Welcome to our third annual Franzen Simmentals Production Sale. Thank you for your interest in what we believe to be an excellent lineup of cattle. We’re very excited to offer an outstanding selection of age advantage bulls and bred heifers.
We have been raising Simmental cattle for 47 years and have seen many changes in the industry during that time. Our ongoing focus is to raise the type of cattle we’d want to purchase, both stylistically and production-wise. We focus on raising cattle with more rib dimension and easier fleshing ability. Above that, we continue to focus on production numbers, as you’ll see when looking at this year’s sale stock.
After hearing customers talk about problems involving yearling bulls that had been fed too hard for their age causing feet and leg problems as well as breeding soundness issues, we have moved to marketing age advantage bulls. We feel it is better to use age advantage bulls able to service more cows and increase the longevity of sires.
Our entire calf crop is included in American Simmental Association’s Calf Crop Genomics program, with DNA testing using the GGP-100k Genomics test, verifying parentage and giving genomically enhanced EPD’s. Animals are tested homozygous or heterozygous for color and polled. We also participate in the ASA Total Herd Enrollment (THE) program improving EPD accuracy. Bulls have been semen tested with scrotal measurements. This information will be available sale day.
We’ve narrowed the list of sires that will drive our program’s direction in the future by utilizing the RightMate program powered by Top Genomics LLC to prescribe the bulls that genomically compliment each female resulting in the use of outcross genetics, maximizing improvement potential and improving calf crop uniformity. Throughout the year, we were able to increase focus on our ET and AI programs, paying closer attention to EPD numbers provided through planned matings. DNA analysis of our calves also provides valuable information. Cattle with a calm disposition continue to be important to us. We have many “pets” in our pasture!
Our cattle program is truly a family supported operation. We now have 4 generations of our family who wear Franzen Simmentals apparel and added two more great grandchildren in 2024. We are so appreciative of our entire family’s support of our cattle operation and our sale.
We hope to see you on sale day. If you’re not able to make it in person, our sale will again be broadcast online through DVAuction. Details on how to access the sale online are in the catalog. Reach out by phone or email any time with any questions. We welcome the opportunity to “talk Simmental cattle.”
Lawrence and Myrna Rae Franzen
Lawrence Franzen 402-487-2678 home 402-276-1197 cell franzensimmentals@gmail.com
Craig Franzen 402-276-2400
Caleb Franzen 402-276-1925
Lawrence Franzen Family
Lawrence and Myrna Franzen
at Franzen Simmentals
SALE LOCATION
Franzen Simmental Sale Facility - Franzen Simmentals sign is at the driveway 1538 Road 3, Leigh, NE
Directions to the Sale Facility: On Highway 30, East of Columbus, turn off on Road 3 and travel 10 ½ miles north. On Highway 30, West of Schuyler, turn off on Road 3 and travel 10 ½ miles north. At Highway 91 and Hwy 57 Junction, travel 7 ½ miles South on Road 3.
SALE DAY PHONES
Lawrence Franzen
Craig Franzen
Caleb Franzen
Corey Wilkins
Jared Murnin
Jake Melby
Buddy Robertson
AUCTIONEER
Tracy Harl
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Cattle can be viewed any time prior to sale day.
MONDAY, JANUARY 20
402.276.1197
402.276.2400
402.276.1925
256.590.2487
406.321.1542
712.88.3018
580.747.7000
402.469.3852
12:00 pm Sale cattle on display at Franzen Simmental Sale Facility
TUESDAY, JANUARY 21
8:00 am Sale cattle on display
12:00 noon Complimentary Lunch 1:00 pm Cattle Connect Sale
SALE ACCOMMODATIONS
Hampton Inn, Columbus, NE
Holiday Inn Express, Columbus, NE
Sleep Inn & Suites, Columbus, NE
Hampton Inn & Suites, Norfolk NE
DELIVERY
402.835.2099
402.564.2566
402.562.5200
855.605.0317
The sellers, as well as sale staff will help arrange the delivery options, if needed. Delivery of the cattle will be at the buyer’s expense. It is requested that buyers make arrangements to take delivery of all females selling as soon as possible after the sale. Bulls can stay with the seller free of charge until February 15, 2025.
