Yearling Bull

[Cuttin_up]

When using a yearling bull, how long do you leave him out to service your cows? My concern with leaving him out too long is overworking him and not giving him time to grow and mature.

[Frankie]

When using a yearling bull, how long do you leave him out to service your cows? My concern with leaving him out too long is overworking him and not giving him time to grow and mature.

Links to suggestions from Oklahoma State University on caring for a young bull:

Nutritional Considerations of Weaned or Purchased Bulls
http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/exten/cc-co ... lsale.html

Care of the Newly Purchased Young Bulls
http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/exten/cc-co ... ngbull.htm

BULL MANAGEMENT AFTER THE BREEDING SEASON
http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/exten/cc-co ... after.html

[grubbie]

Well, if the cows are all bred, he is not working anymore. (If they don't cycle, he don't get any). So overworking is not going to be an issue. The issue comes when your neighbor turns out some open cows and he tears down the fence to get to them. If it weren't for neighbors, I would pasture my bulls right along with the cows until the first calf hits the ground. Used to do it all the time. Now, with neighbors breeding later than we do, we pull the bulls between 45 and 60 days.

[msscamp]

When using a yearling bull, how long do you leave him out to service your cows?

Same length of time as a mature bull. In our case, that was usually 60 days or so.

My concern with leaving him out too long is overworking him and not giving him time to grow and mature.

If you are stuck with using a yearling bull - depending on your herd size - you might need to look at culling some cows in order to not overwork your bull.