Bull alone in a pasture

[SRBeef]

With the spring tillage, planting and fertilizer on some pastures, I had to move my bull to a pasture on the other side of the hill from the cows/heifers/calves. Steers are gone so he is there by himself. Up to the move it seems like he spent most of his time in places where he could see the rest of the herd even though on the other side of fences.

Does anyone here have one bull in a separated pasture by himself - can't see any other cattle? This may be for about 2 months until bull in date. Any problems likely? He has everything he needs there but seems unusually quiet.

Jim

 

[dun]

Isolated he could decide to go find company, or whne you try to do anything with him he may be a but aggresive. Give him a girl to worry about, you can alwasy lute her when it's time to actually breed her

 

[Angus Cowman]

If I am pasturing one bull I usually throw a bred cow or two in with him forcompany seems he does alot better
I usually run my bulls in pairs so when coming out of the cows they usually don't fight to bad I had 1 bull in with 20 some cows this yr by himself and he just wanted to fight every other bull around when I pulled them so he went in a pen with a couple of cows and he is happy as can be

 

[Frankie]

With the spring tillage, planting and fertilizer on some pastures, I had to move my bull to a pasture on the other side of the hill from the cows/heifers/calves. Steers are gone so he is there by himself. Up to the move it seems like he spent most of his time in places where he could see the rest of the herd even though on the other side of fences.

Does anyone here have one bull in a separated pasture by himself - can't see any other cattle? This may be for about 2 months until bull in date. Any problems likely? He has everything he needs there but seems unusually quiet.

Jim

I'd try to find another animal to keep him company. When we separated our bull, we put a cull cow with him until we brought bulls home from test to keep him company. It seems to me that once a bull teaches himself to get through a fence, he's more inclined to wander. Better not to encourage him to go through/over that first fence.

 

[Running Arrow Bill]

Rule #1: Livestock are "herd" animals.
Rule #2: Any animal alone out of sight of others is a potential wreck.
Rule #3: A bull alone out of sight of others is a BIG wreck waiting to happen.
Rule #4: Always put one or more adult females with a bull, bred or not.
Rule #5: Re-read Rules #1 thru #4.

We never isolate a bull by himself and always put at least one female with him for company.

P.S.: Rule #6: Never put two adult bulls across a fence---always separate with alley or pasture.

Works for us!

 

[townfarmer]

Just wondering will steers work as company for a bull or are cows more effective?

Andrew

 

[bse]

the last two bulls ive had i keep them in a 6 acre lot all alone i hand feed them about 10 to 12 lbs feed per day just getting them ready for next breeding season. There about 150 yards from the cows, this has worked for the last six years, the next one may not work that way.

 

[SRBeef]

Just wondering will steers work as company for a bull or are cows more effective?

Andrew

I had a couple steers with my bull last year and he was fine until bull in date of June 15th or so. Putting a cow or heifer in means you are going to have a pregnant animal calving when you don't want them to.

I had a tight 21 day calving season last year (=all on first heat) and it was wonderful. This year I have a cow and heifer that still seem aways away from calving when all the others are done. Not their fault but mine duw to a mixup when sharing my bull with a neighbor last summer. This is not good. Depnding on when the actually do calve they may be delayed in ready to breedback and perpetuating the problem over to next year....not good.

Thanks for all the replies to my question.

jmho. Jim

 

[dun]

Just wondering will steers work as company for a bull or are cows more effective?

Andrew

Steers work just fine. We keep a weanling steer just tro provide company to the bull when he's not with the girls. When we wean this fall last years steer becomes freezer bound.

 

[Herefords.US]

Put your late calving cow in with him. Chances are that she won't breed until around the "bull-out" date anyway.

George

 

[SRBeef]

Put your late calving cow in with him. Chances are that she won't breed until around the "bull-in" date anyway.

George

Thanks, George. That's what I'll do. Jim

 

[crimsoncrazy]

We pulled all ours bulls this year and put them all in the together they all got along pretty well just a little pushing around until we put the last bull in. He was the biggest of the group and all the little guys ganged up on him and they tore down about 100 feet of fence. Pulled the one bull out and now he's in the pasture next to them alone and they are fine.