Although the recent slip in calf prices may require cow-calf producers to sell more heifer calves than planned and forgo herd expansion, many producers will still keep a significant percentage of replacement females in order to maintain herd inventory.

When one begins the process of selecting bulls to produce replacement heifers, or bulls to be service sires of replacement heifers, a number of criteria come to mind.

The old management adage “If you don’t measure it, you can’t improve it” holds true for many beef production traits. It is especially true for dystocia or calving difficulty.

Recently, there have been dramatic increases in input costs for feed, fertilizer and fuel which have again narrowed profit margins of many cow-calf producers and others in the beef value chain.

As the winter and spring bull-buying season approaches, seedstock purchasers should do their homework to help ensure the bulls they purchase this year meet their needs.

High supplemental feed costs, and in some areas persistent drought, should motivate producers to evaluate their feed resources and management plans heading into the fall and winter months.