Oak Creek Farms' Brangus and Angus Bull Sale
Forage Tested and DNA Profiled
Chappell Hill, Texas - October 24, 2009

Chappell Hill, Texas - Friday evening, October 23, 2009
Presale Seminar - Forage Efficient Cattle = Profit

Oak Creek Farms Presale Seminar will be held at the Oak Creek Farms Sales Facility in Chappell Hill on Friday Evening, October 23, 2009 at 5:30 p.m. and dinner, sponsored by Pfizer Animal Genetics, will follow the seminar.

Dr. Ray Rodriguez, geneticist, who ranches in Arizona and Mexico, will speak about "the right kind," matching cattle to their environment and the importance of forage efficient cattle.

Dr. Kent Anderson and Kevin Milliner, Director of Commercial Cattle Programs, at Pfizer Animal Genetics will present a program on the latest DNA technology and the importance of DNA profiling to cattlemen, emphasizing the fact that genetic markers are heritable traits ."Cattlemen are becoming more and more aware of the importance of DNA profiling especially for tenderness, marbling and feed efficiency traits. "These traits make your cattle more valuable. Cattle that can do more on grass and less on feed will always be more profitable," says John Kopycinski, owner.

All of the sale bulls are Oak Creek bulls. They are developed on forages only and then after weaning they start getting limiter and hay during the winter months. The bulls are then forage tested in the Oak Creek Farms Brazos River bottom on Jiggs and Tifton 85 bermuda grass. "I call it a forage 'stress test', says Kopycinski. " The bulls are in the heat in the bottom in a pasture without trees. We don't open the adjoining pasture with shade until the temperature gets to be 93 degrees. The heat index got up to 115 degrees this year. "We weaned 295 bull calves in the fall of 2008 and then about 290 started the forage test, but only the top 160 will be selected for the sale on October 24th. The forage test began February 24th and ends September 1st with weights and measurements recorded by the Texas A&M Extension Service."

All the bulls will have a complete DNA profile in addition to ultra sounding information and performance data. Selling on October 24, 2009 are 160 registered OCF Bulls -95 Brangus, 40 Red Brangus, 15 Angus and 10 Red Angus. "We produce moderate, easy fleshing bulls with thickness bred in that can thrive on forages in our hot humid climate," states Kopycinski. Oak Creek Farms is working toward improving the bottom line for today's feed, fuel and fertilizer crisis by breeding easy fleshing forage efficient cattle needed to make a profit with today's high input cost.

Oak Creek is investing in genetic testing to get carcass information on these bulls that they share with the customers. They have the bull's marbling and tenderness score for example along with a full profile of carcass traits that will be discussed at their presale seminar. Oak Creek is going the extra mile to identify desirable traits in their cattle using all the tools that are available today. "I don't know of anyone in the Brangus breed doing as much DNA Profiling as we are. The carcass traits are heritable and knowing the bulls that possess good carcass traits is so important, because these traits are passed on to their calves," says Kopycinski.

Oak Creek Farms has been DNA testing going on six years, and forage developing their cattle since 1967. Their customers are given the DNA Profile results along with performance, ultrasound, and forage test data in a spreadsheet format to use in making purchasing decisions. Kopycinski says, "Using the DNA Profile results along with the forage test performance data in our breeding program has enabled us to produce cattle that grade better and are more efficient and that's what we want for our bull buyers. That's what important to them."

Please join Oak Creek Farms at the ranch in Chappell Hill, Texas at the Oak Creek Presale Seminar and Dinner on Friday, and then on Saturday, October 24, 2009 at Oak Creek Farms Forage Tested Bull Sale. Selling immediately following the bull sale are 250 commercial heifers from Oak Creek's bull customers. These are source verified heifers and buyers will be able to talk to the breeders on sale day and also at the presale seminar. Viewing of cattle will be all day Friday with a Parade of Bulls at 12:30 pm.

For accommodations call La Quinta Inn in Brenham at 979/836-5551 and ask for Oak Creek's OCF Brangus Block to get the special $99.00 rate. This rate is good through September 22nd. Please call Oak Creek Farms for more information at 979/836-6832, or go to the web site www.oakcreekfarms.com.