Residual Feed Intake (RFI) References

Residual feed intake (RFI) is a measure of feed efficiency that is calculated as the difference between an animal’s actual feed intake and its expected feed intake. RFI is independent of body weight and size. Differences in the trait cannot be detected by physically looking at an animal, it requires accurate and simultaneous measurement of an animal’s feed intake and body weight. Animals with low RFI values are more efficient than those with high RFI values.¹

Assuming a herd of cattle have a normal distribution for RFI, selection for RFI could improve efficiency by 20 percent. There is no other single technology that holds this much promise to reduce feed costs.²

Since the heritability of the trait is about 40%, substantial progress can be made in RFI.³

RFI Success Story

Our herd average feed to gain ratio is nearly two pounds below the industry average and after stacking several generations of feed efficient genetics we are now producing cattle with less than a 3:1 feed to gain ratio. ⁴

1: What is RFI?, GrowSafe, link here
2: Cow Herd Efficiency: How Much Can We Improve It?, Monty Kerley, Ph.D., GrowSafe, link here
3: Agri-Facts, July 2006, Residual Feed Intake (Net Feed Efficiency) in Beef Cattle, link here
4: AJ Munger, Eagle Pass Ranch, Highmore, South Dakota, link here

Bull Sale Terms

Sales Process

These bulls are for sale at our 1^st Annual live auction on Monday March 21, 2022 at the Ranch, Hanna, Alberta. We are happy to have T Bar C helping to make this event a success as well as memorable.

Yearling and 2 year Old Bulls

We are offering yearling and 2 year old bulls. Quite simply, we cut off the age for the yearling bulls to be born prior to March 31^st. Bulls offered that were born after March 31 will be 2 year old bulls. These bulls will only be represented for sale once. There will not be any unsold bulls rolled over to the following year.

Bull Finance Program

• Available on bulls valued over $6000.
• 60% down on sale day, unless prior arrangements made.
• Remaining 40% plus interest due November 1^st of sale year.
• Bulls branded with Hwy21 brand.
• Bill of sale will be issued once bull fully paid and ownership transfer at the same time.
• Interest rate of 5% per annum.

Sale Bull Delivery and Development

    Delivery

• Free delivery in western Canada (BC, AB, SK, MB). We will try our best to bring them to your doorstep however in some circumstances, a free delivery point close to your location may be used.
• Delivery beyond western Canada is responsibility of buyer. We will deliver to the closest drop point in western Canada to the buyer if advantageous for the freight they arrange.
• $200 off purchase price of bull if you pick up yourself at the ranch prior to April 1.

    Sale Bull Development

• All bulls can stay at the ranch until May 1 on a high roughage diet at no cost. After May 1^st, a daily cost of $5 per day will be charged for bull development.
• We are proud to employ Cargill Animal Nutrition and their professional staff to aid in the management of our bull development growth and ration management.

Bull Guarantee

We guarantee our bulls have:

1. passed a semen evaluation by a licensed veterinarian prior to sale. A certificate will be available upon request.
2. Bull is structurally sound and healthy and will have no issues breeding cows naturally.
3. We stand behind the safety of being able to handle our bulls. Just like our own lives, our customer lives are of the utmost importance. All our bulls can be handled using proper animal handling skills. These bulls have all been handled on foot, horseback, with quads and in some cases cattle dogs. We have culled any of them that looked at us strange, ducked at us during sorting, had their head high and hang out at the back of the group, or need an excessive flight zone distance resulting in the bulls moving off pressure in a very quick like manner. We have also walked the bull pen hundreds of times to assess their temperament and get them used to interaction with people.
4. Our bulls have the fleshing ability to return to pre-breeding condition prior to the next breeding season (assuming no more than a 90 day breeding season) and the same start to the breeding season the next year. This can be achieved with a high quality forage ration or diet
5. We know that the most important thing is for the cows to get bred. Thus if you have any issues with the bull, contact us immediately so we can supply another bull as quick as possible. Your options for bull replacements are:
   • We will replace the bull with one of equal or superior quality at no additional cost.
   • If an inferior bull is being used as a replacement compared to the original bull purchased, we will adjust the value and issue you a payment for the spread.
   • If no replacement bull is desired in the same season from ourselves, we will take back the bull, or take the salvage value if shipped and issue you a full credit for a bull purchased in the future.
   • The bull that is being replaced becomes the property of Hwy21 to salvage/sell.

