Photo courtesy of SDSU Extension
BROOKINGS, S.D. — South Dakota State University’s Seedstock Merchandising class will host its 33rd annual SDSU Bull Sale at 1 p.m. Friday, April 4, at the Cow-Calf Education and Research Facility northwest of campus.
This year, 21 students from a variety of majors and backgrounds in their last spring semester of college were selected for the class. They are responsible for putting together the entire sale, from the advertisements, catalog, marketing and newspapers to the customer relations at the sale.
The course is designed to expose the students to all aspects of operating a bull sale and the factors that play into a successful sale.
Students are split into committees dedicated to video production, catalog and customer service. The footnotes found in the catalog are written by the students, and the catalog was created by student Lauren Weishaar.
This year, 38 Simmental-Angus hybrids and purebred Angus bulls will be for sale. Videos of the bulls can be accessed via DVAuction.
Typically, the sale operates as a limited auction. COVID-19 caused the sale to be done solely through private treaty, but once limitations were lifted, the sale has gone back to the limited auction system.
A vast majority of customers over the years have been commercial producers within a 100-mile radius of Brookings. That might look a little different this year with the introduction of DVAuction into the sale.
DVAuction is a professional livestock internet marketing service that will facilitate online bidding for the SDSU auction. By creating an account with DVAuction, bidders can watch and bid on the bulls completely free. The class is eager to broaden the customer base through DVAuction.
The sale-day schedule is: 10 a.m., viewing of sale cattle; 11:30 a.m., complimentary lunch; and 1 p.m., sale begins.
“We had a great sale last year. Our average was $5,168 per bull, which was an all-time high for us. In previous years, our average hovered between $3,500 and $4,500,” said Cody Wright, professor in SDSU’s Department of Animal Science. Wright has been teaching the course since spring 2012.
The money made from the sale goes back into the livestock revolving fund for livestock on campus. This funding is helpful to all species on campus because if funds for one species fall short, another one may be profitable and help make up the difference.
During the 1980s, the unit had only a private treaty listing of the bulls raised at the beef unit with the occasional farm show consignment. The first “limited auction” was held in 1993 in conjunction with the first seedstock merchandising course offered by SDSU. It was instigated by Dick Pruitt, who was faculty coordinator at the time.
“As manager of the facility, I do general care of the cattle, provide support for several labs and student activities, balance different research projects along with the upkeep and maintenance,” said Kevin Vander Wal, manager of SDSU’s Cow-Calf Education and Research Facility.
Bulls in the running for the sale are picked in the late summer months, and Vander Wal will inspect and sift through the new calves. Come September, the calves’ weaning weights are sent to the Angus and Simmental associations, where phenotypes and expected progeny differences are analyzed, and another selection is made based on those results.
In December, the first sift of “best bulls” occurs before the final sift in early March, after their yearling data comes back from the associations, right before the sale.
Along with the bulls, heifers from the Cow-Calf Education and Research Facility are utilized by Little International. The students showing both novice and experienced livestock have convenient access to the cattle at the unit and can work them in preparation for the show.
Those employed at the facility and involved in Little “I” are more than willing to help exhibitors who have questions about their animals.
Some of the bulls in the sale are being exhibited by students during Little “I” — they’re not only prepared for sale day, but they’re also out on the green chips in front of potential customers.
Along with the new auction setup, a couple new faces will sell the bulls. The lead auctioneer is Michael Drotzmann, recent SDSU animal science graduate and former employee at the Cow-Calf Education and Research Facility. Drotzmann is currently part of the team at Stockman’s Livestock in Yankton.
Ivan Blume, a student in the class and senior majoring in animal science, also has plenty of auctioneering experience under his belt and will auction off a few lots himself during the sale.
When Blume’s not behind the block, he will team up with classmate Mitchell VanderWal to serve as ring men for the duration of the auction.
“My favorite part of this course is always working with the students and getting to see them use their creativity, critical thinking and communication skills,” Wright said. “Being a smaller course, it’s also easier to get to know them better, which I always enjoy.”
Students participating in the course and sale this year are Cheznie Best, Ivan Blume, Simon Bowar, Abby Bruns, Rylan Ehret, Tyler Groeneweg, Gloria Hansen, Jess Hewitt, Miles Hoffman, Casey Koenig, Reese McKenna, Brooklyn Mettler, Michael Olson, Brett Roberts, Kristen Smith, Sam Stahl, Drew Stock, Mikayla Thorson, Bruce Van De Stroet, Mitchell VanderWal and Lauren Weishaar.
Attend the sale by visiting the SDSU Cow-Calf Education and Research Facility at 2901 Western Ave., Brookings. Lunch will be provided to attendees prior to the sale. The sale-day phone number is 605-693-2253.
