Introducing a bull

Duncan MacIntyre · Post by **Duncan MacIntyre** » Thu Aug 28, 2008 12:35 am

I like the heading, "introducing a bull" ---sometimes it is the heifers who introduce themselves. Last year 20 0r so holstein heifers were put in the field next our cattle and sure enough one came on in a day or two and the bull introduced himself over the fence and served one, the biggest tallest one there. I offered to jag her in a week, but the owner laughed out loud and said he didn't think he could manage such a big heifer. I laughed silently and wrote the ear number and date in my book. Sure enough she calved on 8th April. Nice heifer calf.

This year anxious to avoid trouble I spent all my spare time in spring re doing fences and got a couple of fields stock proof about 1/4 mile and five fences away from where the heifers were likely to be. Today at lunchtime the call came, the heifers had broken into a wood which runs alongside 3 separate small farms, travelled the 1/4 mile, tempted my bull over a low bit of wall and arrived back home through the wood with bull among them. Two served this year, I think they will get prostaglandin next week. The sooner after a week has passed the less likely any side effects. I don't think he has got any of our own heifer calves yet, oldest born 31st March.

Duncan

Duncan

Inger · Post by **Inger** » Mon Sep 01, 2008 3:11 am

We try to put the bull in with the cows and calves in December. Three months after the start of calving in September. We only leave the bull in for two months. I remove any cows, once they are served, if they have heifer calves with them, that were born towards the beginning of the calving season. We also try to ring the bull calves before they are four months old. I prefer to have well grown heifers away from a bull, before they are 4.5 - 5 months old. Our heifers frequently start cycling at six months.

Broomcroft · Post by **Broomcroft** » Sun Sep 07, 2008 9:59 am

Turning the subject around the other way, at what age would you be concerned that a young entire male could start causing problems with the girls?

I've just take a young bull out of a group including heifers and cows at the age of just under 4 months. Was this too late?

Inger · Post by **Inger** » Wed Sep 10, 2008 2:05 am

We make sure that all our future steers are ringed before 4 months of age. Some bull calves have very well developed testicles by 4 months. So I wouldn't take the chance after then.

If fact, if you want to keep any bull calves entire, I would split the cow herd up into those with bull calves and those with heifer calves, from about 3.5 months of age.