No bull: Angus beast sells for $92,000 at auction
An angus bull has sold for an eye-watering $92,000 after two buyers pooled their resources to bag the beast. Read it on Stuff here Read more
Sold for $104,000
It was a huge night for the Powdrell family from Turiroa Angus near Wairoa last night when one of their rising two-year-old bulls sold for a New Zealand high price of $104,000. Click the heading to read the article. Read more
Bringing your new bull home
Bulls are a large investment, so spend a little time making sure they adjust to their new environment, are fit, free from disease and actively working. • Consult with your veterinarian and draw up a policy for treating bulls and schedule an annual BBSE pre mating.
Selecting a bull – Physical tributes
Herd fertility has a major impact on returns in a commercial beef herd. In economic terms, a 1% increase in herd fertility is equivalent to approximately a 10% rise in growth rate. Fertility within a herd is influenced by four major factors: • Reproductive soundness of bulls • Structural soundness • Management • Genetics
How much should you pay for a bull?
What difference would a bull with a +30 kg EBV for 400 Day Weight make as a terminal sire in a commercial herd? The sire and dam each contribute 50% of the genes to their offspring. The sire has an EBV advantage of +30kg and we will assume the dam has no influence (i.e. 0kg … Read more How much should you pay for a bull?
Do EBVs work?
Trials are occasionally carried out to validate Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs), to prove that what they are predicting is actually happening on commercial farms. This involves matching the expected performance on farm (the EBV) to the actual performance for a given trait. An outcome of the Beef + Lamb New Zealand Genetics Beef Progeny Test … Read more Do EBVs work?
Selecting a bull – Genetic information
EBVs are in real units for several economically relevant traits. • Use the breed averages to compare the given bull’s EBV for the trait you are looking at. • Compare breed averages to the Percentile Bands Table to see where the bull ranks within its breed. • If in doubt, use the EBV graph. • … Read more Selecting a bull – Genetic information
Where your breeder goes, you go
Is the breeder making real progress? The bull breeder’s breeding programme should be clear, easily explained and backed up by good records and clear facts. It is important to ask questions to establish the genetic merit of the herd and whether genetic progress is being made in the traits that are of interest to you.
Setting Breeding Objectives
Which traits contribute to production and profitability? What emphasis should you place on each trait when selecting breeding stock? Setting a breeding objective can be as simple as choosing a breed, or more sophisticated such as increasing weaning weight.
Breeding values: your tool for looking under the hood of your next sire
There’s no doubt that when you’re buying a bull, his physical and structural soundness must be factored in. But what you can’t see is just as important. Using breeding values allow you to see ‘under the hood’ of an animal. You can see his weak points and his strengths to decide if he’s the right fit for your herd. In this presentation,
Performance Recording Problems
Matt Reynolds, Breed Development Officer of Angus Australia talks about how to maximise the quality of your records
