How to Select a Herd Bull for Your Cows

Step-by-Step Guide

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   Step 1: Identify the breed

   You will need to start basing your selection of a good herd bull on whether you wish to do some crossbreeding or pure breeding.
   
   The weaknesses of your cowherd are the second issue you need to focus on, because you need to find a bull that will improve on these weaknesses.
   
   Such weaknesses to improve on include:
   Poor calving ease Poor conformation (see How to Judge Conformation in Cattle for more) Mature weights (you may wish to increase or decrease mature body weights in your herd) Weaning/Yearling weights (may wish to increase or decrease weaning/yearling weights depending on whether you intend to sell the calves as feeders or keep some as replacements) Fertility Feed Efficiency Ability to grow Milking ability Mothering ability Note that some traits listed above are more heritable than others.
   
   Some, like fertility and feed efficiency, are much less heritable than weaning/yearling weights are.
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   Step 2: strengths and weaknesses of your cowherd.

   There are three types of bulls that you must decide between:
   Terminal
   - a bull that is used to increase weights and growth in calves, and is used only if you wish to sell all of your calves as feeders.
   
   Maternal
   - a bull that is used for producing replacements.
   
   The qualities of this type of bull should be less on increasing weights and growth and more on improving the quality of your herd in terms of mothering ability, milking ability, calving ease, and calf vigour.
   
   Rotational
   - a bull that is suitable both as one for maternal traits and for producing calves for the meat market.
   
   Also one that can be used for cross-breeding. , It is best to buy a purebred bull instead of a cross-bred one because you have a higher chance of getting a more uniform calf herd than one that seems to be all over the map. , to find the bull that you need.
   
   Such sales can be found in a local agricultural newspaper in the classifieds section or in a cattle magazine.
   
   Once you have found a seller that seems to have the type of bull you are looking for, phone and ask the seller if you can come over to see the bull and check him out before you decide on your purchase.
   
   If yes, go have a look at him.
   
   If the seller says no (which is quite rare), then find another seller. , Bring a camera, a pen/pencil and note pad, and a list of questions.
   
   The questions are best if you are buying via private-treaty, but not if you are going to a bull sale where you are competing with other buyers.
   
   Questions should include everything from what his dam and sire are, how he's been fed and how he's been raised from birth to sale, vaccinations, if he's been tested for sexual diseases like Trichomoniasis (applicable only to older bulls that have been previously used for breeding), if he's had a semen test done, etc.
   
   Think of anything about this bull that you want to know before you decide on buying him. , It's best if you know how to interpret the EPD numbers before you have even considered buying a bull! If you already know how to interpret them, study them to see if the numbers are what you are looking for.
   
   In a bull sale, you will get a little booklet with all of the bulls that are for sale and their EPDs, as well as who the dam and sire are.
   
   If the seller doesn't give you any information on who the dam and sire are, ask.
   
   You should also ask to see the dam and sire of that bull to see what type of dam and sire he came from. , Study his conformation and take pictures of him to study later (best for private treaty, not auction sales).
   
   Also ask the seller your questions that you have written up. , If the seller wants to sell higher, either barter with him to bring the price down or go find another bull-seller. ,
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   Step 3: Identify the type of bull you wish to have based on its breed.

4. 4

   Step 4: Decide what breed of bull you wish to buy.

5. 5

   Step 5: Start looking for advertisements of bull sales

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   Step 6: bulls for sale

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   Step 7: dispersal sales

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   Step 8: Before you go over to the farm or ranch that are holding these bulls that are for sale

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   Step 9: you must come prepared.

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    Step 10: Typically the seller will give you a sheet with the bull's EPD's (Expected Progeny Differences) written on it.

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    Step 11: Now you are able to have a look at this bull.

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    Step 12: Set a price-ceiling based on what you believe is the best price for this bull according to breed

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    Step 13: breeding

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    Step 14: conformation and genetic qualities.

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    Step 15: Once you've found the bull with pretty well everything you want in him and bought him for the price you wanted and expected

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    Step 16: now you can take him home and turn him out with the cows.

Detailed Guide

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