Bull Sales, How to Prepare

Mon 04 Mar, 2013

Bull Sales, How to Prepare

The DeBruycker annual bull sale is happening on April 6th. This time of year, many breeders are marketing their bulls the best way they know how, but as a buyer, what should you be looking for?

First, you should know what your operation needs in order to produce. This determines your objectives and helps you choose what bulls to look at and ultimately buy. Budget is an obvious consideration, but so are traits, performance, and quality. When looking for a bull to fulfill the requirements of your herd and operation, you need to be clear on what those needs are, and then prioritize them. You can be certain you will be asked to make trade-offs among them when it comes time to make a purchase.

When looking at the ads and other marketing materials for bulls, there should be a balance between photos and data. A photo (or video), like they say, is worth a thousand words and can tell you a lot about the animals you're considering. But data is more objective and easier to do a side-by-side comparison when making choices. However, you can also quantify the information conveyed in photos if you know what criteria you are using to judge the animals. Things such as the correctness of lines, straightness of legs, or thickness of muscle can be rated on a scale (such as 1 to 3, 5, or 10) to compare one animal to another.

You also want to look at the traits you've chosen to target and compare them not just to other animals but to breed and herd averages. This can help you focus on fulfilling your objectives and not get carried away with competing for the "best" animal. The best Charolais bull for you is one that helps your operation produce and be profitable.

Good marketing will attract attention, but good bulls, like those of DeBruycker Charolais, will attract buyers. Know how to look at ads and other marketing materials for the information that is important to your operation. You will find some that don't have enough information for you and others that have information but not the right type. With your criteria determined ahead of time, you'll be better able to look for the relevant data and dismiss the marketing fluff.

The pre-sale information on DeBruycker Charolais bulls is available online. This sale takes place in Great Falls, Mont., and will be broadcast online at Superior Livestock Auctions. Make your preparations today to be able to bid in the sale and fulfill your operation's objectives.