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Fortune’s Rafter U Cross 17th Annual Angus Bull Sale

Jeff Nelson, Philip, SD and Gene Fortune, Interior, SD longtime Rafter U Cross bull buyers.

Date: April 25, 2017

Location: Philip Livestock Auction, Philip, SD

Auctioneer: Lynn Weishaar



Reported by: Dan Piroutek and Scott Dirk

Average: 89 reg. Angus bulls – $5,744



Fortune’s Rafter U Cross Angus Ranch, owned by Roger and Corey Fortune, along with Riley Fortune, hosted a good crowd of very aggressive buyers for their annual bull sale.

This herd is quietly building itself into one of the outstanding herds of cattle in South Dakota. They cattle are wider, deeper, thicker, and longer, while being moderately framed and easy fleshing. They have outstanding performance. I really believe more registered breeders need to be looking at this herd of cattle.

Many repeat buyers were on the seats, and the Fortune guarantee means that they take care of their customers. This was a very fast-paced sale, and every bull offered was sold.

Top selling bull of the day was Lot 1, selling for $14,500, to longtime repeat buyer, Jeff Nelson from Philip, South Dakota, This was the lead bull in a flush from Fortunes’ Miss Wix 034, a Traveler 6807 daughter, and from SAV Ten Speed 3022, the Fortune herd bull. His EPDs were BW 0.9, WW 51, YW 95, MILK 29, and $B 124. This good bull had a 65 pound birth weight, a weaning weight of 696 pounds, and a scrotal measurement of 39.8 cm.

Lot 12 sold for $14,000 to Scot and Larry Eisenbraun from Wall, South Dakota. He was a son of SAV Ten Speed 3022 and out of a daughter of SAV Pioneer 7301. He posted EPDs of CED 8, BW -0.1, WW 57, YW 104, MILK 30, and $W 55.33. Born at 67 pounds, he weaned at 782 pounds, and grew to a yearling weight of 1408 pounds. He had a 15.7 square inch rib eye.

Joe Carley, from Philip, South Dakota, chose Lot 53 at $13,500. He was sired by the Fortune herd bull, Sitz Rainmaker 714X, and out of a daughter of Sitz Game Day 8636. Entering the world at 73 pounds, he weaned at 865 pounds, and reached a yearling weight of 1359 pounds. He had a 41 cm. scrotal measurement, and a 16.5 square inch rib eye.

Another popular bull was Lot 7, a son of SAV Ten Speed, and out of a Pioneer daughter. At $13,000, Josh Nixon, Alzada, Montana, is his new owner. His EPDs were BW 1.0, WW 59, YW 106, MILK 30, $W 57.00, and $B 142.00. With a 73 pound birth weight, he weaned at 742 pounds, and measured a 41.5 cm. scrotal.

Lot 30 sold to Jeff Nelson for $13,000. This son of SAV Recharge 3436 was out of a Pioneer dam. Born at 70 pounds, he weaned at 725 pounds. His scrotal measurement was 37.1 cm. This low birth weight performance bull had EPDs of BW 1.3, WW 58, YW 108, and MILK 33.

Lots 5 and 6 sold for $11,000 each to Bob Fortune from Belvidere, South Dakota. They were both from the flush of Ten Speed and Fortune’s Miss Wix 034.

Lot 10, another Ten Speed son, sold to Jeff Nelson for $11,000. His balanced numbers included a 73 pound birth weight, a weaning weight of 872 pounds, and EPDs of CED 8, BW 0.5, WW 64, YW 111, MILK 27, $W 59.29, and $B 135.15.

This was a very good sale of outstanding registered Angus cattle.