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Woodhill Farms 23rd Annual Production Bull Sale, April 13, 2013
The Right Bull
“Which bull is the best one in this sale?” is a question often asked. Dr. Scott Greiner of Virginia Tech
suggests rather that the question to ask is, “Which is the right bull for my operation?” He says that
genetic improvement in commercial herds is most effectively accomplished by proper sire selection.
Further, he advises to focus on a few traits that are a priority rather than trying to change many traits at
the same time.
The first step in the priority process, Dr. Greiner suggests, is simply to define the objectives and goals
of production and marketing. Will the bull breed heifers, mature cows, or both? Is the plan to sell calves
at weaning, to retain ownership, or to background? Will replacement females be retained in the herd?
Next, consider the situation in which your cattle must function and appraise the management resources
available to you. Keep in mind that any shortfall in management will limit performance to some extent.
Put another way, a deficient environment limits genetic expression, diminishing returns on the invest-
ment in genetic advancement. Greiner cites the example of an operation marketing weaned calves
where optimum early growth is essential for maximum profit. Early growth requires milk. Cows bred to
produce that milk will fall short of their genetic potential without sufficient feed resources.
Having established priorities, use the EPDs available for traits of economic importance. Decide which
of them is most important in your operation and set some benchmarks for what you need. Keep in mind
that pursuit of a single trait can come at a cost in other traits. Pursuit of high yearling growth, for exam-
ple, may come at the cost of increasing birth weight.
In summary, Dr. Greiner says that with proper strategy you can find the right bull. Whether that bull is
the most popular or at the top of the sale order is not relevant. Your needs are your needs. What other
buyers may need or want could well be the wrong bull for you.
(This piece is condensed from an article by Dr. Greiner and included in the sale book with his kind permission)
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