Marketing a bull

[govols]

I've lurked here for awhile but never posted much. I'm a hobby guy by the way. I recently bought a few registered BA cow/calf pairs at our state agribition sale. The little experience I have is with commercial cattle. I'm not trying to get into the bull business but I'd hate to cut one really nice bull calf I have. He's a 10x son and looks really nice for a 8 month old bull calf. I'm estimating he's 750-800lbs right now and had nothing but grass since I've had him. I bought the pair on 3/11.

The problem is everyone around here wants LBW bulls with high CED. I'll list his numbers and tell me what you think. Should I keep him or cut him.

Actual BW 65lbs

CED -2
BW +2
WW +59
YW + 107
RADG +25
CW + 47
MARB + 93
RE + 29
Fat -.045

Maternal side stinks but he should make a lot of beef! I know numbers aren't everything but what would y'all do?

 

[Bright Raven]

Well, 65 pounds actual BW is low. My average for Simmentals is 87. The -2 calving ease and +2 on birth weight are not very attractive.

There are breeders who want those pounds.

 

[True Grit Farms]

Numbers look good to me I don't worry till 4 or 5's. And with his low birthweight that's a bonus. If the maternal side stinks why did you buy the cow?

 

[govols]

CEM wasn't great, she's a big cow. Milk epd was low too but she's got a good bag with plenty of milk. I'm not a breeder. Honestly I just wanted some nice looking cattle, averaged $2250 a head on them. I didn't think that was terrible based on what commercial pairs were bringing. They're actually 3n1's, all are set to calf again this fall by ai sires.

 

[kenny thomas]

If he looks good I sure would use him

 

[FlyingLSimmentals]

If he really looks good keep him don't let some numbers scare you off. Different people buy different types of bulls, every one don't strictly want a calving ease heifer bull. My only worry would be how many bulls will there be, being offered when he's ready for a herd. This year seemed there were more bulls offered than cattle herds for them to go too. But when he is ready it might be different or he might be better than a bunch of others. Wishing you best of luck with whatever direction you go with him.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

Stupid question that I shouldn't have to ask but how does one calculate EPD's on a calve like this one here?

 

[Bright Raven]

Stupid question that I shouldn't have to ask but how does one calculate EPD's on a calve like this one here?

Not stupid at all.

The breed association will provide the EPDs. You can arrive at them even before a calf is conceived by doing "planned matings" on the association websites. If you provide DNA samples after birth, they use markers to enhance the accuracy.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

Stupid question that I shouldn't have to ask but how does one calculate EPD's on a calve like this one here?

Not stupid at all.

The breed association will provide the EPDs. You can arrive at them even before a calf is conceived by doing "planned matings" on the association websites. If you provide DNA samples after birth, they use markers to enhance the accuracy.

Interesting. I have papers on a dozen or so cows and all my bulls so I could do this. Only piece I don't have is actual birth weights.

 

[govols]

EPD's were on the registration paperwork. The previous owner also spent the money and got i50k testing done according to the registration paper. I know just about zero on the i50k stuff.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

EPD's were on the registration paperwork. The previous owner also spent the money and got i50k testing done according to the registration paper. I know just about zero on the i50k stuff.

Post some pics of the young fella and see what the pros think of him.

 

[govols]

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

Disclaimer! I'm not a pro but I like your bull. Hope I'm just seeing wild hair around his sheath and nothing worse. I'd trim that up.

 

[Son of Butch]

There is a buyer for him in Tennessee... I don't know who, but there is someone who will be happy to buy him.

 

[MRRherefords]

Nice looking bull. Do NOT cut him. Someone would be thrilled to have him breed their cows.

 

[A.J.]

I would leave him a bull and see how he develops and reevaluate what you think when he's a yearling. He looks like he's coming along nicely.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

There is a buyer for him in Tennessee... I don't know who, but there is someone who will be happy to buy him.

For sure.

 

[farmerjan]

He looks to be a decent bull calf. Try getting in touch with the assoc that you purchased him through and see if there is anyone looking for a young sire. Also, try your local/state angus assoc and see if they have any bull sales coming up that you can consign him to.
Maybe try using him on your own cows after they calve out, he will be a yearling, and see if you like his calves. You could breed his dam AI and let him catch the rest. You didn't say how many other cows you have. Any close friend/neighbor that only has a dozen cows that needs a bull? Maybe "prove" him that way.
Talk to your vet, they might know of someone looking for a bull. We do not always look for a minus birth weight/calving ease bull. The last one we bought is + 3 or 4 as we needed to replace a bull to use on mature cows. Kept him a whole year after purchase because we really weren't looking for another bull at that time, but we liked him at a sale and the price was right due to the oversupply of bulls around. Plus we know and like the bulls produced by this farm and they all do good on grass with little or no feed inputs. He's maturing nice and we will use him on a small group this spring and then put him into full use in the late fall.