Optimizing Bull Selection: Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Start Buying
Bull sale season is getting rolling and with that means the mountain of catalogs, flyers and post cards will only grow in your home. Not to mention an increase in social media posts highlighting the top bulls in sales across the country that you’ll see on your feed. With all these catalogs and social media posts, there can be a lot of information to sort through. Kiernan Brandt joined the Casual Cattle Conversations podcast to share a few practical tips that will aid cattle producers in their bull selection decisions this year and make the process go smoother.
Brandt didn’t grow up in a ranching family but always had an interest and took the initiative to get involved in production agriculture from a young age. This continued interest led him down the path of pursuing agriculture degrees for both his undergraduate and higher education programs before starting his career. His open and curious mind about cattle genomics and reproduction allows him to help cattle producers determine which types of animals will be the most effective and profitable for their individual environment and goals as an operation.
Before you dive into the mountain of catalogs to start looking for bulls, take some time to reflect on how your operation is performing as a whole system. “We can have a better game plan before we even start thinking about what sales we're going to by just reflecting a little bit and having an honest conversation with ourselves. Take a close look at what went well, what maybe didn't go so hot, and things that you’d like to improve within the cow herd. This could be from a labor-management standpoint, calving, input costs or any segment of your business. At this point, most of the calves will be weaned and you’ll have an idea of their postweaning growth potential too,” said Brandt. Having this honest view of your herd will allow you to find a starting point for what you want to change or replicate during the next breeding season.
Environment is an important component when it comes to selecting bulls. Understanding what natural resources you have available as well as your time, money and labor constraints are all factors to consider. “I'm very much of the opinion that cows should work for the cattlemen, and not necessarily the other way around. Especially in the modern world, where a lot of people have other jobs and other enterprises and a lot of other things going on, the more well-suited you can have the majority of the cow herd just able to kind of do it on their own with a with a simplistic management style, I think the better off the cows will be in the long term. The better off the downstream payouts are going to be. And the better off the mental health of the operation is going to be rather than spending all your time in a tractor feeding and trying to find supplement and things like that,” said Brandt. When you consider your environment, you should also consider the age of your bulls. Will yearlings work or is it more beneficial for you to purchase 18-month or 2-year-old bulls instead?
Bull selection is a balancing act. This is especially true as we hear the push to increase performance and are selecting bulls using both EPDs and phenotype. “We're always trying to make things better and to push that needle. If you are trying to increase that weaning weight from last year, do it in a smart way. Do it in a way that makes sense through genetic selection and through listening to what the cows are telling you they might need in a complimentary mating decision, without having to give them a crutch,” said Brandt. As you push to increase performance, go back to what size and type of cows will work in your environment from a phenotypic and genetic standpoint.
Another consideration to remember when selecting bulls is your marketing plan. In today’s industry, the bull’s job is more than just getting the cow or heifer bred. Their progeny must fit your business model to be profitable too. Are you marketing your cattle directly to consumers, through a sale barn or do you have a direct relationship with a feedlot? “If you can keep in contact with the people that are buying your cattle and understand if there's something that you need to be putting more emphasis on form a carcass quality standpoint that's only going to open up your upside potential down the road. As consumers demand a high-quality product having this information is going to put you one step ahead of the game, increase your ability to make corrective mating decisions and remain competitive in the marketplace,” said Brandt.
As you begin to think about your next bull purchase and advancing your cow herd, remember the bigger picture and focus on the following questions. What do you want to change or replicate in your current system? How can you do this and still create cattle that fit your environment? And, how will these changes fit your marketing plan or does your marketing plan need to change?
