Whether it's your first time buying a bull, or you're a seasoned pro, you'll know it's not a decision to be taken lightly. Many ranchers take the opportunity to review their cow herd and their operations as a whole, before shopping for bulls. By examining what went well, and what didn't, it's easier to see what you want from your herd in the future, and how a new bull might impact the next breeding season.
There's a lot more to be taken into consideration when searching for bulls for sale, and here are some practical tips to help you get the best out of your money.
Understand Your Environment
Try to get a good understanding of the natural resources available to you, as well as any constraints with respect to time, money and labor. In an ideal world, the cows should be working for the ranchers, and not the other way around. With today's modern life placing more demands on cattlemen than ever before, it's not unusual for them to have other jobs as well, or even other businesses, all of which demand more of their time, money and mental energy. Having a simpler style of management that allows the cow herd to get on and do their thing will almost certainly benefit them in the long run, and leave you with more free time to pursue other ventures or maintain other responsibilities.
You should also think about the age of the bulls you want when considering your environment, and whether you want to buy yearlings, or bulls that are a little older at 18 months to two years.
With increasing pressure on ranchers to boost performance, doing it in a smart way is the best approach. If you're trying to increase weaning weights from the previous year, for instance, it makes more sense to do it through genetic selection, and by observing the cows when mating. If you want to increase performance, focus on the type and size of cows that will work best in your environment, from both a genetic and a phenotypic standpoint.
Think Carefully About Your Marketing Plan
Nowadays, in the cutthroat beef and dairy industry, the role of the bull is about more than simply breeding successfully with the cow or heifer. For them to be profitable, your business model must fit with their progeny. Think about how you're marketing your cattle, are you doing it directly to consumers through a sale barn, or do you have a direct relationship with a feedlot? Being in direct contact with the people who buy your speckle park calves and cattle gives you access to valuable feedback that you can use to enhance your herd and the overall quality of your operations. With consumers demanding a product that's of a much higher quality than ever before, knowing what is working for your customers and what isn't can help you make informed decisions about mating, make any corrections that may be needed, and ultimately, stay one step ahead of your competitors.
Keep The Bigger Picture In Mind
Always try to keep the bigger picture in mind when buying a bull, and ask yourself whether there are any changes you need to make to your existing system, and if so, how can you do it so that the cattle still fit comfortably into your environment. Don't forget that if you do make changes, your marketing plan may need to be adapted to match those changes.