General Information
The Wisconsin Beef Improvement Association has conducted and overseen a central performance bull test each year since 1957. Young beef bulls from all over Wisconsin and the Midwest have been brought here to develop a performance proof in an unbiased environment designed to let the cream rise to the top. Over 5000 bulls from over 250 consignors have been tested. Commercial and purebred breeders from Texas to North Dakota as well as nationally recognized A.I. studs have purchased genetics at the annual WBIA auction held at the conclusion of each test. The bulls are currently tested in Southwest Wisconsin at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville university farm and have been housed there since 1970. The current test is 100 days long. Bulls are fed a soy or oat hull based ration adjusted with locally available ingredients in a ration designed to promote lean efficient growth while providing adequate energy to allow individuals to express their genetic potential. At the test conclusion, bulls are ultrasounded for carcass traits, evaluated for breeding soundness and made available to the public at auction on the first Saturday in April.
Nominations are open to all registerable bulls born between January 1 and April 15, provided they meet the health requirements set by the board. All birth dams of nominated bulls must have a current negative Johnes test before their bull calves can be unloaded at the test station. All bulls are also required to have a negative BVD PI blood test. All candidates are required to be preconditioned for at least 30 days before delivery. That translates into weaning and two rounds of vaccinations for IBR, BVD, PI3, BRSV, Leptospirosis, Clostridium, Haemophilius Somnus, and Pasturella. All bulls are required to have official state health papers. Registration papers are not required as a condition of nomination or delivery, but every bull must be registerable. That is to say that percentage bulls are accepted as long as requirements have been met for those bulls to be registered by an official breed organization. Nominations are due in mid September; delivery is in late October or early November. The test runs 100 days with the sale being the first Saturday in April. The station has space for 150 bulls with the top two-thirds qualifying for the sale.
The receiving protocol has remained the same for the past several years. Each bull is assigned a new ear tag, which carries his test station number, and all other temporary identification is removed. Each is treated for internal and external parasites, receives an I.M. vaccination with a modified live product for respiratory infection and a dose of nasalgen. Bulls are then grouped into pens of approximately 20 head. Breeds are segregated as space and numbers allow.
The 28day warm up period allows time for all the bulls to acclimate to their new surroundings and establish the social structure of each pen before the test starts.
Anyone living in or traveling through southwestern Wisconsin is encouraged to stop by the station at the UW-P Farm, four miles south east of Platteville on College Farm Road and have a look. Visitors are always welcome and you can usually find a current report out front to refer to as you walk the pens.