Bull test stations

[aj]

Bull test stations were big 20 years ago. Breeding bulls were fed and tested for average daily gain and whatnot. It seemed like every commercial producer went to a bull test station sale to buy bulls. I wondered if the industry hasn't maxed out gain performance and thus aren't relevent anymore. Then I got to thinking, now the bulls can be tested for gain,ultrasounded for carcass results, tested for effeciency on feed, and all kinds of things. Maybe the bull test deal isn't dead. I think Kansas had tests at Colby,Beloit, anyway. I think Oklahoma has some as well as Colorado. Are there bull test stations in other states and are they relevent today?

 

[showsteerdlux]

NC has a few bull tests. They certainly aren't as large as the western states but we'll be having a couple sales with the bulls that make it around the 1st of the year. Each sale will have about 40 bulls that will have been tested.

 

[Rustynail]

I think that Midland is still one of the biggest Test/sales in the western states.  There is also the Ubia test/sale which has over 150 bulls.  And Wbia which is a little smaller.  These sale concentrate on more of a complete animal than just weight gain. 

 

[CAB]

  In Iowa, the ICA still sponsor bull test stations and sales. The top end bulls sell OK, but they have troubles getting some sold and kick out the lower end. Some of the bulls then go out and melt down from being pushed soo hard. I think that there is a trend to get away from the more or less single trait,(growth), Selection . Brent C.

 

[Cowgurl101]

yeah midland is a pretty big deal still - they do a really good job with the bulls. We bring a couple over every year.

 

[knabe]

cal poly still has a bull test sale.  some of the higher sellers are the poly bulls.  they've had an up and down consignment population over the years.

interesting, this year they had some murray grey's in the sale.  number of cosigners are down from when i was there in the 80's

http://bulltest.calpoly.edu/

poly usually has some of the better looking animals, though there's one weird high hipped one in there.  some ohlde influence in their offerings.  mike hall has known ohlde for decades.

 

[K_State_Katy]

My Dad sales a lot of bull test sales. He does most of the NC sales, Cullpeper in VA, and several others throughout the south east, including some more breed specific such as Bull Power in GA the first few years. They're a pretty sold way to market bulls, the test part and data collection against a consistent contemporary group gets more consistent results and your numbers mean more. The disadvantages are input cost (a bigger problem in the South East than Midwest due to distance grain has to be hauled and land cost), Injury can be a problem, when you put that many bulls together your gonna loose a few. And in the Southeast so many herds have sold out or reduced numbers in the past 2 years, their are more bulls than demand. It's a great place to market your bulls but my suggestion to the south eastern guy....CULL HARD. your top bulls will still sale fine the low end no one wants then tell the market straightens out some...hopefully will eventually. We cut all but one this year in a 90% ET Bull calf crop, we kept the bull out of our best recip, and are going to send him to the Carolton, GA bull test.

 

[simtal]

isn't there a decent sized bull test in GA, Canoochie (sp) forage test?

 

[braunvieh]

There is a bull test facility in Missouri near Nevada called Green Springs bull test. They take all breeds and do a spring and fall bull test sale. They also have the Grow Safe units in place for measuring RFI (feed efficiency). The Braunvieh breed has a national wide breed bull test going on there, and they measure everything imaginable including RFI, which is not offered in many places. There are only 3 ranches in the country (all breeds)  that have the grow safe feeders installed as they are very expensive. Our current test has 125 Braunvieh bulls in test.

 

[BCCC]

. Some of the bulls then go out and melt down from being pushed soo hard.

Thats what we learned when we used to purchase the bulls out of the test stations

 

[ROAD WARRIOR]

I have had the pleasure of working with the Green Springs people a couple of years ago on a multi consignor RA bull test and sale. I thought they did an excelent job of maintaining data and growing the bulls out without stuffing them like fat steers. RW

 

[knabe]

that's a two edged sword.  a bull needs offspring that can perform on feed which is what a bull test indicates.  then he still has to go out and breed.  this is why poly at least put the water on a hill and the feed at the bottom.

 

[linnettejane]

there used to be one in belle valley ohio....i sent one there several years ago....dont know if its still going...

 

[justintime]

We put our bulls through a test period of 128 days. The bulls are fed a very high roughage ration consisting of silage, chopped hay and a 14 % protein pellet. We design a ration that is based on optimum growth, not maximum growth. The good bulls still rise to the top, and they stay atheltic and sound. This year we have 62 bulls on test. Ulrulu also has bulls in this test. We also ultasound all the bulls and provide as much data as we can help the buyers make decisions.This year's bull sale is April 18th

 

[aj]

I googled the Midland bull test deal and they have a nice website. I have heard that if you win this one firms such as ABS might be interested in talking to you. Looks like it was started in 1962. They give out awards for top performing bulls and groups of bulls.Cool!

 

[red]

Ohio still has one I think.