Proven Through Performance
The DTBA Young Guns Performance Bull Contest was created to give bison producers something more than a traditional show-ring evaluation—a way to compare promising young breeding bulls through real-world performance under common management conditions.
Young bulls from participating ranches were brought together at a host ranch, where they were managed under the same conditions and evaluated over an extended performance period. By removing many of the differences in individual ranch management, Young Guns gave producers an opportunity to see how genetics from different operations performed side by side.
The bulls were tracked through both grass and feed phases, with data collected on weights, average daily gain and total gain. As the program evolved, additional measurements—including live evaluation and carcass ultrasound information such as ribeye area, rib fat and intramuscular fat—helped create a more complete picture of each bull.
The result was a competition built around more than appearance. Young Guns combined phenotype with measurable performance, giving consignors valuable information about their breeding programs while giving buyers additional data to consider when selecting their next herd sire.
Just as importantly, the program created an opportunity for producers to prove their genetics in a transparent, common environment. Ranches returned to the program year after year, and Young Guns genetics went on to influence breeding herds throughout the bison industry.
The impact can still be seen today. Producers who participated in and purchased through Young Guns have credited the program with helping improve traits such as herd consistency, calf weaning weights, growth and production efficiency.
The Young Guns Performance Bull Contest represents an important part of DTBA's history of innovation—bringing ranch-raised bison, common management, measurable data and friendly competition together in pursuit of one goal:
Identifying proven performance and using that knowledge to build better bison for the future of the bison industry.