Bulls, bulls, bulls

Hello!

I wanted to share my experience at a Local Simmental farm recently. I was invited by a friend to help test some young bulls before their December auction.

This farm runs a bull test every year in order to select their top bulls for their bull sale in December. The bull test consists of a feed trial and then a series of measurements (including ultrasound (US) to measure carcass traits) used for genetic and phenotypic evaluation of these bulls.

Measurements include:
- US of rump to measure fat cover of carcass (at site of bicep femoris inserts)
- US of ribeye size (latissimus dorsi over the 12th and 13th rib)
- US of marbling and fat cover over ribs (11th, 12th, 13th ribs)
- Hip height in cm
- Scrotal circumference in cm
- Weigh in lbs and kg
- Aesthetics - manliness, uniqueness, gait, etc.

There were about 30 bulls about 18 moa. Herded them into a head gait, US then into another shoot to weigh and measure. Then after they were all done, having them walk around a concrete pen with hay and just taking a look and comparing them.

:)

Getting good at measuring the scrotal circumference

US probe

I am pretty inexperienced with beef and ESPECIALLY bulls so this was a great learning experience. I also have very little experience with the US. It is definitely a learned skill that takes a long time to master.

We are looking at fat cover, marbling, and ribeye sizes because this is genetic and a good breeding bull should have complimenting genetics to their prospective cows.

This breed has a direct relationship between scrotal circumference and fertility. 35 cm is poor and 42 is excellent. The more you know!

There is such a thing as a "girly" looking bull. It takes a practiced eye to see but I did start to see what they were taking about. Similar to tom cats. They just look manly...

I encourage questions and comments.
I did see there was a request for more prevet school material. I will see what i can do!