Bull-Heifer ratio

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Anonymous

We have held back heifers here and there over the years and bred them as replacements for cows that we have gotten rid of but I have never kept a larger group of heifers to breed. I would like to know what type of ratio would you use to make sure the job gets done? FYI- the bull I would like to use is a 2 1/2 year old brangus in very good condition.
 
JPO":18xwq7uu said:
We have held back heifers here and there over the years and bred them as replacements for cows that we have gotten rid of but I have never kept a larger group of heifers to breed. I would like to know what type of ratio would you use to make sure the job gets done? FYI- the bull I would like to use is a 2 1/2 year old brangus in very good condition.

how big is your place? what is the terrain like? how long is your breeding season? those need to be taken into consideration when making the decision. for us, a 2 1/2 year old brangus should be able to cover 25-30 cows in a 90 day breeding season w/no problem.
 
On a small tract, say 20 acres, is 90 days about average to keep the bull with them? I am going to be breeding 3 cows and an a heifer with a borrowed bull, and my plan was to keep them and 2 small calves in about a 5-6 acre pen. Would it be better to let them roam the whole 20 acres, or should I keep them penned up? My original plan was to keep the bull for 60 days, but I could probably arrange to keep it longer if necessary.

I have a neighbor who has a 50 ft round pen and he puts a cow in with the bull every couple of months, he just keeps switching them out. Besides not having the bull chase the cows around, is there any other advantage to breeding one at a time?
 
eric":22so7b2d said:
On a small tract, say 20 acres, is 90 days about average to keep the bull with them? I am going to be breeding 3 cows and an a heifer with a borrowed bull, and my plan was to keep them and 2 small calves in about a 5-6 acre pen. Would it be better to let them roam the whole 20 acres, or should I keep them penned up? My original plan was to keep the bull for 60 days, but I could probably arrange to keep it longer if necessary.

I have a neighbor who has a 50 ft round pen and he puts a cow in with the bull every couple of months, he just keeps switching them out. Besides not having the bull chase the cows around, is there any other advantage to breeding one at a time?

there should be no reason they can't have the whole 20 acres. as for length of time, if all your cows are cycling before you bring the bull, there should be no need to keep him more than 45-60 days.

50 ft round pen, 1 at a time every couple of months? seems kind of silly to me unless your plan is to have 1 calf every couple of months & not have them all calve at once which is still kind of silly in my opinion.
 
eric":wvc5sc50 said:
On a small tract, say 20 acres, is 90 days about average to keep the bull with them? I am going to be breeding 3 cows and an a heifer with a borrowed bull, and my plan was to keep them and 2 small calves in about a 5-6 acre pen. Would it be better to let them roam the whole 20 acres, or should I keep them penned up? My original plan was to keep the bull for 60 days, but I could probably arrange to keep it longer if necessary.

I have a neighbor who has a 50 ft round pen and he puts a cow in with the bull every couple of months, he just keeps switching them out. Besides not having the bull chase the cows around, is there any other advantage to breeding one at a time?

If the cows are cycling and the bull is any good, he should easily be able to get them bred on that 20 acre tract within 60 days. If they're cycling and you can give them a shot of Lutalyse before you turn the bull in, he might get the job done in three days.
 

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