By Steve Weisman   Sponsored by Collier Farms

  As Trey Scherer, Collier Farms ranch manager, drives in the front gate, he gazes across the pastures filled with an amazingly uniform set of Beefmaster bulls and excitedly anticipates the upcoming sale. The ninth annual Collier Farms Beefmaster Performance Bull Sale is set for noon on Saturday, November 19th at the Washington County Fairgrounds in Brenham, TX.  According to Scherer, this will be the largest sale to date with over 140 forage developed, performance tested bulls to be auctioned off.

Since 1987, owners Mike and Rhonda Collier have bred exclusively Beefmaster and Beefmaster influenced cattle, marketing and promoting the breed both domestically and internationally. Scherer says, “We sell cattle to customers from all over the United States and also internationally. In some years, up to 20 percent of the sales will come from other countries. Our bulls are time tested, and we have many customers that come back every year to purchase our bulls.”

Clay Howell of Flying B Ranches located in LaPryor, TX, Kent, TX and Musquiz, MX, notes that Flying B has bought both bulls and replacement females from Collier Farms for the past 12 years. “We will buy up to 10 bulls each year. They always have a good variety and hold up well to elements in both south Texas and Mexico. We use their bulls on both the commercial and purebred end of our program.  Their pedigrees are excellent and the performance is always good.”

Prior to the sale, prospective buyers will be able to view the bulls on available DVD’s or the Collier Farms website (www.collierfarmsbeefmasters.com).  A detailed, full size catalog is available upon request and is also posted in a digital version online. “Most of the buyers will be at the sale, but we do have staff available to take bids over the phone and even offer sight unseen purchasing options with a full satisfaction guarantee” notes Scherer.  Much of Collier Farm’s success comes from the commitment to continually strive to bring its customers the most complete and balanced Beefmaster genetics possible. This is done through the following:

• Performance testing, measuring, and reporting

• Universal DNA typing and parent verification

• Ultrasounding for carcass merit management

• Strict culling for udder design, underlines, and color

• Selection and use of predictable, proven pedigrees

• Requiring performance in a commercial environment

• Maintaining a consistent breeding plan and direction

• Use of genetic technologies in ET, IVF and AI

• Manufacturing operations to be profitable and sustainable

• Unwavering dedication to customer satisfaction

Specifically, herd sires are evaluated based on conformational correctness, gain performance, fertility characteristics, dam’s maternal abilities, predictability of pedigree and color. All herd sire prospects should also possess a superior EPD’s and performance record indicating their ability to produce offspring that will excel in this vital area of the beef industry. For customers to get the best of the best, Scherer says, “The potential sale bulls are constantly being evaluated and those that don’t meet the standards are removed. We start with a large set of good ones and through competitive testing and strict culling, we offer for sale a select group of great ones.”

Initially, the bulls are placed together on a forage-based program in a winter pasture of oats and rye for the months of January through May.  Throughout this time, weights are recorded and ultrasound measurements are taken for carcass merit. Those that lag behind and don’t meet the criteria are culled from the group. In June, the bulls are swapped over to Bermuda grass pastures with an additional supplement feed ration. The bulls then remain on this summer gain test for approximately 100 days. At the end of the summer test, Scherer says a formula is used to evaluate and ratio all the performance measures of the bulls. At that time, they are also graded by a panel of professional cattlemen for visual and dispositional characteristics. “The bulls’ total score is based on 50 percent performance ratios and 50 percent visual appraisal. This total ratio score then ranks the bulls from the highest to lowest score. Any bull with a total ratio score below 90 is removed from the sale offering. Bulls will then be sold at the sale based on their formula rank.”

In addition to their Performance Beefmaster Bull Sale, Collier Farms also offers cattle with their genetics through several other venues. Each year in April, Collier Farms features their Advantage female sale held at the Homestead Division in Giddings, TX.  “We offer approximately 100 head of elite registered Beefmaster females, including open heifers, bred heifers, and first calf pairs,” says Scherer.  “We save some of our best females for this event, and people have come to rely on the Advantage sale for a source of quality genetics.”

 This is then followed in late April with a large offering of E6 certified commercial females at the National E6 sale in Columbus, TX.  Collier Farms believes in the value of the breed’s E6 certified commercial female program. These females have been inspected for quality and certified by the Beefmaster Breeders United to be between 50 and 100 percent Beefmaster.  Scherer notes, “It is important that we also offer our genetics in the commercial replacement female market, and the National E6 sale provides this opportunity.”

To top off a large set of high quality cattle offered at various auction events, Collier Farms also markets their genetics private treaty, each year selling between 100 and 200 registered females right off the ranch. From high dollar donor prospects to truck-loads of top end open heifers, Collier Farms is one of the largest suppliers of premier Beefmaster genetics in the world.

Keith Prasse of Bethlehem, GA has a registered and commercial cow-calf operation and has used Collier Farms Beefmaster bulls and genetics. As Prasse has slowly grown his herd, he says, “I’ve bought some bulls and also used Collier genetics for quite a few years, because I have liked the fertility, milk production and longevity. Most of the success I have had has come using their cattle. The quality of their bulls is very uniform. It’s a long distance to travel, but I like what they have. In addition, the Collier people are good to work with, stick to their word, and tell it to you like it is.”

Meanwhile, Wes Carlton of Ru-Mar, Inc., a family owned and operated commercial cow/calf operation in South Florida has this to say about Beefmaster. “Our herd has been predominately Beefmaster since the 1940s. We have purchased Collier Farm Beefmaster bulls for the past five years.” Carlton notes that the bulls are chosen for leading performance traits. This combination of genetics provides premium results in feedlot performance, carcass quality and they are able to better handle the sub-tropical south Florida climate. The bottom line for Carlton is “The Colliers are good people, their bulls offer superior genetics and they work well in our heat, humidity, bugs, mosquitos and flies.“

Following their philosophy of Breeding Productive Profitable Cattle, Collier Farms continues to develop an extensive breeding program and produce cattle that will become the basis for future success for customers in both the registered and commercial areas of the beef industry. “At Collier Farms we are excited about the future of the industry and the definite advantages our cattle offer,” adds Scherer.  “We know that if we continue to push ourselves, never settle for the status quo, and stay committed to our customers, Collier Farms will make a lasting impact on the success of the beef industry.”