ONLINE BIDDING
Sale broadcast live online at www.dvauction.com. See opposite page for more information. If you can’t bid online or attend the sale, contact one of the owners, sale managers or consultants to discuss the cattle. Bidding can be done by phone or through a contact person.
Marty Ropp 406-581-7835
Corey Wilkins 256-590-2487
Jared Murnin 406-321-1542
www.alliedgeneticresources.com
1.21.25 Production
Sale
Franzen Sale FacilityLeigh, NE - 1:00 pm ct
TERMS & CONDITIONS
We will sell full possession and 2/3 semen interest in all Bulls. Franzen Simmentals reserves the right to collect semen on any of the bulls selling in the sale at the seller’s expense and the buyer’s convenience. Terms of the sale are cash and all cattle become property of the buyer at the time of sale. All animals will be sold in accordance with the Suggested Sale Terms and Conditions of the American Simmental Association unless other terms are stated in this catalog. All announcements made on sale day take precedence over printed material in this catalog or other printed material associated with this sale. All cattle will be registered with the American Simmental Association and those papers will be transferred after the sale. Please note all EPDs will change between the time this catalog is printed and the day of the sale. All EPDs in the catalog will be current as of the day they are printed. Owners, their agents or any of the sale staff will not be held responsible for any personal injury, loss or accident while attending this sale.
BREEDING GUARANTEE
All bulls selling in the sale have passed a Complete Breeding Soundness Exam. However, all bulls should still be rechecked as close to turnout as possible. All bulls are guaranteed fertility and genetic soundness for their first breeding season. If the bull is proven to be a non-breeder for fertility or a genetically caused soundness condition, we will replace the bull with a satisfactory replacement or issue credit of the purchase price minus the salvage value to be used in future sales. This guarantee does not cover injury, infectious disease, mismanagement, neglect and/or death. We ask that you contact us immediately before culling or disposing of the bull should anything occur. A signed veterinary statement and/or BSE form will be required. Bulls are not guaranteed to freeze semen unless an agreement is reached prior to the sale.
HERD HEALTH
All Franzen breeding stock are up-to-date on vaccinations and poured. All females are bangs vaccinated for Brucellosis, have completed a full schedule of Scour Guard vaccine, and are preg tested. All bulls are semen tested and passed a positive soundness exam. Veterinary services by Loseke Veterinary Service, Columbus, Nebraska. Health papers will be issued sale day.
REGISTRATION AND PAYMENT
Please register for a bidding number sale day. When registering, please include your current ASA number for transferring registration papers. Payment is due sale day. Terms are cash or check with proper ID. No cattle will be released, delivered or transferred without full payment.
Cattle Connect Bulls
1
LF LANCELOT L721
Black || Homozygous Polled
3/15/2023
HHS MR ENTOURAGE 867B
LCDR RESERVE 210J
LCDR MS ECHO 43E
W/C LOCK N LOAD 8771Z
LF EMMA
LF LASSIE
3/4 SM 1/4 AN
One of the feature bulls of the sale! Look at how deep he is with eye appeal and thickness galore. Excellent rib and volume. Don’t miss out!
2
LF LEADER L2
Heterozygous Black || Homozygous Polled
3/17/2023
HHS MR ENTOURAGE 867B
LCDR RESERVE 210J
LCDR MS ECHO 43E CDI INNOVATOR 325D
CIERRA 245C
half brother with the Lot 1 bull on the sire side. Big-time growth and API.
L721 Sells as Lot 1.
L2 Sells as Lot 2.
Wow,
3
Lot 4.
LF LEGEND L131
4
LF LAST CHANCE L61
L131 Sells as Lot 3. L61 Sells as
Cattle Connect Bulls
LF LINKED UP L191
6
LF LORENZO L141
7
LF LADDY L159
Homozygous
8
LF LEGENDARY L114
Black
11
LF LEONARD L149
LF LAREDO L126
LF LEADING EDGE L178
Homozygous
L178
Cattle Connect Bulls
12
LF LEVI L11
Visualize this guy in your herd! What a red stud. EPDs you dream of. Big growth and striking structure. He’ll become your family pet.
13
LF LAWLESS L400
L11 Sells as Lot 12. L400 Sells as Lot 13.
