A somewhat stupid question

[Central Fl Cracker]

Most members are very proud of their Bulls so my ?. You can sell a good bull for $1200 to $1800 so why do most people castarate their bulls and sell them as steers instead of retaining their bulls and selling them as good breeding bulls after they are 2 year olds.

 

[bgm]

1. There is only a market for good bulls.
2. Not every bull is good enough to market as a breeder and the ones that aren't should be castrated.

 

[dun]

There isn;t much of a market for older bulls, particularly if they've been used.

 

[boone]

How does the saying go?? Many are called but few are chosen. It's not feasible to take a chance on every male offspring as a bull. Boone

 

[backhoeboogie]

The cull heifers work pretty good for some commercial operations. The cull bulls make pretty good hamburger.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Most members are very proud of their Bulls so my ?. You can sell a good bull for $1200 to $1800 so why do most people castarate their bulls and sell them as steers instead of retaining their bulls and selling them as good breeding bulls after they are 2 year olds.

Thats a problem with the industry today little guys trying to play in the bull game. These guys are running a few head and think everything born with papers is herd bull quality.
About 80% of the bulls you see on this site should have been made into hamburger.
A bad cow hurts a bad bull is a trainwreck for generations to come.

 

[Central Fl Cracker]

I am not sure about the info I have seen so far but it could be my question. If your bulls are so great then why are'nt you keeping your bulls for resell instead sending them off to the market as steers?

 

[Crowderfarms]

I am not sure about the info I have seen so far but it could be my question. If your bulls are so great then why are'nt you keeping your bulls for resell instead sending them off to the market as steers?

Not every Bull calf born makes the grade to be a future herd prospect, therefore they are Steered to block the gene pool from getting any deeper.

 

[Central Fl Cracker]

Crowder
Please be more specific.

 

[backhoeboogie]

Crowder
Please be more specific.

If I am running 50 head of cows and one good bull, that bull is half my herd. He'd best be a doggone good bull. If not, I am going to have 50 marginal calves next fall (or spring).

For a commercial cattleman, a really good bull is a must. One half decent cow is only one one-quarter decent calf. A half decent bull shows up in the whole herd, including any future retained heifers.

Most folks want a heck of a good bull. Just because he is "registered" doesn't mean diddly. 3/4 or more of the registered bulls aren't worth buying to a commercial cattleman, let alone a breeder.

If breeder has 100 registered cows, 50 bulls are probably going to be born. If he sells me one that is a terrible bull, it is going to reflect back on him. I am not buying from him in the future nor is anyone else who has been burned, or hears of someone getting burned.

If you get a bad reputation, it will follow you to the grave. Breeders know it. They cull heavy.

If you take someone's best bull born this year and put it on this board, it will be critiqued.

 

[backhoeboogie]

By the way, my herd bull is not registered. Paper doesn't do me any good when I go to the sale barn. My steers are going to fetch just as many nickels as those from registered stock.

 

[bigbull338]

By the way, my herd bull is not registered. Paper doesn't do me any good when I go to the sale barn. My steers are going to fetch just as many nickels as those from registered stock.

if you want to play the reg bull game.first youll need as good of reg cows as you can find.an they wont come cheap.an then you need a top bull.he wont be cheap either.lets say you have 10 bull calves a yr.well it may take 3 calf crops to get 1 bull worth your time to raise.an only raise the very best of your bull calves.next year you may not get a keeper bull.but then again you might get 5.you never know.but learn to raise top end bulls.because its your name going on those sale bulls.

 

[novatech]

Lets assume you have a good bull you want to sell, in that 20% catagory caustic mentioned. It could be the best bull ever created. You may sell it but don't expect to get the big boy price. Most of these bull breeders have spent millions developing and marketing their product. Even those with grade bulls have been rubbing shoulders with the right people for years. So basicly its not what you have but how you market it.

 

[Crowderfarms]

Crowder
Please be more specific.

OK, I'll be a little more specific, and in extreme Laymens terms.

My Buddy raises registered Beefmasters and has for over 20 years. When a Bull calf is born, he wont get too excited.Because not every Calf born will meet his criteria, meaning, confirmation, underline, etc. If a Calf is not meeting his expectations, or characteristics,of a Bull Calf that shows some promise, the Calf gets weaned and conditioned, and off to the Stock Yards, more than likely to feed the Beef loving public.

Now Part 2.

After careful consideration, and Culling, he decides to group up several Calves that do exhibit characteristics of a good future herd Bull, and decides to raise them up in the Bull Lot. These Calves are out of Mama Cows that put 101% into raising their Calves, and out of superior Bulls. These Calves, hopefully will turn out to be above average Registered Beefmaster Bulls that someone will buy from him to put on another Registered Herd, or Commercial Herd. After a while, he'll Cull again, and sell only the very best. He's an ethical and honest Cattleman, that will protect and respects the breed, and wont sell a POS.Class Dismissed.

 

[Jogeephus]

Not saying a bull isn't important, but the bull's importance is directly proportional to the length of time you retain ownership of its offspring.

IMO, I'll never buy another bull from a grain test bull sale. They don't fit my program - I don't care what he does own grain. I care what he does on grass. Give me the calves birthday in the field and I'll pick me out a good herd bull that fits my program - papers or no papers.

 

[mnmtranching]

Most members are very proud of their Bulls so my ?. You can sell a good bull for $1200 to $1800 so why do most people castarate their bulls and sell them as steers instead of retaining their bulls and selling them as good breeding bulls after they are 2 year olds.

Besides all the things mentioned above, there's only a market for so many bulls. That good bull that you think should be worth $1800. you will end up selling for 60 cents a pound. When a steer would bring a buck.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

Not saying a bull isn't important, but the bull's importance is directly proportional to the length of time you retain ownership of its offspring.

IMO, I'll never buy another bull from a grain test bull sale. They don't fit my program - I don't care what he does own grain. I care what he does on grass. Give me the calves birthday in the field and I'll pick me out a good herd bull that fits my program - papers or no papers.

that and i what too see moma san infact i had just bout soon see her as the sire. if the bull is half of the herd why would you want too see just 50% show me the complete package with details

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

I have a pretty decent set of purebred cows. about 50% of my calf crop will be bulls, but as said above maybe only 20% of those born are worthy to sell as a bull. And not everyone is capable of keeping BULLS around til they are 2 years old. I won't keep one much past weaning age :shock:
Cull reasons: BW, structure, conformation, disposition, horns, growth, NO BUYERS!! - many reasons.
EDIT - I guess I'm not real sure what you are asking. Do YOU think all registered bulls should be sold as breeding bulls?

 

[Jeremy14]

How much time needs to pass after the bday of the bull calf before it is possible to make a decision on castrating the calf or not?

Can most of you tell well before weaning?

 

[bigbull338]

How much time needs to pass after the bday of the bull calf before it is possible to make a decision on castrating the calf or not?

Can most of you tell well before weaning?

id say wait till weaning before you decide to cut the bull calves.that way you can see wich is your growthiest bull calves.some calves you can tell at 3 months old that they will make a herd bull.others itll be differant.it takes years to develope a herd bull calf eye.learn from a guy that produces herd bulls.if you like to band calves young. you could be making some misstakes.so wait till weaning to cut them/an only keep the best of the best bulls.out of 50 bull calves only 3 maybe woth your time to raise as bulls.