Source: Oklahoma Farm radio network
Mark Johnson, Oklahoma State University Extension Beef Cattle Breeding Specialist, offers herd health advice as part of the weekly series known as the “Cow Calf Corner,” published electronically by Dr. Peel, Mark Johnson, and Paul Beck. Today, Johnson talks about the value of a good bull.
The spring bull buying season is here it’s time to revisit the age old question. The question has been asked forever, or at least as long as we have been breeding cattle with a notion of trying to make the next generation better. It is a classic and timeless question. It is an important question. At this time of year, when many bulls are being marketed and we are planning ahead for spring breeding season, it is a question that is asked a lot!
The Answer
It depends on your herd strategy. Dr. Johnson says a “good bull” has to have the right EPDs for your operation and must pass the breeding soundness checks that are available these days. THEN- it’s all about how you plan to market your calves/yearlings- or if you retain ownership.
Johnson offers details on all of that and concludes “in the current market, a good bull is worth somewhere between $7,710 – $12,075 to a commercial cattle operation. Where exactly in that range depends on your marketing plan and the market conditions at that time. Not an exact number because there are many variables in play.”
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