LF LEO L1
CDI MAVERICK 335B
NAVIGATOR 124J
PELTON MISS ASHLYN 0872U
This bull is hetero black for coloring. I love the rib on this guy. He’s the natural calf out of our donor cow and our red herd bull which was on purpose to make an outcross so he’ll throw some red calves. Incredible EPDs.
LF LEAR JET L39
17
LF LEFT HOOK L170
LF LAYNE L188
Cattle Connect Bulls
LF LARS L598
CACTUS JACK SONS
Cactus
sires
LF LENNOX L702
20
LF LONNY L78
21
LF LEBRON L209
Heterozygous
25
LF LOOMIR L746
LF LENNY L101
LF LEFTY L52
LF LESTER L68
Heterozygous
L746 Sells as Lot 22.
L101 Sells as Lot 23.
L52 Sells as Lot 24.
Cattle Connect Bulls
LF LYLE L63
LF LANDMARK L51
29
LF LARRY L637
30
LF LEDGER L157
LF LAX L022
Homozygous
LF LEGION L612
33
LF LENNON L44
34
LF LAMBERT L020
TEARDROP 783F
LF LEGIT L04
35
LF LUCIOUS L914
L612 Sells as Lot 31.
L44 Sells as Lot 32.
L020 Sells as Lot 33.
Cattle Connect Bred Heifers
37
LF LADYBUG L665
L573 Sells as Lot 36.
L665 Sells as Lot 37.
LF LANEY L121
LF LOVEABLE L027
LF LAVENDAR L069
LF LONESOME L079
L121 Sells as Lot 38.
L027 Sells as Lot 39.
L069
L079
Cattle Connect Bred Heifers
LF LINX L73
45
LF LAYLA L26
LF LUCINDA L3
Homozygous
L73 Sells as Lot 42. L7 Sells as Lot 43. L26 Sells as Lot 44.
Sells as Lot 45.
LF LORAINE L173
LF LULU L36
LF LOLA L74
LF LACI L175
L173 Sells as Lot 46.
L36 Sells as Lot 47.
L74 Sells as Lot 48.
Cattle Connect Bred Heifers
LF LAVISH L71
LF LOTTIE L969
LF LAVINA L180
54
LF LIBERTY L010
LF LEAH L110
Homozygous
LF LIANA L129
LUCKY LADY L070
LF LILY L116
LF LORELEI L165
Cattle Connect Bred Heifers
LF
Bred
LF LEISHA L713
63
LF LANNI L4
Heterozygous
LF LUSTROUS L35
Heterozygous
LF LYDIA L62
Homozygous
LF LARISSA L909
Homozygous
LF LASER
This is our new herd bull that a number of the heifers on the sale were bred to. He has a super disposition, incredible numbers, is homo black and homo polled, and has tremendous length and depth. API is 177. 3/4 blood SimAngus. Talk to us if interested in semen.
LF LASER
Note from the Sale Manager
It is our pleasure to be working with Franzen Simmentals again this year for the 2025 edition of the Cattle Connect sale. This is the best set of bulls and females they have offered to date. The bulls are age-advantaged and have been developed slowly with optimum longevity in mind. With higher bull prices at sales around the country, it makes sense to purchase one of these twoyear-old bulls to cover more cows with less chance of injury. Bulls like these give cattlemen the most bang for their buck. The bred heifers are exceptional again this year. Many are AI bred to some of the top sires in the business today. Many are carrying the service of the new Franzen Simmentals herd sire LF Laser. This is an opportunity to get early on this up-and-coming sire. More information about Laser is at the start of the bred heifers in this catalog.
We are experiencing the best cattle market in history. We continue to see new highs on all class of cattle. The best way to take advantage of this market is with heterosis. With heterosis you get more pounds and efficiency at every segment of the production chain. Not to mention the increased fertility and longevity you get in your cow herd. In this high market getting more females bred and not replacing cows because they last longer is a huge factor to your bottom line. The genetics offered in this sale can be a huge key to your future profitability, so don’t miss out on this great opportunity.
As always, please reach out to us on the Allied team if you have questions or need assistance on sale day.
