Bull Bidding Strategy ?

[Stocker Steve]

I am taking the check book to a sale next week. I have made my list, checked it twice, and come up with three similar bulls I like. Question is how to approach the bidding... With the hot market I don't think last years average data means much.

Do you set a max price, or a slightly different max price for each bull, or adjust a little as the sale goes on ???

[3waycross]

Steve if you are like me you have picked out the 3 top selling bulls in the sale. So all I can say is go big or go home.

BTW what I am seeing is that they are running at least 20% higher than last year!.

[Aaron]

I am taking the check book to a sale next week. I have made my list, checked it twice, and come up with three similar bulls I like. Question is how to approach the bidding... With the hot market I don't think last years average data means much.

Do you set a max price, or a slightly different max price for each bull, or adjust a little as the sale goes on ???

Go in the pen, pick all the bulls you like, classify and rank them and then set your price on each one. In a pen of about 50 bulls, takes me 3-4 hours of time before the sale to rank and price. I don't budge on the low end of my picks, but in the upper 25% I will waiver $200 to $400, and I can go a little nuts on my top picks. Example a couple years ago, was bidding on the top ranking bull in the sale and me and two other guys took the price from 2k to 5k ($100 bids) in less than 10 seconds...ring men were just a blarin'. A bull was sold every 30 seconds at that sale, so you had to think quick.

[SRBeef]

One thing I have noticed is that the later a bull sells in the sale the higher the prices seem to go.

If you pick out three bulls in a sale and miss the first two because they were "too high priced", what do you do on the third one???

I have seen unreasonably high prices paid for the last bull (or heifer, etc) in a sale just because someone didn't want to go home with an empty trailer.

Consequently I would not be afraid to bid aggressively at one of the three bulls of interest earlier in the sale, if you see a lot of interest in other bulls generally. The last one is likely to be expensive.

Jim

[plumber_greg]

I'm not very good at it. I'm like 3-way, the bulls I like are usually the top ones. I like them for a reason. I most times don't have a top price, after doing research on paperwork and visiting them before the sale, looking at them like Aaron does, I have stayed for a reason. That reason is that that bull is what I need. If not, I go home. If I need that bull to improve my cows, I will buy him. Naturally there are some that I don't even bid on. Can't pay 100k for one, but 1,000 one way or the other doesn't stop me.
I figure that I paid that day, what that bul was worth that day. Once I pick the breeder and his type of cattle, I may have spent 3 months researching them, seeing his cows and the bulls wherever he keeps them. For me it's not as simple as getting a sale catalog in the mail, then waiting for the sale date. Steve, I can tell you're trying to be a cattleman, not a cow owner, good luck on your bull you pick. gs

[Dave]

One of the things I have started looking at in a pen of yearling bulls is the younger bulls. People tend to pay more for the biggest bull. Often over looking that bull who is a couple months younger. There can and should be a difference in size on a 14 month old bull and a 12 month old bull. Lots of people over look that younger bull because he is smaller.
Last year I bought an Image Maker son. He was the fourth bull to sell out of a pen of five half brothers. I paid about half as much as the people who took the first one. They took the biggest oldest one in the group. He looking more masculine but when I put a calculator to the figures my bull had actually out gained the others on a per day basis. But being the youngest one in the group he looked small.

[Isomade]

Steve if you are like me you have picked out the 3 top selling bulls in the sale. So all I can say is go big or go home.

BTW what I am seeing is that they are running at least 20% higher than last year!.

buy the best bull there then post pics.

[deenranch]

I always hate having my bulls be the first 2 or 3 to sell... Seems like everyone is sittig on their hands waiting to see how much bulls are gonna be... Usually the first 2 or 3 bulls are some of the best... You might keep this in mind cause you might get the best deal on the first few bulls....

[Isomade]

Well.......?

[Stocker Steve]

Sale is Saturday...
Neighbor tried to talk me into a BA bull but I was able to escape.

[Stocker Steve]

3/31 Minnesota Showcase: This is the first time folks have tried a seven breed sale in this area.

The lot 43 bull that I had picked based on the numbers was scratched due to an injury...
The lot 52 (1,325#) bull looked the best to me, and was the highest price GV bull there, so a couple guys agreed. I dropped out.
The lot 41 (1,380#) and lot 43 (1,490#) Balancer bulls were also on my list. Lot #41 sold first and I ended up taking him home. He has a date with some Herf and wf cows so we will be starting to produce the German Baldy 3 way cross in 2012.

[tsmaxx47]

congratulations; how bout some pics?

[3waycross]

Looks like you bought a real solid bull. He has a lot going for him genetically. The Boo Boo dtrs are real good cows.

See what you mean about the 52. What did he bring?

[Stocker Steve]

See what you mean about the 52. What did he bring?

He had a lot of guts - - and went for $4,500.
Angus sold a little better than GV, and GV sold a little better then Balancers. I was tempted to buy two Balancers but my plan is to sync the entire herd this summer so one bull should do it.

[Stocker Steve]

The bull I bought is broke to lead, which is new to me. Any tips on how, or how not, to take him for a walk?