"Waiwhero had an excellent pregnancy testing with only nine dry out of 258. Prime beef is currently sitting at $5.40 a kg," he said.
With his cattle fattening well thanks to the favourable conditions, Mr Pattison was hoping to sell between 25 and 35 bulls at his own auction on June 13.
He said after a slow start, the bulls have been fairly easy to look after.
"They're absolutely bolting along now, with weight gains exceeding a kilo a day."
His approach to selecting cattle is that he must like the animal first and its the appearance and appeal in its structural areas before he considers moving on to look at EBVs.
"It's got to look like the type of animal your wanting to bring into your property, into your stud, or perhaps your commercial herd." Once he decides he likes a bull he will then look at the EBVs.
Decisions can then be made on what a breeder wants to prioritise such as growth, carcass traits including marbling or might be birth weight if wanting to use them over heifers.
Studying form at sale.
All EBVs come with a percentage of heritability. "So if you have a mum and dad you can split the heritability in half but the interesting thing is 68 per cent is actually climatic and how well you feed the animal. You must look at a spread of data, not zero in on one particular area," Mr Pattison said.
2018 NORTH ISLAND BULL SALES
MAY
2 & 3 East Coast Angus Bull Walk, Gisborne
1 King Country Angus Bull Walk, King Country
8 Manawatu & Rangitikei Angus Bull Walk
9 East Coast Hereford Bull Walk, Gisborne
12 Future Beef Competition, Manawatu
13 Future Beef Competition, Manawatu
14 PGG Wrightson National Video Sale, Palmerston North
16 Central Waiarapa Hereford Bull Walk, Wairarapa
17 Central Waiarapa Angus Bull Walk, Wairarapa
17 Okahu Hereford, 3.00pm, Raetihi
17 Ruaview Angus & Simmental, 12.00pm Ohakune
21 Kaimoa South Devon, 1.30pm Eketahuna
22 Kerrah Simmental, 1pm Wairoa
24 Morton Shorthorn, 1pm Katikati
24-25 Hawke's Bay Angus Bull Walk
28 Kia-Toa Charolais, 1pm Te Kuiti
29 Rauriki Charolais, 11am Flemington
29 Potawa Simmental, 2pm Pio Pio
29 Whananaki Charolais, 2pm Whananaki
29 Hingaia Angus, 3.30pm Te Awamutu
30 Te Taumata Hereford, 1.00pm Masterton
30 Storth Oaks Angus, 1pm Otorohanga
30 Puke Nui Angus, 4pm Taumarunui
31 Black Ridge Angus, 9.30am Taumarunui
31 Springdale Angus, 12pm Taumarunui
31 Shian Angus, 3pm Taumarunui
31 Glenbrae Hereford, 1.30pm Porangahau
JUNE
1 Raupuha Shorthorn, 10am Mahonui
1 Tarangower Angus & Rockend Hereford, 12.00pm Mahonui
1 Kay Jay Angus, N & J Kestrup, 12pm Masterton
5 Hillcroft Angus, 12pm Huntly
5 Hain Hereford, Shorthorn & Angus, 3pm Gisborne
5 Wairere Angus, 1pm Hawera
5 Otapawa Hereford, 12pm Masterton
5 Oregon Angus, 3pm Masterton
6 Kairuru Hereford, 1pm Reporoa
6 Merchiston Angus, 2.30pm Rata
6 Dandaloo & Tapiri Angus, 12pm Masterton
6 Hinewaka Shorthorn, 3pm Masterton
7 NI Limousin Bull Trail, 1pm Cambridge
7 Ipura South Devon, 1pm Te Kuiti
7 Strathmore Hereford & Iona Angus, 1.30pm Te Kuiti
7 Pine Park Angus, 11.30am Marton
7 Ranui Angus, 3pm Wanganui
7 Tahuna Shorthorn, 11am Flemington
8 Glenanthony Simmental, 12.30pm Waipukurau
8 Totaranui Angus, 1.30pm Pahiatua
8 Te Whanga Angus, 10am Masterton
11 Mt Mable Angus, 2.30pm Dannevirke
11 Ngaputahi Angus Bull, 3pm Pohangina
12 Danaleith Angus Sale 9.30am Dannevirke
12 Motere Angus, 3pm Waipukurau
13 Brookwood Angus, 9am Takapau
13 Waiwhero Angus, 12noon Waipukurau
13 Elgin Angus, 3pm Elsthorpe
15 Waiterenui Angus, 1pm Hastings
"In the US more discerning customers are becoming less happy about feed-lot cattle and love the idea of big open paddocks with cattle fed on grass and in a natural environment."
