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
Bidding Notice:
SALE DAY PHONES: 406-345-0160 // 406-345-0161
We certainly welcome online registration & bidding, but recommend calling a buyer's rep on sale day to insure your bid is made.
To bid by sale day phone line, please pre-register for a bid card by 10AM/MST, 4/30/2022.
BEFORE SALE DAY: Lori Poppe: (406) 778-6930 (ranch) // (970) 759-1787 (cell)
IF REGISTERING ON SALE DAY, PLEASE CALL SALE DAY PHONE: (406) 345-0160 // (406) 345-0161 or BREE POPPE, 605-639-0356 (cell)