Cost of herd bull?

[SF]

Price has nothing to do with it. You cow herd marks where you are at today. Your bulls dictate where you are going. The cost of bulls does not necessarily determine the value of a bull to your operation. You may need to add some differnent traits / genetics to your operation.

I've seen expensive bulls that never bred a single cow. (Scraped his pecker on a mesquite thorn, got infected, never bred a cow).

You've been given many good recommendations thus far. You should buy the best bull you can afford that will help you achieve your goals.

Commerical operations looking for terminal bulls can find good quality herd bulls for $750 plus. Registered fullblood operations, the sky is the limit, but plan to pay more. Sometimes you are paying for pedigrees. I have found that sometimes a bull that may be 5 to 7 years old can be a really good deal. Existing owner is getting a new bull. The older bull is proven genetics. You can look at his calf crop to determine what he is capable of. Sometimes the older bulls can be bought for less money. Just a thought.

 

[Lngvew]

There a bad apples in every bushel. And I must agree there are both purebred and commercial breeders out there that will sell you a cull in a heartbeat. Reputation is the most difficult thing a cattleman has to earn and the easiest to trash. 20 years of culling hard and doing the right thing (refund the purchase price or replace the animal) can be (pardon me) PISSED away with one sale. My point being once you know what you want in a bull find the breeders than wont screw you over (on purpose) but try to point you toward what you want, even if it means refering you to another breeder. Yes, we are out here. I sell puredred bulls only as full 2 year olds. I cull hard then use those remaining as clean up bulls. I have a fair idea what the calves will look like and weigh at birth (based on my cows) before I begin to market the bull. It aint as easy as dropping him in a sale after weaning or at 11 or so months of age and let the buyer make his decision on the pedigree, looks and the EPD's. I figure if I do right the customer may remember me, If I screw him, he will remember me.

 

[Brandonm2]

I've seen expensive bulls that never bred a single cow. (Scraped his pecker on a mesquite thorn, got infected, never bred a cow).

I can top that one. I once worked in the barn of a performance test bull sale where the top seller ($10,000+ I think) loaded up on a trailer Saturday and was DEAD by Tuesday. They unloaded the very impressive looking young Angus in a lot with an automated silage dispenser which added urea (nonprotein nitrogen) to the silage automatically. Apparently, the urea dispenser was not calibrated properly so it overdosed him and he was a $10,000 mistake.

Commerical operations looking for terminal bulls can find good quality herd bulls for $750 plus.

I don't mean to be disagreeable; but the sale barn price on a bull is NOW more than $750. According to the last Cattle Today 700-800 pound steers in the southeast are bringing between $91 (GA) and 114.5 (KY) $cwt. A decent bull was worth close to $750 as beef nursing his momma's teat. You might have a buddy who will sell you his last bull for $750; but right NOW (if the seller can do math) a $1000 is bottom for a 11 to 16 month old bull and that is trolling for bargains. I would not send anybody off trying to find a $750 bull (right now). I think most breeders would laugh at the offer in THIS market. 2-4 years from now....who knows?

 

[dph]

1848: I am up to traveling. In fact in a couple of weeks Dad and I are planning on taking a trip to hit a few ranches. We were going to stop buy and see Jim Oneil's place in Logan, IA, the Zutavern Ranch in Dunning, Nebraska, and see Bob Sears' place in Ainsworth, Neb. Might stop at Summitcrest on the way home. We have got a 100 head commercial Angus herd (I know, not your breed of choice )

After the trip, I might start a post on what we saw.

 

[1848]

1848: I am up to traveling. In fact in a couple of weeks Dad and I are planning on taking a trip to hit a few ranches. We were going to stop buy and see Jim Oneil's place in Logan, IA, the Zutavern Ranch in Dunning, Nebraska, and see Bob Sears' place in Ainsworth, Neb. Might stop at Summitcrest on the way home. We have got a 100 head commercial Angus herd (I know, not your breed of choice )

After the trip, I might start a post on what we saw.

Good luck on your search. Look foward to the research!

Sounds like it would be a hoot. My kinda trip. Add a little hunting or fishing of course..

P.S. I'm just stuck with Herefords! :lol: ;-)

 

[jscunn]

DPH,
I too would be interested in what you saw, We will probably be purchasing a bull this fall and the place we are going is going to have some Summitcrest High Prime bulls for sale. If you happen to see any High Prime or any lower birthweight bulls that you like or dislike please post it or pm me. Thanks.