dumb mistake!

[kenojoe]

I asked a number of neighbors (all knowledgeable) where I could rent a bull. All gave me the same name. I made arrangements to rent a Limousin bull. I was in the middle of baling hay and so was he. Mistake 1- I didn't check the bull, Mistake 2 - I didn't check his papers. The bull shows up today and my neigbor called to let me know (out of town on a job). He tells me that the bull is smaller than 1/3 of the cows. I know the guy uses young bulls but I'm worried that this bull will not produce good calves. I know I messed up but trusted this fellows reputation because he was recommended by so many. What do I do at this point, I won't be back to the farm til Saturday. Do you think a small bull can produce good calves? I know thats a loaded question but would still appreciate your best guess. I will take the time next year hay or no hay! Thanks Joe

 

[J]

How many cows is he with?

What kind of cows is he breeding?

Is he just young or is he just small?

Is it possible that you could pull him off the cows saturday when you get there? Surely he wouldn't have bred them all by then. Maybe this guy will stick another bull in his place? These are just questions that pop into my mind, but I would at least call this man and discuss it with him in a gentlemanly manner. Since he appears to be a reputable guy he might be interrested in keeping up that reputation. I would definitely give him a call and talk with him about it. Maybe since the both of you were busy and in the middle of something you both didn't give it your best efforts. Good Luck.

 

[kenojoe]

Sorry, he is in with 8 cows. Two are limousin's and six are holstien angus mix. I don't know his age however the guy told me he generally doesn't keep a bull past five years. He has 49 bulls currently, although I don't know how many are on his farm. The last bull I had was loaned to me by a neighbor and was on the small side but had some pretty nice calves out of him. I kept him 9 months as a favor and when he left he was quite the bruiser. Does a bull's size at breeding reflect on his calves?

 

[randiliana]

Sorry, he is in with 8 cows. Two are limousin's and six are holstien angus mix. I don't know his age however the guy told me he generally doesn't keep a bull past five years. He has 49 bulls currently, although I don't know how many are on his farm. The last bull I had was loaned to me by a neighbor and was on the small side but had some pretty nice calves out of him. I kept him 9 months as a favor and when he left he was quite the bruiser. Does a bull's size at breeding reflect on his calves?

I would certainly want to see the breeding soundness exam results on ANY bull that I bought or rented. Then, as long as he was sound for breeding, I would think he should be able to cover 8 cows even if he is a young yearling. If he is 2 years old or older and he is a small bull then I would worry about what he is going to throw for growth genetics.

Generally the size of the bull at breeding doesn't mean he will throw big OR small calves (i.e. a bull's calves WON'T be smaller when he is a yearling than when he is a 5 year old.) On the other hand, a smaller framed bull will throw smaller calves than a larger framed bull. I hope that is clear as mud ;-)

 

[Texas PaPaw]

I suspect if the bull owner knew you only had 8 cows to breed he sent you a long yearling bull. A young bull should be able to handle that number of cows. If he was recommended by serveral knowledgeable cattlemen you are probably OK. As previously recommended, have a friendly chat with the bull owner, share your concerns & see how he addresses them. Just my 2 cents worth.

Good luck & happy trails.

Brock

 

[Aero]

Do you think a small bull can produce good calves?

if he is well respected as a bull breeder (and it sounds like he is), i would be satisfied with the bull as long as he isnt extremely small/young, and looks decent when you get there.

it could be a learning experience.

are you planning on retaining any heifers if you like them or are they all getting sold?

 

[Aero]

Does a bull's size at breeding reflect on his calves?

any famous bull you know of threw just as good a calf when he was 8 months old as when he was 8 yrs old. you cant change genetic makeup.

with 8 cows a 10-12 month old bull will do just fine.

 

[kenojoe]

At this point I don't plan on keeping any of his heifers unless they turn out exceptionally good. I will have a talk with him and express my concerns. Thanks for your replies, I am not as bent out of shape as I was. I have learned another lesson the hard way. What seems like should be obvious to most sometimes just escapes me!

 

[3MR]

I would just give him a call now. He can probably answer all your questions and you will feel better between now and Sat.

 

[TheBullLady]

You can't change much between now and Saturday anyway.. so I wouldn't sweat it. If he was recommended by so many, the bull may be fine. Probably a youngster, as was mentioned by others.

 

[Ryan]

Is he small in general... or small next to the holstein crosses? How big are the cows? Most of the holsteins and holstein cross cows i've seen are rather large, and would be as big or bigger frame size than many beef bulls.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Is he small in general... or small next to the holstein crosses? How big are the cows? Most of the holsteins and holstein cross cows i've seen are rather large, and would be as big or bigger frame size than many beef bulls.

This was exactly what I was going to point out. The bull may be "shorter" than 1/3 of your cows, but he may weigh a lot more than any of them - having holstein bloodlines.
I would wait & check him out first.

 

[longhorn314]

If he was recommended by several cattlemen and seems to have a good reputation you should be alright.I don't think he would bring you a bull that would make him look bad.He probably brought you a young bull IMO.