Midland prepares for upcoming 2020 sale

Published on March 21, 2020

Dear Friends, 

            With excitement, anticipation and humility, the Williams and McDonnell families personally invite you to join us for the Midland Bull Test sales April 2-3, 2020.  

            The Final Sort Sale has become the source for bulls that sift themselves to the top. The paper, genomics and EPDs do not walk the walk for the bulls.  The bulls must perform and be in the top end for average daily gain (ADG), weight per day of age (WDA) and adjusted 365 weights. They also need to be structurally sound, pass a fertility exam and have a manageable disposition.  

            These days in agriculture, the margins can be thin and we take it one step further for the cattlemen by measuring efficiency. One doesn’t simply select on low intake, one can select for balance between DMI and gain to find the best of both worlds and achieve more profitability.  

            We don’t encourage selection based on low intake alone, we encourage selecting for balance between dry matter intake (DMI) and gain to attain the best of both worlds.  

            The amount of data one can accumulate on an individual animal can be mind boggling, however, one cannot over emphasize the need for balance.  The consequences of single trait selection can quickly rear its ugly head.  

            Midland strives to identify the bulls that have balance across the board and cover the bases as indicated in the MBT index. This index also determines the sale order at Midland.  

            Measuring actual performance with measured efficiency is the indicator of progress or not.  The commercial cattleman is always at the forefront of Midland’s mindset with testing bulls.  

Developing them on a high roughage ration coupled with moderate gains to enable them to become skeletally sound for years of breeding service. 

            Each sort leading up to the final sort starts with the consignor making the best mating selections for their program and their customers. This is followed by the in-herd performance and selecting the top end of those bull calves being sent to Midland to perform on a level playing field. Bulls are continually sifted for structure, feet and disposition. 

            All these criteria are considered along with the bull’s actual performance and determine the Final Sort Sale. Cattlemen can be assured these bulls are the cream of the crop out of more than 150 herds.

            We extend a personal invitation to partake in the Midland Bull Test Event and enjoy the top notch entertainment by Kyle Shobe and the Walk ‘Em Boys and great food and camaraderie with like-minded people. This portion takes place in the evenings of April 1 and 2.

            To our previous buyers and consignors, we appreciate your friendship and trust in developing and selling bulls. To new customers, we welcome you! Enjoy the Final Sort!     

 -Steve Williams