Beef Cattle Improvement Association

SOUTH MISSISSIPPI GAIN-ON-FORAGE BULL TESTING PROGRAM

Rules and Plans for 2008– 2009 Test

I. The primary purpose of the South Mississippi Gain-On-Forage Bull Test is to provide productive educational opportunities for beef cattle producers throughout the Southeastern United States. This educational process is grounded in the bull performance test – an official venue through which beef cattle breeders can evaluate several performance parameters of young bulls for utilization in making informed breeding management decisions. Information collected during each 140-day test is very valuable in helping producers evaluate the utility of their breeding programs and the genetic merit of their foundation breeding stock. Additionally, this test serves as a marketing tool for cattle breeders to sell eligible bulls via private treaty transactions and as a source from which commercial beef cattle producers throughout the region can locate and acquire genetically superior, high quality, forage-tested herd sires.

II. Decision of South Mississippi Forage Testing Program Committee shall prevail in the event no rule or plan exists or there is a disputed rule or plan. President of the committee is Mr. Lamar Adams, Walthall County Extension Director.

III. Eligibility requirements for animals to be tested:

A. Bulls eligible for full or percentage registration with an established breed association and bulls of composite breeding approved by the Test Committee are eligible for this test. Complete sire and dam information (and other supportive pedigree information for composite bulls) on each bull (a copy of registration certificate for each bull is preferred – DO NOT send original) must be submitted with nomination form (due October 1, 2008) or when bulls are delivered to the Test Station on November 1, 2008. The HHH farms Test Station facility is located at 565 Stallings Bridge Road southwest of Tylertown, Mississippi.

B. Age. Birthdates of a bulls eligible for this test shall fall between:
September 1st, 2007 and March 31st, 2008

C. Bulls must be identified with an easily read numbered tag in each ear.

D. Brucellosis Test within Bulls MUST be from a Brucellosis Certified Free Herd or must have one negative thirty days of delivery to Test Station.

E. Bulls MUST TEST NEGATIVE for Bovine Viral Diarrhea Persistent Infection (BVD-PI) via the “EAR NOTCH TEST” (immunohistochemistry) prior to delivery to the Test Station.

F. All bulls must be weaned at least 45 days prior to delivery to the Test Station. Each bull must be dewormed (dewormer should be effective against lungworm), degrubbed, deloused, and treated with a coccidiostat. The vaccination protocol for all bulls shall include a modified-live virus vaccine containing IBR, PI-3, BVD, and BRSV. A five-way Leptospira vaccine and a seven-way clostridial product are also required. A Mannheimia haemolytica (Pasteurella) vaccine that contains both a bacterin and leukotoxoid is required. Additionally, vaccination against Histophilus somni (formerly known as Haemophilus somnus) is required. Vaccines and dewormer should be given twice (14-21 days apart) with the second round administered 21 days before delivery to Test Station. Bulls will be dewormed and vaccinated a third time when they arrive at the Test Station and will be treated for coccidiosis with Rumensin blocks.

It is very important to follow recommended procedures for administering vaccines and boosters to achieve effective immunity. Please refer to the attached information sheet for additional details about how to properly handle and administer vaccines.

G. The Test Committee reserves the right to remove any bull from test based upon unfavorable disposition.

IV. Charges for testing (per bull):

A. Basic Care and Feeding1:.........................................................................$350.00
1$350.00 per bull fee is payable in full upon delivery of bull(s) to Test Station on November 1, 2008.

B. Supplemental Feeding: Bulls will be maintained on an adequate plane of nutrition at all times. Ration will consist of cool season annual forage grazing, Rumensin block mineral, and free choice hay. Should forage growth conditions result in less than adequate amounts of grazing, supplemental feed will be provided. Actual costs of supplemental feed will be prorated evenly on a per bull basis. Bull owners will be billed accordingly.

C. If total veterinary costs on an individual bull exceed $15.00, additional charges will be billed to consignor.

D. Applicable Breeding Soundness Evaluation (BSE) veterinary fees must be paid by the breeder prior to execution of any private treaty sale transaction.

V. Private Treaty Sales:

A. It is neither the responsibility nor the right of the South Mississippi Gain-On-Forage Bull Test to negotiate private treaty sale agreements. It is the obligation of the seller and buyer to negotiate terms and conditions of private treaty sale transactions. The South Mississippi Gain-On-Forage Bull Test makes no warranty or guarantee of any kind or nature on bulls enrolled in the test that are purchased via private treaty transactions.

B. Bulls may be sold via private treaty sale at any time during the test, provided the following eligibility requirements are met:
1) Registered bulls must be registered through the appropriate breed association; bulls of composite breeding must be approved for sale by the South Mississippi Gain-On-Forage Bull Test Committee (See Items C-1 and C-2 below).
2) Minimum adjusted 205-day weight shall be 500 pounds.
3) Passage of Breeding Soundness Evaluation (BSE).

C Before private treaty negotiations can begin on any bull, the following must be submitted to Test Manager Frank Holmes:
1) Copy of registration certificate
2) For bulls of composite breeding, complete sire and dam and other supportive pedigree information must be submitted for approval by the South Mississippi Gain-On-Forage Bull Test Committee
3) Current EPD information
4) Written notification of the price being asked for each bull

D. Breeders must remit payment of Breeding Soundness Evaluation (BSE) veterinary fees prior to execution of any private treaty sale transaction.

E. If a private treaty sale is transacted prior to the end of the test, the bull(s) must remain on test until the April 24th, 2009 final weighing and processing date.

VI. Bulls must remain on test for the entire 140-day test period (unless sickness, injury, or unfavorable disposition mandates early removal).

VII. Calendar of Events:

A. October 1, 2008 - Nomination forms due to enroll bulls on test.
Mail nomination forms and photocopies of registration certificates (or declaration of sire and dam genetics and other supportive pedigree information about bulls of composite breeding) to:

Lamar Adams
Walthall County Extension Director
250 Ball Avenue
Tylertown, MS 39667

B. October 1, 2008 - Plant cool season forages on prepared seedbed at the rate of one acre per bull.

C. November 1, 2008 - Bull Delivery to HHH Farms (Test Station)
1:00 – 3:00 p.m.
565 Stallings Bridge Road, Tylertown, MS
Telephone: 601-876-5204

D. November 14, 2008 - Place bulls on cool-season forage pasture
(Or when adequate grazing is available)

E. November 24 and 25, 2008 - Weigh and process bulls to mark beginning of official 140-day test.

F. February 3, 2009 - Weigh and process bulls to collect mid-test data.

G. April 13-14, 2009 - Weigh and process bulls to mark end of official 140-day test

H. Date to be determined - South Mississippi Gain-On-Forage Bull Test Educational Conference/Field Day