Friendly bull

[Brad B]

I learned my lesson the hard way as a 10 year old kid. That was the year my dad bought his first two cows, and a friend of his gave him a baby bull calf who's momma had died. We raised the calf on a bottle, fed and petted him everyday. One day while out in the pasture the friendly bull, now about 1 1/2 years old, walked over to me to be petted. I scratched him on the head, then he wanted to play. He pinned me against the tractor, and started butting me with his head. Luckily I was able to reach the tool box on the fender and get a hammer out. One good lick between the eyes, and the bull decided I didn't want to play anymore. I have been around a bunch of different bulls over the years, and I sure don't like mean ones, but the tame ones will hurt you just as quick. They don't have to "snap" sometimes they just get playful, but 2000 lbs of playful is a losing battle for any farmer. We have three bulls now. Two Angus and one Polled Hereford. The PH is a big baby. We have never encouraged that behavior, that's just how he is naturally. He is one of the ones who wants to be petted. He tried to butt me the other day and I gave him a good quick jab straight on the end of the nose. He didn't like it much, but he hasn't tried to butt me again. I like a gentle bull, but not a pet.

Brad

 

[frenchie]

I like a gentle bull, but not a pet.

Brad

Agree with you and Campground cattle 100%.


If you want a pet go to the pet store, not a bull sale..............I seen a fello at a bull sale get tuned in by a young bull.Not a pretty sight.

 

[Linda]

Bulls are walking hormones and, as such, are inherently unpredictable. We have gentle bulls. We do not pet our bulls. When the bull is out on pasture and I have fencing to do, I always take my dog. That dog minds well, but lives for the moment he is given permission to teach a bull some respect. When he was six months old, he was run over by a bull and has hated them ever since. I much prefer to pen the bull on the opposite side of the fence from where I am working - or even further away.

Yesterday I threw an open bale of straw into our bull corral. The bull has never paid much attention to straw, other than to leisurely inspect it. Yesterday, he decided to spin circles on top of that straw. He was playing, but I was astonished at how fast that fat bull could spin. I'm glad it was straw and not a person.

Anyone who pets or rubs a bovine anywhere ahead of the shoulder is only teaching that animal that it's ok to play with humans. Not a safe thing to do.

We had an unfortunate farmer flown into our trauma center a few weeks ago. No one was around when a bull crushed the man's head. He sustained a fatal head injury. It was so sad for him and for his family.

 

[certherfbeef]

Craig, I see nothing but opportunity here for the breed associations that want to stay on the cutting edge of breed improvement. A new Petability EPD for the cattleman who is really serious about a "hands on" relationship with his stock.

Hey Texan, did you notice the letters in your "new" word? Petability

 

[Texan]

Hey Texan, did you notice the letters in your "new" word? Petability

Okay, Cert. I am sufficiently embarrassed and ashamed of myself. Publicly humiliated. Thanks a lot. Guess its back to the "Inventing New EPD's" drawing board, huh? Maybe I can get Ollie to help me out.........

 

[Jake]

I about had one too but refrained from saying anything.... kinda dirty after I thought about it a second :lol:

 

[Texan]

I about had one too but refrained from saying anything.... kinda dirty after I thought about it a second :lol:

Its really frustrating, Jake. You know, I try hard to help out some of these registered outfits. Help them have a more desirable product to sell. Then, you've got some breeder that comes along and wants to pick apart every little thing I do! Frustrating, is what it is!

 

[greenwillowherefords]

I try not to touch my bulls in front of their shoulders.

 

[certherfbeef]

You know, I try hard to help out some of these registered outfits. Help them have a more desirable product to sell. Then, you've got some breeder that comes along and wants to pick apart every little thing I do! Frustrating, is what it is!

Ya Texan, it's real frustrating! I understand completely... I have commercial breeders that try to do the same thing to me

 

[TLCfromARK]

I agree that bulls can be dangerous and that you should keep your distance, mainly as one poster said, they're unpredictible. You never know when they've come up second best in a quest for female companionship and are in a cranky mood.

I also enjoy scratching my cows / calves ( ~ 30 head ) & walking among them but I try to always be aware of where the bulls are, if they're "tending" a certain cow, not get in an area where I could be pinned, etc.

By the way, I do not put up with a cow or bull shaking their head at me, they get a cow stick, tree limb, bucket ( whatever is on hand ) across the top of their head. If they can't learn that I'm not the boss they grow wheels pretty quickly.
;-)

 

[TxCoUnTrYbOy]

I think some of us are talking about completely different things. Sounds to me like most are talking about pasture bulls and never being able to trust them, then some are talking about show bulls that stay in pens and are the gentlest creatures. Can someone clarify for me?

 

[certherfbeef]

show bulls that stay in pens and are the gentlest creatures. Can someone clarify for me?

