Latest News From Bulls

This example evaluates five potential bull purchases and how a rancher can determine which one will provide the most potential return on investment.

Turning out a subfertile bull means some cows in the herd won’t get bred or bred in a timely manner. Both problems are costly, says Chance Armstrong, DVM, Auburn University. Check out the two scenarios he outlines here.

Bulls passing all four parts of a BSE are set up for reproductive excellence. The best achieve a 60% to 65% conception rate every 21 days on healthy, cycling cows, says Dr. Chance Armstrong. Subfertile bulls are costly.

Whether you are buying out of a live auction or private treaty it is critical to access your own unique operation in order to determine the attributes your next bull needs to add value to the calf crop he will sire.

Gardiner Angus Ranch’s seventh Early Bird Sale saw a total of 474 head sell to 122 buyers from 22 states and Mexico in four hours.

A little cowboy math to help you determine what that next herd bull is worth in your cow herd.

While most cows are in larger groups, bulls tend to be in small groups, resulting in more exposure to the elements. Keeping them protected from the elements is crucial.

Determining the value of a bull is an important question, and one that is a challenge to answer. Mark Johnson, Oklahoma State University, offers some calculations to help determine a value.

Bulls are often a part of the cow herd that slips through the cracks during the winter months as breeding seasons end. Bull management strategies can impact a bull’s performance in the upcoming breeding season.

The germplasm collection at the National Animal Germplasm Program is an invaluable asset for understanding the genetics heritage of U.S. livestock and preventing the loss of genetic diversity.

Bulls new to their job need extra attention to get acclimated to their role on the farm or ranch. Beef veterinarians and Extension specialists at Kansas State University offer some management practices that can help.

Castration of bull calves prior to marketing has long been encouraged. Here's a look at why this practice is important from a health, animal welfare, beef quality and cow-calf producer's perspective.

Gardiner Angus Ranch's 8th Annual "Meating Demand" sale was held May 1, 2023, at the ranch, Ashland, Kansas.

Bull breeding soundness exams offer the opportunity to identify and remove bulls from the breeding herd that have a low probability of siring calves.

More than 500 bidders from 35 states, Canada and Mexico competed for 772 lots at Gardiner Angus Ranch's 44th Spring Sale held on Saturday at the ranch near Ashland, Kansas.

A defined breeding season is important to permit meaningful record keeping, timely management and profit potential.

Bull shopping season is upon us and in full swing. It's time to think about the goals of your operation, and which traits need to be improved in your herd to get there faster.

When you invest in bulls this spring, it is a good idea to pen bulls of similar ages and size together for several weeks prior to start of breeding season to allow for social ranking of bulls. 

Gardiner Angus Ranch hosted its 6th Annual Early Bird Bull sale on Monday with buyers from 22 states and Mexico.

The past year has been no walk in the park for producers. As we prepare to close out another year on the calendar, here’s a look back at the top production stories that cow-calf operations found helpful this year.

With the turn of the calendar year, bull sale season hits the ground running across cattle country. Be sure to consider all the options when it comes to attaining a bull.

Producers will often ask about the magnitude of the price premium for steers over bulls. In short, the answer is... just not that simple.

Assess the ages of your herd bulls and current feed costs.  Culling older herd bulls now and re-populating with young bulls next spring can add long-term genetic advantages beyond just the savings in winter feed bills.

Heading into the next several winter months, how will you keep your “breeding athletes” prepared for the season to come?

Gardiner Angus Ranch’s 18th fall production sale saw 169 buyers from 26 states and Mexico acquire 1,178 head.

Check out the photographs of nine common problems Dr. Ahmed Tibary, Washington State University, says he most often sees in the sperm of bulls that fail breeding soundness exams.

The 7th Annual Gardiner Angus Ranch "Meating Demand" bull sale was held Monday, May 2, 2022, at the ranch near Ashland, Kansas.

Gardiner Angus Ranch’s 43rd production sale held Saturday, April 2, in Ashland, Kan., saw 874 head sell to 264 buyers from 30 states.

When choosing a breeding protocol, it’s important to consider time, labor, skill, cow condition and cost. Dr. Steven Hughes shares considerations and tips to have the most success in your breeding season.

Oklahoma State University Extension Beef Cattle Breeding Specialist Mark Z Johnson provides an answer to the question he posed in Part 1: Which bull transmits more profit potential to this operation?

Ensuring that bulls are in good body condition and physically fit for the upcoming breeding season is key to reproductive success.

Castration is a key component to any preconditioning program that can greatly influence market price premiums or discounts, especially in older bull calves.

Nichols Farms, Bridgewater, Iowa, sold 201 bulls during its opening day event on January, 28, 2022.

An early season barometer of rancher optimism and demand for high-quality bulls, Gardiner Angus Ranch's 5th Annual "Early Bird" bull sale was held on Monday.

Preparing for breeding season begins long before bulls are turned out. Evaluate bred heifers, cows, and bulls for Body Condition Score (BCS) to ensure your herd breeds back successfully.

When harsh winter conditions are in the forecast, avoid being caught off-guard and consider these ways to manage your cows, calves, and bulls to help them weather the storm.

Most commercial bulls ultimately cull themselves due to injury or old age. The USDA Meat Animal Research Center evaluated the ability of genetic testing to inform management decisions around bull prolificacy.

In most spring calving herds, the breeding season begins in the spring or early summer. Maintaining a 60- to 90-day breeding season can be one of the most important management tools for cow-calf producers.

While demand proved strong for all bulls in Gardiner Angus Ranch’s 6th Annual “Meating Demand” sale, the 14- to 17-month-old bulls drew the highest bids, averaging $7,139 on 61 lots.

Before bulls are turned out this spring a complete breeding soundness evaluation (BSE) should be conducted by a veterinarian, including a physical examination, reproductive tract examination, and semen evaluation.

Gardiner Angus Ranch’s 42nd Spring Sale held Saturday at the ranch near Ashland, Kan., saw a total of 898 head sell to 275 buyers from 30 states, Canada and Mexico.

Breeding season is fast approaching, set your herd up for success by focusing on these key areas.

Ranchers are finding advantages in profitability, retained female fertility and longevity when using Hereford bulls in their crossbreeding programs, and many advantages translate into benefits at the feedyard, too.

Drovers and Bovine Veterinarian invite you to attend a free one-hour webinar on how to use breeding soundness exams to ensure adult and yearling bulls are ready for the breeding season.

Make sure your bulls are in good body condition, possessing structural soundness and are able to produce high quality semen ahead of breeding turnout with the females.

DVMs Bob Larson and Jennifer Koziol will discuss how to evaluate bulls so only those that can get a high percentage of exposed cows pregnant in a short period of time are turned out into the breeding pasture this spring.

If we have a return to late summer high temperatures, a late heat wave may reduce bull fertility for several weeks after the weather has moderated.

The long-term effects of spreading trichomoniasis, commonly referred to as trich, in your cattle herd can be much more devastating than simply having a number of cows open at the end of the breeding season.

Find out who won the latest Drovers photo contest!

Voting on Facebook is now open! It will close Wednesday, April 15, 2020, at midnight.