Aggressive longhorn bull?

[ohiosteve]

Can anyone with experience with longhorns tell me if it is a good idea to keep a bull past the age of 4 or 5? The 2 yr old I have now is as mild mannered as they come and I'd like to keep him for a couple more years and I've heard the LH bulls typically stay very docile. any thoughts will be appreciated.

 

[Rustler9]

Well, we currently have two nine year olds, a twelve year old and several more that are anywhere from four to seven years old. Had an 18 year old one who died this spring, old age and natural causes, he sired his last calf at age 16. I'm not saying that they can't get agressive but I've not had one to do so in 14 years of breeding Longhorns. If they are hard to handle we don't let them stick around. I would say that if your bulls are easy handling now that they will continue to be that way.

 

[ohiosteve]

Thats what the old timer I got him from told me as well. He's actually a Watusi/LH cross and he's the first LH I've ever been around and the neighbors and I really like having him around. I'm looking forward to seeing just how big he gets.

 

[Rustler9]

I don't have any experience with Watusi only Longhorns but there's probably not much difference in temperment. Alot of that also depends on how they are raised and treated. We don't make pets out of ours but we do like to have them gentle enough to work them and do whatever needs to be done. We run about 200 mamas so we wean alot of calves from six different farms, we bring all calves to a central lot and corral them, start them out on some feed which usually has them waiting at the gate for you in a couple of days. Doesn't take them long to learn where that feed comes from and they will come right to you.

 

[ohiosteve]

I'm just a part timer and I don't have anywhere near 200 mama's just 5 heifers and a 5 yr old cow for now. I lost a big calf out of a heifer this spring and it broke my heart so when I ran across the LH and started reading about the small vigorous calves and heartiness of the breed along w/the disease resistance and disposition I thought I'd go for it. It doesn't take long on this forum to pick up on all the LH haters but the more I learn about them the better I like em. I'm curious to see what the calves are like out of my pure angus heifers. I'm sure its not a popular way to go but I'll sacrifice a little narrower butt for some personality and ruggedness.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

I'm just a part timer and I don't have anywhere near 200 mama's just 5 heifers and a 5 yr old cow for now. I lost a big calf out of a heifer this spring and it broke my heart so when I ran across the LH and started reading about the small vigorous calves and heartiness of the breed along w/the disease resistance and disposition I thought I'd go for it. It doesn't take long on this forum to pick up on all the LH haters but the more I learn about them the better I like em. I'm curious to see what the calves are like out of my pure angus heifers. I'm sure its not a popular way to go but I'll sacrifice a little narrower butt for some personality and ruggedness.

My exact words to my wife the day I proposed. LOL!

 

[High Cotton]

My exact words to my wife the day I proposed. LOL!

ROTFLMAO you owe me an iPhone. I just sprayed Mnt Dew all over this one.

 

[Running Arrow Bill]

We have 5 bulls in service: Aged 4 to 12 years old. All of ours are docile and you can walk among them (the're in separate pastures with their girls). They respond to hand signals and verbal commands to "come" or "get back", etc. In our 10 years of having Longhorns have never had a problem with any of them.

On a sidebar, all of our service bulls have been purchased from other breeders. Our own bull calves are sorted at weaning (or before) as to Keep, Hit the Road, Steer, Hamburger. The Keepers are available for sale to others.

If you would like to see the bulls I'm talking about...just go to our website(s).

Welcome to Longhorns!

P.S.: A Caveat: Don't put two breeding age bulls in same pasture (especially if there is a female around); and second, don't get between any bull and a female that is in heat... Third, even though a bull is "predictable and tame", always keep an eye on him when you're in his area. Finally, never make a "pet" out of a bull.

 

[TexasBred]

I'm just a part timer and I don't have anywhere near 200 mama's just 5 heifers and a 5 yr old cow for now. I lost a big calf out of a heifer this spring and it broke my heart so when I ran across the LH and started reading about the small vigorous calves and heartiness of the breed along w/the disease resistance and disposition I thought I'd go for it. It doesn't take long on this forum to pick up on all the LH haters but the more I learn about them the better I like em. I'm curious to see what the calves are like out of my pure angus heifers. I'm sure its not a popular way to go but I'll sacrifice a little narrower butt for some personality and ruggedness.

My exact words to my wife the day I proposed. LOL!

lmao...you are too much. Hope she doesn't see your post.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

You mean you don't think she'd take that as a compliment?

 

[Rustler9]

We actually run our bulls together when we aren't breeding them. As long as there aren't any cows around they are fine together. They rant and rave for the first day or two and then they are grazing together after a couple of days like old pals.

 

[ohiosteve]

I turned my bull out into a new pasture friday with some Heifers and he ended up getting shocked and it spooked him and he ran through the fence and just bellering like I never heard before. Then cows from what sounded like miles away all started chiming in. Luckily I've been out in the pasture with about every day so when I came out with the flashlight He recognized my voice and followed me right over to the gate and Walked right in when I opened it. Very smart animal. If he'd have made it down my driveway to the road I gaurantee some folks would have been flipping out.

 

[Rustler9]

Oh yeah, if one of mine gets out people have a fit. They think that all of mine are bulls because they have horns. I didn't know that people are so ignorant when it comes to cattle. I have even tried to explain it this way: if it has four teats it's a cow, if there's a big change purse hanging down there it's a bull. lol