Bull Sets Price Record

Angus Seedstock Operation Sells Year-Old Bull for $900,000

Poss Deadwood is a year-old Angus bull produced at Scotia, Nebraska's, Poss Angus Ranch. (Photo from Poss Angus Ranch website)

When the price for one bull hits the $900,000 mark, it creates a lot of interest anywhere, but especially in a town like Scotia, Nebraska.

Local news outlets reported a 1-year-old bull from Poss Angus Ranch hit that impressive price mark in the ranch's annual bull sale. The bull's name? Poss Deadwood.

Danny Poss told reporters he could see interest building in the bull as the sale neared, with 4,500 semen orders and interest from a number of states across the country, and even around the world. As the auction came to a close, Poss Deadwood sold to Texas' TK Cattle out of Menard.

Poss Angus is a family-owned Angus seedstock business. Their motto, "Leading Edge Genetics," is built around superior genetics that ensure calving ease, maternal strength and profitability. The sales catalog noted that, while 2020 had been a challenging year with months of uncertainty, the family was "blessed with the one thing we never seem to have enough of, time! We quickly learned that while much of life was out of our control, the most important things were still in our control, and we held on tight to those. We immediately felt the value and peacefulness that living on a ranch affords to families in such restrictive times."

The sale offered 150 yearling bulls, 40 fall-born bulls, and 20 2-year-old bulls. All were DNA tested using AngusGS. All bulls meeting the age requirement were ultrasound

tested prior to the sale, and that information, along with EPDs, was posted on sale day. Yearlings are semen tested in March and delivered to buyers after that. All fall and 2-year-old bulls had completed and passed breeding soundness evaluations.

Poss Deadwood was listed as born on Sept. 5, 2019. His EPD (expected progeny differences) numbers looked like this: calving ease direct 14, birth weight -1.4, weaning weight 78, yearling weight 141, scrotal circumference 1.20, milk 27, carcass weight 75, marbling 1.70, ribeye area 0.85, maternal weaned calf value ($M) 73, weaned calf value ($W) 85, feedlot value ($F) 128, grid value ($G) 103, beef value ($B) 230, combined value ($C) 371.

In describing Poss Deadwood, the sale notes say, "No bull in the breed can compete with his combination of calving ease, growth, carcass merit, as well as designed foot quality. A big-hoofed bull with symmetrically correct hoof shape, as well as has a strong, deep heel designed for covering large areas of rangeland."

According to the American Angus Association's data, Poss Deadwood is the second-highest-priced Angus bull sold in the last 25 years.

The Poss family also produces corn, alfalfa, soybeans and native forages.