Gomer Bulls

[CopeMan]

Can someone tell me how gomer bulls work? And how they are fixed to work?

 

[Beefy]

are you asking just in general or do you want to know about penile deviations?

 

[dun]

Gomers are typically altered so that the don;t ejaculate or in some cases can't etend their penis. Sidewinders (penile deviation) are those that every thing works but the penis has been rerouted to the side so that they can;t penetrate.

 

[pdfangus]

I have used several types of Gomers in my life.

None of them have been worth the time and expense.

Penectomy bulls soon realize the futility of their existance and cease to be of any value.

"sidewinder" bulls sometimes suffer the same resignation to futility. but I have also seen some learn how to correct their impediment and serve cows.

Vascetomized bulls work well but then you are left with another bull standing around to feed all year for thirty days worth of heat checking unless you make a new one every year.

My advice is to invest in some good cigars.

sit in the pasture and smoke a cigar and watch for heat. repeat three or four times daily.

Or synchronyze and breed on time.

 

[novatech]

I have had several cows that did not show any signs of heat during the very hot days we can get down here. I deducted that they were in standing at night. After missing them several times I determined it was time to get a gommer.
They have not failed me yet. I now have 2 sidewinders. (Jersey's) I put them in together with the cows. Some mornings there are cows that look like they have been decorated for Christmas.

 

[dun]

The difficulty with heat detection during the hot time of the year can be resolved pretty much with one of the het detection devices, i.e. estralert, Kamars, or good old tail head paint.
The problem with a gomer is that he is still a bull and all of the safety measure and problem involved with a bull still apply.
We just select the horniest steer from the preceding calf crop. Problem is they only last through 1 and a 1/2 breeding seasons. The second season they lose interest nid way trhough. Heifers or cows have always worked the best for us year in and year out.

 

[pdfangus]

I have had several cows that did not show any signs of heat during the very hot days we can get down here. I deducted that they were in standing at night. After missing them several times I determined it was time to get a gommer.
They have not failed me yet. I now have 2 sidewinders. (Jersey's) I put them in together with the cows. Some mornings there are cows that look like they have been decorated for Christmas.

I do hope that you realize that a jersey bull has the potential to be the deadliest bovine walking. Ironic because the jersey cow is so docile. But it is a fact, when those little brown furballs get mean, they get mean fast and get real mean.

When I made Gomers I always pulled a couple that would have been steered from my calf crop and had them operated on and raised them with my bull calves once they were healed enough. This way you avoid bringing in reproductive diseases or other diseases from another herd.

If heat is that big a problem, the settleing rate is probably affected as well. are you sure you are calving at the right time of year for your environment? I did not question if it was right for the market but right for your environment.

 

[novatech]

I have had several cows that did not show any signs of heat during the very hot days we can get down here. I deducted that they were in standing at night. After missing them several times I determined it was time to get a gommer.
They have not failed me yet. I now have 2 sidewinders. (Jersey's) I put them in together with the cows. Some mornings there are cows that look like they have been decorated for Christmas.

I do hope that you realize that a jersey bull has the potential to be the deadliest bovine walking. Ironic because the jersey cow is so docile. But it is a fact, when those little brown furballs get mean, they get mean fast and get real mean.

When I made Gomers I always pulled a couple that would have been steered from my calf crop and had them operated on and raised them with my bull calves once they were healed enough. This way you avoid bringing in reproductive diseases or other diseases from another herd.

If heat is that big a problem, the settleing rate is probably affected as well. are you sure you are calving at the right time of year for your environment? I did not question if it was right for the market but right for your environment.

I am in total agreence with you on the jerseys. I even make sure I keep my truck away from them.

I found that my settling rate is much greater with natural heat. I have tried timed and did not have near as high a conception rate.

I do not like the breeding season much but the calveing works great for my forage production and market.

As an added note I watch any bull in the pasture especially when a cow is in heat. Just like a pet cow those gentle bulls can and will kill.

 

[novatech]

The difficulty with heat detection during the hot time of the year can be resolved pretty much with one of the het detection devices, i.e. estralert, Kamars, or good old tail head paint.
The problem with a gomer is that he is still a bull and all of the safety measure and problem involved with a bull still apply.
We just select the horniest steer from the preceding calf crop. Problem is they only last through 1 and a 1/2 breeding seasons. The second season they lose interest nid way trhough. Heifers or cows have always worked the best for us year in and year out.

I would agree with this but I have tried. It may be the fact that these are brahman or my cows are just different. I have seen them but heads and have seen a few other signes but have never seen one mount the other. What I would realy like is a freemartin. I do beleive I am going to be building a bull pen large enough to support the gommers and start bring the cows to them.
That horny steer souds like a good idea, I may try it if I find that I cannot handle the jersey,s. On the other hand I may be putting all of them with a herford bull and be done with it.

