By waltersmith Angus bull breeding is a hectic but fruitful process. This can be beneficial in the long term if you do it right as Dark Corner Cattle does.
According to the American Angus Association, over 320,000 head of Angus cattle are registered each year, making it the most popular beef breed in the United States.
So how would you decide which one to choose? Keep reading.
Choosing the Proper Bull
Breed choice of the potential breeding bull has the greatest influence on your genotype improvement, generality, and profitability of your herd. Suitable bull can increase growth rates, carcass characteristics, fertility, and to some extent temperament of your cattle. On the other hand, it means that choosing the wrong type results in the creation of low-quality offspring and long-term financial damages. Hence, it is relevant that more time and effort be devoted to the choice of the right bull.
The following are some of the important factors to consider when choosing a black Angus bull:
1. Pedigree and Genetic History
The breeding history of a bull predicts its ancestry and possible capabilities of producing high-quality offspring. Going through the family health history assists in identifying the inherited characteristics in terms of possible advantages and disadvantages. Key points to consider include:
– Sire and Dam: Give a brief on the performance of the bull’s parents. The bulls and dams from the previous generations with desirable characteristics of the breed will produce these qualities in their offspring.
– Progeny Records: In case these records are available, examine the records of performance of the previous litter by that bull. This can help to establish that bull and a certain degree of breeding efficiency can be realized.
2. Performer Information and Forecasted live Offspring Variations (EPVs)
EPDs are based on a bull’s breeding values, which reflect the bull’s predicted transmitting ability of certain traits to his offspring. They are essential in decision-making when breeding is to be conducted. Important EPD traits to consider include: Important EPD traits to consider include:
– Birth Weight: Calving difficulties may be minimized by having limbs from lower birth weights.
– Weaning and Yearling Weight: Signs of potential: GROWTH.
– Carcass Traits: Going by its name, marbling is a main factor in meat quality, followed by the ribeye area and fat thickness.
– Maternal Traits: Milking ability and ability to calve easily for the female offspring.
3. Conformation and Physical Characteristics
A simple physical checkup must be performed on the bull so as to determine its ability to meet the requirement of the breed in terms of conformation. Look for the following:
– Muscle and Frame: A good breeding bull should also have developed muscles and the right formation of the body’s structure.
– Feet and Legs: The house has sound feet and legs that are very essential in ensuring movement and the length of the building.
– Scrotal Circumference: A fertility predictor; men with a big size of scrotum have been proven to produce good quality semen as compared to small scrotal measured circumferences.
4. Health and Fertility
In a breeding program, a healthy and tested fertile bull cannot be overemphasized in making a breeding program a success. Consider the following:
– Health Records: Check that the bull has no hereditary ailments and the status of its health should be a clean bill of health.
– Breeding Soundness Exam (BSE): An overall body check by a vet which includes a checkup of the general body health and the reproductive organs.
Choice of a Registered Black Angus Bull
1. Define Your Breeding Goals
Before commencing the selection program, it is very important to identify and state the objectives that you want your breeding program to accomplish. Change can be towards better carcass quality, rate of growth, or even fertility; having these goals will help to narrow down the range of decisions made.
2. Research and Gather Information
Invest adequate effort in trying to get as much information on available bulls as possible. Some of the databases that should be used include the American Angus Association database, sale catalogs, and the online registry.
3. Visit Farms and Sales
If possible, go and see the farms and also fellow cattle sales to have real-life experience of the bulls. This lets one have a closer look at the major physical features and conformational characteristics together with the car. Speak with breeders and inquire further regarding the bulls that they have.
4. Assess the EPDs and Performance Records
Be particular when it comes to the EPDs, as well as the records of a bull that is being considered. For this purpose, these data points should be compared with the breeding goals in order to find the best matches out of all available.
5. Conduct a Physical Examination
Carry out a vigorous physical examination of the bull. You should observe its general body conformation, muscling, feet and legs, and also the scrotal circumference. Make sure that the bull has the phenotypical characteristics that are defined by the breeding plan.
6. Check Your Systematic Over and Fertility Report
Check when the bull was last tested for BAS and make a point of checking on his health history. Ensure that the bull has no contracted diseases, he is healthy as well as in the right health stage to reproduce.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
1. Overlooking EPDs
This consequently means that relying on the visual appraisal of the rams with little regard for the EPDs is likely to come with poor breeding results. Essentials of Phenotype Distance can be summarized to mean the following: EPDs give important genetic information that cannot be seen with the naked eye.
2. Neglecting Health and Fertility
Picking on the appearance of the bull to breed with it, without getting a health and fertility certificate can lead to cases of unsuccessful breeding and more losses.
3. Ignoring Breeding Goals
Unfortunately, you will never have precisely what you want because you lack clarity of purpose or breeding objectives, and you may choose the wrong bull, and slow down your herd’s genetic improvement.
Conclusion
Choosing the most breedable Black Angus Bull is an exhaustive process but with the right guidance like Dark Corner Cattle, you can choose YOUR Black Angus Bull and be a happy and satisfied owner.
