The University of Connecticut Department of Animal Science held its annual beef cattle sale at the Cattle Resource Unit on Sunday, Oct.18.
The sale featured Angus bulls, Hereford steers, heifers and a pregnant Hereford cow. While the event was hosted by UConn’s Animal Science Department, the auction was done by the Wolf Auction Group, a specialized auction and fundraising consulting firm that provides auctioneers and emcees.
The event drew in various attendees from ranches and farms.
“We have some very loyal customers that have been coming here for decades,” Mary Margaret Smith, the organizer of the auction and Executive Program Director for the Dairy and Livestock Units at UConn wrote in an email. “Our buyers are local farmers and 4-H or FFA members.”
Before the auction, cattle with yellow ear tags, some as young as a few months old, were available to view. The cattle were grazing hay while attendees looked to see which of them they would like to bid on.
“We’ve come here for 10 years, and pretty much buy one animal a year,” Archer Jennings, a hobby farmer looking to buy a Hereford steer, said.
Jennings said he primarily uses the animals for beef but gives its other contents to his friends and family, adding that Hereford steers are useful for their hides and lards.
“It’s the best garden I’ve ever had; I’ll tell you that,” he said.
While Hereford steers are often a popular breed for beef production, other types of cattle were bid on the most.
“The Angus bulls will probably bring the most money,” Smith wrote ahead of the event.
In fact, many attendees wanted to buy Angus bulls for the increased function, size and growth rate that they may introduce to a herd.
“We breed bulls for the young ones,” Pete Utz, an attendee that has been ranching for more than 60 years, said. “We want to grow our herd.”
Utz said that he would spend around $8,000 depending on which of the available animals met his price range and needs. At one point, an 815-pound Angus bull was sold for $3,600.
Though the exact amount of money made from the auction was not disclosed, the proceeds go toward supporting and strengthening UConn’s Department of Animal Science. The money especially helps maintain the operations and care of the livestock and cattle units and supports educational experiences tied to the animal science curriculum.
Students are heavily involved with the auction each year, taking care of and halter training the cattle, Smith wrote. Some students even lead the cattle to the center of the resource unit for bidders to view.