Choosing the Right Bull: Precision Genetics for Commercial Ranchers with Marty Ropp

Are you ready to make more confident bull-buying decisions that truly move your ranch forward? In this episode, Shaye Wanner visits with Marty Ropp of Allied Genetic Resources to discuss how commercial cow-calf producers can leverage genomics through the Right Bull program to select bulls that align with their goals and cows. Marty shares how precision mating, large-effect genes, and genomic compatibility are revolutionizing herd improvement—saving time, reducing risk, and increasing uniformity and profitability.

Whether you're buying one bull or managing hundreds, this episode will help you understand how to turn genetics into ROI.

What You’ll Learn:

• The biggest risks and missed opportunities in bull selection


• How the Right Bull program matches bulls to your cow herd


• What “large-effect genes” are and why they matter


• How both small and large producers can benefit


• What it costs to get started—and why it pays off

Timestamps:

00:00 – Intro & Marty Ropp’s background

01:45 – Why Marty bet on the beef industry

03:50 – Top risks in bull selection

05:30 – Defining goals for genetic selection

06:40 – How the Right Bull program works

11:20 – What large-effect genes mean for your herd

13:30 – Example of bull ranking and results

17:35 – How Right Bull is different from other programs

19:30 – Costs and return on investment

23:30 – Seedstock provider involvement and response

26:30 – Who this program is best suited for

28:15 – Breed flexibility & customization

31:45 – Marty’s reflections on his early career

33:10 – Final thoughts & how to connect

🔗 Resources & Links:

📌 Right Bull Program – https://bit.ly/44XIFzl

📌 Noble Research Institute – https://bit.ly/3DD7uG0

📌 Calf Marketing Short Course (Register by July 28th!) – https://bit.ly/46olT4K

📌 Pluck Seasoning (use code SHAYEWANNER for 15% off) – EatPluck.com

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