University Extension Center Courthouse, P.O. Box 388 Mt. Vernon, MO 65712 (417) 466-3102 For Further Information Contact Eldon Cole at the above Address March 27, 2001

TESTED BULL MARKET, BULLISH & BEARISH

The stock market has been receiving lots of attention from investors, the media and interested by-standers. The bears seem to have been ahead of the bulls on the New York Stock Exchange the last few weeks, but at the Southwest Missouri Beef Cattle Improvement Association's spring bulls sale it's hard to say which was ahead according to Eldon Cole, livestock specialist, Mt. Vernon.

"We had a very strong bull market on the top end with 7 bulls going for $2000 or more. However, on the bear side, 9 bulls failed to receive the floor bid of $1200," said the specialist.

Thirty-one bulls sold for a $1773 average which was about $80 lower than the sale one year ago. The 25 Angus that sold averaged $1830. The sale-top of the evening at $3000 was an Angus consigned by L.J. and Virginia Ozbun, Verona. The buyer was Lost Creek Cattle Co., Wyandotte, OK.

The 4 Charolais bulls posted a $1700 average and saw Beiswinger Charolais, Halfway lead the way with a $2200 bid from Howard Miller, Buffalo.

Two Simmentals sold at the $1200 mark. They were consigned by Vestlane Farms, Polk and Joe Dahlman, Mt. Vernon was the buyer.

The sale may have been somewhat bearish, Cole adds because the SMSU Lady Bears were playing later sale night. He felt the game and the unseasonably cold weather may have held the crowd down.

The association sponsors the twice-yearly sale for purebred breeders to market the top end of their bulls. The University of Missouri Outreach & Extension livestock specialists supervise the data collection process at weaning and yearling time. Breeders wishing to participate should contact their nearest specialist. Specialists working the region include Gary Naylor, Buffalo, Leslie Ehnis, Lebanon, Dona Funk, Stockton and Cole.