Reproduction

The 101 bulls that were examined during the bull breeding soundness (BSE) clinics resulted in 89 satisfactory potential breeders and 12 bulls had significant problems.

Preventing a “draft bust” in quarterback selection is the first step to build a winning team, says Pfizer Animal Health veterinarian Jason Osterstock.

But the genetic epidemiologist isn’t talking about football or the gridiron; he’s analyzing sire selections for beef cattle herds.

Beef producers don’t want to miss out on profit potential when it comes to selection and performance of breeding bulls, according to a Texas AgriLife Extension Service beef cattle specialist.

Look at it this way: Forage efficiency in cattle means more cash in a producer’s pocket and higher margins for feedlot operators.

Bull shopping season is underway for many area cow-calf operators. Catalogs are starting to appear in the mail or online and considerable thought should be going into the genetic needs of a producer’s herd’s before setting out to a sale according to Eldon Cole, a livestock specialist with University of Missouri Extension.

As the winter and spring bull-buying season approaches, seedstock purchasers should do their homework to help ensure the bulls they purchase this year meet their needs.