Talking bulls – it’s buying time!
Top 5 tips for bull buying
Qld DPI Beef Extension Officer, Tim Emery has provided his top 5 tips for picking the right bull, helping to take the guesswork out of your purchasing decision and support your long-term breeding goals.
1. Know your breeding objective – Define your breeding objectives in relation to your current herd performance, the requirements of your target market, what your property can support and your profit drivers. Ensure everyone in the business is on the same page.
2. Do your genetic homework – Make use of genetic tools e.g. estimated breeding values (EBVs) and online search/sort functionalities. Seek advice if needed from your local advisor.
3. Create a shortlist – Once the homework is complete, create a shortlist of potential bulls that genetically align with your breeding objectives.
4. Keep doing your due diligence – To minimise risk and further refine your list, make time to look at things such as BULLCHECK reports (including morphology), genetic conditions, horn/poll status and vendors’ management practices.
5. Inspect bulls in a systematic way – Allow ample time to check each shortlisted animal for structural soundness and temperament and eliminate options as needed.
Bull buying considerations
The bulls you choose today shape your herd
for years to come…Plan before you purchase >>
How to shop for a high performing bull
MLA and industry experts share tips on how
to pick the right bull with ease…Get expert buying tips here >>
Bull buying checklist
Don’t leave it to chance – a smart investment
starts with a smart checklist…Build your checklist today >>
“At the moment, you can only compare EBVs within breed, however projects such as Repronomics and the Northern Steer BIN are helping develop multibreed EBVs.” – Tim Emery
How to do a bull breeding soundness examination (BBSE)
Toolkit
Breeding EDGE – Learn how to improve your herd management, reproduction rates and genetic gains at a three-day Breeding EDGE course. Find an event near you or register your interest.
BREEDPLAN – Access objective information on the merits of different bulls to make your selection decisions easier and accelerate your genetic progress.
BBSE (BULLCHECK) – Find an accredited vet to conduct a BBSE (BULLCHECK) to determine a bull’s fertility, physical soundness, and mating ability before breeding season or sale time.
MLA Genetics Hub – Build your knowledge with online educational resources designed to help Australian beef producers understand and utilise genetic selection.
RaynerAg bull cost calculator – Evaluate the true cost of a bull over its working life and determine how much you should pay above or below the breed sale average.
