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. – Please note an additional step has been added. You will need to press the search and login button on the home page and then press the magnifying glass for the breed genetic evaluation of interest.
10. 
11. Step 5 – Contact the stud.
12. Step 6 – Develop a top and second tier list of sires.
13. Step 7 – Decide your budget.
14. On sale day – what are the steps?
15. Step 1 – Visually appraise your shortlisted sires.
16. Step 2 – Make a plan on the order in which you make your bids.
17. Step 3 – Only bid on the sires on your shortlist that tick the boxes (for desirable traits).
18. After the sale – what are the steps?
19. Step 1 – Practice sound biosecurity.
20. Step 2 – Document appropriate records.
21. Step 3 – Help your bull to settle in.
22. Step 4 – Confirm your bull is in working order.
23. Step 5 – Ongoing annual animal health treatments.
24. Summary – How to shop for a high-performing bull.
25. MLA’s new genetics hub.
26. More information (Tim Emery’s details – Tropical Beef Technology Services).