After 41 years, the University
of Georgia Beef Evaluation Program has a new home. The
Irwinville Beef Evaluation
Center education building, complete with pens, working barn
and educational center, was
dedicated March 2.

The ceremony was part of the annual beef short course
sponsored by the UGA College
of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

Georgia decisions matter

“Georgia farmers raise calves that, a year and a half
later, will be sold in your
local supermarket,” said Robert Stewart, an
animal scientist with the UGA Extension Service.

“The decisions that affect how beef meets consumer
demands are made here,” he
said. “This center helps producers learn to make sound
decisions.”

Stewart, coordinator of the UGA Tifton Beef Evaluation
Program, said the new building
will provide space for livestock and agriculture-related
educational events. It will house
4-H and FFA activities, purebred cattle sales, short
courses and field days.

Evaluation program tests
bulls

EVALUATED BULLS are sold at the end of the 20-week test period. Only the most sound bulls with the best traits are sold. The bull above sold for $6500, the top-seller for this event. Producers know the genetic characteristics of the bulls and so can select one that will complement their cows.

The Irwinville facility, open since 1995, allows 65
percent more participation in the
evaluation program. This year, more than 100 producers
consigned 200 bulls for evaluation.
Only the top-performing two-thirds are sold at the end of
the program. This year, 133
bulls were auctioned.

Scientists measure the bulls for growth, soundness,
carcass traits and fertility. This
data helps farmers make sound decisions when selecting
bulls to sire calves that meet
consumer demand. This careful selection helps Georgia
farmers become more efficient.

Farmers learn
efficiency

Nationwide, cattle farmers produce the same amount of
beef with 100 million cattle as
they did 25 years ago with 130 million cattle.

“It’s up to us to find ways to produce beef profitably
that will meet consumer
demand,” said Harvey Lemmon, chair of the Tifton Bull Test
Advisory Committee, at the
dedication. “This facility and this program will help us
do that.”

Curly Cook, president of the Georgia Cattlemen’s
Association, said, “This
(building and program) is a heck of an asset to the
agricultural community.”

It’s a business, like any
other

As in any other business, Stewart said, cattle
producers have to listen and respond to
their market to stay in business.

“If our consumers tell us they want lean beef, we’ll
select bulls that can pass
their traits for lean beef to calves,” he said. “At the
same time, we select for
efficient growth and muscular traits. It’s part of the
business now.”

Local support
vital

Phil Utley, CAES assistant dean and associate director
for the Tifton
Campus, said it took many people working
together to make the new building a reality.

“Without local and legislative support,” he said, “this
building would
not be here supporting a vital part of the Georgia
agricultural industry.”