Thorstenson bulls are affordable

After being postponed two days because of a winter storm that blanketed the Midwest, Thorstenson Gelbvieh and Angus, Selby, S.D., sold 146 bulls for an average of $2360 March 5 at Mobridge Livestock in Mobridge, S.D. The offering reflected the sale’s billing of “Performance and Muscle” and complete performance and ultra-sound carcass data was available on the bulls.

Individual averages saw 23 Gelbvieh selling for $2,243, 80 Balancers at $2,420 and 43 Angus selling for $2,320.

Topping the entire offering was an Angus bull, Lot 151, Lazy TV Nova SS670. Sired by Kahuna, he is a six-star tenderness sire with a 114 weaning weight index. Bruce Handel, Menno, had the final bid at $8,500.

Next in line in the Angus offering was Lot 199, a yearling son of 20/20 selling to Leon Voegele, Trail City, for $6,750. Born March 20, 2006, he boasts a 786-lb. weaning weight and a 1,485-lb. yearling weight.

Leading the way in the Balancer offering was Lot 91, Lazy TV Chevelle SS234. Sired by Second Step, he posted a 119 index for weaning weight and 115 for yearling weight. Leonhardt Cattle Company, Lake Preston, bid $6,500 to the polled, homozygous black yearling herd sire prospect.

Teaming up to purchase Lot 138, a homozygous black Beethoven son, were Blackhawk Cattle Company, Oregon, Ill., and Broken Arrow Ranch, Phillipsburg, Kansas. The duo paid $5,500 to own the six-star tenderness gene carrier.

Lot 71, Lazy TV Sting Ray S125, a polled, black,yearling son of Duke featuring a 121 weaning and a 114 yearling weight index, sold for $4,300 to Scott Christensen, Flandreau.
Next in line in the Balancer offering was Lot 113, a Future Directon son, selling to Jon Beastrom, Pierre, for $4,200.

Topping the red Balancer offering was Lot 54, sired by Precise, purchased by Landon Arnold, McIntosh, for $3,900.
The top-selling Gelbvieh bull was Lot 1, a red, fall-born son of Lazy TV Peterbilt. The final bid went to Tim Feist, Zeeland, N.D., at $3,900.

Volume buyers were Giacometto Ranch, Belle Crick, Mont., with seven bulls; Merle Hicks, Martin, Heim Brothers, Edgely, N.D., and Lee Kovar, Victor, Iowa, with six head each; and Gary Twedt, Larchwood, Iowa, with five bulls.