2019 Florida Bull Test

[76 Bar]

The test has a rule that calves have to weigh 2.5 pounds per day of age to qualify, this eliminates bringing one in really light.

IMO the WDA minimum is a good one. Weeds out the calves who aren't likely to be competitive as well as those who get a big boost via compensitory gain.

 

[jscunn]

The really light ones (close to 2.5 WDA) dont do well on test as a general rule. I did alot of research on the Florida bull test, a greater percentage of bulls that come in above 900 lbs end up making the sale. It was over multiple years not just one year that this occurred. It may be that the bigger calves already have the WDA portion of the index covered. The test index is ADG + WDA. The smaller bulls may get pushed around in the pens as they are comingled with other consignors bulls. There is a consignor that brings really green Charolais bulls that always do really well on test, but most of the other consignors that bring green bulls struggle to make the sale. I found that proper care for the bulls before the test worked better for me than trying to work the system bringing green bulls in trying to "Steal" some residual ADG on bulls gaining BCS.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

jscunn - I totally agree with bringing your "normal" grown out bulls to test. We USED to have a test here in NY and we had bulls on every one. I strongly recommend people to use bull tests - whether you sell or not - you are actually comparing your cattle against other farms.

 

[gizmom]

Good info Jscunn I had never paid that much attention as far as studying how they preform based on initial weights. Our calves have done pretty good on the test but they usually are weighing in the 800 to 850 range.

Gizmom

 

[gizmom]

Delivered the bulls this morning

F51 weighed in at 940

F52 weighed in at 830

These weights were after being loaded and hauled three hours to the test.

Gizmom

 

[jscunn]

Gizmom,
Yours will be just fine as always..