Bull:cow ratio - all year breeding

[Anonymous]

I understand that the usual advice is to run a bull with no more than 40 heifers/cows but that advice usually goes hand in hand with advice to have a short controlled breeding period. How many heifers/cows could a bull service if left to breed all year?

 

[Anonymous]

I would never run just one bull with a group of females. I learned the hard way and missed part of a calf crop. A good bull or the cost of two bulls to run with a herd of cattle, figured over a 6-10 year period of time is a cheap investment. And it is real cheap if something causes one to become sterile during the year.

> I understand that the usual advice
> is to run a bull with no more than
> 40 heifers/cows but that advice
> usually goes hand in hand with
> advice to have a short controlled
> breeding period. How many
> heifers/cows could a bull service
> if left to breed all year?

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[Anonymous]

I wouldn't run over 25 cows per bull. More than that and you will have cows cycling without being bred first time up.

Running more than one bull does have its advantages. Another is if you're having trouble keeping a bull out of the neighbor's place. The neighbor's place doesn't look as good if he thinks he might miss something at home.

Fair warning, you will catch some flack on these boards for running bulls year round and not having a calving season. We run them 12 months a year and I think it's the best way for our situation right now, for a variety of reasons. A lot of people run bulls all year.

But there is a good argument to be made on the other side. A lot of things I do aren't nearly as sophisticated as the way some folks do them.

Bottom line either way, even a good sound bull can't adequately service more than about 25 cows. If you're running 40, you should run two.

Craig

 

[Anonymous]

i ditto craig's remarks, i might have even said 20 cows per bull.. and i run them all year too.. i have seen a herd on a bad year for one reason or another be late breeding as a group... drought can cause this...

i would rather they breed late than not breed at all because i pulled the bull off too quick. i can cull them, but at least they have a better chance of at least being light bred.

bottom line is, everybody has to do what best fits their situation and desires. i have a small operation and having a tight calving season is not a big deal with me. i just cull those that take too long to breed back.

just my 2 cents

gene

> I wouldn't run over 25 cows per
> bull. More than that and you will
> have cows cycling without being
> bred first time up.

> Running more than one bull does
> have its advantages. Another is if
> you're having trouble keeping a
> bull out of the neighbor's place.
> The neighbor's place doesn't look
> as good if he thinks he might miss
> something at home.

> Fair warning, you will catch some
> flack on these boards for running
> bulls year round and not having a
> calving season. We run them 12
> months a year and I think it's the
> best way for our situation right
> now, for a variety of reasons. A
> lot of people run bulls all year.

> But there is a good argument to be
> made on the other side. A lot of
> things I do aren't nearly as
> sophisticated as the way some
> folks do them.

> Bottom line either way, even a
> good sound bull can't adequately
> service more than about 25 cows.
> If you're running 40, you should
> run two.

> Craig

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