How to shop for a high-performing bull

Shopping for a high-performing bull starts well before sale day.

In this presentation Meat & Livestock Australia’s Clara Bradford and Tropical Beef Technology Services’ Tim Emery provide tips and tools for before, during and after the bull sale when selecting a high-performing addition to your herd.

Also included in this recording is a demonstration of using BREEDPLAN to shortlist a group of bulls.

You can watch the full recording or use the playlist below to jump to the start of a particular section within the presentation.  40:38; published 28 August 2019 by FutureBeefAu.

Download a copy of the presentation – How to shop for a high-performing bull (PDF, 2.65 MB).

Additional beef genetic resources:

• MLA’s genetics hub – your one-stop-shop for genetic resources.
• Breeding values: looking under the hood of your next sire – FutureBeef webinar recording.
• How to shop for a high-performing bull – video for tropical cattle producers.
• How to shop for a high-performing bull – video for temperate cattle producers.
• Tropical Beef Technology Services – website.
• Where does this animal rank? Introducing the EBV percentile graph – TBTS/SBTS factsheet.

Full recording

Playlist

1. How to shop for a high-performing bull.
2. Looking under the hood (Breeding Values) and session agenda.
3. Setting the scene – a fictitious breeding operation.
4. Before the sale – what are the steps?
5. Step 1 – Identify your breeding objectives.
6. Step 2 – Identify the relevant selection indexes.
7. Step 3 – Identify the relevant Estimated Breeding Values (EBV).
8. Step 4 – Find sires that match your Selection Indexes and EBV’s using BREEDPLAN.
9. BREEDPLAN demonstration – How to search for your potential sires.
10. Step 5 – Contact the stud.
11. Step 6 – Develop a top and second tier list of sires.
12. Step 7 – Decide your budget.
13. On sale day – what are the steps?
14. Step 1 – Visually appraise your shortlisted sires.
15. Step 2 – Make a plan on the order in which you make your bids.
16. Step 3 – Only bid on the sires on your shortlist that tick the boxes (for desirable traits).
17. After the sale – what are the steps?
18. Step 1 – Practice sound biosecurity.
19. Step 2 – Document appropriate records.
20. Step 3 – Help your bull to settle in.
21. Step 4 – Confirm your bull is in working order.
22. Step 5 – Ongoing annual animal health treatments.
23. Summary – How to shop for a high-performing bull.
24. MLA’s new genetics hub.
25. More information (Tim Emery’s details – Tropical Beef Technology Services).