The prices cow calf producers are receiving for calves, the availability of feed and a host of other production and marketing factors have as much to do with the price of bulls as the bulls' intrinsic value.
Some bull buyers say a bull is worth four or five weaned steer calves or three yearlings. Others say a bull's price should be equivalent to some number of bred heifers. Still others begin the process by calculating how many calves it will take to buy a new pickup. The rules of thumb and variations on them are endless.
Generally for a commercial producer, the price paid for a bull should reflect that he is contributing one half of each calf crop's genetics, and value the difference in weaning weight and value that the bull will make to the calves he sires in the herd, relative to existing herd performance.
To read the entire article, link here.
