Next week is your last chance to get a PCC® bull for the spring breeding season.  On Monday, April 20th, we’ll be selling 193 Angus, Red Angus, Hereford and Composite bulls in Burlington, CO. 

If you’re in the market for a bull, you’re probably blown away by the prices this spring.  Average costs are running north of $12,000!  That sounds crazy; however, that is consistent with the rule of thumb:  a bull costs the price of 5 steer calves.

You may also be blown away with the amount of information available to help you make your choice.  It’s easy to look at the catalog and quick sort program and get bogged down.  You can sort for EPD’s, calving ease, carcass quality, disposition, heart failure risk, tenderness, and a whole host of other traits.  Some customers get lost in the weeds with their sort, selecting only a few top end bulls that they can’t afford. 

However, you can simplify your choice by narrowing down one trait that encompasses many others:  Masculinity.  This is Kit Pharo’s number one trait when evaluating and organizing bulls in the catalog.  A masculine bull has a thick neck with an obvious crest, a short, thick bull head, and well-developed reproductive characteristics.  He will show thickness and muscling that has been bred-in, not fed-in.  Masculinity is indicative of early maturity, moderate frame size, fertility, and fleshing ease.  

There are many traits you could sort for, so choose wisely, but remember, you get what you pay for.  Make sure your quick-sort list matches your budget.  If you could only select for one trait, choose one that looks like a bull.  You will not go too far wrong with a masculine bull for your next herd sire. I’ll see you next time on the Herd Quitter® Minute.