Page 20 - DVAuction Online Catalogs

Wann Ranch Eleventh Annual Production Sale

• 18

Wann Ranch

Science and Se se

Bulls Bulls Bulls

Eighteen-month-old bulls are the basis of what we

strive to produce. The purpose of these bulls is to breed

cows and pass along high genetic value. There are four

main components of a bull: genetic value, fertility, health

and proper nutritional development. Today we feel we

are pretty good at all four.

Earlier in this sale book we discussed how we use

the Circle A Sire Alliance data along with conventional

EPDs in our genetic program. Our sale bulls average

CED +8.5 top 25%, BW +0.8 top 25%, YW +98 top 15%

and $B +75 top 20%. We are proud of the genetic value

of these bulls.

Although we have felt for years that we had an excel-

lent herd health program, we have recently quantified

this fact. In recent years we have tested nearly 1,200

samples for PI-BVD including every animal in this sale

without one positive sample! Our herd health is excel-

lent!

Nutritional development on bulls is important.

Larry Corah of KSU and Glenn Selk of OSU wrote in

an Extension publication that underfeeding bulls can

delay puberty and semen production. Also overfeeding

bulls along with heat stress can lower semen quality. L.

R. Sprott wrote in a Texas A&M publication that excess

fatness in yearling bulls can temporarily reduce breed-

ing performance and sperm quality. Todd Thrift of the

University of Florida has written that excessive condition

can be detrimental to semen quality because fat deposi-

tion decreases the effective cooling of the testicles. Thrift

went on to say that a nutritional program should allow

bulls to grow rapidly but avoid excessive fat develop-

ment. This should also avoid digestive issues and sound-

ness problems. Overconditioned bulls can require up to

60 days to adjust to a forage based diet prior to turn out.

Our bull ration contains soy hull pellets, wheat

midds, corn gluten, corn and rice hulls. We also feed

a lot of our home grown hay to our bulls. We feed our

ration in bulk feeders that are in pens. We can control

access to the feeders by simply shutting the gate to the

pen. Through most of the fall and winter our older bulls

were only fed three times per week. They have access to

hay free choice daily. These bulls also get to wander a 60

acre trap during development. We could get our bulls

heavier but that would not make them better. We wish

to offer you a well-developed, well-conditioned athlete

ready for immediate turn out. Our testicles haven’t been

filled with fat and our feet haven’t been burned up by too

much feed. These bulls are ready to go!

We are again offering 12 and 13-month-old short

yearling bulls. They are developed the same way as our

older bulls. Because they are younger you should not

expect as much from them. We believe the 18-month-

old bulls can serve 18 to 25 cows, but the younger bulls

should only be asked to serve 10 to 15 cows this spring

as they are maturing themselves. We have had excellent

feedback from our customers on their success with our

younger bulls. Take care of them and they will take care

of you.

We believe in science and sense when it comes to the

cow business. We use science and sense for AI, synchro-

nization, AI sire selection, cow herd management and

bull development. You are taking advantage of science

and sense when you buy Angus genetics from Wann

Ranch. Study the bulls, you will like what you find!