Bull Lease Program

• These bulls are not offered for sale in any future sales.
• Virgin yearling bulls.
• We will do our best to satisfy your specific bull selection parameters with our pen of lease bulls. Please communicate this to us ahead of time.
• $1400 for the breeding season.
• Lessee pays delivery and end of season pickup for bulls to Hwy21. Hwy21 will arrange the freight. Quote supplied based on distance.
• If you wish to handle delivery or pickup on your own, invoice adjusted accordingly.
• Lease/delivery and pickup cost paid prior to bull delivery.
• Bull ownership stays with Hwy21. Bulls will be branded as such. If bull is shipped for salvage or to market from Lessee property due to injury etc., proceeds will be payable to Hwy21.
• Death loss is responsibility of Hwy21. The bulls will be insured at the cost of Hwy21 and Hwy21 will be listed as the beneficiary. If death occurs, lessee must supply death certificate filled out by veterinarian for insurance purposes.
• Bulls guaranteed for the season. Replaced if needed throughout breeding season.
• Lessee of bull(s) responsible for feed of the livestock while in their possession.
• Bulls must be returned no later than Oct 1 after breeding season.
• If bull is not returned and no death certificate produced, lessee will pay $4000 to purchase the bull and a bill of sale will be issued.

Interest

Hwy21 reserves the right to charge 1.5% interest per month or 18% per annum on any bills 90 days in arrears from invoice date, if prior arrangements haven’t been made by the purchaser.

Registration

All registered bulls sold will be transferred to the purchaser.

Retained Interest

Hwy 21 reserves a 1% interest in all bulls sold for the purpose of drawing semen if they desire at a time convenient to the purchaser. Any interest higher than 1% will be communicated on an individual bull basis prior to sale and the terms set out with the interest. In these cases, this may be enacted for the purpose of Hwy21 sharing the walking rights of a specific bull or for the purpose of sharing in any semen rights.

Calf Marketing

At Highway 21 Feeders, we are always looking for exceptional cattle to buy and feed. We know the bulls you have bought, the traits they excel in and as well their dam and sire better than anyone. This makes the calves they sire of utmost interest to us, and a product that we would love to pay a premium for. However, we are not always buying all weight classes and sexes, therefore our buy back contains 3 promises. These may be used however you wish, or not at all. It is up to you!

1. We will buy your calves direct when the transaction is right for both of us. There will be no commission charged or marketing fees. There will only be an industry standard shrink applied. If desired by the seller, freight can be arranged. We will use the superior traits of the bulls purchased and pay premiums where we can on his progeny.

2. Since we are also on the feedlot side of the industry, we know what traits (feed efficiency, daily gain, grading, etc.) are sought after and what their value is when buying feeder animals. When we are unable to buy your calves for whatever reason, we will bridge the gap between our bull customers and other feeder buyers, and “talk the talk” to represent your progeny to the best of our abilities. Your cattle will no longer be represented to buyers with only the customary “these calves are sired by top bulls from....”. We will do this free of charge. You always reserve the right to market them yourselves if we do not achieve a price you're happy with.

3. If we are buying the weight class and sex of calves you're selling, but you wish to sell at your local market, we will have a representative bid on your calves on sale day.

It is important to properly promote any vaccination, preconditioning and health and nutrition program you employ in your herd. We can help walk you through what is important to represent the cattle to the fullest.

With all the marketing options, we require a minimum of 2 weeks of notice prior to when you want to market your calves. If we are unable to come view the calves in the weeks prior to sale, we may require photos to be supplied for marketing.

Open/Cull Cow Marketing

To compliment full 360 service, if you have close to a liner load or more of open or cull cows, we can assist you in marketing them direct to slaughter. Again, this service is free of charge to our bull customers.

Data for Your Herd

If we have purchased your calves, we will supply the feeding data and slaughter data back to you when the cattle ship. At a minimum this will come in a summary report. If we can obtain individual grading and performance records for each animal, this will be supplied, or exported if you wish, into a herd management program. If we assist you to market your offspring elsewhere, every effort will be made to negotiate the supply of the data back to the producer.

Docility Scoring

The safety of our customers, staff and family is Number 1. Without all of them, none of our success would be possible. Handling livestock should not have to be dangerous. We handle these animals daily in a low stress environment and do our best to prepare them for all types of environments. Each animal does have its own personality and reacts differently to handling. We have adopted what many other breeders already do, and what we feel should be a standard in the industry, by applying a docility score to our animals. We understand this may deter you from an animal you would have otherwise purchased, but your safety of knowing what you are buying is of utmost importance.

Our ranking system is as such:

1. These animals are not easily or safely handled. We have eliminated them from the herd.
2. These animals can be harder to handle, especially if alone or under pressure. They require a wider flight zone and can move quickly to maintain this flight zone.
3. These animals are very easy to handle and have a smaller flight zone. They will usually move off pressure slowly but with ease. Most of the animals will fit into this score.
4. These animals are extremely quiet and will take a lot of pressure to move. They don't get excited easily alone or in a group.