Bulls

[farmerjan]

Our Extension agent will post something about offering a BSE test for bulls... they do it at one of the properties owned by VaTech... the McCormick Farm experimental station.... and one of the vets in the area offered a special of $50 for any bull ... you had to make an appointment ahead of time...
Check with the stockyards as some vets will do them there... and the extension office.....
Sounds like you do not have many large animal vets available in the area... sorry that it makes it hard for you....
Any other cattle people around where you could get a large animal vet to come and do several from different farms... even your own farm if you have a facility to handle a bull????

 

[puzzled in oregon]

Our Extension agent will post something about offering a BSE test for bulls... they do it at one of the properties owned by VaTech... the McCormick Farm experimental station.... and one of the vets in the area offered a special of $50 for any bull ... you had to make an appointment ahead of time...
Check with the stockyards as some vets will do them there... and the extension office.....
Sounds like you do not have many large animal vets available in the area... sorry that it makes it hard for you....
Any other cattle people around where you could get a large animal vet to come and do several from different farms... even your own farm if you have a facility to handle a bull????

I will start asking some people questions on this topic. In the past I had a veterinarian that was actually a "veterinarian". Had not even thought of the possibilities/sources you mentioned.

 

[SPH]

We list all our guarantees up front when we market our sale bulls. We'll take all our sale bulls along with our own herd bulls to the vet in the spring for a BSE which we'll also get all our yearling data collected at that visit too: weight, hip height, scrotal measurements and a carcass ultrasound. If bull doesn't pass his BSE he goes to slaughter. Doesn't happen often but you aren't going to sell a guy a bull that is shooting blanks. We take deposits on bulls we sell before breeding season so if the bull was already reserved for sale and we still have one not sold in the sale pen still we'll offer to exchange and possibly adjust the price (such as they bought one we had priced higher and all we have left is something we priced lower, etc.) otherwise we'll refund the deposit as we don't take full payment until they pass a BSE and are delivered.

Anyone who sells bulls shouldn't hesitate to have some standard guarantees behind them as that is their reputation on the line. When we buy bulls we want to buy from someone reputable that is going to stand by their guarantees just as we do as a bull that doesn't breed is lost money and productivity and if you aren't willing to make good on the guarantees you are risking your reputation as a breeder. Will bet you will lose a lot more potential sales off of 1 bad deal than you will gain sales from the ones that are problem-free.

 

[CowsRcuddly]

For the breeders who sell bulls ,what's your protocol for bulls that are sold but don't pass vet exam?

The bull does not leave here until he passes the vet exam. They are guaranteed breeders for a 90 day breeding season.

 

[CowsRcuddly]

What is the youngest age a bull calf/yearling can be expected to bass the BSE ? 12-14 months ? I realize 8-10 months is pretty young, even though I have used angus that young successfully, with a small number of cows.

We have tested bulls at 10 months and have passed, but would feel more comfortable at 12 months. A bull test that we participated in tested the April bulls in Feb. They had to retest 19 bulls, because they did it too early.