by Joey Bailey
As winter begins to loosen its grip and spring edges closer, ranchers prepare for one of the most critical times of the year — bull sale season. For cattle producers, purchasing the right bull is one of the most significant investments they will make. A bull contributes 50% of the genetics to every calf crop, meaning that selecting a high-quality sire can improve herd health, growth rates, carcass quality, and overall profitability. The ranching community understands this well, and as sale season arrives, buyers do their homework to ensure they make the best choices.
Bull sales range from private treaty sales to high-energy auctions. These sales typically feature bulls from respected breeders who spend years refining their herds. It may sound a little high-tech, but buyers evaluate bulls based on Expected Progeny Differences (EPDs), structural soundness, disposition, and physical conformation. Many sales also include video previews, online bidding, and extensive data on performance and maternal traits. To put it simply, it requires a lot of research and knowledge to find the right bull for your goals as a rancher.
This past weekend, in between basketball games we traveled to South Dakota and Nebraska to look at several farms for bulls. Our ranch is a little different because we focus on raising calves from our top cows using embryo transfer. Most of our calves grow up to be show heifers. Our goal was to purchase a bull that could not only improve our herd but also produce semen to sell to other ranchers.
The author with newly acquired Herbster Dynamic.
We ended up purchasing a very exciting yearling bull named Herbster Dynamic. Officially, we will call him Dynamic, but his farm name will be Herbie. He was exactly what we were looking for. He has performance and looks and is as sound as a thoroughbred horse on the move!
Herbie will head to the bull stud soon to get a jump start on producing semen to sell and we are very excited to use him this summer on our cows in North Dakota.
Bull sale season is an exciting and crucial time for ranchers to improve their herds. Whether you're a seasoned cattle producer or a newcomer to the industry, taking the time to research, plan, and select the right genetics can pay dividends for years to come. As the auctioneer’s chant echoes through sale barns and ranches across the state, one thing is certain — quality bulls help build great herds.
Joey is the Director of Organizational Development for NDFB and ranches with her family in north central North Dakota.