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Abstract
Bulls account for half of the genetic input when making improvements in cattle
herds. Therefore, to make a rapid, less costly improvement a cattle producer is more
likely to change bulls than cows. One of the problems that breeders who supply bulls
face is that the attributes of bulls come bundled together so that it is difficult to determine
what the value of improvements in a bull might be worth. This research estimates what
values beef producers implicitly place on particular characteristics when deciding which
bull will best fit the needs of their farm. A hedonic pricing model was estimated using
actual transaction data and reveals the value buyers of bulls implicitly place on specific
traits. For example, a ribeye area of 12.8 in2 at the mean sale price reveals a buyer would
be willing to pay an additional $80.39 for a bull with an additional square inch.
Likewise, a bull with a 1242 lb. 365-day weight at the mean sale price reveals a buyer
would be willing to pay an additional $1.83 for an additional pound. Therefore, this
research reveals an incentive for bull producers to focus on improving the genetic makeup
of their bulls they offer for sale.