A total of 1,022 people in 42 states responded to a survey investigating characteristics of bull buyers. Some pertinent findings were:
- 84% of respondents were commercial cow/calf producers, 7% seedstock.
- 43% were between ages of 61 and 75, 27% were between 46 and 60.
- 84% approved or authorized purchases in their operations.
- 41% derived more than half of income from cattle.
- 24% had from 50 to 99 cows, 21% from 100 to 199 cows, 18% from 20 to 49 cows or 200 to 499 cows (similar to USDA estimates).
- 88% raised their own replacement females.
- 66% sold calves after weaning and preconditioning, 28% at weaning.
- 24% sold some replacement females, 16% sold some fed cattle.
- 74% sold at least some calves at local auctions, 41% some at private treaty, 12% some in video auctions, 11% retained some beyond weaning or preconditioning.
- 49% marketed under some vaccination protocol, 35% under BQA; 28% used age-verified, 28% used source-verified; 24% used non-hormone treated.
- 22% bought 2 bulls per year, 21% 6 to 10 bulls per year.
- Most important factors in bull buying were breed, temperament, performance, EPD, experience with breeder, and visual appraisal.
- Least important factors were marketing assistance for calves, qualification for feeder calf buy-back program, and qualification for heifer program.
- Most important factors influencing purchase were previous purchase, location, and direct mail from breeder.
- Least important factors were breeder presence on social media, local auction, breed association representative recommendation, and radio ads.
- 66% used some artificial insemination on commercial females.
- 95% still relied somewhat on printed publications for industry information.
NOTE: Producers in this survey mostly used Angus cattle in some way. However, results may still be of interest in general.