2024 Florida Bull Test Sale – January 20

Cattlemen evaluating bulls before the 2023 Florida Bull Test Sale held in January. Credit: Doug Mayo, UF/IFAS

Nicloas DiLorenzo, Florida Bull Test Coordinator, and UF/IFAS Beef Nutrition Specialist

The 24th annual Florida Bull Test was conducted at the University of Florida North Florida Research and Education center in Marianna in 2023. There were 115 consignments from 22 consignors from Florida, Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi. There were 51 Angus, 2 Brangus, 13 Charolais, 4 Red Angus, 2 Red Brahman, 2 Red Brangus, 26 SimAngus, 14 Simmental, and 1 Ultrablack consignments. All of the bulls were born between August and December of 2022. Bull Test consignments were delivered in late July and initiated their 112-day test on August 16, 2023. The last day of test was December 6, 2023. In addition, a hallmark of the FL Bull Test is that individual feed intake is assessed to establish feed efficiency. At completion of the test the entire group of bulls averaged 3.75 pounds of gain per day, but ranged from 1.50 to 5.47 pounds per day.

Activities with the Bull Test conclude with a sale on Saturday, January 20, 2024. Bull owners that participated in the Bull Test have the option of consigning their bulls in the sale. Only bulls meeting specific benchmarks are eligible for the sale. 52 bulls from the Bull Test have qualified and been entered in the sale this year. Bulls are also inspected for structural soundness and disposition and must pass a breeding soundness exam to qualify for the sale, which may slightly reduce the total offering of bulls. Additional information, such as actual performance data, expected progeny differences (EPDs), and carcass ultrasound data is available for bull buyers to aid in the selection of excellent quality bulls. For those interested in online bidding, videos of each bull along with live auction bidding will be handled by Cattle in Motion.

For more information on the Florida Bull Test, including pictures of all bulls, visit the web page at https://nfrec.ifas.ufl.edu/florida-bull-test/ , or telephone 850-526-1611. Catalogs for the sale are available by request. Note: the Research Station Office will be closed from December 25 through January 1.

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