Page 7 - MWC 3-10-2022s

The Midwest Cattleman · March 10, 2022 · P7
What’s a Good Bull Worth?

By Mark Z. Johnson, OSU Extension Beef Cattle Breeding Specialist

The question that has been tion. Where exactly in that
asked forever, or at least as range depends on your mar-
long as we have been breed- keting plan and the market
ing cattle with a notion of conditions at that time. Not
trying to make the next gen- an exact number because
eration better. It is a classic there are “many layers to
and timeless question. It is this onion”. One important
an important question. At point illustrated here is that
this time of year, when many the longer you will own the
bulls are being marketed continued on page 17
and we are planning ahead
for spring breeding season, it
is the question that is asked
a lot! Perhaps it is all the
above because it is so chal- Bulls with
lenging to answer.
The Answer
I remember first hearing
the answer nearly 40 years POWER
ago as a student at OSU. “A
good bull is worth the value
of five calves he sires”. I’ve
heard that answer again PEDIGREE
many times over the years. I
believe it is a good answer
and a good rule of thumb & STYLE
to follow, the problem is it
doesn’t exactly narrow down
the range. If we do a little
math, this answer may in fact
lead to more questions. Such DOUBLE A LAND & CATTLE
as ………
When are we marketing Bull and Commercial Female Sale
our Calves? What is their
Value? April 2, 2022 • 1 p.m. CST
According to the most re- Three Cedars Event Center • Nevada, MO
cent USDA Cattle Market
Report:
500 lb. weaned steer calves SELLING APPROXIMATLEY 60 HEAD
(Large, 1) are worth about
$2.00/lb. for a value of $1,000 Age-Advantaged Red Angus Bulls • Yearling Red Angus Bulls
per head. Therefore, if my Select Group of Composite Bulls (Red Angus x Charolais)
future marketing plan is to Elite Open Commercial Red Angus Females
sell weaned steers, $1,000 x
5 = $5,000 is the answer. There is true herd sire potential in these bulls! They have the pedigrees and
875 lb. yearling steers the POWER to make great breeding pieces! They possess impressive phenotype
(Large, 1) are worth about and structural integrity backed by proven genetics! Buy with confidence!
$1.57/lb. for a value of $1,374
per head. Therefore, if my
future marketing plan is to View and
sell yearling steers, $1,374 x Bid Online
5 = $6,869 is the answer.
920 lb. beef carcasses are
worth $2.26/lb. for a value
of $2,079 each. Therefore, if
my future marketing plan is RANCH LOCATION: NEVADA, MO
to retain ownership through DENNIS ALT - (913) 558-7966
finishing and sell fed cat- COLE ABELE - (417) 684-0881
tle on a carcass value basis, 22286 W. 74th St. | Shawnee, KS 66227
$2,079 x 5 = $10,395 is the
answer. dennis@abelealtcattle.com
So, in the current market, a www.doublealandandcattle.com
good bull is worth somewhere facebook.com/DoubleALandAndCattle
between $5,000 - $10,395 to
a commercial cattle opera-