Latest News From Bulls

Do Some Selection Tools Result in Unintended Consequences?
Do Some Selection Tools Result in Unintended Consequences?

Commercial breeders can draw on more selection tools than ever before to improve the next generation of cows to match the market and ranch environments.

An Angus bull and a crossbred cow grazing on pasture.
A Cheap Bull May Be Just That

Paying a little more may result in more profits down the road.

Cow-calf producers have EPDs and index tools to make genetic selection decisions related to traits that impact levels of productivity and longevity.
Cattle Genetics: Where’s Optimum?

Cow-calf producers have EPDs and index tools to make genetic selection decisions related to traits that impact levels of productivity and longevity.

Producers need to use the management and genetics that fit their operation and adapt accordingly.
BeefTalk: Do Not Be Afraid to Moderate Cow Size, But Select Good Bulls

Producers need to use the management and genetics that fit their operation and adapt accordingly.

National Cattle Evaluation has never been static, and future changes are inevitable as science continues to advance.
Changes to National Cattle Evaluation Benefits Bulls Buyers in 2018

National Cattle Evaluation has never been static, and future changes are inevitable as science continues to advance.

Now may be the time to get a handle on the perpetual size race.
BeefTalk: Bull Selection for Moderate Growth?

Now may be the time to get a handle on the perpetual size race.

Demand More When Buying a Herd Sire

Expected Progeny Differences (EPDs) allow the breeder to identify the animals that excel in the traits that are important for their operation.

Expected Progeny Differences (EPDs) allow the breeder to identify the animals that excel in the traits that are important for their operation.
Demand More When Buying a Herd Sire

Expected Progeny Differences (EPDs) allow the breeder to identify the animals that excel in the traits that are important for their operation.

Angus Bull Sells For All-Time Record Price

A 14-month-old Angus bull became the highest-priced bull ever sold at public auction last week, fetching $800,000 from two ranchers based in Missouri and Oklahoma. The previous record, set just last year, was $750,000.

A 14-month-old Angus bull became the highest-priced bull ever sold at public auction last week, fetching $800,000 from two ranchers based in Missouri and Oklahoma. The previous record, set just last year, was $750,000.
Angus Bull Sells For All-Time Record Price

A 14-month-old Angus bull became the highest-priced bull ever sold at public auction last week, fetching $800,000 from two ranchers based in Missouri and Oklahoma. The previous record, set just last year, was $750,000.

Benchmarks are key to guiding future sire purchases.
BeefTalk: Developing Sire Genetic Benchmarks

Benchmarks are key to guiding future sire purchases.

Commercial cattlemen now have a multi-breed association backed program that will help better market cross bred females using Red Angus and Hereford genetics.
“Premium Red Baldy” Program Started by Hereford and Red Angus

Commercial cattlemen now have a multi-breed association backed program that will help better market cross bred females using Red Angus and Hereford genetics.

It is time to consider what you're looking for in a new bull. Don't forget to think about market conditions.
In The Cattle Markets: Considerations as Beef Production Sales Ramp Up

The holidays are behind us, the spring calving season is just a few weeks away, and in just a few short months the grass will begin to green up across much of the country.

Cow-Calf Cost Breakdown: Breeding Expense
Cow-Calf Cost Breakdown: Breeding Expense

Nebraska Extension has developed an Excel® spreadsheet titled the “Breeding Cost Cow-Q-Lator.”

Preparing Your Cows for A Successful Breeding Season
Preparing Your Cows for A Successful Breeding Season

A successful breeding season actually begins with management decisions made prior to calving.

Planned Breeding Schedules Pay Dividends for Beef Producers
Planned Breeding Schedules Pay Dividends for Beef Producers

Financial opportunities can be found in designing strong breeding and forage/pasture plans for beef cattle herds, according to a Texas A&M AgriLife Research scientist.

BeefTalk: Use the Numbers When Bull Buying
BeefTalk: Use the Numbers When Bull Buying

Expected progeny differences are the best selection tool to help beef operations meet future goals.

Bull Breeding Soundness Evaluation
Bull Breeding Soundness Evaluation

Failure to evaluate your bulls can result in huge economic losses in the form of a reduced calf crop, or no calf crop period.

Value of Bull to Commercial Herd Exceeds 'Relative' Value
Value of Bull to Commercial Herd Exceeds 'Relative' Value

The value of bulls in commercial herds goes beyond the “relative” value typically ascribed to them in market pricing, said a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service expert.

Bull Management in Multi-sire Pastures
Bull Management in Multi-sire Pastures

Before the fall breeding season begins, a few simple management procedures involving the bulls can increase the likelihood of a high pregnancy percentage among the cows. 

Trichomoniasis — focus on prevention
Trichomoniasis — focus on prevention

Vigilance, timely testing and management can prevent losses from trichomoniasis.

Alternative trich sampling method
Alternative trich sampling method

Veterinarians at Iowa State University (ISU) have been testing an alternative method for collecting samples from bulls for trichomoniasis (trich) testing.

