Performance Test for Beef Breed Young Bulls 2024/2025
On October 15, the 19th performance test for young bulls began, where young bulls aspiring to be breeding bulls were accepted at the ETKÜ Keava testing station. As always, the bulls must belong to owners who are members of the Estonian Beef Cattle Breeders’ Society, conduct performance testing on their farms, and all bulls must be 100% purebred with their parents registered in the breed registry.
In Our Farm’s SW San-Se Feeding Trial
This time, a total of 54 bulls from 23 companies have gathered. There are 7 different breeds represented: Hereford, Aberdeen-Angus, Charolais, Limousin, Simmental, Blonde d’Aquitaine, and Wagyu. The bulls’ feed efficiency will be measured using the Vytelle system developed in Canada. After the successful completion of the test period, growth rates will be determined using the recorded data, as well as feed utilization in kilograms per kilogram of weight gain, alongside the corresponding breeding value. The best feed converters in the entire group will also be identified—those bulls that consume less but grow well, representing efficient animals for their owners. The data of Estonian bulls will be integrated with the results from all other organizations using the Vytelle system into a unified international database, with the results of the best bulls published once a year.
Testing Barn
Typically, after the end of the testing period, a competition is held to select the best young bull with the assistance of an international judge, followed by an online auction.
Information about the bulls participating in the performance test can be accessed, and you can keep track of their growth, as well as the dates of the competition and auction, through the link provided below or on the websites of the Estonian Cattle Breeders’ Cooperative or the Estonian Beef Cattle Breeders’ Society.
Get to know the upcoming breeding bulls HERE: link