Various factors play a role in decision-making as producers flip through a sale catalog looking for a new bull. It is important to find a strategy that works for your program and create selection criteria that will help you find a bull to progress your operation toward your goals.
Each producer has their own set of priorities in which they rank their options, various budgets for buying bulls, and different genetic preferences.
“Define your objective of what you’re trying to accomplish,” says Jeff Mafi, American Angus Association regional manager. “How are you going to use the bulls? Are they going on heifers or cows? How are you going to sell those calves by those bulls? Are you retaining ownership or keeping replacement females? What selection tools do you need to use to help accomplish what you are trying to do?”
Mafi says defining these things will make it a lot easier to go through a sale book and find the individuals that will help move you forward. For a first-time buyer, he recommends having a good understanding of that breed’s expected progeny differences (EPDs) and indexes and how to use them.
“Don’t hesitate to reach out to a breeder and ask questions,” he adds. “They know their cattle and their genetics the best.”
With plenty of information available from data and genomics to photos and videos, Mafi says many producers still walk through the cattle in person to get a feel for the disposition even if they may bid online later. While crowds at live sales have not diminished, online bidding presence has increased, allowing customers to buy bulls from all over the country.
Travis Meteer, beef Extension specialist at the University of Illinois, says bull selection should start with the bull’s functional ability to breed cows.
“This includes feet, legs, structural soundness, a good libido, a passed breeding soundness exam and body condition appropriate for a breeding bull. Not too fat and not too thin. I would also include a good disposition in this,” Meteer says.
From there, Meteer agrees that selection criteria need to be catered to the herd goals and emphasizes the use of data and multi-trait selection.
“A bull needs to inject genetics that fit the goals of the herd from a management and marketing perspective,” Meteer explains. “DNA-enhanced EPDs and multi-trait selection indexes can aid in helping make decisions that are based on reliable data and not one single trait. While past criteria were heavily weighted on output traits, inputs and cost of production are being better weighted today than in the past.”
When buying bulls for a commercial operation, Meteer says leaving hybrid vigor on the table is a big loss.
“Lowly heritable traits like reproduction, health and cow longevity are best improved by crossbreeding,” he adds. “Crossbred cows and maternal heterosis are a key to profitability on commercial cow-calf operations. Studies have shown that net profit per cow is increased by $75/cow per year as a result of maternal heterosis.”
Producer Perspective
Will Andras of Andras Stock Farm, a Red Angus seedstock operation in west-central Illinois, says he looks at three main things when selecting a bull: soundness, phenotype and genetic potency. When flipping through a sale catalog, Andras says photos are important. Overly photoshopped pictures with clear structural alterations are a deal-breaker.
Beyond photos, Andras combs through EPDs, ratios within a contemporary group and pedigrees.
“We aspire to produce superior, outcross seedstock on the bleeding edge of the Red Angus breed,” he adds. “We focus on the necessary and practical convenience traits while also attempting to stack those premium pieces that fit tomorrow’s demand. Genetics are paramount, and outcross genetics are a plus. Genomically-enhanced EPDs are a must. Soundness, phenotype and disposition have never gone out of style and never will.”
Andras Stock Farm has its own registered Red Angus bull sale in the spring, and while it depends on weather, most customers walk through the cattle on sale day and bid in person. However, Andras says they also see a large presence in online bidding.
Haddie Simmentals of Walkerton, Ontario, raises full-blood and purebred Simmentals and was recently honored as the Ontario Simmental Commercial Producer of the Year. They start their herd bull search with structural soundness because of their location and terrain.
“Having good feet and overall correct structure is crucial for performance and walking our pastures,” says Ashley Fairminer of Haddie Simmentals. “Easy calving, too. While birth weight doesn’t play a huge roll in our selection, we look for a bull with lots of length to him for easier births on our cows and reducing loss of calves.”
When evaluating genetics, Fairminer says they look for data to prove they produce good maternal cows with good milk and consistent fertility. Whether they have a bull or heifer, both could stay in the herd for a long time, so consistent quality in genetics is important to their operation. When they receive a sale catalog, they look for those traits as they flip through the lots.
“We always pick a handful and call the farmer and ask about the bull, temperament, feet, dam, etc.,” Fairminer says. “We find a conversation with the farmer is the best way we can learn if a bull would be a good fit for our family and program.”
With a primary focus on replacement heifers, Haddie Simmentals focuses on selecting a bull with good maternal traits and dispositions.
“We strive to raise heifers our customers can be proud to have in their fields and ones their families can work without hesitation, and we know quality bulls play a crucial role in achieving that goal,” Fairminer adds.
Ultimately, starting the search for a new bull begins with defining program objectives and selection criteria that are important to your programs success. Many cattlemen start with the end product in mind, using a plethora of tools to find their next bull.
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