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Tips for Videoing Bulls???

W

WVGenetics

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 10, 2011
Messages
255
Location
West Virginia
I coordinate the bull evaluation programs we have here in WV and am responsible marketing the program and the bulls. We have contracted with a professional to edit and publish the videos if we shoot the footage. I have never done this before and was wondering if any of you that have taken video have some tips. I could sure use the help. All I have to go on is what I have seen in other breeders videos. From that I know I don't want the bulls up to their bellies in straw...drives me crazy if I can't see their feet. Could other folks tell me what you like to see or not see in a video? We just want to get as honest a representation of the bull as possible. Hopefully it will get above freezing by the time we want to start in a couple weeks.

If you don't have anything better to do, here is the link to our latest performance report. http://www.wvbeef.org/wbt/1314wbt2.pdf

Thanks in advance.

WV
 
We have found that by having a good sized pen, 50 feet wide by 70 feet long, and then have some of the video bulls behind the pen so the bull you are videoing can feel comfortable in this new pen when he can see some of his buddies. Otherwise if it is to tight, or if they feel all alone, they can get a bit nervous, especially if they have that nature already. Plus by having some other bulls behind the pen, the bull you are videoing will stay closer to that side of the pen and not up where you are videoing at. Little things like this make the day go way better. We have also found that if you are taking photos, this is a great time to photo, as they will cooperate pretty good doing it this way. You will also need a man letting them in the pen, one walking the bull, and one letting him out.
 
when i look at video of cattle I want to see them walking away from the camera. walking towards the camera , and walking past the camera ( a side view of the animal). At all times I want to see the animals feet.
 
turning grass into beef said:
when i look at video of cattle I want to see them walking away from the camera. walking towards the camera , and walking past the camera ( a side view of the animal). At all times I want to see the animals feet.
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Sometimes all these things aren't possible. An animal will only do what he wants to do.
 
I am probably way out of line here and someone may tell me so but what is the big deal of videoing bulls for sale? What is wrong with actually running the bulls through the sale ring? I can read the catalog but I can't see on a video what I can in real life. I've been to a few bull sales where all you get to see is several TV's hanging on the wall and I don't stay long. If I can't see it I won't buy it. What is wrong with taking each bull through the ring? If you want to sell me a bull you are going to have to let me look at it.
 
Several have thought that. The cost of labor first and second, and the facilities to run the cattle plus the chance of bad weather have changed a lot of minds. It has really took life around here and weather is not our main problem.
 
Red Barn Angus said:
I am probably way out of line here and someone may tell me so but what is the big deal of videoing bulls for sale? What is wrong with actually running the bulls through the sale ring? I can read the catalog but I can't see on a video what I can in real life. I've been to a few bull sales where all you get to see is several TV's hanging on the wall and I don't stay long. If I can't see it I won't buy it. What is wrong with taking each bull through the ring? If you want to sell me a bull you are going to have to let me look at it.
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We do a video sale for a few reasons. First is labor. It is not easy to find enough help to run 200 head through the ring. 2nd is weather, our sale is in a barn in Northern SD in February. The weather gets dang cold and the barn door opens up and lets all the cold in and everyone sits there shivering. 3rd is when you run bulls in a ring they spin around and spray saw chips all over the crowd.

We have all of the bulls 20 yards from the barn, penned for viewing, I guess if you can't see them in the pen out back, seeing them in a ring isn't going to help you see them better. We also video the bulls to post on website so customers can see them before the sale, and we broadcast ours on Superior and we need a video for that. So if a customer can buy a bull over the internet off a video, or a feedlot can buy thousands of calves off the TV from superior, I think most can do it with a video at the sale location, especially when the bulls are available for viewing.
 
Red Barn Angus said:
I am probably way out of line here and someone may tell me so but what is the big deal of videoing bulls for sale? What is wrong with actually running the bulls through the sale ring? I can read the catalog but I can't see on a video what I can in real life. I've been to a few bull sales where all you get to see is several TV's hanging on the wall and I don't stay long. If I can't see it I won't buy it. What is wrong with taking each bull through the ring? If you want to sell me a bull you are going to have to let me look at it.
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We will still run bulls through the ring as always. We are looking at video as another marketing outlet...a way to increase our marketing area...a way to let people that don't normally attend the sale attempt to see the quality of animals that are represented. Maybe this will help generate some interest, maybe not. At least for absentee buyers/bidders, they don't have to completely rely on the abilities of the person at the sale to accurately describe the animal they are interested in.
 
