NO ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL MODEL IN BULL BUYING by Managing Editor Stevie Ipsen Bull selection is one of the most important, if not the most important, decisions for cow-calf producers of any size or scope. Choosing which bulls’ genetics will influence future calf crops has implication for both immediate and future profitability of producers. The results of your bull buying decisions will be immediately seen in the first subsequent calf crop. Whether a producer retains heifers or bull calves, the genetics in the selected bull have the potential to be passed down to future generations within the herd. Commerical and seedstock producers alike should consider that as they shop for bulls this fall, the new genetics they are looking to introduce to their cowherd will make a permanent impact on their herd. Other production decisions regarding nutrition or management may have temporary effects but mating decisions create a permanent outcome that will not just impact the production outcome for the year ahead but for literally generations to come. While bull selection can be and expensive endeavor, looking at it as a long-term investment into the operation, can make the expense easier to justify, but can also make the decisions more daunting. Sierra Nevada-based commercial cattleman Chris Gansberg is known in the bull marketing arena for having a keen eye for good bulls. Though he runs a large number of Angus-based cows Chris is the first to admit that he still loves a good Hereford bull. “We run in some different country so we need a bull battery that covers all the bases. I look for good feet, legs and structural soundness but I also need bulls that meet the demands of the consumers since the calves we raise will go on to the feedlot,” Gansberg explained. “But in all honestly, like all things in life you get what you pay for in today’s bull market. It’s hard to find $2,000 bulls anymore and if you do, they probably aren’t very good ones.” Another factor that is important to Gansberg is how the bulls are raised and how they rank in terms of docility. “I need to know the people I am buying my bulls from and know that they aren’t going to send me something that will run me down. Temperment is getting more important to 24 California Cattleman July • August 2022
me every day. I am not getting any younger and bulls at my place have to be safe to be around,” he said. While a lot of considerations go into what the ideal bull may look like for your operation, the bull-buying process doesn’t have to be overwhelming. It is important to know your budget and the traits you should be considering in a prospective purchase. There are a myriad of other factors that can help you narrow down the perfect bull for you and your cowherd. Access to scientific data for beef cattle genetics has grown exponentially in recent decades. What once would have just been a phenotypic decision with little reassurance is now a phenotypic choice backed up by genotypic evidence of what expected results of a mating might actually look like. Nothing is certain when it comes to cattle breeding but with the use of genomic data provided by today’s beef industry, the outcome is much easier to predict. This data, in the form of Expected Progeny Differences (EPDs) gives a clear picture to ranchers that they were not able to foresee until as recently as the 1990s and even at that the accuracy continues to improve. “I try to stay on the forefront of genetics so my cowherd can continue to improve but things change so fast that it can be hard to understand what the numbers mean,” Gansberg said. “I think that is where it becomes really important to communicate with your seedstock suppliers and breed experts to make sure you are understanding the data. There will always be someone who knows more about the numbers than I do and if I reach out to them, they will always help me interpret the data. That is the best thing about this business. People will always help you.” Even though there are opportunities to improve production and profitability through sire selection tools, there are still many other factors to consider. From a multitude of traits, breed differences, operational goals in different regions and management practices from one ranch to the next, bull selection leaves a lot to consider. Some ranchers feel like they are left to make these decisions alone, the fact is that those merchandising the bulls can be just as
