Bull Winter Management

[jwimberly]

So I tried a search and didn't come up with much. Last winter my bull had free choice hay and he got way too fat. He was with the cow herd all winter but this year I seperated him into his own pen. One of the college studies recommended about 33 pounds of hay/day for his size which is 1750. Does this sound right? I'm sure it depends on the quality of hay but I need a good starting point. How are the rest of you managing your bulls diet over winter?

 

[5S Cattle]

Our hay sucks. So I generally just leave a bale out and a protein tub. Younger bulls I'm feeding right now

 

[jwimberly]

So with free choice hay your bulls don't get too fat but pretty much hold their condition?

 

[Son of Butch]

One of the college studies recommended about 33 pounds of hay/day for his size which is 1750. Does this sound right?

Sounds a tad low to me. 2% of his body weight is 35 lbs. I'd plan on 40 pounds to account for moisture and waste.

 

[jwimberly]

Ok, it's probably pretty hard to tell from this pic but he was starting to pack on weight in his gut pretty good. Hindsight I wish I thought ahead and got several square bales instead of robbing from the round bales what he needs everyday.

 

[76 Bar]

Google Body Condition Score. From the pic I wouldn't assess your bull as fat nor gutty. If indeed the latter is true I'd worm him with a quality product at least once and depending on your herd health protocol & mgt, perhaps a follow up treatment.

 

[jwimberly]

Google Body Condition Score. From the pic I wouldn't assess your bull as fat nor gutty. If indeed the latter is true I'd worm him with a quality product at least once and depending on your herd health protocol & mgt, perhaps a follow up treatment.

I'm with you 76. It's more along the lines of he was headed that way. From last winters experience it seemed he never left the hay ring and packed on the weight as it got colder and colder. But it has been well over a year since he's been dewormed so it is passed due.

 

[5S Cattle]

He's no where near overweight. Give him a round bale and stop overthinking it. :2cents:

 

[farmerjan]

Our bulls have free choice round bales in front of them 24/7. They are made to clean up a bit by letting them run out for 24 hours. But in the bull lot there are anywhere from 3 to 7 bulls and we keep 3 round bales in there to minimize the fighting or one being a bully. The bulls are all ages, from 2 to 8 yrs, so want to make sure the younger ones can eat in peace. They get free choice mineral and a TM salt block so they don't get to slinging the mineral out of the feeder. A 5 gal bucket of pellets usually 15% once or twice a week unless it is really cold then maybe 3x a week. They do sometimes get a little fat, but I would rather a little fat than have them standing around being cold in the wet rainy/icy weather we often get. When they go to the cows in May/June they are on just grass and mineral by then. One thing I also like to see is if the bulls can get and stay in "very good" condition on just hay. The ones that don't often produce calves that don't.

 

[jwimberly]

Our bulls have free choice round bales in front of them 24/7. They are made to clean up a bit by letting them run out for 24 hours. But in the bull lot there are anywhere from 3 to 7 bulls and we keep 3 round bales in there to minimize the fighting or one being a bully. The bulls are all ages, from 2 to 8 yrs, so want to make sure the younger ones can eat in peace. They get free choice mineral and a TM salt block so they don't get to slinging the mineral out of the feeder. A 5 gal bucket of pellets usually 15% once or twice a week unless it is really cold then maybe 3x a week. They do sometimes get a little fat, but I would rather a little fat than have them standing around being cold in the wet rainy/icy weather we often get. When they go to the cows in May/June they are on just grass and mineral by then. One thing I also like to see is if the bulls can get and stay in "very good" condition on just hay. The ones that don't often produce calves that don't.

That's the kind of info I'm looking for farmerjan. I'm only managing 1 bull though but I'm about to put a steer or 2 with him for company. I'm working towards getting my cows in 1 calving season from a year round schedule so this is the first time I've seperated him from the herd.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Easiest way is to run him with the cows till calving.
Don't see too many fat hay bulls in a MN winter.
What does your hay test for TDN?

 

[Ebenezer]

So I tried a search and didn't come up with much. Last winter my bull had free choice hay and he got way too fat. He was with the cow herd all winter but this year I seperated him into his own pen. One of the college studies recommended about 33 pounds of hay/day for his size which is 1750. Does this sound right? I'm sure it depends on the quality of hay but I need a good starting point. How are the rest of you managing your bulls diet over winter?

Fescue pasture.

 

[Silver]

Mine get free choice hay, TM salt and water. And I try not to give them the best hay. Bulls have a way of putting on condition without special rations. Maybe because they aren't carrying a calf. :dunce:

 

[SPH]

Our herd bulls get free choice hay and never had issues with them getting fat off that. Like Stocker Steve who is 1 state to the north, our winters are going to be a lot different than a winter in Georgia or Texas so there is going to be some variance in how they are managed based off the environment they are living in depending on where you live.

 

[MtnCows93]

i guess if your bull is getting fat off just hay then he has good genetics, if it is bothering you just give him crappy hay rained on or over mature. from the picture imo hes not fat hes just right

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

I agree that you need to learn to analyze body condition. In the picture, you bull is too thin and not carrying enough in the middle. I want to see a big gut and rib in my cattle.
If you run him with your steers, does that mean you are grass/hay feeding out your steers?

 

[elkwc]

The issue with many areas in our region this year is hay is scarce and very high when you find it. So many are having to explore other options. In a normal year it maybe the cheapest route but this year it isn't and any hay found maybe needed elsewhere depending on the winter. I'm going to leave mine with the bred cows for a while and then move them and likely give them either liquid feed or protein tubs and cake 3 times a week. The yearling bull will be turned on wheat for a while. They will get hay when snow is on the ground.

 

[jwimberly]

Here's a better picture from behind. He seems pretty fat to me. He wasn't this bad until I gave him a full bale of hay and he engorged himself a few days.

 

[Allenw]

He has a belly full of hay, has nothing to do with being fat

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

He has a belly full of hay, has nothing to do with being fat

Exactly!!! He almost looks a little bloated.