Bull riding cow a sure sign?

[JLScattle]

Is a bull riding a cow a sure sign that cow is open and cycling? As in, it is safe to assume that a cow being ridden is not pregnant? Is there ever a situation where a bull will ride a cow that is pregnant?

I was sure all of mine were bred but I saw my bull getting after one the other day and it made me question that.

 

[boondocks]

We AI so don't have a bull (hopefully others who do will weigh in here) but we have had a steer or cow try to mount a bred cow in the latter part of pregnancy. Someone told me then that it's not that uncommon, something hormonal maybe...But I'm fairly new at this so hopefully some more experienced folks will respond.

Good luck!

 

[dun]

Is she stands to be bred the odds are she is open, but until you see feet out the back you can;t really be sure she is bred. Just becuase the bull trys to mount, as long as she moves away I would assume she is bred.

 

[skyhightree1]

Jls stop guessing if your cattle are bred and do blood draws there alot cheaper than waiting for a year and not getting a calf.

 

[NolanCountyAG]

JLS, how come you still have the bull turned out if everything was bred? I'm with sky, preg check them so you know for sure.

 

[Son of Butch]

Is there ever a situation where a bull will ride a cow that is pregnant?

Yes, a pregnant cow will stand to be ridden rather than walk away if she has heavy lice on her tail head, pins and rump.

 

[angus9259]

I'm betting open. Though bulls will try to ride bulls so it's not definitive. But I bet open. Also - just because you never see them standing for re-breeding doesn't mean they are bred either.

 

[angus9259]

until you see feet out the back you can;t really be sure she is bred.

Funny. I was going to say that there's no SURE sign of anything in the cattle business. But I guess this would be as good a sign as there is

 

[JLScattle]

Thanks all. She definitely stood her ground and didn't walk out from under him.

JLS, how come you still have the bull turned out if everything was bred? I'm with sky, preg check them so you know for sure.

I am currently running a bull year round, calving year round, and preg checking/working all every 6 months. I'm only 2 years into this business, but that is how I have done it so far. I am letting them go longer this time because I want to get to more of an April/October schedule of working/preg checking. I have also kicked around to going to every 4 months, but I'm open for advice.

Jls stop guessing if your cattle are bred and do blood draws there alot cheaper than waiting for a year and not getting a calf.

This I need to find out more about. So far I have only had a vet palpate. I assume drawing blood is quicker and cheaper? What does it typically cost? How quickly does it need to get to a vet? Need to stay refrigerated?

 

[M-5]

the blood draw kits are about 2 bucks and the test is about 3 bucks. Less than 10bucks with shipping. They recommend an ICE pack be used when mailing in the summer. There are several labs across the country that you can use.

 

[Kell-inKY]

Somebody posted the name of the company who does the blood test one time but I can't remember? I have one I am unsure about as well (or is that against rules to post a name or link?)

As far as the bull, I think if she were in heat, the bull would not leave her side no matter what, even to eat, at least that is the way mine is while waiting for her to come in fully. I'm saying I think it would be obvious he was after her.

 

[dun]

As far as the bull, I think if she were in heat, the bull would not leave her side no matter what, even to eat, at least that is the way mine is while waiting for her to come in fully. I'm saying I think it would be obvious he was after her.

Depends on the bull. We've had bulls that we never saw around the cows but they all go bred. Had another that would service them once then go lay in the shade the rest of the day except for his regular scheduled sniff tests of all of the cows.

 

[J&D Cattle]

Somebody posted the name of the company who does the blood test one time but I can't remember? I have one I am unsure about as well (or is that against rules to post a name or link?)

As far as the bull, I think if she were in heat, the bull would not leave her side no matter what, even to eat, at least that is the way mine is while waiting for her to come in fully. I'm saying I think it would be obvious he was after her.

I've always used www.biotracking.com. They have several different labs you can use across the country.

 

[M-5]

I ordered my kits thru bovine elite and testing is thru biopryn

 

[Kell-inKY]

Thanks, that was it.

 

[M-5]

I had a cow that calved early February I had documented last year she was acting like heat 24 days after calving in 2015 . I documented again in june that bull was trying to breed her which aligned with her returning to heat. She calved 52 days early according to what I observed. So she was bred on first cycle and stuck and for some reason she was in false heat or the bull was just horny.

 

[dun]

I had a cow that calved early February I had documented last year she was acting like heat 24 days after calving in 2015 . I documented again in june that bull was trying to breed her which aligned with her returning to heat. She calved 52 days early according to what I observed. So she was bred on first cycle and stuck and for some reason she was in false heat or the bull was just horny.

The key is usually if they stand.

 

[TCRanch]

Last Oct I was concerned about our oldest cow being open because even though there wasn't any bull activity that I actually saw, she was constantly getting hunched by the steers & any time another cow was in heat she right in the game. Had her preg checked by a friend when we were working the cattle & he said she was open. He's a cowboy, as in that's his job & has a degree in Animal Science so I assumed he was right. Until she popped out an 80 lb heifer 2 weeks later. Oops! Although I cut him some slack because he's all of 5'6" wearing boots & she's a huge cow, plus the calf had obviously dropped by then (and I thoroughly enjoyed teasing him). The bulls were definitely on her a number of times last Nov & early Feb but once again she's a steer magnet - and she stands. I'm going to assume she's bred but will have her preg checked again - by our vet

 

[Nesikep]

I've had a cow that was 7 months bred stand for the bull... for about 3 days in a row.. thought for sure she was open but she wasn't...

It's not failproof, but USUALLY they're open when they act like they're in heat.

 

[Muddy]

Had a cow stand for many cows to jumping on her for two days. Thought she was open....nope two weeks later she popped out a calf.