Beef Breeding Bull Performance Tests (Editor’s note: This article was prepared by R. L. Kimble, Director of the Pennsylvania Meat Animal Evaluation Center, Penn sylvania Department of PLAN NOW FOR THE 1975 SEASON Top Dress Small Grain & Postures with LIQUID NITROGEN LET US DO THE JOB ON FROZEN GROUND WE WILL • REVIEW SOIL TESTS • ANALYZE PERT. REQUIREMENTS • ARRANGE FOR FERTILIZER AND PESTICIDE NEEDS INSURE A CROP WITH PROPER FERTILIZATION. I ( BULK ORGANIC itbiaid punt * 5* [ ANHYDROUS AMMONIA j FOOD 00. 2313 Norman Rd., Lancaster, Pa. Ph. 397-5152 to Winter "ss* Feb. 17 and 18 • Quality Parts • Factory Trained Servicemen. 74 MODEL CADETS reduced ssasure We have rototillers, plows, cultivators, disk harrows and planters for mounting on cadets. SPECIAL on all SNOW BLOWERS. Agriculture, and L. L. Wilson, Professor of Animal Science, The Pennsylvania State University.) Whenever we start talking about performance testing COME IN AND SEE OUR LARGE SELECTION. NEW or using performance test records, we hear some of the same comments. I can’t afford to put my better animals on test. Or I don’t think I can afford to pay that much for bull; and perhaps there are a few cases where this may be true. But, in the majority of cases the progressive beef breeder can’t afford not to do these things the way they should be done. Everything we sell -we think is worth the top dollar, and we want the most for our money when we buy anything. This is just sound business. When it comes time to buy or sell a herd sire, we sometimes loose our sense of direction and far too many times, price is the only thing that seems to matter. Last year, of the bulls that were sold through the Meat Animal Evalution Center sale, there was a 19 percent difference between bulls with the lowest weight-day of age and those bulls with the highest weight-day. But within those same bulls there was a 37 percent difference HAY & STRAW SALE EVERY WEDNESDAY AT 12 NOON PAULZ. MARTIN SALES STABLES 2 miles East of Intercourse Sale Managed By HARVEY Z. MARTIN in prices paid for the bulls, depending on their weights per day of age. Let’s look at what this means. It simply means that last year each 1 percent change in weight-day of age represented a 2 percent change in the price paid for that same bull. The average price paid last year was |1252-bull, so another way of saying it would be that each I percent change in weight day of age was worth $25. This means that if a bull was 10 percent above or below average, we were talking about $250. Also keep in mind that these are average figures. On the extreme ends there were far greater dif ferences. For example: in one breed a 1 percent change in weight day of age represented no economic change and in another breed a 1 percent in weight-day of age meant $92. Another way to look at whether you can afford to put a top bull on test is as follows: When Average Daily Gain Was: Over 4.0 Ib.-day, Average Price Paid by Buyer was: Charolais $2500.; when average daily gain was: 3.6 Ib.-day to 4.0 Ib.- day, average price paid by buyer was: Charolais $1614., Simmental $1558.; when average daily gain was: 3.0 Ib.-day to 3.5 Ib.-day, average price paid by buyer was: Angus $1250., Charolais $1013., Simmental $1325.; when average daily gain was: Under 3.0 Ib.-day, average price paid by buyer was; Angus 839. Come Visit Us for Something Hot to Take the Chill Off of Winter and Take Advantage of Our Specials for a Better Year in 1975. 10% CASH DISCOUNT ON ALL PARTS REGISTER FOR DOOR PRIZES CHICKEN CORN SOUP Served From 12:00 to 8 P.M Lancaster Farming, Saturday. Feb. 15,1975 The person who wants to buy a bull has to decide if he can afford to pay more for the higher-performing bulls. There is a pretty logical way to show that calves from these high-performing bulls bring more money. Again let’s refer to the bulls from last year’s test: Within each breed, 2.6 lb. was the average low weight-day of age for individual bulls within the breeds. This is a difference of 0.5 lb. per day. With this trait being about 40 percent heritable we can only say that 0.20 Ib.-day is determined by inheritance and the remainder is due to many other things. We also need to keep in mind that the sire only supplies % of the genes, and therefore the 0.20 Ib.-day is reduced 0.10 Ib.- day which is about the true genetic difference that you could expect to obtain from bulls in the low-performing group compared to bulls from the high-performing group. This doesn’t seem like much, but if you multiply 0.10 Ib.-day times 240 days you will find an additional 24 Ib.-head at weaning. Therefore 50 calves would produce an additional 1200 lbs. at 40 cents-lbs., for a value of $4BO for each year the bull is used. This is a realistic value only for your expected change for pounds of calf weaned. This does not consider the permanent improvement on the female side of a herd, or the more rapid and efficient gains of the calves from weaning to slaughter. This could double MOUNTVILLE, PA PHONE 285-4538 SI. EQUIPMENT SPECIALS 400 PLANTER NO TILL 4,250 00 574 ROW CROP TRACTOR 574 UTILITY STANDARD 570 MANURE SPREADER 430 BALER 990 MOWER CONDITIONER 540 SPREADER 710 PLOW 5 FURROW 18 #55 CHISEL PLOWTRL GOOD USED EQUIPMENT Farmall Cub Cult Mower 51,425.00 Gehl Model 600 C B Forage Harvester with Pickup &N R Crop Unit only $2,850.00 8N Ford with Loader $1,395.00 the true value of the better herd tire. Naturally, the purebred herds using these high-performing bulls can also expect to have higher performance in their calves, and should be able to sell their bull calves at a better price. The main point we’re trying to make is that if used properly, performance records have to be one ot me best tools to use in your breeding program. We realize that the agricultural economy is not presently conducive to selling, but there is no doubt that the progressive cattle breeder will be able to get more excellent genetic potential, for dollars spent this year, than he has for a long time. Don’t forget Penn sylvania’s 2nd Performance Tested Bull Sale on Friday, March 29, 1975 at 12 noon. The sale will be at the Meat Animal Evaluation Center, Penn State University. Charolais bulls will be sold first this year, followed by- Angus, Polled Hereford, Hereford, Shorthorn, Sim mental, Chianina, Limousin and Maine Anjou. The bulls on test this year have per formed very well, and are an exceptional set; ready to go to work to improve Penn sylvania cow herds. TRY A CLASSIFIED AD! 23 2.875.00 3.250.00 3.400.00 1.840.00 3.360.00 1.525.00
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