cattle_grazing_bid_2025-2026.pdf

REQUEST FOR BID

FOR CONTRACT GRAZING CATTLE

WIREGRASS RESEARCH AND EXTENSION CENTER

HWY 134 EAST, HEADLAND, AL 36345

The Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station at Auburn University conducts numerous research projects with beef cattle. To obtain appropriate animals for research at the Wiregrass Research & Extension Center, Headland, AL, the Purchasing Department, 212 Ingram Hall, Auburn University, AL 36849, is now receiving sealed bids on the price per pound of gain to be paid to Auburn University by the lessor at the conclusion of the research project.

The successful bidder will deliver 50 head crossbred, gentle, (not to exceed one-eighth Brahman), large-framed, #1 grade, stocker steers, weight range 450 to 525 pounds to the Wiregrass Research & Extension Center. These cattle will be used in cool-season grazing trials from January through early April 2026. Ear tags will identify the bidder’s cattle.

Cattle should be assembled from as few farms as possible and preferably not from sale yards. Uniformity is important since cattle will be used in research grazing trials. No bull calves will be accepted. Delivery must occur within a one-week timeframe to ensure uniformity.

Delivery Window: January 5-9, 2026.

Pickup Window: Mid-April 2026 – coordinated with the Associate Director of the

Wiregrass Research and Extension Center (Chris Parker) Total Number of Steers: 50 head

Owners must vaccinate and booster (if required on label) cattle with routine inoculations for stocker animals before arriving at the Center. Routine inoculations will consist of:

IBR

PI-3

BRSV

Seven-way blackleg Hemophilus somnus

Bidders must provide steers that have been castrated, dehorned, and healed from these procedures. Cattle must be pre-conditioned for 30 days before shipment to the Wiregrass Research & Extension Center.

Upon delivery, cattle will be tested for anaplasmosis, theileria, BVDV, and Johne’s disease. Cattle will be placed on summer forage grass hay with supplemental feed until adequate winter grazing growth allows for turnout. Steers will be dewormed and given a growth implant at the beginning of the grazing (test) period. Steers should NOT be implanted prior to delivery.

TERMS

1. Successful bidder will be responsible for death losses up to 2% of total weight.

The Wiregrass Research and Extension Center will be responsible for death losses over 2% at current market price per pound. Injured cattle unable to ship will remain the responsibility of the owner.

2. Animals confirmed positive for anaplasmosis, theileria, BVDV, and/or Johne’s will be the responsibility of the farm of origin to arrange and pay for return transport.

3. Successful bidder will provide scale weights from certified scales by truckload, from scales within close proximity to the Wiregrass Research and Extension Center (both incoming and outgoing weights).

4. Compensation from successful bidder to the Wiregrass Research and Extension Center will be expressed as price per pound of average gain added by the Wiregrass Research and Extension Center to the initial weight when received, less 2% shrinkage. Cattle will be weighed on certified scales by truckload, from scales within close proximity to the Wiregrass Research and Extension Center.

5. The Wiregrass Research and Extension Center will forfeit compensation for gain from the successful bidder in the event the cattle gain less than 100 pounds average per head.

6. The Wiregrass Research and Extension Center reserves the right to inspect cattle at delivery and to reject cattle that do not meet specifications or appear chronically ill.

For bidder information, treatments and stocking rates are as follows:

Stocking rate: 2.0 head/acre Forage: Cool-season annual grass (rye, oats, and/or triticale) + crimson clover +

Brassica mixtures Supplemental feed: Provided only when forage is limited