Developing Bulls

[Flacowman]

I was just wondering how y'all would suggest developing bulls for sale as breeders. We have always fed out our Charolais bulls on range cubes and lush grass with more supplement in the winter. I was just wondering what everyone else does and if there are any more cheap shortcuts that won't lower my bull quality. Thanks in advance! :cboy:

 

[JustSimmental]

We are fall calvers, so we wean calves in mid-May. 2010 AWW's for Bulls was 672 lbs.

Bulls go on Millet in mid-May through mid-August where we can normally get 2.5+ ADG. (925 lbs average)

Bulls go on Corn we planted in August > October as millet is finishing up with approx a 2.5 ADG. (AYW= 1100).

October 15th to Thanksgiving, bulls are put on baleage and some grain, with ADG's of 2.5+ and weigh in at approximately 1200 lbs.

December 1 through March 15th, bulls are put on Rye grazing @ 2.5 ADG (weigh in about 1475 lbs)

Mid-March to Mid-May, bulls are put on Arrowleaf clover and normally 2.5+ ADG and by May 15th weigh in at 1625 lbs.

All Summer, bulls are put on grass pastures and gains are decreased a little bit and over the hot summer to September 1st weigh in at 1800 lbs.

September 1 to October 1 -- bulls are put on Soybean hulls and weigh in at 1800 to 1900 lbs, by sale day.

JustSimms

 

[Flacowman]

Apparently no one wants to give any secrets away :idea: but thanks JustSimmental, sounds like you have a very similar method to ours.

 

[deenranch]

We hand feed our char bulls until they are 1 year old... They are in a 40 acre trap and are fed a 12% high grain feed. After they turn a year old we put the bulls on coastal and decrease the amount of feed from 3% body weight to 1-1.5% body weight per day... The closer we get to sale the less feed they get. There are usually no more than 15-20 bulls in each trap at a time... They also have free choice hay during hard times..

 

[pdfangus]

I am a small angus breeder.
50 cow herd and we normally keep 4-6 bulls for development.
I have historically sent our bulls to the central test stations and brought about half home for sale and sold half in the test. anything that flunked the test we had room for in the freezer.

sold most of the cows and only have a couple now.

Last year and this year I have raised them on pasture and supplemented with about 6 to 8 lbs of grain per head per day and had good luck. Last years bulls sold well before they were a year old to previous customers and I had the buyers agree to let me keep them til they were 15 months old. Did not even take yearling weights.

this year I have two and plan to weigh them next month. We have had the driest year in over thirty years and they have made a living on native common bermuda grass as that is all we have left. They both look good.

I plan to offer one for sale this late fall or winter and the other I plan to hold for a year at least.

 

[vclavin]

We are also a small Registered Angus herd, under 30 cows and spread between Spring and Fall. We hand feed from a creep feeder and move to pens or small pasture after weaning. We hand feed the same high fiber diet to developing bulls( and heifers) to prevent lots of problems. Amounts differ according to age, rate of growth, bulls seem to spurt at 10 months. We shoot for 3lbs gain a day. Don't want a FAT bull but rather one in good body condition that won't drop weight rapidly when put out to pasture, but will be able to digest the grass.Many cattlemen around here do not know howto change the high energy diet their new bulls have been fed, to a high fiber diet, and to do it slowly to allow rumen time to adjust bacteria.
Valerie

 

[TexasBred]

We are also a small Registered Angus herd, under 30 cows and spread between Spring and Fall. We hand feed from a creep feeder and move to pens or small pasture after weaning. We hand feed the same high fiber diet to developing bulls( and heifers) to prevent lots of problems. Amounts differ according to age, rate of growth, bulls seem to spurt at 10 months. We shoot for 3lbs gain a day. Don't want a FAT bull but rather one in good body condition that won't drop weight rapidly when put out to pasture, but will be able to digest the grass.Many cattlemen around here do not know howto change the high energy diet their new bulls have been fed, to a high fiber diet, and to do it slowly to allow rumen time to adjust bacteria.
Valerie

You gave them the answer in your comment Valerie. ;-)