In order to harness the immense potential of yearling bulls, special management is required-their age and physiological status demands it. However, poor management can reduce calving percentages, compromise animal welfare and limit their lifetime potential. Yearling bulls have much to offer, both genetically and financially. They are free of the structural problems that beset older bulls. This extra workload is achieved at the time in their lives when they are young, lean, fit and exuberant. Their introduction has the potential to allow breeders to extend the working lives of bulls by a year or more, lowering the bulls costs of a herd. This allows introduction of superior genetic material into herds a year earlier than normal, resulting in faster genetic improvement. In Australia and other parts of the world, there is a trend towards using bulls at yearling age (12–18 months).
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