Cattlemen and ranchers from the southern tier of the country again endorsed the power and dependability of the Cow Creek Ranch genetic program on October 11 and 12, 2002, in Aliceville, Ala. The sale barn was packed with ranchers and cowmen who sought the reliable supply of efficient, proven Cow Creek Ranch bulls. Buyers and bidders from 14-20 states sorted through an impressively uniform set of black bulls and commercial Brangus bred heifers. This year, 2002, marked the 50th year for the Reznicek family to be in the beef cattle seedstock business. The Reznicek family purchased their first registered Angus female in 1942.

Buyer confidence remained strong throughout the two-day sale as no extreme high or low prices were posted. Buyers settled on 263 bulls averaging $2,657 and grossing $698,450. The commercial Brangus bred heifers averaged $1,075 and grossed $542,775. The two-day sale grossed $1,296,725.

Prior to the sales, Joe and Matt Reznicek along with Dr. Allen Williams and Dr. Matt Cravey of the Jacob Alliance spent time talking about the future direction of Cow Creek Ranch and Hill Creek Beef Company. “The Reznicek family is going to the next level in the beef industry. They are thinking down the road not only for their survival, but your (Cow Creek customer's) survival as well,” said Cravey. The Reznicek family is working on plans to launch a branded beef product.

A brisk, rapid pace set the tone of the bull sale as Terry Colafrancesco of Sterrett, Ala., purchased the high selling bull for $5,750. CCR Pathfinder 135L2, posted a yearling marbling score of 4.02 percent, yearling REA/cwt. of 1.27, and an adjusted weaning weight of 796 pounds. He was a user-friendly bull.

Two half-brothers earned a bid $5,000 each making them the second and third high selling lots. Texas buyer Josh Kinslow of JM Cattle Co., Gause, Texas, added CCR Sleep Easy 691L and CCR Sleep Easy 135L5 to his program. Both were sired by CCR Update 314C and calved in February 2001.

The Commercial Brangus Bred Heifer Sale, a sale in which Cow Creek Ranch bull customers market genetically-tracked Cow Creek sired commercial Brangus bred heifers bred back to Cow Creek bulls, commanded its highest per head average since the inception of this marketing program eight years ago. When the gavel fell for the last time 505 heifers sold for an average price of $1,075 and a gross of $542,775. Cow Creek customers marketing heifers were Schroeder-Manatee Ranch, Bradenton, Fla.; Williamson Cattle Co., Okeechobee, Fla.; River Oaks Farm, Searcy, Ark.; Cedar Ridge Ranch, Ecru, Miss.; CP Bar Ranch, Holcomb, Miss.; Tommy Sanders, Hamilton, Miss.; Mallette Farms, Vancleave, Miss.; Curtis Bright, Vancleave, Miss.; Whitely Farms, Smithfield, N.C.; Roberts Cattle Co., Mt. Olive, Miss,; Owen Gates, Carrollton, Ala.; Iron Farm Cattle Co., Kilgore, Texas; Rex Jones, Montgomery, Ala.; and Driskell Farms, Grand Bay, Ala.

Thirty-seven registered Brangus females sold for an average $1,500 per head and gross of $55,500. During the two-day event, Cow Creek Ranch and the Reznicek family honored Don Atkinson, Mullins, S.C., with the commercial breeder award of excellence honor. Don was recognized for his superior management efforts and utilization of Cow Creek genetics in his program. Don purchased his first Cow Creek Ranch bull more than a decade ago while Cow Creek Ranch operated in North Carolina.

Doak Lambert, Coppell, Texas, was the auctioneer. For more information on Cow Creek Ranch, please contact Cow Creek Ranch, 1170 Cow Creek Road, Aliceville, AL 35442, phone 205/373-2269, e-mail cowcreek@pickens.net.