Bull Injury in Breeding Season, Now What?

[CVHFarmsLLC]

After horrible luck with bull injuries, we executed a plan to split the herd and run our bulls completely separate. That has worked well for several weeks now, but Murphy is always in hot pursuit of me and one bull broke into the pasture with the other and we now have an injured heifer bull (again). Here is what we have for breeding this year:

21 Brangus and braford heifers exposed 6 weeks and planning additional 6 weeks

29 Brangus and braford mature cows exposed 2 weeks and planning additional 8 weeks

Remaining bull is a 29 month reg. angus with breed average BW and CE. No calves from him yet, so no data on CE and BW. Bought him as our ranching bull for mature cows.

I see three options and looking for ideas and input.

1. Do nothing, run the remaining bull with all 50. Hopefully 50% of heifers are bred. We work hard to keep cows in good BCS and typically calve out 50% or more in first 3 weeks so hopefully 30% or more of mature cows already bred. Seems like a risky plan though with a young bull.

2. Lease bull. Limited options. Can get a commercial angus bull ASAP but no history on heifers. I feel like angus on Brangus and braford is probably low risk on heifers so might be best option. Will split the herd again and run separate with no activity in adjoining pastures.

3. Buy a replacement. Probably going to happen anyway, but that is going to draw out the absence while I search and I also hate being rushed into buying bulls.

 

[Travlr]

After horrible luck with bull injuries, we executed a plan to split the herd and run our bulls completely separate. That has worked well for several weeks now, but Murphy is always in hot pursuit of me and one bull broke into the pasture with the other and we now have an injured heifer bull (again). Here is what we have for breeding this year:

21 Brangus and braford heifers exposed 6 weeks and planning additional 6 weeks

29 Brangus and braford mature cows exposed 2 weeks and planning additional 8 weeks

Remaining bull is a 29 month reg. angus with breed average BW and CE. No calves from him yet, so no data on CE and BW. Bought him as our ranching bull for mature cows.

I see three options and looking for ideas and input.

1. Do nothing, run the remaining bull with all 50. Hopefully 50% of heifers are bred. We work hard to keep cows in good BCS and typically calve out 50% or more in first 3 weeks so hopefully 30% or more of mature cows already bred. Seems like a risky plan though with a young bull.

2. Lease bull. Limited options. Can get a commercial angus bull ASAP but no history on heifers. I feel like angus on Brangus and braford is probably low risk on heifers so might be best option. Will split the herd again and run separate with no activity in adjoining pastures.

3. Buy a replacement. Probably going to happen anyway, but that is going to draw out the absence while I search and I also hate being rushed into buying bulls.

Is the injured bull going to recover?

Have the heifers had pelvic measurements? What are your experiences with retained heifers in the past? Are your heifers capable? How old and how large will they be at calving?

 

[GoWyo]

Angus breed average is a fair amount of calving ease. Do you keep a tight watch on your heifers at calving time or are they kind of on their own? After 6 weeks the best heifers will be bred. Pull the bull, preg test and put the opens on feed.

 

[bird dog]

I vote # 1. Your breeding season may extend a few more weeks but a late calf is better than no calf.

 

[CVHFarmsLLC]

Is the injured bull going to recover?

Have the heifers had pelvic measurements? What are your experiences with retained heifers in the past? Are your heifers capable? How old and how large will they be at calving?

Bull is probably done. 6 year old and was already on the way out most likely this year.

No measurements. Never had to pull a calf on the ranch in my 7 years. They will be 23-26 months at calving average 1000+ lbs.

 

[CVHFarmsLLC]

Angus breed average is a fair amount of calving ease. Do you keep a tight watch on your heifers at calving time or are they kind of on their own? After 6 weeks the best heifers will be bred. Pull the bull, preg test and put the opens on feed.

Half the heifers are purchased so they only pencil if bred now or bred later and sold.

We pull them up to a pasture by the house and have someone looking at them at least once a day.

Never had to pull a calf, but first time for everything.

 

[Travlr]

Bull is probably done. 6 year old and was already on the way out most likely this year.

No measurements. Never had to pull a calf on the ranch in my 7 years. They will be 23-26 months at calving average 1000+ lbs.

Well in that case you can run the bull you have as you look for another heifer bull. Or take a couple of weeks before putting the heifers in while you look.

This is a great case of needing to know someone with bulls you can buy/lease/borrow, just in case. Some of the people here have established relationships so if they lose a bull they have someone to call on speed dial. Not a bad idea if you are buying your bulls anyways.

 

[Brute 23]

I lease bulls but I'm quite a few hours from Tyler.

With decent Brahman cross heifer any moderate bw Angus bull will be fine.

Thats a tough call between rolling the dice and leasing. It probably depends on how bad you want to calve with in the group.

If I'm thinking right, you should be able to ultrasound in around 15 days and see how many bred in the first 30. At the point you could decide if you are good to continue with one bull or if you need another. You would still have 30 days to drop a lease bull in and save the 90 day window.

 

[TexasJerseyMilker]

Last week I heard a bovine ruckus going on the ranch across the road. I went over to take a look. There was a cow in heat. She was definitely not in standing heat because too many testicles were pursuing her and fighting. One was his big herd bull Yellow. He looks to be a Sim Char cross. There was somebody's big baggy skinned black bull, probably a Brangus, an Angus bull and some kind of a white face Smokie lame behind. Plus bull calves. I asked my husband should I text our neighbor and he said no, he will soon find out on his own.

 

[wbvs58]

I think it is a no brainer, just put them all together with the one bull, 2/3 should already be bred. Young bulls have pretty good stamina.

Ken

 

[CVHFarmsLLC]

Well in that case you can run the bull you have as you look for another heifer bull. Or take a couple of weeks before putting the heifers in while you look.

This is a great case of needing to know someone with bulls you can buy/lease/borrow, just in case. Some of the people here have established relationships so if they lose a bull they have someone to call on speed dial. Not a bad idea if you are buying your bulls anyways.

I agree. Unfortunately, it’s the wrong time of year for our seed stock connections.

 

[blackladies]

After horrible luck with bull injuries, we executed a plan to split the herd and run our bulls completely separate. That has worked well for several weeks now, but Murphy is always in hot pursuit of me and one bull broke into the pasture with the other and we now have an injured heifer bull (again). Here is what we have for breeding this year:

21 Brangus and braford heifers exposed 6 weeks and planning additional 6 weeks

29 Brangus and braford mature cows exposed 2 weeks and planning additional 8 weeks

Remaining bull is a 29 month reg. angus with breed average BW and CE. No calves from him yet, so no data on CE and BW. Bought him as our ranching bull for mature cows.

I see three options and looking for ideas and input.

1. Do nothing, run the remaining bull with all 50. Hopefully 50% of heifers are bred. We work hard to keep cows in good BCS and typically calve out 50% or more in first 3 weeks so hopefully 30% or more of mature cows already bred. Seems like a risky plan though with a young bull.

2. Lease bull. Limited options. Can get a commercial angus bull ASAP but no history on heifers. I feel like angus on Brangus and braford is probably low risk on heifers so might be best option. Will split the herd again and run separate with no activity in adjoining pastures.

3. Buy a replacement. Probably going to happen anyway, but that is going to draw out the absence while I search and I also hate being rushed into buying bulls.

Your calving window might be a little longer but 1 bull should be able to cover that many cows. Let him live a little.

 

[daneg]

I breed my heifers for 25- 30 days, 6wks is ample time to get bred the ones that didn’t aren’t as fertile.