ABOUT OUR BULL DEVELOPMENT
Here at CDP Brangus we are always ready to adapt and adjust to the times in terms of growing and feeding our bulls, ultimately with our customer’s best interests in mind, which in turn, benefits us as seedstock producers. Longevity, soundness, and fertility are all factors that we feel must be taken into account when developing our bulls so that you, as our consumer, get an end product that can be turned out into your cowherd and have the ability to service your cows and come out of the breeding season having maintained his body condition score. This will, in turn, allow him to recover and be ready to be turned out again in the next season with very little additional supplementation, year after year. We have tried an assortment of feeding programs throughout our journey and have landed on, what we and many others feel, is the answer to all of our bull development needs. Keith Cagle at Rose Bud Feeders brings 25+ years of bull development experience to the table and has tweaked and adjusted his ration with assistance from the Caldwell family through the years until they have totally perfected the bull feeding game. The fallout rate of the CDP bulls since we started feeding with Keith has been the least in our history of growing and selling bulls and we’re confident that you will continue to experience the same trend when you get your new CDP bull’s home. The ration that these bulls are developed on is a grass silage- based feed with commodities added to balance the ration for protein, fat, and TDN with the goal set to have the bulls gaining an average in the 3-3.5 pounds per day range across the feeding stage until they become yearlings. A mineral pack is also added to every mix to ensure that their vitamin and mineral intake is consistent and meets their development needs.
The post-weaned bull calves, already having received their vaccinations before arriving at the Rose Bud Bull Test Center, will immediately begin their transition onto the silage diet for a 30-day warm up period before being weighed onto gain test. After they are fully transitioned onto the silage ration, they are weighed and evaluated as they begin their 90 day gain test where they will remain in their contemporary groups until its completion. At the conclusion of the 90 day test, the bulls are weighed, scrotal circumference measured along with Donnie Robertson taking carcass ultrasound measurements. Once the collected raw data is all turned in to the Brangus Association, adjusted weights and measurements are used to further evaluate each and every bull for quality, structural soundness, and disposition, making sure that every standard and benchmark is met or exceeded. The bulls are sorted and grouped according to type and kind with quality and uniformity in mind and will be monitored from then on for any issues that may arise and will remain in these groups until sale day. One of the things that we take pride in at CDP Brangus is the ability for our bulls to be handled by any means necessary. Meaning that we want them to experience every possible handling method that they could possibly see before arrival at their new home. These bulls are handled on foot, both alone and as a group, horseback, with dogs, as well as four wheelers and side by sides and they have all passed the test, which will allow you to take comfort knowing that these bulls will handle for you when the time comes to move them. The work has all been done for you and we’re confident in our process and we think you will enjoy reaping the benefits of that process.
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ABOUT OUR BULL DEVELOPMENT
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