 

[Frankie]

Can someone tell me how gomer bulls work? And how they are fixed to work?

We've been using gomer bulls for 12-15 years and feel like they're worth while, especially since we're a total AI program.

Our first was Jersey sidewinder. He got mean pretty quick and went to the sale barn. We probably only used him two years.

Then we went to Longhorns. Generally we buy them before they're old enough to have bred anything so we don't have to worry about disease. After they've been around for a while to decide if their disposition is ok, we get the horns removed and a vasectomy. We also look for one with a lot of white on him because he stands out better in the pasture and woods than the black cows. We put a chinball marker on him with yellow paint so he leaves a yellow line down the back of the cow as he dismounts after "breeding" her. But you've still got to do a lot of heat checking.

We've been very pleased with most of our longhorns. I don't worry about them being too big to mount heifers and we're usually able to use them for 4-5 years. We did get rid of one earlier than that because he acted up.

 

[dun]

The difficulty with heat detection during the hot time of the year can be resolved pretty much with one of the het detection devices, i.e. estralert, Kamars, or good old tail head paint.
The problem with a gomer is that he is still a bull and all of the safety measure and problem involved with a bull still apply.
We just select the horniest steer from the preceding calf crop. Problem is they only last through 1 and a 1/2 breeding seasons. The second season they lose interest nid way trhough. Heifers or cows have always worked the best for us year in and year out.

I would agree with this but I have tried. It may be the fact that these are brahman or my cows are just different. I have seen them but heads and have seen a few other signes but have never seen one mount the other. What I would realy like is a freemartin. I do beleive I am going to be building a bull pen large enough to support the gommers and start bring the cows to them.
That horny steer souds like a good idea, I may try it if I find that I cannot handle the jersey,s. On the other hand I may be putting all of them with a herford bull and be done with it.

Last year was the first time we've used a bull, it's alwasy been 100% AI for the owned (not partnered) cows. After this year we'll be going back to 100% AI. A bull just throws one more thing to have to deal with and not knowing when a cow will calf drives me nuts.

 

[CopeMan]

Can someone tell me how gomer bulls work? And how they are fixed to work?

We've been using gomer bulls for 12-15 years and feel like they're worth while, especially since we're a total AI program.

Our first was Jersey sidewinder. He got mean pretty quick and went to the sale barn. We probably only used him two years.

Then we went to Longhorns. Generally we buy them before they're old enough to have bred anything so we don't have to worry about disease. After they've been around for a while to decide if their disposition is ok, we get the horns removed and a vasectomy. We also look for one with a lot of white on him because he stands out better in the pasture and woods than the black cows. We put a chinball marker on him with yellow paint so he leaves a yellow line down the back of the cow as he dismounts after "breeding" her. But you've still got to do a lot of heat checking.

We've been very pleased with most of our longhorns. I don't worry about them being too big to mount heifers and we're usually able to use them for 4-5 years. We did get rid of one earlier than that because he acted up.

Well, I quess Gomer bulls are pretty much for an all AI operation. But how do they reroute a bull to make a sidewinder?

 

[MikeC]

Well, I quess Gomer bulls are pretty much for an all AI operation. But how do they reroute a bull to make a sidewinder?

They sew up the normal penis exit hole in the sheath and place another on the side.

Kinda like running yours out of a hole in your pocket instead of out your zipper.

 

[Frankie]

Last year was the first time we've used a bull, it's alwasy been 100% AI for the owned (not partnered) cows. After this year we'll be going back to 100% AI. A bull just throws one more thing to have to deal with and not knowing when a cow will calf drives me nuts.

Our plan (so far) is to keep one of our Jan/Feb '07 born bull calves and use him as a clean up bull in April and May of '08. After that, if someone comes by and wants him, we'll sell him. Or he can go back to the test sale in October as a little older bull. That way, we're not putting up with another bull year round. And everything he sires will go to the feedlot. That'll be interesting, too.

 

[CopeMan]

Well, I quess Gomer bulls are pretty much for an all AI operation. But how do they reroute a bull to make a sidewinder?

They sew up the normal penis exit hole in the sheath and place another on the side.

Kinda like running yours out of a hole in your pocket instead of out your zipper.

Lol, that works.

 

[MikeC]

Well, I quess Gomer bulls are pretty much for an all AI operation. But how do they reroute a bull to make a sidewinder?

They sew up the normal penis exit hole in the sheath and place another on the side.

Kinda like running yours out of a hole in your pocket instead of out your zipper.

Lol, that works.

I have no idea how that yellow block got there? :roll: