Bull Pens

[Farmer Z]

I need to improve my herd management by controlling my calving season. I plan to build a pen to hold my bull...5 strand barb wire with steel posts every 10 feet...a couple of fence stays between posts...about an acre fenced in...should this be sufficient? I can run a hotwire if necessary.

 

[denoginnizer]

Not much grass on a acre

 

[J&T Farm]

Ive had bulls that could jump a 5 strand fence and never drag a hoof. It will all depend on how close your cows will be to the bull pen.

 

[Scotty]

Probly be OK. Depends on how close he is to other bulls and cows that will come into heat. Some bulls would and will rip that set up to shreds.


Scotty

 

[Farmer Z]

He'll be the only bull on the place but will be right across the fence from the cows from time to time. I have two fields and can allow him to run alone on about ten acres when the others are rotated out.

 

[Bama]

You may want to think about a electric fence. He needs to hit it a time or two before the cows get next to him. A sex crazed bull and barbwire normally don't mix. Disclaimer. ( unless you call yourself MEDIC on C.T. )

 

[msscamp]

You may want to think about a electric fence. He needs to hit it a time or two before the cows get next to him. A sex crazed bull and barbwire normally don't mix. Disclaimer. ( unless you call yourself MEDIC on C.T. )

I've never seen a sex crazed bull mix with anything as far as fencing is concerned. Steel pipe cemented into the ground stands the best chance, but even that is not fool-proof (no pun intended) as the gates are still vulnerable.

 

[Farmhand]

Think you may want more if the cows will be on the other side. We use to do that. Got tired of roundin' up bull, fixing fence, draggin' electric fence wire out of grass, and buying new gates every day. The electric fence won't even tickle as they go through if there is a cow in heat on the other side. Barb wire just slices 'em up but doesn't slow 'em down. Heavy duty gates just mean they gotta hop before they run. Ended up building a pen that nothing has gotten out of since. Telephone posts for corner posts with wooden posts in between. Wire corncrib panels for fence. Used guard rail in the center for strength so they can't just bow the fence over. Bridgeplanks around the bottom so we have something solid to push against for clean out. Heaviest cattle gates you can afford. Added a wood mini gate to the top of the gate to give it more height. Height seems to really help cut down on any attempts to get out.

 

[rwtherefords]

I need to improve my herd management by controlling my calving season. I plan to build a pen to hold my bull...5 strand barb wire with steel posts every 10 feet...a couple of fence stays between posts...about an acre fenced in...should this be sufficient? I can run a hotwire if necessary.

A lot depends on what type of temperment your bull has. My bull pen is all hot wire! 3 hot strands gets the job done with my cows right across the fence. The key is a strong shock, get a good charger and use the recommended 3 grounding rods. An acre should be fine. My bull is only in the bull pen from the time my cows calve until I start the breeding season (2 - 3 months). I've also set mine up connected to my loading/working pen. That makes the pen useful the rest of the year in case you have to doctor an animal and don't want to turn it back out into the herd just yet.

 

[SPRINGER FARMS MURRAY GRE]

Would probably also help to have another bull,steer or two to run with him. ;-) :cboy:

 

[ALACOWMAN]

I need to improve my herd management by controlling my calving season. I plan to build a pen to hold my bull...5 strand barb wire with steel posts every 10 feet...a couple of fence stays between posts...about an acre fenced in...should this be sufficient?

• I can run a hotwire if necessary

.

It be necessary ;-)

 

[jkwilson]

I need to improve my herd management by controlling my calving season. I plan to build a pen to hold my bull...5 strand barb wire with steel posts every 10 feet...a couple of fence stays between posts...about an acre fenced in...should this be sufficient? I can run a hotwire if necessary.

I watched an adult Hereford bull jump a 52" fence from a standing start to get to heifers on the other side.

 

[Cattle Rack Rancher]

I'm actually planning to build something similar. Five strand electric. Every second one ground. Railway ties every eight feet. My bull is used to electric and fears it now so should keep him in. I've seen bulls jump some pretty high fences, too. I definitely wouldn't go any less than five feet with your wire. Six would be better if you can manage it. Good Luck.

 

[Alan]

I'm no expert, but I also have one bull on the place, a Hereford to cover 12 cows. I put my bull in with the cows the firt of June and run him with them until the first of March, no one is in heat and he hasn't missed one yet. Calves come April thru May, have had a couple in June. So while he's across the driveway and yard from the cows, no one is in heat and I have never had a problem, knock on wood. I use two strands of hot and two of barb.

Hope my next bull is as good.
Alan

 

[Texan]

It's been my experience that if a bull can get his head under the bottom wire or over the top wire, you've got a potential problem. Nothing will hold him if he ever does that and wants on the other side. That's if anything would hold him, anyway.

 

[Susie David]

I agree with Texan...if he can get his head under it, he's off to the races with alot of fence with him...make sure there's a two bar latch on the gate, three if you can rig one. I have a pretzel gate to verify the claim, got his head under the corner and pryed it into a twisted mess...just a little slop was all it took.
Good luck....DMc

 

[Farmer Z]

Folks - Thanks for all the information! It will be very usefull to me.

 

[Dusty Britches]

There's a place up the road from me - he's got 4 bulls in a 2 acre lot, seperated from cows with what appears to be a 2 strand electric fence seperating the cows on one side and field fence seperating the bulls from the road on the other 3 sides. It is about 4 feet high. It still amazes me that those bulls stay in that "pen".