How to Use These Tools
A quick walkthrough so you can get what you need and get back to work.
What is this?
You know that stack of sale catalogs sitting on your kitchen table right now? The ones with page after page of EPDs and numbers that all start to blur together after the third bull?
That's why we built these tools.
They're free. They run in your phone or computer browser. They take the numbers you already have — EPDs from a sale catalog, your cow herd's breed makeup, your calving season — and turn them into plain-English answers.
No account required. No download. Just pick a tool and go.
The Tools
What it does: You tell it about your cattle — breed, herd size, forage conditions, time of year — and it recommends specific Purina products backed by field trial data on 833,997 head.
How to use it: Pick your breed type from the dropdown, fill in a few details about your operation, hit the button. You'll get product recommendations with the research behind them.
What it does: Helps you figure out what EPD ranges to look for based on YOUR goals — whether you're keeping replacement heifers, selling everything at weaning, or somewhere in between.
How to use it: Tell it about your cow herd and what you're trying to accomplish. It gives you target EPD ranges, red flags to watch for, and a rough cost-per-calf breakdown on bull investment.
What it does: Shows you the dollar value of hybrid vigor for your specific herd. Compares crossbreeding systems side by side so you can see what makes sense for your size operation.
How to use it: Select your current breed type, enter your herd size and calf price. It runs the math on different crossbreeding systems and shows you the annual difference in dollars.
What it does: Enter EPD values from a sale catalog and instantly see where that bull ranks in his breed — top 1%, top 25%, bottom half. Plain English, color-coded.
How to use it: Pick the breed, type in the EPD numbers from the catalog page, and hit enter. You can compare two bulls side by side.
What it does: Combines a bull's calving ease EPD with your heifer data to estimate dystocia risk. Tells you whether you're in a safe zone or asking for trouble.
How to use it: Enter the bull's CED EPD and birth weight EPD, plus your heifer info — frame size, age, BCS. It gives you a risk rating and management tips.
What it does: Enter a batch of bulls from a sale catalog, set your selection goals, and it scores and ranks them all. Color-coded table so the good ones jump out.
How to use it: Add bulls one at a time (lot number, EPDs from the catalog), set your priorities (calving ease, growth, maternal, etc.), and it ranks them for you.
Do I need to sign in?
No. Every tool works without an account. You can use all of them right now without signing in, signing up, or giving us your email.
But if you want to, you can create a free account. Here's what that gets you:
- Herd Profile — Save your operation details once (breed type, herd size, location, forage quality, production goals). Every tool auto-fills from your profile so you're not re-entering the same stuff every time.
- Saved Results — Keep a record of your past analyses. Handy during bull sale season when you're comparing options over several weeks.
To sign in, click “Sign In” in the top menu. Enter your email. We'll send you a magic link — click it, and you're in. No password to remember.
We don't sell your data. We don't spam you. The account exists so your herd profile is there next time you come back. That's it.
A few tips
- Works on your phone. Pull it up at the sale barn and punch in numbers on the spot.
- Print your results. Every tool has a print button. Hit it and you've got a one-page summary to stick in that sale catalog.
- EPDs are predictions, not promises. These tools help you make better-informed decisions, but cattle are biological — there are no guarantees. Always verify current EPD values with breed associations.
- Talk to your MFC rep. These tools are a starting point. Your local Livestock Production Specialist knows your country, your forage, and your goals — and can help you put the pieces together.
Questions?
Call your nearest MFC warehouse. These are the same people you already buy feed from — they can walk you through any of these tools.