Adding a purebred bull to a cattle farmers' inventory is undoubtedly a way to enhance production. But there are numerous factors to consider when mulling over the idea of purchasing a bull. Dona Funk, a University of Missouri Extension Livestock Specialist, said that the most important consideration in a bull purchase is knowing what the needs are for your herd. She recommends determining the goals of the herd. "Are you trying to improve something like milking ability or growth rate?" she asked. Aim for purchasing a well rounded bull — but one that will enhance areas of weakness within your farming operation. She also recommends looking through online or print catalogs — and do your research before ever arriving at a sale.
Brett Barham, Assistant Professor for Breeding and Genetics at the University of Arkansas, agreed that a well-thought plan of where you want your herd to go in the future is very important.
"The act of buying a bull has to start long before making a trip to a sale or farm to make the purchase." Once you've decided on the strengths that your new bull should have, Barham recommended getting a copy of a sire summary for the breed of bull you're interested in. Try to find bulls that are above average for your desired traits.
Barham continued that, "Once a producer starts to look at bulls, I generally recommend sorting out the bulls that fit the EPD requirements first, then visually inspecting them and find the bulls that fit best visually and performance-wise." And also, buy from a seller with a good reputation — someone you believe you can trust. He added, "Sellers that offer options to market the offspring of the purchased bull or are even willing to buy them back are obviously confident in their genetics."
When looking for characteristics of a good bull to buy — including the specifics you need for your breed — Funk recommended to "look at everything." She added that, "Unlike cows which have only one calf per year, a bull sires many calves. Think about his soundness. He has a big job to do, make sure he can do it." Barham said to look for a bull with "good muscling, structure and temperament. A heavy muscled bull will produce heavier muscled calves which are more valuable."
Another crucial component of a bull is his genetics. Funk said, "Figure out how to use EPD's and if you don't know, call your University of Missouri livestock specialist for a crash course. (Or re-read the EPD article on page 44.) EPD's are our best source for determining how a bull's offspring are going to do." Barham added, "Purebred breeders will be much more concerned about pedigrees than a commercial producer. If the bull fits the buyer's needs — that might be enough." But depending on your needs and the make-up of your herd, genetics may play a more important role.
Some of the peripheral considerations when buying the bull — aside from the bull itself are things like location of the sales, travel, hauling the animals, etc.
"Think about how far you'd be willing to take a bull back if there was a problem," Funk said.
Barham added that, "There are some benefits to buying local. The bulls are already adapted to the climate." It's probably good to have an established relationship with the seller if you're traveling cross-country to look at the bulls he's selling — otherwise the trip could end disappointingly.
There are frequent sales in the spring — usually every weekend. See the Ozarks Farm & Neighbor Auction Block on page 59.
As some final recommendations, Barham said that the important traits are the ones that will produce higher selling calves, and make your life easier (like temperament). Also, buy as early as possible to give the bull time to adjust to the new environment. And try to buy from a breeder who will guarantee your bull.
Funk concluded with, "Look for traits that are important to you." She added that buying a bull is no small thing — it's an investment. Don't be afraid to call a breeder that you haven't bought from in the past. Many breeders will sell directly off their farm and will let people come to the farm and look at the bulls."
