Selling Bulls & Buyer Expectations

[midtncattle]

Bought a bull from a large breeder last year. The bull had been checked prior to sale, but after 70 days I noticed he had worked some good conditioned cows 3 times. Called breeder, he said take and get him semen tested. We did and he was bad. Called breeder and he asked if we could take him to a local salebarn. We did and had check mailed to breeder. He offered to bring us another bull for that season and gave us a refund for next sale plus 400 extra credit. I was disappointed the bull was bad, but happy with breeders response.

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

Isom would still be buying my bulls instead of driving. We all know that any animal can die for any number of reasons. I don't think Isom would be expecting full replacement, but he sure as heck should have been loaned a bull and sold another at a discount.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

Isom would still be buying my bulls instead of driving. We all know that any animal can die for any number of reasons. I don't think Isom would be expecting full replacement, but he sure as heck should have been loaned a bull and sold another at a discount.

I agree.

 

[insurman]

Bought a bull from a large breeder last year. The bull had been checked prior to sale, but after 70 days I noticed he had worked some good conditioned cows 3 times. Called breeder, he said take and get him semen tested. We did and he was bad. Called breeder and he asked if we could take him to a local salebarn. We did and had check mailed to breeder. He offered to bring us another bull for that season and gave us a refund for next sale plus 400 extra credit. I was disappointed the bull was bad, but happy with breeders response.

Have a heifer that is getting a breeding soundness test/check up tomorrow. If not good I hope I get the same response you did from the breeder.

 

[SPH]

None of our sale bulls leave the farm until they have had a Breeding Soundness Exam and we usually take the herd sire with us when we have that done to the sale bulls just so we know our own bull is good to go for the upcoming breeding season too. We sometimes may sell a yearling bull early in the year but we ask our buyers that we keep them on our feed program and we will take them to get a BSE along with yearling weights, measurements, and ultrasound when they are at least 12 months old then they have the option to either take possession of the bull(s) after we have done that or we will feed them up until May 1. We do that because we have a registered herd so we want to get the yearling data for our performance records plus the BSE is something that anyone selling or buying a bull should have done so they know they are buying a sound bull. Haven't had a buyer balk at those terms and most of them will take advantage of our offer to continue feeding them as around here most breeders won't turn their bulls out until after May 1 anyways. Bottom line is if you breed good cattle and do business the right way you shouldn't have to worry about it and even in the case that something would come up a good breeder will not risk losing his reputation over it and will make right on the sale.

Most breeds have a breeding guarantee standard for terms of a sale. For instance this is what we would follow per the American Hereford Association (copied and pasted straight from their website):

Breeding Guarantees

1. All animals are guaranteed to be breeders with the exception of (a) calves under 12 months of age at time of purchase; (b) any female that is placed in an embryo transplant program and subjected to super-ovulation; or (c) gross negligence on the part of the buyer.
2. Sellers guarantee that bulls are breeders if the bull is at least 12 months of age at the time of the sale and is not turned out into cows before 14 months of age. A bull can also be guaranteed a breeder if it has passed a breeding soundness exam performed by a competent veterinarian or reproductive technician. Any agreement with respect to the ability to freeze semen shall be a separate agreement between buyer and seller.
3. When selling semen interest only, the bull is guaranteed to produce viable semen which will survive the freezing process and upon post-thaw will settle a healthy cow.
4. Females sold as safe in calf have been examined by a competent veterinarian or have been guaranteed safe in calf through a blood test
5. Open females are guaranteed to be without calf.
6. Any agreement with respect to Embryo Transfer production shall be a separate agreement between buyer and seller.

 

[LauraleesFarm]

As a buyer I expect the bull I purchase to pass BSE and settle the cows for a year. I don't need that in writing. Handshake deal is fine. I agree, there has to be some honesty left in cattle dealing. If not, I won't ever buy another bull from them again. And word gets around. (like it does here, on the internet).

I would have a hard time defining the right amount of libido expected. And the bull breeder/seller should generally expect that my cattle are in decent breeding condition. I've seen some huge bossy cows that might whip a young bull off of the cow in heat. That could damage his libido. So I think the buyer does have a reasonable responsibility to be honest about what the conditions are as well.

 

[bigbull338]

if a bull dont have a BSE score of 85 or better on his semen test an sc measurement of 40 or better i wont buy them.anything below an 80 BSE is questionable.an below 75 i wont buy as i consider that bull a cull.

 

[Aaron]

Ricebeltrancher,

Here is the link:http://www.hereford.ca/3_cattlebusiness/information&forms/AGREEMENT_FOR_SALE.pdf

 

[3waycross]

if a bull dont have a BSE score of 85 or better on his semen test an sc measurement of 40 or better i wont buy them.anything below an 80 BSE is questionable.an below 75 i wont buy as i consider that bull a cull.

at what age do you expect a 40 sc.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

Ricebeltrancher,

Here is the link:http://www.hereford.ca/3_cattlebusiness/information&forms/AGREEMENT_FOR_SALE.pdf

That's a very reasonable contract Aaron.

 

[bigbull338]

if a bull dont have a BSE score of 85 or better on his semen test an sc measurement of 40 or better i wont buy them.anything below an 80 BSE is questionable.an below 75 i wont buy as i consider that bull a cull.

at what age do you expect a 40 sc.

i expect 40cm or more at 2yrs old.an the last 2 bulls i bought was over 40cms.