bulls

[pandiana]

I would agree that a 'fair price' is more likely to be found at a private treaty sale. My definition of a fair price is that which compensates the purebred breeder for all that homework that you speak about. We have acknowledged the importance of udders, feet and legs earlier in this thread. We are in total agreement. As I am sure you are aware, the extensive use of a poor bull in a purebred or commercial herd can do serious damage. The damage is not as extensive when using a terminal sire where all calves are sold. However, in purebred operations or commercial operations where replacements are kept it may take 5-7 years before you realize your mistake as your replacements come on line and feet or udders start to break down. This places a tremendous responsibility on purebred breeders to do their homework. Cow families are as important as good bulls in the production of superior genetics. Superior genetics is what the cattle industry is paying for when buying a registered bull.

An advantage of using AI sires is that many progeny, maybe hundreds, are available in a short period of time from which proofs are gathered as to their value. The bull and cow family may reside in another country, but you can be sure somebody has seen them at home or a show and are more than willing to share their assessment. Although bad feet and udders are not always evaluated by an EPD, it doesn't take long for this information to surface when talking to breeders that have used them. Also, as pointed out earlier, there are numerous parameters that must be juggled besides feet and udders. Serious cattlemen demand quality phenotype, performance, carcass value, predictabilty as well as calving ease. Bull pricing should reflect this effort.

[cowman]

You are probably right when you say a "fair" price compensates the breeder for all the work he has done, but in the real world a fair price is whatever he sells for in an auction. This is by and large how the commercial industry works. If there isn't sufficient compensation for your work you quit...that goes for purebred as well as commercial. Whether purebred or commercial we all got to make a buck and we do that by becoming more efficient. I have come to believe a lot of the purebred business is smoke and mirrors and not really based on the real world. Take a look at how the hog industry has evolved with a couple of big companies supplying all of the breeding stock....and they are very predictable genetics. Of course the cattle business is more varied and it probably has to be because of the different conditions they are raised under.
I do believe the beef industry is due for a change soon if we are to survive and compete with other meats. For the straight commercial man this would be buying a uniform package of predictable F1 heifers and using a terminal sire with all calves going to slaughter after being fed to the same finish. For this to work we need large integrated breeding stock companies and I guess there goes the independent purebreed breeder. This isn't something we should fight as it is the future, as it was in the hog and chicken business. It will be a big change and a lot of people will not be able or willing to change and that's okay because then they can move on to something else they might enjoy more. I think I will choose to quit but then I'm older and ready for retirement anyway.

[pandiana]

For those wanting another perspective on bulls, I would certainly recommend the article by Sean McGrath, 'Tools for Sire Selection' Sept 5, 2001 under the News Stand. Right on!. Also, another article by Tom Brink, ContiBeef, Breed Associations are Unsung Heroes at http://www.cattleinfonet.com/emerge/points to the changing beef industry and some things that will be required for progressive breeders to stay on top.