COLUMBUS - The largest facility for testing in North America for information on bulls is in Columbus.
Midland Bull Test held its two-day sale for prized bulls on Thursday and Friday.
Hundreds of bulls were auctioned at Midland Bull Test on Thursday and Friday.
The final sort sale is a culmination of 112 days of testing.
The highest paid price for a bull at Midland Bull Test was $220,000 in 2002.
Many sell in the $3,000 to $6,000 range and this sale has the top 80 percent of bulls that are tested in several areas, including feed efficiency and breeding soundness
"We're looking at the economic traits that are good for the commercial cattleman," said Steve Williams, Midland Bull Test owner.
Williams took over the business from his stepdad, Leo McDonnell, about 15 years ago.
Leo’s father, Leo McDonnell, Sr., started the company in 1962.
Midland sells to ranchers from outside the country and in 24 states.
McDonnell says 90 percent of the businesses is to ranches in Montana, Wyoming, the Dakotas, and Idaho.
"You'd have to drive to over 100 bull sales a year to find as many good bulls as you can find in one day here at Midland,” McDonnell said. “That's pretty cool because you're just get in the top cow family and going back, that's where these guys make their money.
“I'm a breeder as well, so we need all the information we can get,” said Ron Van Dyke, owner of Wheeler Mountain Ranch in Whitehall.
Van Dyke runs his family ranch and started going to the sale with his dad in the 1960s.
The ranchers spend thousands of dollars and are competitors, but they're also friends.
“See them once a year and it's here at Midland,” Van Dyke said. “People from around the country. I'd say relationships are built here with people you wouldn't normally see.”
“Our biggest competitors are guys that sell bulls,” McDonnell said. “They're also some of our best friends.”
Leo and Steve have received help from the wives in the family-run business
“Enjoy it,” Williams, who is deaf, said with his father interpreting. “Working with all the people, keeping up with time, trying to figure out where we need to be in five years. The relationships are the best."
"We just went through Palm Sunday and going up to Easter but it is a neat culture,” McDonnell said. “You know I always say rural America is kind of the heart of this country."