Prior, Proper, Planning Precedes Profitable Purchases
Prior, Proper, Planning Precedes Profitable Purchases

As the bull-buying season gets underway, commercial cattlemen should do their home work to help ensure the bull(s) they purchase this year meet their needs. Like most things in life, preparedness is the key to making an

Quality Bull Selection can Increase ROI
Quality Bull Selection can Increase ROI

In the process of saving on inputs, some producers might cut back on the money spent for replacement bulls.

Beef Genomics Loses Value Without Phenotypic Data Collection
Beef Genomics Loses Value Without Phenotypic Data Collection

Phenotypic data collection should include ultrasound scanning.

Dos and don'ts of contemporary grouping on the ranch
Dos and don'ts of contemporary grouping on the ranch

You cannot add cattle to a contemporary group. Only calves born in the same environment (pasture or operation depending on the producer's management) in the calving time window can be in one contemporary group.

Seedstock producers' guide to contemporary grouping
Seedstock producers' guide to contemporary grouping

A lot of time and data goes into computing EPDs—multiple weights and scores are taken for birth, carcass and maternal traits. Each number is run through a series of complex and mind blowing equations to turn raw d

Utilizing natural-service synchronization
Utilizing natural-service synchronization

Have you ever wanted to shorten your breeding season, but don't want to AI and are afraid of pulling the bull out early and potentially increasing the number of females that come up open? With the use of natural-s

Data collection benchmarks herd improvement
Data collection benchmarks herd improvement

Performance record keeping for beef cattle production is essential for informed selection, culling and management decisions, which all have an economic impact on your operation. Weaning weight of a calf is an indication

Calf crop depends on bull management in breeding season
Calf crop depends on bull management in breeding season

Assuming your bulls have passed a breeding soundness examination within the last 60 days, are carrying adequate condition (body condition score of 6 or higher), are structurally sound, and have been immunized and treate

Cost of implementing AI technology
Cost of implementing AI technology

When it comes to next year's calf crop, many cattle producers see turning herd bulls out with their cows and heifers as the most efficient option. However, Taylor Grussing, SDSU Extension Cow/Calf Field Specialist encou

Iowa to host reproductive strategies workshop
Iowa to host reproductive strategies workshop

The 2016 Applied Reproductive Strategies in Beef Cattle (ARSBC) Workshop will include information for cow-calf producers, bovine veterinarians, industry representatives, extension personnel and students.

Early shedding correlates to better cattle breeding performance
Early shedding correlates to better cattle breeding performance

Genetic adaptation to environment may hold the key to breeding performance in beef cattle, according to research at the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.

USDA funds study of beef genetics' adaptation to regional environment
USDA funds study of beef genetics' adaptation to regional environment

Genetics of beef cattle vary by region across the United States. Those differences develop over time as beef herds evolve in local environments.

Breeding Season: Are your beef cows ready?
Breeding Season: Are your beef cows ready?

Preparing cows for a successful breeding season is critical for a cow/calf producer's financial bottom-line. Two considerations often come to the top of the list when thinking about management strategies for setti

Shorten the breeding season
Shorten the breeding season

Rate of gain, carcass quality, weaning weight, calving ease—the debate goes on for which beef production trait is most important. But really, it's pretty simple: No calf, no profit and no other traits to mea

Managing new herd sires
Managing new herd sires

New bulls need to be managed carefully between delivery and the start of breeding season to maximize the return on the investment in new genetics.

Using artificial insemination in very warm weather
Using artificial insemination in very warm weather

As the breeding season for spring calving herds is getting closer, understanding heat stress in cattle takes on increased importance. Producers that choose to synchronize and then artificially inseminate replacement hei

Bull sales closely follow market trends
Bull sales closely follow market trends

Everyone involved in the cow/calf sector, commercial or seedstock, exited last fall's sale season reeling from what appeared to be an inevitable storm. Skepticism quickly replaced the optimistic zeal that carried

Are you prepared to select your future herd sire?
Are you prepared to select your future herd sire?

For some cattle enthusiasts, opening the pages of a bull sale catalog brings the same joy going through toy catalogs did as kids. For others it's an overwhelming task, with a growing list of genetic indices and op

Bull checkup
Bull checkup

Cattlemen can increase the breeding capacity of bulls through proper care prior to the breeding season.

Bull breeding soundness evaluation
Bull breeding soundness evaluation

Are your bulls fit for service?<p></p>

BeefTalk: Terminal breed indexes available at your breed association website
BeefTalk: Terminal breed indexes available at your breed association website

The objective for beef cows is to produce a calf. About 15 to 20 percent of the calves are destined as replacements, so the remaining 80 to 85 percent of the calves go the feed yard as terminal cattle. Given that fact,

Advertising seedstock 101: Make a plan, stick to it
Advertising seedstock 101: Make a plan, stick to it

Just like a reputable seedstock operation is not built overnight, it takes time to put together an effective marketing plan. Producers first need to set a budget for paid advertising, along with extra costs for developm

Advertising seedstock 101: Know your customers
Advertising seedstock 101: Know your customers

The next step in optimizing your marketing efforts is to know details about who you are trying to reach. What are the main age groups of customers? What industry publications are they reading? Do they consume everything

Advertising seedstock 101: Have a professional website
Advertising seedstock 101: Have a professional website

So, you thought all you had to do was breed quality genetics? Wrong. You have to market them, too.