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<blockquote data-quote="SRBeef" data-source="post: 986294" data-attributes="member: 7509"><p>If you choose a bull calf out of your best cow, a cow that has the traits you are looking for, sired by your best bull, a bull that has the traits you are looking for, then the bull calf IS likely to be superior to most of your herd. This retained bull calf will then have the genes you are looking for and is then useful to spread these genes around to other cow families. You still have to keep an eye on them to make sure they show these traits, at least up to weaning time when I make my last decision to cut or not. </p><p></p><p>Most bull calves are cut in the spring at 6-8 weeks old. A future bull prospect may get cut at weaning in the fall if he falls apart but I hate to cut any calves that old so try to make the decision to keep or not earlier.</p><p></p><p>In my experience there really is not that much to "developing" a bull. They are in a separate pasture over the winter with either an older bull or a steer for company. They get the same hay mineral salt and occasional grain treat to gentle them as the rest of the herd. Come June bull-in day, the bulls are separated and either herded to a paddock with their breeding group of cows or the cows are herded into the bull pasture, depending on the grass and rotation at the time. Only one bull in a pasture at a time. I try to keep the bull groups separated so they are never on opposite sides of a fence from each other.</p><p></p><p>Not a big deal to select and raise your own bull in my experience with a few of them so far. I do also have a bought in registered Hereford bull every year to bring new genetics into the herd but always on the bull side. I don't buy any more females.</p><p></p><p>Jim</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="SRBeef, post: 986294, member: 7509"] If you choose a bull calf out of your best cow, a cow that has the traits you are looking for, sired by your best bull, a bull that has the traits you are looking for, then the bull calf IS likely to be superior to most of your herd. This retained bull calf will then have the genes you are looking for and is then useful to spread these genes around to other cow families. You still have to keep an eye on them to make sure they show these traits, at least up to weaning time when I make my last decision to cut or not. Most bull calves are cut in the spring at 6-8 weeks old. A future bull prospect may get cut at weaning in the fall if he falls apart but I hate to cut any calves that old so try to make the decision to keep or not earlier. In my experience there really is not that much to "developing" a bull. They are in a separate pasture over the winter with either an older bull or a steer for company. They get the same hay mineral salt and occasional grain treat to gentle them as the rest of the herd. Come June bull-in day, the bulls are separated and either herded to a paddock with their breeding group of cows or the cows are herded into the bull pasture, depending on the grass and rotation at the time. Only one bull in a pasture at a time. I try to keep the bull groups separated so they are never on opposite sides of a fence from each other. Not a big deal to select and raise your own bull in my experience with a few of them so far. I do also have a bought in registered Hereford bull every year to bring new genetics into the herd but always on the bull side. I don't buy any more females. Jim [/QUOTE]
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