Sincerely,
Jared Murnin - Corey Wilkins - Mary Ropp
ASA QUICK REFERENCE TO EPDS, INDEXES AND $VALUES
EXPECTED PROGENY DIFFERENCES (EPDS): EPDs are the most accurate and effective tool available for comparing genetic levels. In using EPDs, the difference between two sires’ EPDs represents the unit difference expected in the performance of their progeny. For example, if sires A and B have EPDs of +10 and -5, a 15-unit difference would be expected in their progeny (moving from -5 to +10 yields 15 units). Key to using EPDs is knowing in what units they are expressed. For example, if the above case referred to weaning weight EPDs, sire A would be expected to sire 15 pounds more weaning weight than sire B. If calving ease was the trait, sire A would be expected to sire 15 percent more unassisted births in first-calf heifers; in other words, if sire B sired 30 assists in a group of 100 heifers, we would expect sire A to require 15 assists. A percentile-ranking chart is required to determine where a bull’s EPDs rank him relative to other bulls in the breed. For more detailed information about EPDs and $ indexes, visit www.simmental.org.
Listed below are the units in which ASA EPDs are expressed:
ALL-PURPOSE INDEX (API): Dollars per cow exposed under an all-purpose-sire scenario. (See $ Indexes for more details.)
BACK FAT (BF): Inches of carcass backfat at 475 days.
BIRTH WEIGHT (BW): Pounds of birth weight.
CALVING EASE (CE): Percent of unassisted births when used on heifers.
CARCASS WEIGHT (CW): Pounds of carcass weight at 475 days.
STAYABILITY (STAY): Percent of daughters remaining in the cow herd at 6 years of age.
DOCILITY (DOC): Percent of offspring receiving a disposition score of 1 (docile).
MATERNAL CALVING EASE (MCE): Percent of unassisted births in first-calving daughters.
MILK (MLK): Pounds of weaning weight due to milk.
MARBLING (MARB): Carcass marbling score at 475 days.
MATERNAL WEANING WEIGHT (MWW): Pounds of weaning weight due to milk and growth.
RIBEYE AREA (REA): Square inches of carcass ribeye at 475 days.
TERMINAL INDEX (TI): Dollars per cow exposed under a terminal-sire scenario. (See TI for more details.)
WEANING WEIGHT (WW): Pounds of weaning weight.
YEARLING WEIGHT (YW): Pounds of yearling weight.
YIELD GRADE (YG): Carcass yield grade score at 475 days.
$ INDEXES: Though EPDs allow for the comparison of genetic levels for many economically important traits, they only provide pieces of the economic puzzle. This is where $ indexes come in. Through well-conceived, rigorous mathematical computation, $ indexes blend EPDs and economics to estimate an animal’s overall impact on integrated commercial production. The same technology that led to the dramatic progress in swine, poultry and dairy genetics over the last several decades was used to develop the following $ indexes: ALL-PURPOSE INDEX (API): Evaluates sires for use on the entire cow herd (bred to both Angus first-calf heifers and mature cows) with the portion of their daughters required to maintain herd size retained and the remaining heifers and steers put on feed and sold grade and yield.
TERMINAL INDEX (TI): Evaluates sires for use on mature Angus cows with all offspring put on feed and sold grade and yield.
USING API AND TI: First, determine which index to use; if you are keeping replacements use API, if not, use TI. Then, just as with EPDs, zero in on the unit difference between bulls. (As described above, index units are in dollars per cow exposed.) The difference can be used to determine how much a bull is worth compared to another. Put another way, how much you can pay for one bull compared to another. For example, when buying an all-purpose-type sire, you can quickly figure a bull scoring +100 for API is worth an extra $6,000 over a +50 bull if both are exposed to 30 cows over 4 years ($50 diff. x 30 hd. x 4 yr.=$6,000). A percentile-ranking chart is required to determine where a bull’s index value ranks him relative to other bulls in the breed.
For more detailed information about EPDs and $indexes, visit: www.simmental.org Important disclaimer: DO NOT compare index values of purebreds of different breeds, hybrids of different breed composition or purebreds with hybrids - our system was not developed to make valid comparison among these groups. Therefore, you must first determine the breed and breed composition appropriate for your herd and use index values to compare animals within that population.
