Cal-Denier Holsteins Genetic Super Bowl II Sale

One of the finest line-ups of Holstein heifers ever, was how a number of knowledgeable breeders characterized the 60-head offering from Rich Denier at the sale held Feb. 5 at Turlock Livestock Auction Yard near Turlock, Calif. As one veteran said, if you can’t find a show prospect here, you won’t be satisfied anywhere.

For a number of years, Rich has been acquiring outstanding females with high scores, high records and All-American and All-Canadian recognitions from the breed’s best families. He’s been merchandising offspring, frozen embryos, and flushes to many dairymen privately and at top sales around the country. Two years ago, he auctioned a top group successfully. This year it went even better.

The average on 61 lots was $3159 with a high selling live calf struck off at $6400 and the opportunity to flush a top cow sold for $10,000. The high seller was a fancy summer yearling Doorman daughter from an Excellent Butlerview-bred Brazzle out of Camomile (EX-95-Canada) and All-Canadian and All-American as a jr 2y and yr 3y. She was purchased by Jon Mortenson of Royal Maid Holsteins in Idaho. He also bid last on the second high seller in the ring at $6200, an extremely fancy and well balanced Lucky Rose-Red (2E-94) daughter by Analyst.

High selling lot at $10,000 was the IVF session on Siemers Doc Hansen 28286-ET (2E-92), by King Doc with a 3y5m record at 32,028 milk 1330 fat 1017 protein in only 263d (Inc.). She traces back through second dam Cookiecutter MOG Hanker-ET (2E-94-GMD-DOM) to Dellia, ten generations back. Daniel Hurst of Pennsylvania was the buyer and he’ll be able to use the bull of his choice to obtain at least eight guaranteed grade #1 or #2 embryos. While the buyer is responsible for all costs, he keeps all the resulting embryos.

Volume buyer taking eight lots was RuAnn Genetics, Riverdale, Calif. Cattle went from British Columbia to New Mexico and points in between. A small but active crowd was on hand, treated to lunch and refreshments while more than half the offering sold via CowBuyer.com.

Jake Bettencourt and Max Olvera of TLAY did the auctioneering with Tim Natzke reading pedigrees after heading up the fitting crew. Facebook promotion for Denier Genetics was handled by Andrew Hetke photography. Bettencourt and Natalie Sanders of Turlock Dairy Video Sales organized and managed the sale.

Denier was generous in his praise for all concerned but particularly thanked his brother, Fred, who manages the home farm, Cal-Denier Holsteins, near Galt. Rich also was effusive in his praise for Case Vlot of the Vlot Heifer Ranch where all the Denier Genetics animals get their start. Their special feeding program for show prospects certainly paid dividends here, with all the animals going right from Vlot to the sale fitting crew.

This event gives lie to the notion that without high numbers, you can’t sell good Registered Holsteins for nice prices… we didn’t hear a GTPI number called out all day. Instead, Excellents, show winners and high records along with outstanding conformation were the focus.