5 minute read
The Value of A Bull
INVESTMENT FOCUS:
THE VALUE OF A BULL
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Never underestimate the importance of bull selection for the future of your herd.
The value of purchasing a good bull will be an investment in the efficiency and profitability of your herd for years and generations to come... conversely, purchasing a cheap inferior bull will have an increasingly negative impact on your herd for years and generations to come.
With a bull representing 50% of the genetics of each calf in your program, it is necessary to objectively put a value, in dollars, on what you believe each bull will provide in the form of added calf values.
This applies to both commercial and stud animals, genetically and phenotypically, for breeding value and performance.
Whilst the initial investment of purchasing a bull in today’s market may seem staggering, it should be looked at as an investment that adds immediate and continued value to your herd moving forward. Comparing the actual prices paid for the bull is only one part of the equation.
The best way to determine the value of a herd bull is to compare his purchase price, offset by the differences in the value of his calves. When purchasing a bull as a sire for stud stock, an animal with top shelf genetics, superior conformation and carcass traits, one that you can be confident will reproduce these traits in his offspring, is a sire more likely to recoup his purchase price many times over. With considered breeding decisions and practices, a top class stud bull can recover his purchase price within his 1st breeding season, and with the added bonus of semen sales, the potential to turn even more profit can be realised.
A superior bull is a wise investment for the future, adding extra kilograms to calves, increasing feed conversion and improving yields. For example, in a commercially based enterprise, looking at the chart below, and assuming current market price at the sale yard* for your weaner and yearling calves, you can see how relatively few calves it takes to sell to recover your bulls’ purchase price.
In the scheme of things, with most commercial bulls covering 100 cows or more per year, the investment of purchasing a good bull for your herd will return his initial investment many times over.
* Current price per kilo rates taken from MLA website averages, from Dalby sale figures, week ending 30th August 2022.
Purchase price of Bull Weight of calves & price/kg at time of sale Total price per calf Total number of calves to sell to recoup purchase price $8,000 250kg @ 645 c/kg $1,612.50 4.97 300kg @ 585 c/kg $1,755.00 4.56 350kg @ 515 c/kg $1,802.50 4.44 400kg @ 495 c/kg $1,980.00 4.04
$10,000
$15,000 250kg @ 645 c/kg $1,612.50 6.05 300kg @ 585 c/kg $1,755.00 5.70 350kg @ 515 c/kg $1,802.50 5.55 400kg @ 495 c/kg $1,980.00 5.05
250kg @ 645 c/kg $1,612.50 9.30 300kg @ 585 c/kg $1,755.00 8.55 350kg @ 515 c/kg $1,802.50 8.33 400kg @ 495 c/kg $1,980.00 7.58
$20,000 250kg @ 645 c/kg $1,612.50 12.41 300kg @ 585 c/kg $1,755.00 11.40 350kg @ 515 c/kg $1,802.50 11.10 400kg @ 495 c/kg $1,980.00 10.11
$25,000 250kg @ 645 c/kg $1,612.50 15.50 300kg @ 585 c/kg $1,755.00 14.25 350kg @ 515 c/kg $1,802.50 13.87 400kg @ 495 c/kg $1,980.00 12.63
$30,000 250kg @ 645 c/kg $1,612.50 18.61 300kg @ 585 c/kg $1,755.00 17.10 350kg @ 515 c/kg $1,802.50 16.65 400kg @ 495 c/kg $1,980.00 15.16
JACKUNGAH QUIET ACHIEVER (AI) (P) (LEOPARD) HOMOZYGOUS POLLED RGF, NT821F
• Top priced bull at record breaking Blueprint Sale in 2021 • Exciting Calving Ease data on large numbers of calves • Unique pedigree bred down from the Star Bank program MAUNGAHINA NEON (P) (WHITE) HOMOZYGOUS POLLED RGC, NT821C
• Premier owned Legacy brother to Kidmans Cove, combining some of the breed’s greats in one pedigree: Stands Alone, Extreme, Lacerta & Pho-Finish 54P • Son Premier Magnus R4 Topped Premier Bull Sale 2021 • Top 10% Scrotal sire, to improve fertility in your herd
$150 RRP
MINNAMURRA MONTEZUMA M25 (AI) (LEOPARD) HOMOZYGOUS POLLED RGF, NT821F
• The breed’s true curve bender, amazing calving traits with breed-leading growth, fat cover and IMF% • MONTEZUMA ranks in the top 5% in the breed for Gestation length and Top 20% for 400D weight. • MONTEZUMA’s best qualities are under the skin: Top 5% IMF, Rib & Rump Fats
$140 RRP
MAUNGAHINA KIDMANS COVE (P) (LEOPARD) HETEROZYGOUS POLLED RGC, NT821F
“KIDMAN’S COVE has been the most influential breeding sire in 115 years of breeding pedigree cattle and the foundation of Maungahina Speckle Park.” – Mark McKenzie, Maungahina • Semen sold for $500/straw at Maungahina Bull Sale 2022 • Stamped the breed like no other for IMF% at 2.4% highest bull in the breed for IMF, nearest bull is 1.7% $150 RRP
MAUNGAHINA RAMBO R256 (P) (LEOPARD) HOMOZYGOUS POLLED RGF, NT821C
“Maungahina RAMBO: we call him Game Changer. Short gestation, low birth, high yielding in the top 1% for EMA, out of a proven donor cow and being a TT can only have a massive influence in the speckle park breed in the future.” – Mark McKenzie, Maungahina
• A pedigree deep in royalty, from the cow family that produced
Putnam GNK 61Y and sale topper Quarry
MAU Q204
$200 RRP
Volume discounts and commercial prices available, all prices quoted above are for STUD USE, no minimum purchase volume.
$400 RRP
Dale Edwards: dedwards@wwsaustralia.com • 0427 806 672 Geoff Wood: gwood@wwsaustralia.com • 0427 391 355 Dave Gibson: dgibson@wwsaustralia.com • 0427 571 183 Tim Weller: tweller@wwsaustralia.com • 0427 465 490 Annie Edwards: aedwards@wwsaustralia.com • 0490 196 639
