Cattle Grazing Bid 2025.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. In an effort to obtain appropriate animals for this research to be executed at the WIREGRASS RESEARCH & EXTENSION CENTER, HEADLAND, AL, the Purchasing Department, 311 Ingram Hall, Auburn University, AL 36849, is now receiving sealed bids on 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 to be used in fall and winter grazing trials for approximately 150 days beginning approximately January of 2025, and ending approximately early April, 2025. Ear tags will identify the bidder’s cattle. Cattle should be assembled from as few ranches as possible and preferably not from sale yards. Uniformity is important since the cattle will be used in research grazing trials. No bull calves will be accepted. Delivery must occur within a one week time frame to assure uniformity.

Cattle should be delivered between January 6-9, 2025. Total number of steers to be delivered is 50 head. Owner 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, and Hemophilus somnous. Bidder will provide steers that have been castrated, dehorned, and healed from these procedures. Cattle will be pre-conditioned for 25-30 days before being shipped to the Wiregrass Research and Extension Center. Upon delivery to the Wiregrass REC, cattle will be placed on summer forage grass with supplemental feed until winter grazing growth is adequate for turn out. Steers will be de-wormed 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) Successful bidder will provide scale weights from certified scales by truck load, from scales within close proximity to the Wiregrass Research and Extension Center. (both incoming and outgoing weights). (3) Compensation from successful bidder to the Wiregrass Research and Extension Center should be expressed as price per pound of average gain added by the Wiregrass Research and Extension Center to the initial weight when received at the unit, less 2% shrinkage.

Cattle will be weighed on certified scales by truck load, from scales within close proximity to the Wiregrass Research and Extension Center. (4) 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. (5) The Wiregrass Research and Extension Center reserves the right to inspect cattle at delivery and to reject cattle that do not meet the specifications or that appear chronically ill.

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

Stocking rate Forage Supplement

2.0 hd/acre Cool-season annual grass

(rye, oats, and/or triticale) + crimson clover + ‘ Brassica’ mixtures

Only when forage is limited