Bull or heifer issue?

[herofan]

I'm wondering if this issue sounds like a problem with the heifers or the bull. I put a bull with 17 heifers that were 15 months old in on Dec 1 2012. The next year, we had 3 claves in Sept., 4 in Oct., 3 in Nov., 1 in Dec., 1 in Jan., and 1 in March. I thought that was a little spaced out.

We turned the same bull with them in mid Nov. of 2013. So far this year, I've had 4 calves. That seems a bit behind to me.

I know you all don't know my herd or bull. I'm just looking for an answer off the top of your head based on experience. Is something like this more than likely a bull or heifer issue, or is this strike some as normal?

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

Bull.

 

[dun]

Bull.

Yup
1 silly question
Did he pass a BSE?

 

[Nesikep]

I'll be on the bull too, especially if you have a mineral feeding program

 

[bigbull338]

bull no q about it.send him to the sale and replace him.

 

[herofan]

It appears the bull has it. So, please entertain my silly question and explain what happens with the bull. Obviously, he's not sterile because some some cows have had calves. Can some bulls just be sluggish and lazy, not too horny, or not shooting a hot bullet every time? What's the deal?

 

[Taurus]

Didn't someone gave you an advice to get that bull tested last year?

 

[dun]

It appears the bull has it. So, please entertain my silly question and explain what happens with the bull. Obviously, he's not sterile because some some cows have had calves. Can some bulls just be sluggish and lazy, not too horny, or not shooting a hot bullet every time? What's the deal?

Poor volume, poor motility or damaged sperm. Even a blind hog finds an acorn once in while. That would explain why occasionlly you get a calf.

 

[fitz]

If my cows were healthy, steady on good minerals and a vaccination regiment, I'd be looking at the Bull also.

fitz

 

[KNERSIE]

What did the heifers weigh when they went to the bull, what breed and the ages?

 

[wacocowboy]

Easy to find out go have the bull tested.

 

[highgrit]

Just because he test good doesn't mean all is good with him. 4 calves out of 17 heifers in one year is crazy, it's only a 12k dollar screw up. And this year is looking just as bad as of now. I expect a calf every year and I cull my cows that go past. Heifers are a different deal sometimes they are a little slow to breed back. I'm no expert about the cattle business.But I do know you need to have your cows palpated, or a blood test done to see if they are bred. And if their not figure out what is the problem ASAP. Dieselbeef has a thread about this going on awhile back.

 

[Nesikep]

I had a bull go bad a week into breeding season... I noticed all my cows coming into heat again, so he was on the next truck out of here, and a new bull came in. Old bull bred 4 cows in 35 days, new bull bred the remaining 15 in 3 weeks.

Other reasons a bull doesn't breed can be a penile injury causing distortion or pain... That's what our bad bull had.

Scrap that bull, don't even bother testing him at this point... Get a new one and you'll find your problems go away, I would have done it 2 years ago.

 

[plumber_greg]

Trying to figure out why you would do the same thing this year that failed last year. Why on earth didn't you find the problem last November? gs

 

[Taurus]

Trying to figure out why you would do the same thing this year that failed last year. Why on earth didn't you find the problem last November? gs

That's what I was thinking. I would just sold the entire herd and start over with new herd but its just me.

 

[herofan]

What did the heifers weigh when they went to the bull, what breed and the ages?

Not sure about weight. They were all around 15 months and all about the same size. The heifers were mixed breed with a lot of Angus in them. The bull was a black registered Gelbvieh that we borrowed from a friend.

Trying to figure out why you would do the same thing this year that failed last year. Why on earth didn't you find the problem last November? gs

I'm sure checking things out would have been the thing to do, but I have a public job and am not here all the time. I'm not using that as a big excuse, but I guess I just didn't feel the pressure. There was that feeling that maybe they were just slow starters and it will be better next year. Although the income is nice, I'm not dependent on their income for anything.

I am getting a new bull this time. I went in half with the guy I borrowed the last one from. It's another registered Gelbvieh. He's been tested and shows that he is good.

 

[dun]

I am getting a new bull this time. I went in half with the guy I borrowed the last one from. It's another registered Gelbvieh. He's been tested and shows that he is good.

That's the "Right" way to do it.
The bull we just sold settled all of our cows in a matter of a couple of weeks but before he was sold he passed a full BSE.

 

[herofan]

I just spoke with my brother and he said the guy we got the 2012 bull from did have him tested back then and he showed good. Apparently, however, he's nothing special.

 

[dun]

I just spoke with my brother and he said the guy we got the 2012 bull from did have him tested back then and he showed good. Apparently, however, he's nothing special.

They can change in a matter of months or even weeks under the right (wrong) conditions situations. A couple of years ago we sold a bull to the dairy, the first 3 months he was there he bred everything that came in. A month or so later they noticed some cows that he bred after that started coming back in. Had the vet check him and he was shooting pretty much blanks and they were deformed blanks at that.