Growing Beef Newsletter
March 2026, Volume 16, Issue 9
Bull power
Patrick Wall, ISU extension beef specialist
It’s peak bull sale season, and the "barn talk" has largely boiled down to one question, “What am I gonna have to pay for these things?” Bull sale reports across the country have been somewhat variable, but you would be hard pressed to find a producer that didn’t out pace their sale average from 2025. Reputation herds have seen incredible demand for fresh, new genetics. Pockets of the U.S. where cow numbers are extremely low and bull sale options are high may offer a few bargains if you are willing to travel.
There have been a lot of articles detailing the “bulls should be worth 5 times a feeder calf” line of thinking. If $10,000-15,000 simply isn’t in your current budget, let’s try looking at things a little differently. If you can remember what you paid for bulls the last time you were in the market, do some cowboy math and update your budget relative to last time. For example, let’s say you paid an average of $5,000/head for your bull power in 2023. A simple online search will tell you that feeder cattle prices have increased 55-75% from 2023 until now. Using that logic, your bull power budget should increase to $7,750-8,750. Whether that buys you what you want or need is an entirely different question.
One thing is certain, 2026 is NOT the year to go light on bull power in hopes the old bulls can get the job done on a few more cows each. Yes, pound cows are worth a lot of money, but bred cows are worth considerably more! A producer’s open rate during pregnancy check will largely determine relative profitability, as it always has. In 2026, we’re simply playing with a lot more dollars than we ever have.
So how do you buy what you need without breaking your budget? While there is no golden goose in the cattle business, here’s a few options:
- Shop online. If you simply must get eyes on what you buy, this option might not work for you. Most sales offer videos on every lot and an online bidding platform. Consider the amount of time (labor), fuel, plus wear and tear on a vehicle and trailer chasing down the next bull sale. Maybe add that figure to your bull sale budget and trade up into a better herd sire! Likewise, many bull providers offer free bull delivery within a given radius from the sale. It’s just like Amazon…order online and it shows up at your barn door.
- Build a team. There’s no rule that says YOU must go buy bulls, though many of us find great joy in "the hunt" for the next one, the cry of an auctioneer, or even the ranking of sale day lunches. However, every catalog lists sale consultants in the front that often help with the live auction through ring service. Find one you trust. Tell them what you need. Give them a budget. They’re being paid to run the wheels off a vehicle attending all the sales, so let them do it for you. Maybe call a neighbor that you know is in the bull market and ask them to consult/buy for you.
- Try a different breed. It’s likely you have read in this newsletter countless times about the value of heterosis. Good news: there’s more than one way to harvest it. If the reputation herd down the road you usually buy from is just getting too expensive…great. That means your cow base is likely in a good spot genetically (assuming you retain heifers). Though the relative differences between breeds have migrated together over time, the role a breed can play in capturing heterosis still exists. This path will likely take some extra homework in the office to find breeders that weren’t previously on your radar. You might end up supporting an upstart operation that puts your herd in an even better spot, for less money.
All said, bull power has never been more critical. Remember, the bulls you purchase now will be the sires of the 4-year-old matrons in the herd when beef prices might not be quite as shiny. Cutting corners on bull power now will cost you dearly later. The most successful seedstock operations in the country do not let market fluctuations influence their selection and culling process, nor their production goals. You shouldn’t either.
This monthly newsletter is free and provides timely information on topics that matter most to Iowa beef producers. You’re welcome to use information and articles from the newsletter - simply credit Iowa Beef Center.
