BIEBER RED ANGUS SPRING CATALOG 2016
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BIEBER RED ANGUS BULL DEVELOPMENT
At Bieber Red Angus, we have learned a lot in 47 years
of producing the type of bulls customers come back for
year after year. Stacking the right genetics to produce
efficient and profitable cattle has always been the Bieber
way, but the truth is that there is a lot more to it than
mating the right cows to the right bulls. Developing bulls
is 1/3 skill, 1/3 science and 1/3 art. Feed too much and
cattle get fat and will not hold up for our customers. Feed
wrong and you lose out on a bull expressing his full ge-
netic potential. Every year we have customers tell us how
our bulls stand up better compared to bulls from other
breeders. We are very proud of the longevity these bulls
have under reasonable conditions. Our development
program is designed to accomplish three goals: 1) feed
at a moderate rate of growth to the point of full genetic
expression, 2) develop bulls in a management program
we believe is similar to how our customers will manage
their calves and 3) use feed-stuffs raised on our ranch
that are similar to what we feel our customers will have
access to. The program starts them on a high rough-
age diet (44 Mcal) for the first 45 days to allow calves a
low-stress introduction to bunk feeding and diet change
and to establishing a pecking order. The performance
targets for this receiving phase are expected to be 1.5 to 2
lbs. of average daily gain (ADG). We feel that the receiv-
ing phase is the most important part of our development
program because it prepares the rumen flora to handle
diets with increasing amounts of energy. After the initial
receiving phase, the goal of the program is to slowly
increase diet energy to properly develop muscle density
and marbling deposition while maintaining sound struc-
tural and physiological development. At this point, bulls
are stepped up to a 48-Mcal diet for three weeks and then
a 52-Mcal diet for three weeks with a performance target
of 2.25 to 2.7 lbs ADG.
The final stage of the program is to bring bulls to full
genetic expression and reach a working level of body
condition on a 55-Mcal diet with performance target
of 3.2 to 3.5 lbs. ADG—to bring the customer that high
performance, stylish bull that the Bieber brand is known
for. After the collection of carcass scan data, the bulls
are moved back down to the 48-Mcal diet and kept in a
“holding pattern” through the sale until delivery. When
you look through the catalog you will see many bulls
gaining between 3 and 4 pounds per day. These bulls
are not underfed; yet when you walk through the pens
on sale day these bulls are not fat either. With 47 years
of experience, we have found that elusive balance that
so many others seek to find. We can talk about genetics
all day, but if the bulls are overfed they just won’t stand
up in the long run. The truth is it just makes sense to buy
47 years of experience. If you have questions concern-
ing our bull development program, contact Craig or our
consulting nutritionist Eric Mousel of High Plains Ranch
Management Services 605/690-4974
