University News

Bull Test Entries Accepted

July 10, 2006

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MACOMB, IL – Entries are now being accepted for the 35th Annual Western Illinois University bull testing program.

According to Ken Nimrick and Bruce Engnell, co-directors of the program, entries for the 112-day test are open to any breed and are due Thursday, Aug. 31.

“The WIU Bull Test offers breeders the opportunity to compare their bulls against bulls from other breeders when fed and managed in the same environment,” Engnell said. “It also provides them the opportunity to get data on the bull’s feed efficiency – how many pounds of feed a bull must eat to put on a pound of body weight.”

“Very few on-farm testing situations can gather this type of data,” Nimrick added. “It is extremely important for the breeders’ economics.”

In addition to average daily gain and feed efficiency, the WIU Bull Test provides information on weight per day of age and other body measurements.

“The bulls are indexed, so the breeder gets a rather substantial amount of information in a situation that provides an unbiased comparison,” Nimrick explained. “We’ve made some changes in the program and hope that breeders will find the test to be an invaluable part of their performance program.”

At the conclusion of the test, a sale of the top bulls will be held March 16, 2007 to offer proven genetics to the industry.

“The days of having cattle ‘just for fun’ are gone,” Engnell said. “Today’s cattle producer is extremely conscious of the ‘bottom line’ and the bulls can make that line appear a lot brighter.”

For more information on entering bulls in the program, contact Nimrick at 309/398-1288; Engnell at 309/298-2613 or 309/298-1276; the WIU agriculture department at
309/298-1080; or write to: Ken Nimrick, Agriculture Department, 1 University Circle, Macomb, IL 61455-1390.

Entry forms for this year’s test, along with information on last year’s program, can also be downloaded from www.wiu.edu/bulltest.



Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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