1 week Ago By Kennedy Tesch
BROOKINGS, S.D. — South Dakota State University’s 33rd annual bull sale set new records this year, thanks in part to a live auction format and online bidding.
But beyond the numbers, it also delivered an invaluable real-world learning experience for students in the university’s Beef Seedstock Merchandising class. “This is our 33rd run of the bull sale,” said Cody Wright, professor in SDSU’s Animal Science Department. “The students are involved in every step: advertising, catalog design, video production, and of course, the actual sale day.
” ADVERTISEMENT This year marked the first time the class held a full live auction with online bidding through DV Auction, and the results didn’t disappoint. The sale averaged $6,432 per bull, significantly higher than the previous record average of just over $5,100. “We just kind of felt that it was time,” Wright said, noting that past students had expressed interest in moving away from a closed bidding format.
“Certainly, based on the results today, they were 100% spot on.” Ivan Blume, a senior animal science major, said the course gave him a unique opportunity to dive deep into the seedstock business — something he’s already familiar with through his own private treaty bull sales. “The class is a great experience,” he said.
Blume appreciated how the course slowed down the usual fast pace of bull sales, allowing students to really dig into the details, from catalog formatting to video production. “We were able to take a minute and dissect,” he said. During the sale, one high-selling bull brought $17,500 and sparked a live bidding war, an exciting moment that wouldn’t have happened in a closed bid setting.
ADVERTISEMENT “We got them rolling, and it was a lot of fun,” said Blume, whose role on sale day included acting as a ring man. Cheznie Best, a third-year student graduating early in December 2025, said she took the class to learn more about livestock marketing. Though she feels her future lies in ruminant nutrition, she found it valuable to explore the seedstock and commercial sides of the industry.
“I definitely learned a lot about the behind-the-scenes stuff you don’t see when you just go to a bull sale,” she said. “Watching classmates shine in different areas — photography, video, writing — made the team effort even more rewarding.” Best also noticed the energy shift brought by the live auction format.
“You get to see a lot more from the crowd,” she said. “It was really fun to see our guys out there hyping the bidders.” Best also added how meaningful it was as a student to get out of the classroom and into the real world.
“We got to come out, we got to video the bulls, we got to see the bulls,” she said. “That hands-on experience is really valuable.” ADVERTISEMENT Wright agreed.
“In terms of an active learning environment, this is about as applied as you can possibly get,” he said. “We really pride ourselves on those hands-on, applied activities.”.
