MAY 1, 2022 // 3PM MST
WELCOME TO THE 2022 POPPE CATTLE COMPANY BULL SALE IN FALLON, MONTANA. FOR 29 YEARS, WE’VE DEVELOPED BULLS FOR THE BEEF INDUSTRY. THIS YEAR IS OUR 17th ANNUAL SALE AND THE 5th BULL SALE HELD IN FALLON, SINCE CENTRALIZING OUR OPERATION IN EASTERN MONTANA. BEFORE DOING SO, OUR FAMILY HAD CATTLE IN 4 STATES IN ANY TYPICAL OPERATING YEAR: NEBRASKA, COLORADO, WYOMING AND MONTANA. IT WASN’T NECESSARILY A GOAL OF OURS TO HAVE CATTLE SPREAD QUITE SO FAR, BUT IN DOING SO, WE WERE ABLE TO REINFORCE OUR PASSION FOR CREATING A COW IDEAL FOR ANY ENVIRONMENT; FROM HIGH ELEVATION TO SEA-LEVEL, FROM THE MOUNTAINS TO THE PRAIRIES, OUR CATTLE HAVE THRIVED. SINCE THE EARLY 1990’S WE HAVE UTILIZED AI PRACTICE ON OUR CATTLE, USING THE UTMOST DISCIPLINE IN SIRE SELECTION. WE MAINTAIN A STRICT CRITERIA DURING OUR SEARCH FOR OUT-CROSS GENETICS THAT PREDICTABLY IMPROVE THE HERD. THE SEARCH FOR SUCH A GENETIC PACKAGE IS ONGOING THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. WE ALSO USE POPPE CATTLE COMPANY BULLS VIA AI. WE MAKE SEVERAL POTENTIAL IMPACT SIRES EACH YEAR. DNA TESTING HAS BEEN APPLIED TO OUR PROGRAM SINCE IT’S AVAILABILITY. WE CURRENTLY USE THE IGENITY BEEF PROFILE; AN 18 TRAIT TEST. THERE ARE THREE SECTIONS: MATERNAL, GROWTH AND CARCASS. WE ALSO USE THE COAT COLOR, PARENTAGE AND BVD PI SCREENING. THE RANK PRODUCED BY IGENITY IS A 1 – 10 SCORING SYSTEM. FOR BW, LOWER NUMBER DESIGNATES MORE CALVING EASE. FOR THE OTHER TRAITS, THE HIGHER NUMBER TRANSLATE TO A HIGH LEVEL OF THE TRAIT TESTED. THE DECISION TO MOVE THE SALE DATE TO MAY THIS YEAR WAS NOT AN EASY ONE, BUT WORTHWHILE CONSIDERING THE OPERATIONAL DECISIONS THE DROUGHT IS FORCING TO PRODUCERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. WE UNDERSTAND BULL BUYING DECISIONS ARE WOVEN WITH GRASS AVAILABILITY. WHAT A BLESSING OF RECENT MOISTURE IN OUR AREA RECENTLY! WE CONCLUDED A 180 DAY TEST ON THE BULLS ON MARCH 27, 2022. THE OVERALL AVERAGE DAILY GAIN DURING THE TEST WAS 3.2 LBS; SLIGHTLY HIGHER THAN PY, AND IN LINE WITH OUR HISTORICAL PERFORMANCE. OUR SELECTION PROCESS STARTS WITH 20% OF OUR BULL CALVES IN THE SPRING, AND WE CHIP AWAY AT THE PROSPECTS UNTIL WE LAND AT 15% OF OUR TOP BULL CALVES; A PROCESS THAT SPANS FROM BRANDING TO SHIPPING TO THE CONCLUSION OF OUR TEST. I HAVE OFTEN SAID, WE TEST FOR SOUNDNESS AND FERTILITY RATHER THAN TOO MUCH FLESH. A SUCCESSFUL TEST ALLOWS US TO MEASURE THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE BULLS. THE END GOAL IS THE ABILITY TO DELIVER TO THE CUSTOMER, A HARDENED, SOUND MOVING BULL, CAPABLE OF SUSTAINING HIS CONDITION THROUGH THE FIRST BREEDING SEASON. WHEN THEY ARE TURNED OUT ON GRASS, WE WANT THEM TO HOLD UP AND BREED AGGRESSIVELY. WE INVITE YOU TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE PEN WRAP PROCEDURE AND GIVE SERIOUS THOUGHT TO YOUR SELECTION CRITERIA. ONE TYPE, ONE KIND IS A GREAT WAY TO BUILD A COWHERD AND MARKET YOUR CALVES. SHOULD YOU WANT TO TALK CATTLE BEFORE THE SALE, THE COFFEE IS ALWAYS ON AT THE RANCH OR GIVE US A CALL, WE’D LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU. Best Regards, Vince Poppe Sale Mgr/Owner