 2011, at the ranch near Aliceville, AL. Cow Creek Ranch has earned its mark in the beef cattle industry as a guts and grass operation focusing on forage-based, efficient production. Cow Creek Ranch is a division of Southern Cattle Company, Marianna, FL, a seedstock innovator and driver of feed efficient cattle.

Buyers and bidders from 13 states showed their approval and confidence in the Cow Creek Ranch genetic program by purchasing 183 Cow Creek Ranch bulls averaging $3120 and grossing $571,050. The 183 Cow Creek Ranch customer-owned commercial bred heifers averaged $1439 and grossed $263,385. The two-day sale grossed $834,435. Many attendees were long-time Cow Creek Ranch and Southern Cattle Company customers and 57 percent of the buyers were repeat Cow Creek Ranch customers.

Topping the bull sale was Lot 53, CCR Sleep Easy 145X2, a powerful Brangus herd sire.   Repeat customer Wells Cattle Company, Ridgeland, MS, paid $7000 for ownership of the CCR Sleep Easy 9L2 (9L2) son. The deep-sided, wide-based bull posted strong ultrasound and performance numbers and is a testament to the core of the Cow Creek Ranch genetic program.

Long-time Cow Creek Ranch customer, Cedar Ridge Ranch, Ecru, MS, took home the second high selling bull, CCR Sleep Easy 384X3, Lot 137, for $6500. The rugged herd sire registered a complete and balanced set of data points and had a scrotal measurement of 43 cm. This bull is an all-inclusive package of muscle mass, volume and moderate frame.

Palmetto Angus Farm of Louisiana had the final bids on the next two high selling bulls, CCR Ultrablack 95X and CCR Ultrablack 44X at $6000 each. Both of these powerful herd bulls were out of first calf heifers. Lot 52, 95X, was an exceptionally thick, wide-walking bull with tremendous muscle mass. He posted an adjusted weaning weight of 796 pounds. Bull Lot 59, 44X, attracted lookers with his length of side, depth and muscle volume. He had a user-friendly designation.

Volume bull buyers were from Florida and Mississippi.

The day prior to the Cow Creek Ranch Bull Sale, the ranch hosted its 17th consecutive customer-owned heifer sale, the longest running customer sale of this kind in the beef industry. Cow Creek Ranch’s Commercial Bred Heifer Sale, a sale in which Cow Creek Ranch bull customers’ market genetically-tracked Cow Creek sired commercial bred heifers bred back to Cow Creek bulls, commanded strong interest and demand from buyers. When the gavel fell for the final time 183 heifers sold for an average price of $1439.

Topping the commercial heifer sale was a set of 10 uniform Brangus heifers bred to CCR Thunder 698S2 for spring 2012 calves. Thomas Farms of Buhl, AL, hailed the last bid at $1800 to own the half and quarter-siblings. The heifers were consigned by 12-year Cow Creek Ranch heifer consignor, CP Bar Brangus, Holcomb, MS.

Cow Creek customers marketing heifers were 14-year consignor, Williamson Cattle Co., ranching in Faunsdale, AL, and Okeechobee, FL; River Oaks Farm, Searcy, AR, 13-year consignor; 12-year consignor, CP Bar Ranch; 8-year consignor, Megehee Cattle Company, Macon, MS; along with three-year consignors, Addison Brangus Farms, Winfield, AL; and Montgomery Farms, Moulton, AL

Doak Lambert, Coppell, TX, was the auctioneer.