Louisianna Angus Association Bull sale, 1/23/2010

[Cormac]

Looked over the offering and it would appear that there is a number of AM and NH untested and carrier bulls being offered. Just does not seem right. Someone or a lot of someones, down the line, will certainly see a few dead calves after waiting anxiously 9 months.

 

[Kingfisher]

Are you trying to say that folks in La don't have good bulls....................?

 

[GRTiger85]

So come to the Best of the West Sale noon the same day at the Ft. Worth Stock Show...

 

[Cormac]

Kingfisher,
I am not "trying" to say anything. I felt I was pretty direct and to the point. I was "saddened" to see that a State breed association would sell untested, or worse yet, sell carrier bulls. Why not sell the bull(s) for hamburger and not pass this genetic crap on to a less informed buyer?
Sure, they are listing some as carriers, but will they explain the entire scenario of what the buyer is getting him/her self into. Here is the way I see it:
If the buyer's herd of 100 total cows is 100% FREE:
This "heck of a deal" carrier bull when mated to a herd of free cows (regardless of breed) will produce:
= 50 carrier offspring
= 50 free offspring
In a real world scenario, estimating 50% of those carriers are bulls are then sold two years from now to FREE herds, that will be 25 additional herds that will be negatively impacted. This goes on forever.
This %$@# does not get buried up again.

In another scenario, if a carrier bull is used with an Angus commercial herd of 100 total cows that has 20 carriers cows in it already the results will be:
= 50 carrier offspring
= 45 free offspring
= 5 will be DOA
What do you estimate a carrier bull(s) will sell for at the sale... $1500 -2000? Me, I'd take the hit. Sell him as hamburger, and sleep well at night, knowing that the bulls I sold made all the successive herds better not worse.

 

[novatech]

What do you estimate a carrier bull(s) will sell for at the sale... $1500 -2000? Me, I'd take the hit. Sell him as hamburger, and sleep well at night, knowing that the bulls I sold made all the successive herds better not worse.

Unfortunately people like you are becoming a minority, if your not already.

 

[Frankie]

Looked over the offering and it would appear that there is a number of AM and NH untested and carrier bulls being offered. Just does not seem right. Someone or a lot of someones, down the line, will certainly see a few dead calves after waiting anxiously 9 months.

I really hate that, too. But we're still in the cattle business. While most of us try to raise the best bulls we can, it's still up to the buyer to make the choice.

 

[xbred]

i think this would be a good topic for "i am angus"...

 

[Cormac]

it's still up to the buyer to make the choice.

There are too many uninformed buyers regarding genetic defects, so I feel we have an obligation to not sell carriers. I am sure at any sale with carriers, (they do the right thing, haha) they announce "this bull has tested positive for a lethal genetic defect. If you turn him out with non-carrier cows it is not lethal and you will have no dead calves." Will they be told "Should you buy this bull, half of your resulting calf crop will be carriers of this genetic defect". Will they follow up with "you can never use a carrier bull again, nor can any of your heifer customers". "Regarding the offspring bulls you sell you will have to test them defects. Or tell your customers to use with free cows only." Then the sale starts and bulls are averaging $4000 and in walks this carrier bull and the bidding slows at $1300, and this bull looks just as good or better than the $4000 bulls. SOLD $1400!
If the defect was obvious, like 5 legs, or a unicorn horn on the middle of their head, they would not sell at all. I don't even think embarrassed sellers would bring them to sales. AM and NH carriers look perfect in every way, so why not sell them. He is a real good value. To #$@% with whoever is down the line.
I don't think there are too many small commercial Angus herds testing all their cows for NH and AM. I know there are a lot more who have still not even heard of AM and NH. I am guessing there are some, maybe even a lot of commercial buyers that are somewhat or completely uninformed regarding defects, with no clue as to the financial minefield they have ahead of them.
All because someone felt it "could be" OK (in the right circumstance of course), to sell his/her carrier bulls. Bad idea!