Fri, Nov 27 2009
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Published January 30, 2009 11:22 am - There’s not a beef producer in the country who hasn’t hoped on sale day that his calves top the market. It takes a lot of pieces to complete the puzzle. Things such as good cows, good management, good grass and a good vaccination and weaning program. Farm: Selecting bulls vital to cow herd success From Farm Talk Newspaper
news@joplinglobe.com There’s not a beef producer in the country who hasn’t hoped on sale day that his calves top the market. It takes a lot of pieces to complete the puzzle. Things such as good cows, good management, good grass and a good vaccination and weaning program. There is one piece of the puzzle, however, that is absolutely essential — the right bull. When it comes to bull power, Tom Troxel, University of Arkansas animal science professor, said producers need to look at a variety of questions. “When it comes to sire selection we all have our own opinions,” he told producers at the recent Oklahoma State University Beef Cattle Conference held in Dewey, Okla. The thing to remember, according to him, is that a cow impacts half the genetics of one calf per year. “A bull on the other hand impacts half the genetics of 25 to 30 calves per year,” he explained. “Therefore, bull genetic management is 25 to 30 times more important than cow genetic management.” So, how should a producer go about selecting the right bull? “You can talk about a number of things when looking at the right breed of bull,” he said. “But, the time has come to look for the right type of bull, not the right breed of bull.” As producers look at selecting bulls they can look at a number of considerations, including muscling, frame, milk, calving ease, etc. “Instead of looking for certain qualities of a bull you need to look for balance,” Troxel explained. “Look at maternal traits plus growth traits. Never select a bull on one trait.” For producers, there are a number of things to help them decide what type of bull to use. “You can listen to your neighbor, look at magazine ads, visit the local sale barn and look at bulls and sire summaries,” he explained. But before doing that, Troxel told producers they needed to first look at themselves, their environment and their business. 
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