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PERFORMANCE TESTING BEEF BULLS SOUTHERN INDIANA FORAGE FARM July 22-Dec. 9, 1961 (140 days)
Research Progress Report 29 May 1962, Project 795
R. C. Peterson, W. M. Beeson and D. E. Hodge, Department of Animal Sciences
Progressive cattlemen are requesting that criteria, other than type standards, be employed to evaluate the bulls that they purchase to perpetutate their herds. Some of the information they would like to know is:
(1) How rapidly has this bull gained? (2) How much feed did it take for him to produce a pound of gain? (3) How will his progeny perform in the feedlot? (4) Will his progeny cut desirable carcasses? (5) How will his progeny grade at weaning time?
At the present time there are a few objective methods of evaluating bulls that supplement the show ring type standards, some of these are:
	1. Performance Testing measures
the way in which a particular animal performs under certain specified conditions. For example, we can test a bull calf and determine his rate of gain and his feed efficiency. We will then know how this particular bull compares with other animals that have been fed under the same conditions.
2. Progeny Testing is a tool that we use to determine the efficiency with which the offspring of a given animal perform.
For example, we can take a group of calves sired by a given bull and determine their grade at weaning, their rate of gain, their feedlot efficiency and their carcass quality.
Bull No. 1 Mischief 1649
The above-mentioned criteria are important to the beef cattleman because (1) These characteristics are inherited, and (2) There are economic traits that effect the efficiency of livestock production. When we supplement our appraisal of beef type by employing objective livestock evaluation methods we certainly remove much of the guess work from our beef cow breeding program.
Performance and progeny testing is nothing more than discovering the outstanding animals in a given cow population and using these superior individuals to improve the efficiency of our herd operation.
It was with these ideas in mind that this performance testing project was planned.
Experimental Procedure
Four registered Hereford bull calves were purchased from Mr. Albert Mitchell (T. E. Mitchell and Son) at Albert, New Mexico. These calves were selected off their dams when they were about 6 months old. They were fall calves and were range wintered. Pedigrees of the bulls are as follows:

Mischief	840	 						Mischief 658	
                                 Bonnie			Mischief 1329
	                                			Beau Paladin 146
Lady Paladin 372	Real Princess 39
PURDUE UNIVERSITY • Agricultural Experiment Station • Lafayette, Indiana