High Breeding Value Bulls Deliver in 2005 Sales
19/12/05

photo courtesy of www.livestock-sales.co.uk

The past autumn’s bull sales have seen record numbers of recorded bulls of the main beef breeds sold, with valuable price differentials achieved by sires with the highest Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs), reveals English Beef and Lamb Executive (EBLEX) monitoring.

With the large number of pedigree beef herds now performance recording, an all-time record 95% of Charolais and 88% of Limousin bulls sold at their respective autumn 2005 sales were recorded, providing commercial buyers with solid evidence of their breeding value in the most important areas of calving, growth and muscling.

EBLEX records further show 23% of the Charolais and 14% of the Limousin bulls sold were recording Beef Values in the top 1% of their breeds. What is more only 5% and 9% respectively had Beef Values below breed average. 

This bodes extremely well for commercial producers and the English beef industry as a whole, given the extent to which Beef Value – calculated from a balance of all the important EBV traits – has been shown to identify bulls which boost financial returns by improving the carcase weight, finish levels and conformation of their progeny. Overall, indeed, Signet trials have shown commercial producers using high EBV bulls can improve returns by £17 to £38 per animal slaughtered.

Worthwhile price differentials were further achieved by higher Beef Value sires of both breeds at the sales. Charolais bulls in the top 1% of the breed, for instance, averaged over £5300/head compared to just over £3100 for those of breed average or below, with top 1% Limousins selling at over £6600/head against less than £2600.

Recorded Bull Sale Prices (2005)

Similar pricing trends based on solid breeding value figures were evident at other 2005 breed sales, underlining the growing importance being placed by buyers on improvement through solid breeding gains.  At the same time, of course, this provides an increasing incentive for pedigree breeders to produce demonstrably superior breeding stock.

EBLEX has produced a specialist guide on Buying Better Bulls Using EBVs as part of its new interactive Beef Action for Profit resource for English producers keen to improve their beef performance in the decoupled world. It is available through the beef section of the Executive’s website at www.eblex.org.uk.

High Breeding Value Bulls Deliver in 2005 Sales
First export of Limousin and Belgian Blue Embryos to ROI
Welsh Winter Fair Yet Another Limousin Showcase