How clear do you want it? Keep playing with your cute little show bull and when that gentle creature is 2500 lbs and decides to play with your 130 lbs, well, better let us know what your local newspaper is. We will be seeing you in the obiturary section.

 

[la4angus]

show bulls that stay in pens and are the gentlest creatures. Can someone clarify for me?

How clear do you want it? Keep playing with your cute little show bull and when that gentle creature is 2500 lbs and decides to play with your 130 lbs, well, better let us know what your local newspaper is. We will be seeing you in the obiturary section.

How bout closer to 1500 lbs. Like Paul Harvey likes to say

"HE WAS 15 yrs OLD"[/b]

 

[TheBullLady]

[/img]


Sorry.. you'll never convince me that all bulls are mean an unpredictable. I still think it has a LOT to do with how they are handled, what their temperment is, and the handler being careful, as anyone should be with something that big.. cows included.

 

[ollie]

Hey Texan, did you notice the letters in your "new" word? Petability

Okay, Cert. I am sufficiently embarrassed and ashamed of myself. Publicly humiliated. Thanks a lot. Guess its back to the "Inventing New EPD's" drawing board, huh? Maybe I can get Ollie to help me out.........

Not sure about what we need to call the epd but I do know that if any association comes out with a petability epd then every purebred breeder that I know of immediately becomes a customer for Cattleannie's Frankencow. Every epd needs a good ratio cow in the herd (for accuracy of course).

 

[Alan]

Bulllady,

Can we put your face with the name... is that you looking like your being very careful on top of that bull/cow?

I get in and around my bull, he is very gentle, but I give him lots of respect and room to move, and most important I always leave myself a exit when I'm close to him. He and other cows get the bucket (stick, handle of pitch fork, hat, watchever I have) only when he/she shakes his head or act in anyway agressive or disrespectful. And I only give them the bucket training method when I can react quickly enough to their action, meaning it does no good in training to have a bull shake his head at you and you take 15 or 30 seconds to go get a bucket and beat your bull. He will have no clue to why your doing it, it has to be a immediate reaction to his/her action...shake head... get thumped. It's all about the pecking order with me on top always. My cattle do not run from me but they do move off slowly when I walk thru them, it's the way I have to have it...no accidents from tame cattle, the ones people have that "special bond" with.

Alan

 

[hillbilly]

[/img]


Sorry.. you'll never convince me that all bulls are mean an unpredictable. I still think it has a LOT to do with how they are handled, what their temperment is, and the handler being careful, as anyone should be with something that big.. cows included.

Bullady?
When I was young and STUPID I used to climb on my dads bulls
when they were laying down and acting lazy.
Whats your excuse??? Anyone who raises cattle many years with natural service eventually has a bull come after them.
The scarry differance is, it will suprise you so much it may cost you the second or two between telling a scarry story or turning into dirt.


Hillbilly

 

[frenchie]

[/img]


Sorry.. you'll never convince me that all bulls are mean an unpredictable. I still think it has a LOT to do with how they are handled, what their temperment is, and the handler being careful, as anyone should be with something that big.. cows included.

BullLady you have your opinion , I have mine............Its nice to be brave ,but its smarter to not push your luck. Especially when you are dealing with an animal that large.All you need to do is make that bull for a few seconds.Or have him try to play with you or your kids.........


We had a Limo bull like that ,nice and quiet, A real pet till he went insane and tried to run down my 70 plus yr old father and my brother.They jumped in dads truck. Pretty much totaled off dads truck.Why did he attack...don,t know. They just went to check cows in the pasture.BtW he,d had been a show bull at one time.



respectfully

frenchie

 

[rgv4]

I remember a few years back the story of a friendly/pet bull that penned his owner between his head and the edge of the tailgate on the truck. Needless to say the owner lost the battle, busted spleen, died. They are all animals and the gentlest ones can be very unpredictable at times.

 

[Caustic Burno]

[/img]


Sorry.. you'll never convince me that all bulls are mean an unpredictable. I still think it has a LOT to do with how they are handled, what their temperment is, and the handler being careful, as anyone should be with something that big.. cows included.

BullLady you have your opinion , I have mine............Its nice to be brave ,but its smarter to not push your luck. Especially when you are dealing with an animal that large.All you need to do is make that bull for a few seconds.Or have him try to play with you or your kids.........


We had a Limo bull like that ,nice and quiet, A real pet till he went insane and tried to run down my 70 plus yr old father and my brother.They jumped in dads truck. Pretty much totaled off dads truck.Why did he attack...don,t know. They just went to check cows in the pasture.BtW he,d had been a show bull at one time.



respectfully

frenchie

Like Craig and I stated big difference in pet owners and ranchers.