Greetings Cattlemen:
     Rippe Gelbvieh has continued to assemble a cowherd that is balanced in ALL traits that are economically important to our customers—commercial cattlemen. At Rippe Gelbvieh, we would like to have the opportunity to put our genetics and crossbreeding program to work on your operation. We have a complete lineup of Balancer and Purebred bulls that have enough genetic variation to compliment your cowherd and allow you to take full advantage of the “free lunch” that heterosis and hybrid vigor offer.
     I feel we are doing more from a genetic selection and testing standpoint than the majority of seed stock operations. I believe we are separating ourselves from other seed stock operations in two main areas. The fi rst is carcass data. Most operations ultrasound scan or DNA their bulls, but how many scan their bulls, scan their heifers, and receive individual carcass data on all of their steers? In addition, we try and receive data from a few of our customers’cattle each year to measure our success from a carcass standpoint. We feed cattle throughout the year. A lot of people just talk about it. The second area is measuring cow size and effi ciency. Each cow is weighed every fall when we pregnancy test. Later, this is compared to the weaning weight of their calf. We also track the essentials in a cow like structure and udder scores. This year we included all of this data in the catalog. It is our hope that you fi nd the more information we track valuable. It is important for us at Rippe Gelbvieh to track our cowherd and our bulls so that we can make genetic progress.
     Be sure to check our website, www.rippegelbvieh.com, as the sale draws near. We will be posting additional information including the supplement sheet and videos of the bulls. We encourage each of you to visit us prior to the sale. These visits allow us a lot more time to understand your program’s needs and wants so we can better assist you in selecting your new herdsire. As always, we look forward to visiting with past customers and making new ones. Allow our program to help maximize the profitability of your cowherd.

Supplement Sheet: A supplement sheet will be available on sale day with updated EPD’s, yearling data, ultrasound information and scrotal measurements. The information will also be posted on our website about two weeks prior to the sale. Any information on the supplement sheet or announced on sale day will take precedence over the catalogue.

Health: All bulls will be ready for interstate shipment. They will be BVD tested and had their Lepto shot. In addition, they will have passed a Breeding Soundness Exam along with being poured with an invomectin type of product before delivery.

Delivery & Trucking: Free delivery within 250 miles. For all bulls further than 250 miles, we will make every effort to accommodate the buyer. We will feed and care for your yearling bulls for free until April 1st.

Transfers: All registration papers will be transferred. In addition, a homozygous black certificate can be transferred if the buyer so chooses.

Liability: Neither the sale host, sale facility, sale management, nor the auctioneer assumes any liability for any accidents that may occur.

First Season Death and Injury Warranty

Rippe Gelbvieh has offered to share this cost with their customers. There was a lot of confusion over our old warranty. Our new program will allow us to keep our customers satisfied and allow both parties to be satisfied with everyone sharing in the cost.

Coverage/Limitations

All claims must be reported to Rippe Gelbvieh within 24 hours of discovery and must be examined by a licensed veterinarian.

If the injury is not permanent and can be returned to service, Rippe Gelbvieh will work with you to supply a replacement bull to use, at no cost, until the original bull can be returned to service.
If the injury is permanent, Rippe Gelbvieh will supply a bull to finish out the season. At the end of the breeding season the customer can choose to keep the replacement bull as fulfillment of this warranty or return him to Rippe Gelbvieh and receive credit on next year’s sale. The credit will equal the purchase price of the bull minus any salvage value from the original bull.

When a Rippe Gelbvieh bull dies between the dates outlined above Rippe Gelbvieh will supply another bull to finish out the breeding season. At the end of the breeding season, the customer can either keep the replacement bull as fulfillment of this warranty or receive credit on next year’s sale. The credit will equal the purchase price of the bull minus any compensation received by an insurance company.

Cost for the death and injury warranty will be 5% of purchase price, due at time of purchase. We feel that this is a reasonable cost where we can all share in the cost of a loss in a bull during the first breeding season. If a customer chooses not to cover their animal against death or injury, they assume all risk associated with the bull once it leaves our place.

Marbling (MB): expressed in degrees of marbling score, a determinant of USDA Quality Grade. Value is adjusted to a constant fat endpoint.

Days to Finish (DtF): expressed in days to reach a constant fat endpoint, which is commonly used in the feedlot to determine when an animal is finished with the appropriate amount of fat cover. When evaluating two potential sires with comparable EPDs for other traits, the sire with the lesser value for DtF will produce progeny that will fi nish sooner with potentially lower feed costs.

Carcass Value (CV): expressed in dollar value per head, comparing progeny of one animal to another in dollar differences when progeny are sold on a grid. This value is a true economic comparison; it is not grid merit at a standard carcass weight as many breeds calculate. Projected carcass weight, penalties for“ out” weight carcasses (too heavy or light), quality grade and yield grade premiums and discounts are all included in calculating this $EPD value.

Feedlot Merit (FM): expressed in dollars per head, value passed to progeny. The Feedlot Merit EPD measures the dollar value associated with the expected gain and feedlot effciency of progeny when fed in a “typical” feedlot arrangement.

ET Bulls
The ET bulls are raised by a surrogate mother. Therefore, the bulls actual BW and WW are not a representation of the bulls genetics. Consequently, we have chosen not to provide this information as it is inaccurate. EPDs do a much better job of showing the genetic value of these bulls. If you would like to see the actual information on an ET bull please call before the sale.

Semen Interest
Rippe Gelbvieh will retain 1/2 revenue sharing semen interest in every bull in the catalog unless otherwise noted. If we decide to collect a bull it will be at our expense and your convenience. If there is income after expenses it will be split evenly. This will only effect a very small portion of the bulls we sell.