Less chance of a bull blowing up in the ring and not bringing his total worth. With the amount of money some of you guys get for your bull's you could build and pay for a building in one year. Paying some help you woould'nt believe the amount of help you can get. With good pens you could run 200 bulls thru in timely fashion with about 6 people.

My thoughts are the biggest reason they video bulls for sales is they get HOT and the owners don't want their BIG average to suffer when an animal shows his true colors.

The video's I think are good if they can be viewed prior to the sale but I'd still run them thru the ring. Sciefelbeins run all of their's thru the ring and they do it in a timely manner.Facilities makes the differance and theirs is'nt just for sale day its all part of the daily operation.

12" strip of plexiglas will keep the shaveing spray to a minimum besides I sit up a few rows and a heated shop works well sale day and after.
 
Denny said:
Less chance of a bull blowing up in the ring and not bringing his total worth. With the amount of money some of you guys get for your bull's you could build and pay for a building in one year. Paying some help you woould'nt believe the amount of help you can get. With good pens you could run 200 bulls thru in timely fashion with about 6 people.

My thoughts are the biggest reason they video bulls for sales is they get HOT and the owners don't want their BIG average to suffer when an animal shows his true colors.

The video's I think are good if they can be viewed prior to the sale but I'd still run them thru the ring. Sciefelbeins run all of their's thru the ring and they do it in a timely manner.Facilities makes the differance and theirs is'nt just for sale day its all part of the daily operation.

12" strip of plexiglas will keep the shaveing spray to a minimum besides I sit up a few rows and a heated shop works well sale day and after.
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As far as blowing up in the sale ring, yes that can happen, BUT I now know which bulls will blow up, because if you ever sort a bull off and video tape him by himself, anything with a little nervous condition will really show it here. So with this happening, we have pulled bulls with real bad issues, and also make notes and put in the catalog if they are a little nervous so the buyers know what they are buying.

We ran bulls through the ring for 21 years. We know what the difference is. I have nothing against using the ring, it has its place, and it actually took me a few years to convince to do it, and honestly, it is the best move we have made with sale day. Several of our customers have actually come up to us and said, "we weren't sure we would like it, but now that you are doing it, we do."

We had 2 feet of plexi glass on our ring, didn't matter, customers still got covered.
 
Even a good tempered bull could get excited with the speakers blaring at 10 and bid takers screaming. All the sales I've been to have been quite a show. I have no problem with not running the bulls through the ring. Most everybody has them right outside the barn anyway and a person has ample time to look at them before the sale. Also I know a lot of people like to load their bulls and get the heck out of there before the sale ends. That's pretty hard to do if they are running bulls to and from pens. I like to look at the videos prior to the sale as well I think if you watch them you can see which bulls get excited more than others when by themselves.
 
Red Barn Angus said:
I am probably way out of line here and someone may tell me so but what is the big deal of videoing bulls for sale? What is wrong with actually running the bulls through the sale ring? I can read the catalog but I can't see on a video what I can in real life. I've been to a few bull sales where all you get to see is several TV's hanging on the wall and I don't stay long. If I can't see it I won't buy it. What is wrong with taking each bull through the ring? If you want to sell me a bull you are going to have to let me look at it.
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We video our bulls simply to let the public have an idea of the quality before they come to the sale. We have been running all of our 2 year old bulls through a sale ring for ten years and have never have a blow up yet. Cull hard for docility and this won't be a problem. I agree that you should see a bull in person before buying him. At the very least you should have a neutral third party, whos opinion you highly respect, look at the bull for you.
 
I actually prefer the video sales. Any of the ones I have been to, the bulls are penned just outside in larger groups. I think you get a better chance to really view the bulls when they are with their cohorts, calm and you can move them where you want them. By the time a bull comes in the ring, we usually already know if we are bidding or not and don't need to see him again - this is done long before we ever go to the sale. With a good videographer, the video usually reflects pretty closely what you see in person.
I like to see feet, legs, rib structure, muscle structure, and his mom. I also like to know all the EPD, see the ultrasound record, know the health program, be aware of the warranty and trust the folks I am buying from.
I don't buy the disposition aspect too much. A real ranch raised bull may not see a lot of folks on a daily basis and won't usually be penned alone with loudspeakers, and bid callers waving and yelling. Even a calm bull walking into a ring by himself can be deceptive regarding things like frame size, that you can readily assess in a larger group outside.
 

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