Ray Vlietstra (Raystine Limousins)

I have been asked by the editor to offer some thoughts on the preparation of bulls for showing. Firstly I have to explain that my cattle are run on coastal kikuyu with some white clover and perennial ryegrass. It is difficult to achieve the required levels of performance for bull growth on these types of pastures without some level of supplementary feeding.

I feel that we must identify the end product of our feeding scheme before we start as this will determine the level of condition and growth required. It is generally accepted that show bulls will require more condition than most sale bulls. It must be remembered that at the end of the day all these bulls will be required to go out to work and walk.

If you walk through the cattle sheds at Sydney you are likely to find nearly as many different rations as you will find studs. All these rations will have the required amount of protein, energy, minerals and vitamins to allow optimum growth. The makeup of these rations will be determined by price and availability of the various components. Cereal grains such as barley, oats, triticale and sometimes wheat are generally the main ingredients used to provide energy economically with protein rich products such as lupins and some processed meals providing the protein boost. Most of these rations would also contain vitamin and mineral supplements as well as rumen buffers. Importantly, all feed systems will include a reasonable amount of roughage as in hays or silage to aid the digestion of the total ration. The ration must also be palatable as the best feed in the world is of little use if it stays in the feed trough. The issue of palatability is particularly relevant in situations such as Sydney Show where cattle do not have access to pasture or hay racks for up to 10 days.

It is important to remember that an animal’s performance will be restricted by the most limiting component of the ration, ie: protein, energy, vitamin, mineral, or roughage, so to achieve optimum performance the right balance of all these components must be met. Then the bull has the opportunity to perform to his genetic potential.

Bigger is not always better in the cattle world, however, it is harder for the judge to walk by that bull with the superior performance if he is pretty right in the other departments. More often than not, that superior performance is the result of superior nutrition. Many show calves select themselves through their heavier weaning weights as a result of better milking dams or recipients.

As many successful show bulls will go on to be sires in purebred / stud operations it is important to select those bulls for the right reasons not just above average performance. Calving ease is essential, better than average temperament is desirable and structural and reproductive soundness is critical.

So after the blisters from breaking him in, the bucket loads of cash down his throat and on his coat, and trucking him all over the countryside, with a bit of luck you will have some success and a bit of fun along the way.