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Posted: Tue Jun 03, 2008 3:17 pm
by LewisMoore
As some of you may remember a while ago, i sent out a post asking wheter i should keep my two bull calves buls or steers. to which i got some good advice.
Some of which included about genetics, where someone said 'if niether have impressive gentetics then why keep as bulls' after which i reaseached both bulls backgrounds and have found some promising results. One of the calves in particular has a decent backgrond and i have recently come to learn that his dam's calf from two years previous has passed his stage one. so i have decided to go for it an breed my own bull. (hopefully show him also)
It's the other calf which i am wondering what to do with do i keep it as a bull or steer it?
It would be with the other bull at all times. Is it worth the hassle of having two bulls?
Any advice?
Lewis Moore (aged 16)
Brinkley herd
Posted: Tue Jun 03, 2008 3:27 pm
by Saffy
Hi Lewis,
I am running a young bull and a steer of similar age together. The steer will go in the freezer when he is the right size, which I expect will be between 22 and 26 months. By that time the bull will hopefully be happily living with cows most of the time or I shall have another steer to live with him.
Maybe 2 bulls would be a bit of a handful I wouldn't know about that but I am sure someone can advise but unless you are confident the other is of good breeding, would you really want to keep him as a bull when he is probably worth more as a beef animal?
Stephanie
Posted: Tue Jun 03, 2008 3:46 pm
by Louisa Gidney
I would agree if you are keeping one as a bull to steer the other. I have run several young bulls together but they can be a real pain.
Posted: Tue Jun 03, 2008 4:00 pm
by Broomcroft
Hi Lewis
I kept 5 young bulls together once and it nearly cost me my good health; they were lethal when together. They fought for a week once. They also got out and went up the road into my neighbours garden! I do now have two young bulls who have been together since birth and are now 20-21 months. They were selected mainly for their steady temperament and apart from scrapping a bit they are fine together. But I would not keep two bulls unless you've got a large herd. They make life very complicated.
Edited By Broomcroft on 1212505352
Posted: Tue Jun 03, 2008 7:31 pm
by LewisMoore
Hi all, Thanks for the advice i really appreciate it and lots more would be welcomed. Another queery of mine is, when would i consider putting in a nose ring for the one i plan to keep as a bull?
I would also like to show him any tips on showing Dexter bulls?
Lewis Moore (aged 16)
Brinkley herd
Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2008 1:37 am
by wagra
Lewis, I can't remember if you have mentioned how much space you have, or how many females.
Bulls are OK to keep if you have a mob of males, steers & bulls, with no females nearby, or even on the wind, a dozen is a good minimum number, with plenty of acreage around them, excellent electric fencing, and a regular daily feed to keep the coming in at a given time.
If you are putting a bull in with cows, you need to be sure there are no heifers over 4 months of age, which I am sure you must already have considered.
If you don't get the dynamics right you will have problems, ie excapees, fighting, bullying, challenging, and pounding the fence lines. Challenging is the most dangerous, if it becomes you that they challenge.
I sometimes ask myself do we have enough females to justify the nuisance of one bull, let alone two.
Good luck, I wish you all the best.
Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2008 3:29 pm
by LewisMoore
Hi all, I have 12 cattle in total 1 steer who is more or less ready to go, 5 cows, including the mothers of both my bull calfs from earlier this year and the other 3 cows and there 3 daughters are running with a hired bull (so 13) for this year.
My cows calfs and steer are runnig on about 3 acres and the others are running on about 10.
Any advice on halter training bulls? Also when to put in a nose ring?
Lewis Moore (aged 16)
Brinkley herd
Edited By LewisMoore on 1212589828
Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2008 5:09 pm
by Sylvia
I think the amount of land you have is a little low for the numbers you seem to be building up. And if you intend to keep numbers down to what suits the amount of land you have, do you need a home-grown bull at all? It might be better to continue to hire a bull or use AI. Owning just one bull (let alone 2) is a serious undertaking. I don't want to dampen your obvious enthusiasm but it is very important to get the planning for the herd right at the beginning.
Sylvia (quite a bit older (but not necessarily wiser) than 16.)
Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2008 5:16 pm
by Saffy
Hi Lewis,
We started halter training ours as soon as we bought him - he was 4 months old but would probably have started earlier if we had him earlier.
He has been a real sweetie - don't know if they are always a good as him.
We were advised not too let him pull back for long as the halter will get too tight around the head and he will get uncomfortable and resentful, so get someone to push him up from behind.
Ours fought a fair bit the first time, much less the second time and very little after that. We didn't take him out of the yard for a few weeks in case of an explosion!
Some people begin by tying them to something strong before leading them - a good idea as they get used to the fact that the halter is in charge and there will be an extra one of you to stop them pulling back too much. Obviously take care where you do this so that he cannot easily get cast or put a leg through anything and hurt himself or you. A quick release knot would be a good idea.
Tying him a few times will help you gauge what to expect when you begin leading.
How old is your potential bull?
Stephanie
Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2008 5:37 pm
by Saffy
Hello again Lewis,
The 3 pics below show you our little bull learning to lead.
In the first it is his first lesson he as sulking alot!
The next pic is his third lesson and you can see he is already starting to walk by the side of his trainer a bit but most of the time I was behind him encouraging him forward to stop him pulling back. You want to be at his shoulder - not in front pulling.
The last pic shows the telegraph pole we tied him too, it was the only place we could find strong enough, without a gate or hurdle near it for him to shove a leg through. Possibly slightly OTT but we didn't expect him to break it!
Stephanie :D
Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2008 6:36 pm
by LewisMoore
My bull will be 3 month old on sunday, i would show you a picture but i don't know how. How do you include an image?
Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2008 6:38 pm
by LewisMoore
Also are you plannig to put in a nose ring. As i want to show mine i think it's a requirement.
Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2008 7:30 pm
by Saffy
Hi Lewis,
We had a nose ring put in by the vet when he was about 8 months old. He behaved brilliantly, he is very quiet generally though but he didn't move when the hole was punched through or when the ring went in.
This pic was taken later that day, so it obviously wasn't bothering him.
I put my pics on by first loading them onto a site like www.photobucket.com you can find one on Google.
Loading them is simple enough if you get stuck PM me.
Then I left click on the HTML code in the list below the pic on photobucket.
Go back to The Dexter Site and right click, select paste, your pic will show up as letters etc, check it is OK with preview post - make sure you have left enough space for it before you transfer it.
Stephanie
Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2008 8:04 pm
by LewisMoore
This is 'Steely Dan' at 1-2 moths
Thanks Stephanie
Edited By LewisMoore on 1212607535
Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2008 8:24 pm
by Saffy
Thanks for putting the pic on.
You must have been quick on the button to get a pic of him licking his nose!
Stephanie
