Fall bull-buying season is around the corner, and buyers should consider some selection basics before purchasing herd sires.

"As a customer, you have to know what you want to do with your herd," said Steve Densmore, cattle manager at Circle X Land and Cattle Co. in Bryan.

Once a buyer determines the type of sire that will fit the cow herd and calf-production goals, the next step is to evaluate individual bulls based on factors such as phenotype and production data.

Bill Pendergrass, general manager at Fluharty Farms in Gause, said buyers should purchase virgin bulls. This will help reduce the risk of introducing a venereal disease such as trichomoniasis into a herd.

Breeding soundness exams should also be done on all prospective sires.

"Get your breeding soundness exam done early enough so you know how many bulls you need to buy this fall before you go into breeding season," Pendergrass said.

Prolonged drought conditions also can affect a bull's fertility. Whether young or old, herd sires should have an annual breeding soundness exam, he said.

A veterinarian should conduct the exam, which evaluates factors such as semen quality, scrotal circumference and any testicular abnormalities.

Phenotypically, a bull should be structurally evaluated, Pendergrass said.

"Start from the ground up. You want these bulls to have big feet with evenly, well-shaped hooves. You want the bulls to have some flex to their pasterns and hocks," he said. "If those bulls have some flex to their pasterns and hocks, they will hold up and last longer for a productive breeding career. Post-legged bulls do not last."

A bull's shoulders should be smooth-fronted with a nice slope, he said, adding that these are desired structural traits to pass on to calves.

Densmore said buyers should consider moderately framed bulls. Larger framed bulls take more to maintain. Moderately framed bulls have a better rate of feed conversion.

"That translates into cost savings," said Densmore.

Bulls should also have a masculine appearance.

"You want a bull to look like a bull. You want him to be masculine," Pendergrass said. "You want a bull to be thick and heavy-muscled, because muscle weighs more than fat and we still sell cattle by the pound."

There are muscling indicators on a bull that buyers can visually evaluate. Pendergrass recommended looking for herd sires that are "wider-standing, wider-walking, and bulls that show a lot of stifle expression when viewed from behind."

Muscling in the forearm is another good muscle indicator, he noted.

Buyers should also consider the body condition of bulls. Pendergrass recommended buying bulls with a little more cover, or a body-condition score of 61/2.

Once turned out with cows, bulls can lose weight, depending on the number of cows being bred, forage quality and whether any supplementation of nutrients is provided.

"They are going to drop weight during breeding season," Pendergrass said.

Densmore said: "Our bulls are probably a couple hundred pounds lighter than most because we want them to hit the ground running and get the cows bred. When they leave the ranch I want them to know how to walk and get out in front of grass. Just being able to get out and forage for pasture is a big plus in my book. If all his life he has been at a self-feeder, they might not know how to hustle and forage in tough times. I want bulls to walk and forage. If they can't do those two things, then we're in trouble."

Performance data should also be evaluated on prospective herd sires. This data can include birth, weaning and yearling weight, expected progeny differences (or EPDs) and ultrasound information, if available.

"It is extremely important that the bulls have the data behind them, along with the desired phenotype characteristics," Pendergrass said. "The bull buyer needs to balance phenotype and all the performance data into their selection decision."

Pendergrass said buyers can benefit from establishing a relationship with a seedstock provider. He said most reputable seedstock sellers will offer some type of performance guarantee on their bulls.

"Seedstock producers want to help bull buyers be more profitable," he added.