Buying Stock Bulls

Just interested to know how much people pay for stock bulls, or rather, what they feel is acceptable to pay? Not being too nosey, just it's always interesting to hear some people say they never pay more than just above killing money, whereas other will happily give £10,000+ for a good one. Do more expensive bulls pay back the initial extra outlay?
 

Hampton

Member
BASIS
Location
Shropshire
I can't see the benefit of paying more than 4k for a commercial herd. I don't think you see a great deal of benefit above this figure for calves off cross bred cows.
I paid 5k for my last one and it is the biggest mistake I have made (he had a low sex drive although nothing wrong with his sperm. He then got occitis from a cow treading on his balls and became infertile!) he lasted 2 season before I had to sell him fat for £1200.
I would definitely insure if I paid more than 3k in the future.
 

shearerlad

Member
Livestock Farmer
I would say there is no right or wrong answer to this question. It depends on your situation and system.
I know that Dad paid 3000gns in 1986 and 4500 gns in 1996 for bulls, they both lasted 10 years and probably sired 600 ish calves each. With inflation that roughy works out at 9000 in today's money.
On the other side, one of our current stock bulls was bought for 1800gns 4 years ago, good stock getter and calves are reasonable. Sold a prime bullock of his few weeks ago for £1730.
 
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Henarar

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Somerset
Just interested to know how much people pay for stock bulls, or rather, what they feel is acceptable to pay? Not being too nosey, just it's always interesting to hear some people say they never pay more than just above killing money, whereas other will happily give £10,000+ for a good one. Do more expensive bulls pay back the initial extra outlay?
No shop around, as with all things some just trade on there name some justified some not
 

bovine

Member
Location
North
Buy a bull of known breeding - with established EBVs, especially for calving ease. I've seen a number of cases where people have bought a 'cheap' bull and after the 15th caesarian (on a farm that averaged one every 3 years) they were thinking he was quite an expensive bull.....

Usual caveats - only buy a virgin bull. Check for disease status (so that it matches your herd). Ensure some sort of Johne's monitoring (particularly in Lims). Preferably semen tested with a certificate and some kind of guarantee.
 
Buy a bull of known breeding - with established EBVs, especially for calving ease. I've seen a number of cases where people have bought a 'cheap' bull and after the 15th caesarian (on a farm that averaged one every 3 years) they were thinking he was quite an expensive bull.....

Usual caveats - only buy a virgin bull. Check for disease status (so that it matches your herd). Ensure some sort of Johne's monitoring (particularly in Lims). Preferably semen tested with a certificate and some kind of guarantee.

These are the general criteria I use when selecting a bull, certainly regards the EBV's and health status. I'm not saying that its better if bulls are cheap as the calves out of them have a lower sire cost, just interested to know generally what commercial herd owners would give.
 
I can't see the benefit of paying more than 4k for a commercial herd. I don't think you see a great deal of benefit above this figure for calves off cross bred cows.
I paid 5k for my last one and it is the biggest mistake I have made (he had a low sex drive although nothing wrong with his sperm. He then got occitis from a cow treading on his balls and became infertile!) he lasted 2 season before I had to sell him fat for £1200.
I would definitely insure if I paid more than 3k in the future.

Interesting, would most people insure their bulls do you think?
 

milkloss

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
East Sussex
Buy a bull of known breeding - with established EBVs, especially for calving ease. I've seen a number of cases where people have bought a 'cheap' bull and after the 15th caesarian (on a farm that averaged one every 3 years) they were thinking he was quite an expensive bull.....

Usual caveats - only buy a virgin bull. Check for disease status (so that it matches your herd). Ensure some sort of Johne's monitoring (particularly in Lims). Preferably semen tested with a certificate and some kind of guarantee.

Call me stupid but why a virgin bull? Isn't there some merit in buying a bull that has shown his worth on farm and is being moved on for valid reasons? Provided herd health is ok obviously
 

Henarar

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Somerset
These are the general criteria I use when selecting a bull, certainly regards the EBV's and health status. I'm not saying that its better if bulls are cheap as the calves out of them have a lower sire cost, just interested to know generally what commercial herd owners would give.
Most 3k least well how much would it cost to rear one to 18 months
 

bovine

Member
Location
North
Can bulls be tested for this? And if so can it be cured?
You can test. It requires sheath washings from the bull - so needs to be reasonably compliant. Can be treated with penicillin into the sheath and into the muscle. After treatment a further sample needs to be taken to ensure the infection has cleared.

Older vets used to stick a bottle up the sheath and a bottle IM in the olden days when bull hiring (a disgusting practice IMO) was more common. I'm aware of farms where the speculative treatment didn't work.

A virgin bull removes all the expense and hassle.
 

spanners

Member
Good bull might leave £500k of progeny in its life. But you wont buy feck all that will last that long. have to breed your own bulls to have any success with it
 
Been thinking about this for a week now!

I'm a simple commercial breeder last 2 bulls cost £5500. Interested in one that is £7500 at the moment. Is that too much? Looks a bloody good bull to me. If I'm lucky and he sires 200 calves that means he has cost £30 sire cost presuming he comes to £1500 dead!

Or

5 fat cattle are worth £7500
 

Hampton

Member
BASIS
Location
Shropshire
Been thinking about this for a week now!

I'm a simple commercial breeder last 2 bulls cost £5500. Interested in one that is £7500 at the moment. Is that too much? Looks a bloody good bull to me. If I'm lucky and he sires 200 calves that means he has cost £30 sire cost presuming he comes to £1500 dead!

Or

5 fat cattle are worth £7500

How man cows have you got? Insurance prem on that bull would be about £600 per year. How many years would it take him to serve 200 cows?
Personally I think if you have good cows then you only need a good bull if you are commercial, rather than an exceptional one.
I also think that many very good bulls are a damn site cheaper at auction than they are privately, but that is a separate story!
 

Henarar

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Somerset
Been thinking about this for a week now!

I'm a simple commercial breeder last 2 bulls cost £5500. Interested in one that is £7500 at the moment. Is that too much? Looks a bloody good bull to me. If I'm lucky and he sires 200 calves that means he has cost £30 sire cost presuming he comes to £1500 dead!

Or

5 fat cattle are worth £7500
what about the cost to keep him
 
Been thinking about this for a week now!

I'm a simple commercial breeder last 2 bulls cost £5500. Interested in one that is £7500 at the moment. Is that too much? Looks a bloody good bull to me. If I'm lucky and he sires 200 calves that means he has cost £30 sire cost presuming he comes to £1500 dead!

Or

5 fat cattle are worth £7500


trust your gut, if it feels like the right thing go for it. if it worries you, dont
 
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