What do you look for when choosing a Bull?

[Hill Creek Farm]

What do you all look for in choosing a new bull? Mainly, I look for muscle, depth, good epds, and a good set of testicles.

 

[CattleAnnie]

Good scrotal circumference (and always a good Breeding Soundness Exam) and good feet.

Clean fronted. Clean sheath. Good topline and deep flanked.

Take care.

 

[greenwillowherefords]

Thickness, adequate length and muscling, good topline. Don't care for sway backs. Good testicles, disposition, longevity in the pedigree, easy fleshing. Prefer some good carcass data behind them. Good feet and legs. Bulls who lack libido annoy me. As soon as they hit the ground on my place, I want them checking the cows.

 

[DTA ranch]

I agree with all the above comments. I'll just add, I look at their EPD's and make sure that the bull is expressing those EPD's by his 205 weight, yrly wt. Also lower birth with high growth.

 

[TheBullLady]

Confimation.. how he's going to improve my calves.. DISPOSITION.. feet and legs.

 

[CattleAnnie]

Buying the bull direct from the breeder gives an opportunity well worth taking that you won't get at an auction barn - the chance to check out related animals.

I always like to eyeball the dam as well as the sire. Nice to check out sisters as well as brothers, both maternal and paternal.

Gives you more of an idea of the genetics that you are investing into your herd. Personally I find that equally as important as any EPD.

Take care.

 

[1848]

What do you all look for in choosing a new bull? Mainly, I look for muscle, depth, good epds, and a good set of testicles.

First and foremost, whether or not he is capable of producing calves ;-)

 

[greenwillowherefords]

When I selected my new bull, most of the EPDs were within a close range. I chose the one that I felt was the best balanced of his contemporaries all around. He was tied for the lowest BW(70), yet had the high indexing 205 weight (740). He was one of the thicker bulls, and had adequate length. I ruled out two bulls because they were the only two that didn't go in the corral for feed.

My top two choices on "looks" were out of the question because they were half brothers to one of my cows.

 

[Medic24]

Good ones that are cheap. We pray yearly that some old timer who has a top bull dies in the early spring so we can buy his bull from his mourning widow cheap.

 

[cowgal]

If it's possible, I would like to see his sire and dam. If he's already being used, I want to see his calves. I want calves that will come easy and good weaning weights.

 

[tapeworm]

Good ones that are cheap. We pray yearly that some old timer who has a top bull dies in the early spring so we can buy his bull from his mourning widow cheap.

Guess we pray for different things out here in my country...dont think I would get along to well where you are

 

[Arnold Ziffle]

Amen, tapeworm!

Medic --- I'd like to think that your recent post was merely a poor attempt at levity. Would that possibly be the case? Most unfortunate if it was not.