On March 26, Cattle farmers from across West Virginia gathered at the 59th annual Wardensville Bull Sale to bid on some of the highest quality cattle in the state, each of which were tested to be great additions to a farmer’s herd.
Also known as the West Virginia Bull Evaluation Program, the Wardensville Bull Test is made possible through a combined effort between the West Virginia University Davis College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, WVU Extension, West Virginia Department of Agriculture, the West Virginia Cattlemen's Association and other local farmers.
At the WVU Reymann Memorial Farm in Hardy County, 150 bulls are evaluated each year for favorable breeding traits like growth, feed efficiency and fertility. The best of the tested bulls are then auctioned off to regional farmers so that productive traits can be bred into their own herds.
Rick Snuffer, West Virginia farm operator and bull consigner, said the bull testing program was one of the first of its kind when it began in the 1960s. As producers began seeing a positive impact on their herds, the program continued to grow year after year.
“West Virginia University and Extension got together with local farmers to make sure
we were getting premium genetics out to the cattle producers of West Virginia,”
Snuffer said. “We were ahead of the game, and I think people have come to see the
value of what we do here. People come back year after year to buy bulls here, and
they’re happy with the results they get.”
The benefit of using a bull testing facility like the Reymann Memorial Farm is that it lets farmers test a large number of bulls under identical conditions. Factors, like how much feed is used or the overall strength and growth rate of a bull, can be precisely measured over time. By determining which cattle have the most desirable traits, farmers can be confident that tested bulls will be a long-term benefit to their herds.
Darin Matlick, WVU Extension veterinary specialist and program coordinator for the Wardensville Bull Test, explained that even small optimizations in things like feed efficiency can add up across large herds.
“We can check exactly what a bull eats every day, down to the ounce, and then we can compare the data between what they eat to how much weight they gain to come up with a feed efficiency number,” Matlick said. “By having efficient cows in your herd, you can improve growth or support more cattle without needing to buy more feed."
Jorge Atiles, associate vice president and dean of the WVU Division for Land-Grant Engagement, gave the opening remarks at last month’s auction.
“By testing for the highest quality cattle, we help West Virginia farmers thrive,” Atiles said. “The Wardensville Bull Test and auction is a great example of how the Davis College of Agriculture and Natural Resources is working to improve long-term prosperity for the region.”
The Davis College of Agriculture and Natural Resources and WVU Extension are units within the WVU Division for Land-Grant Engagement, along with the WVU Center for Community Engagement. To learn more about the Davis College, visit davis.wvu.edu. If you want to learn more about WVU Extension, visit extension.wvu.edu.
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CONTACT: Sam Gorski
Content Strategist
WVU Division for Land-Grant Engagement