LACOMBE, Alta. — This year’s spring bull season could be one to remember with record prices and renewed faith in the beef business.
“Everybody is fairly optimistic,” said Hereford breeder Bruce Butler of New Norway, Alta.
Butler is chair of the Central Alberta Agriculture Society, which hosted the historic Lacombe Bull Sale held April 14. The consignment sale has been running for 106 years in a sales barn that has been named a heritage building.
“We’ve got a good group of consignors who come every year and good volunteers who keep it going,” he said.
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Those who run the sale are committed to providing a good venue for smaller producers looking to market bulls to a wider audience.
The sales area was full of buyers last week, and bidding was active among those who still need new genetics at this time of year.
“A lot of guys with a larger cow herd start calving now so they don’t turn the bulls out till July,” said Graham Sharp, who raises Shorthorns.
This sale was once a major event, running for three days with more than 300 registered bulls on offer.
Held on the second Tuesday of April, it is the last of the spring sales in Western Canada.
Angus, Hereford and Shorthorn were on offer this year.
The sale grossed $393,750.
Three Shorthorn bulls averaged $4,733, 33 Hereford bulls averaged $4,788, 37 Angus bulls averaged $4,832 and 19 open commercial heifers averaged $2,250.
The high seller was consigned by Ken Prichard, owner of Glenrose Polled Herefords and Angus of Camrose. It sold for $7,500 to Earl Kehler of Fort Saskatchewan, Alta.
This spring has been a record setting year for purebred producers across the West.
A sampling of sale results include:
- Young Dale Angus of Alameda, Sask., offered 47 yearlings to average $11,624. The high seller went for $146,000.
- Hamilton Farms of Cochrane, Alta., averaged $9,270 on 47 yearling Angus bulls
- LaBatte Simmentals of Gladmar, Sask., sold 84 yearling bulls to average $10,495. LaBatte also sold 20 open heifers that averaged $8,740.
barbara.duckworth@producer.com
