Pre-Sale Banquet

In keeping with tradition we will host a banquet dinner the night prior to the auction.  This fun filled event was a huge hit last year with great food and various activities.  The dinner will be held in the reception hall at the Exposition Center .  We will have door prizes and various fund raising items for sale in order to benefit our association and the Junior program.  Be sure to watch the mail for your invitation!!

Hotel and Lodging

As we experienced last year, a large nuclear power plant that is located near Glen Rose is undergoing testing and evaluation by various agencies.  This event is going to require us to be somewhat creative in finding lodging for everyone.

The headquarters hotel will be the Dinosaur Valley Inn & Suites located across the street from the Exposition Center .  There are a very limited number of rooms available at this hotel.  Their number is 254-897-4818.

We have room blocks reserved at two different hotels.  America’s Best Value is located approximately 2 blocks from the Expo Center .  Their number is 254-897-2111.  This hotel requires a two night stay (Friday and Saturday). Be sure to reference the TRAA sale to access the block of rooms.

In addition we have reserved rooms at Best Western in Granbury which is approximately 15 minutes from Glen Rose.  Their number is 817-573-4239.  Once again, be sure to reference the TRAA sale to access the block of rooms. 
 
In future years we do not expect as many challenges obtaining hotel rooms because there are several more hotels being constructed in the area.

Donations

Each year the association searches for a member that will donate a heifer that will sell by a combination raffle and auction style.  These funds raised by the association through this heifer donation are an important element to funding our association.  Last years donation by Glen Halfmann and his family  was quite successful.  This year John and Carla Ecklund of the Two Bit Ranch are providing the donation heifer.

In addition to the donation heifer we will solicit door prizes from members that will be given away at the banquet.  A committee member will contact each member to discuss your participation.

Sale acceptance guidelines

It is our hope that each and every member will participate as a seller or buyer each year.  This is your Association and we want you to take advantage of the marketing opportunity. 

Following are a series of guidelines, requirements and steps that will be utilized for cattle nominated for the sale and prepared if accepted.  Some of these steps might seem extensive or possibly intimidating.  Please don’t let that deter you and seek out guidance from experienced breeders that have sold cattle through the sale for many years.  You can also consult board members and Sale Committee members as needed.

·        All bulls considered for acceptance in the annual sale must be performance tested at PX Feeders in Evant , Texas .  There will be three different test periods to accommodate bulls of different age ranges.

·        A selection committee will evaluate and select sale eligible bulls based on test performance, conformation, disposition, vet exams and any other pertinent information.

·        Fall born bulls that have returned home will require the owners to make sure that the bulls are well conditioned and in proper sale condition with a minimum body condition score of 7.

·        All bulls will be scanned via ultrasound while at PX feeders.

·        All bulls will be required to have a Breeding Soundness Exam completed by a veterinarian.  Fall bulls will require this test to be completed within 30 days of sale date.  Spring bulls will be examined while at PX Feeders.  This exam will include a fertility test.

·        All bulls must be clipped prior to sale.

·        Bulls must be at least 12 months of age by sale date in order to qualify for consideration as sale eligible.

Female Consignments

·        Females considered for entry into the sale include open heifers, bred heifers, bred cows, donor cows and cow/calf pairs.

·        All bred females must be confirmed bred and stated as such on their health papers.  Any heifer not confirmed bred will be announced as open from the sale block with appropriate breeding exposure dates announced.

·        Appropriate health papers delivered upon arrival at the sale location.

·        Each animal is required to be clipped.  If they are dirty they should be washed as well.

·        Body condition scores of 6 or better is expected for heifers, 7 for bred mature cows without a calf and 6 for cows with a calf at side.

·        Good feet and legs are required.  Give serious consideration to their overall body conformation and insure that they are structurally correct.

·        All females must be 100% 1-A registered cattle.

·        All bred and open heifers should have a minimum Weight per Day of Age (WDA) of 2.3 lbs. or higher.

Guidelines to consider

·        It generally takes a minimum of 75 days to get a heifer in good sale condition.  Be sure to plan ahead and start a balanced and disciplined feed program well ahead of sale day.  Many breeders make the mistake of waiting too long to get started and then their heifers just don’t compare well to others on sale day.

·        Good photos help sell cattle and attract buyers more than any other marketing tool.  Plan ahead and have your females clipped before the photo session.  Take great care to find a suitable background for the photo because a poor background can greatly detract from the properly showing the qualities of your consignment.

·        Take great care to evaluate the quality of each female that you consider nominating for the sale.  Study their pedigree and look for a compelling story that can be used in catalog footnotes that would attract the interest of buyers.

·        It is strongly recommended that consigners have their heifers scanned via ultrasound for carcass evaluation and merit.

Pick out some good ones and bring em to the sale!!!  Use this sale as your opportunity to show off your program and the quality of your herd!!

Cattle Photo Tips

·        Don’t forget that a picture is worth a thousand words!

·        Digital camera photos are a must!  Get a zoom lens camera so that you can get “close up” shots without crowding the cattle.

·        Using a digital camera you have the ability to take lots of shots in a short period of time and simply delete the shots that do not measure up.

·        Take your time!!  Don’t just walk into the pasture or corral and think that you can get a good shot in 5 minutes.  Plan for plenty of time and take a helper that can assist in getting the cattle in the “right” position for a good shot.  It took months to raise the calf, take an hour to make sure that you can show them off.

·        Overcast days are good for photographing cattle because you are not forced to contend with shadows.

·        Make sure that you do not have shadows in the photo.  In particular make sure that your shadow (and any helpers) is not in the shot.

·        Get your cattle clipped prior to taking photos.

·        Head up and at the very least even with their back.  Preferably their head will be raised up at a 30 – 45 degree angle.

·        Ears pricked forward with an alert look but be sure their stance does not indicate that they appear to be flighty.  Often times a person can stand in front of the cattle and wave a cap or piece of cloth.  Many of the pros will use a small umbrella and open it or twirl it around to get their attention.

·        Be sure to “fill the frame”.  Open space around the animal is wasted space unless you have a really great looking background.

·        Try to position the cattle so that they are standing with their front half of the body on higher ground than their back half.  The amount of incline does not need to be significant.  Never submit a photo where the back half of the animal is on higher ground – it just does not work.

·        Always have the back leg that is closest to the photographer in a back position so that the viewer can clearly see the full underline, udder and/or testicles of the animal.

·        Be sure to take the photo from a position that is no higher than the cattle.  Kneel down or sit if needed to get below the top line.  Photos taken from an angle above the top line makes them look small and will not allow the viewer to see muscle _expression very well.

·        Last but not least….a good background is imperative.  Avoid shots that have fencing directly in the back ground.  An uneven fence line can really distort the image.  Avoid areas like hay piles, hay rings, feed bunks, truck, barns, fence posts and other cattle.  If you must use a corral for photo sessions consider hanging a long solid colored tarp on the corral railing so that you have a consistent back ground.

Texas Red Angus Association Sale Committee

Kelly Box   940-242-3216