2024 Florida Bull Test Sale – Bull Selection Cheat Sheets

by | Jan 12, 2024 | Beef Cattle, forages; livestock, Livestock

Sorting through all of the data in a sale catalog can be a daunting task. The VRDEC (Visual Representation of Data for Evaluation and Comparison) Bull Selection Tool tables below are intended to make the task a little easier. The tables feature the sale lots offered in the Florida Bull Test Sale (Saturday 1/20/24). Each breed of bull included in the sale is shown on a separate VRDEC Tool.

The VRDEC tools provide a fast, simple way to see how a bull compares to the other bulls in the sale and to other sires in the breed for each genetic trait quantified in the Bull Test Sale catalog. The VRDEC Tools show the bulls ranked from “best to worst” for each genetic trait (remember, there are many scenarios where moderation may be more desirable than the “best”), with key percentile values from the entire breed overlaid on the ranked lists. Within each breed’s VRDEC Tool, each page shows the same group of bulls – the genetic traits being highlighted change from page to page.

The VRDEC Tools and the catalog together provide a staggering amount of information about each bull. Don’t be overwhelmed, consider the type of system in which you will use the bull and focus only on traits that are economically significant in that system.

Notes for Utilizing the VRDEC Tools:

  • Lots shown in BLUE indicate EPD/Index values in the Top 10% of the breed.
  • Lots shown in GREEN indicate EPD/Index values in the Upper 25% of the breed.
  • Lots shown in ORANGE indicate EPD/Index values in the Lower 25% of the breed.
  • Breed averages and percentile values are based on the most current values available for Active Sires.
  • Definitions of each of the EPDs/Indexes are included in the sale catalog.
  • Click on images to make them larger on your screen. Links to printer friendly versions of the VRDEC tools are included at the bottom of the article.

Angus Bulls

 

 

 

SimAngus Bulls

 

 

 

Simmental Bulls

 

 

 

Red Angus Bulls

 

 

 

Other Bulls

 

 

If you have any questions about how the VRDEC Tools are created or how to use them, please don’t hesitate to contact me (352-317-7799 or mdm83@ufl.edu). The tools are intended to make your bull selection process simpler and more effective; if you have suggestions for how I can make the tools more effective let me know. I look forward to seeing all of you at the 24th Annual Florida Bull Test Sale on January 20th.

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Links to Printable VRDEC Tools 

Angus

SimAngus

Simmental

Red Angus

Other

Sale Catalog

Mark Mauldin
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