Keeping Bull Alone...

[inyati13]

I know many here keep their bulls alone but not with free range in a pasture. They are in "Bull Pens" that have hot wire in addition to top level fencing. I have that arrangement myself.

 

[John SD]

If you are permanently done with your bull, I'd go ahead and send him down the road now.

Otherwise it would probably be better if he had company. If you have a steer you are keeping to butcher would be a good companion. If you don't have a steer, perhaps a couple old cows that are already bred.

The main thing is, try to keep him in a pasture that is out of sight,sound. and smell of your heifers or neighbor's cattle. But that is tough to do sometimes. I have resorted to locking bulls up in the corral when all else failed. :roll:

 

[dun]

What we have done is keep the weaned retained heifer calves in a pasture that is right against the bull pen. (actually there is a 6 foot gap but they can still interact visually and vocally)

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

What we have done is keep the weaned retained heifer calves in a pasture that is right against the bull pen. (actually there is a 6 foot gap but they can still interact visually and vocally)

Just to torment the old boy?

 

[dun]

What we have done is keep the weaned retained heifer calves in a pasture that is right against the bull pen. (actually there is a 6 foot gap but they can still interact visually and vocally)

Just to torment the old boy?

Gives him somethign to look forward to when he's turned out with the girls.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

What we have done is keep the weaned retained heifer calves in a pasture that is right against the bull pen. (actually there is a 6 foot gap but they can still interact visually and vocally)

Just to torment the old boy?

Gives him somethign to look forward to when he's turned out with the girls.

Kinda like hanging out in a strip club........or so I've heard.

 

[dun]

Kinda like hanging out in a strip club........or so I've heard.

There's an idea. Maybe I should put a stripper pole in with the heifers. One side affect of doing it is that when we pull the bull for the spring (in early february) and put him next to the heifers, the heifers cycle normally. When we turn him out and leave the heifers where they were so they can be AIed, they start cycling erratically. Sort of lends creadence to the bull stimulating heat cycles.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

Interesting observation.

 

[Deepsouth]

I leave my bull in with the cows and keep the heifers in a separate pasture. I separate them for weaning anyway. Besides the cows are supposed to be bred but if some are not then the bull still has chance to get them bred so even if I do decide to sell them maybe they will be bred. I do pull the bull and put the heifers in with the main herd when I put them on winter grass and start haying.

 

[Brute 23]

I leave my bull in with the cows and keep the heifers in a separate pasture. I separate them for weaning anyway. Besides the cows are supposed to be bred but if some are not then the bull still has chance to get them bred so even if I do decide to sell them maybe they will be bred. I do pull the bull and put the heifers in with the main herd when I put them on winter grass and start haying.

Much easier to separate the heifers than the bull. :nod:

 

[Bez__]

I was thinking of selling my bull...but then thought maybe I should just move him to a separate pasture to keep him from the young heifers. Does he need company or can he be by himself? I am pretty sure I know the answer...but wanted to get any thoughts. Thanks.

Timothy

We run a pretty wild and wooly open range and bush operation here - far from the usual folks on this board - so, if the cows are bred - we leave him be.

We would only pull him to sell him.

If the cows are open with calves at side and we wanted to keep them open until we put in a new bull - we would pull him and throw him in a solid pen.

In my opinion the only way to be 100% sure of no trouble, the solid pen option is the only way to go until he is either sold or returned to the herd for breeding.

Bez__

 

[Black and Good]

I was thinking of selling my bull...but then thought maybe I should just move him to a separate pasture to keep him from the young heifers. Does he need company or can he be by himself? I am pretty sure I know the answer...but wanted to get any thoughts. Thanks.

Timothy

Depends on the bull. I've had some that take it in stride. Others can't take it. B&G

 

[Stocker Steve]

I know many here keep their bulls alone but not with free range in a pasture. They are in "Bull Pens" that have hot wire in addition to top level fencing.

I have one that walks thru 4 strand barbed wire and goes over 4' wire mesh panels. What are the chances a hot scare wire on a 4 strand barbed will keep him in?

 

[dieselbeef]

i would like to do this to bring calfing closer together..tighten it up..but my bull goes where he wants..when he wants...and he is a big baby...but fence wont keep him unless he really doesnt want it that bad

 

[SPH]

Every bull is going to react differently. Some are temperamental and won't like being alone while some will be just fine. Also are there other animals within sight if he is alone? Our bull typically is by himself from when we pull him in mid-August till about the 1st of the year when we put some of the 1st calf heifers and early calvers in with him to get some extra feed. He usually doesn't have any other animals around for a month or so till we bring cows back for weaning then he at least can see them from his lot but doesn't seem to bother him either way. Sold a yearling bull the other year that the buyer called a week later and said he was being ornery in a pen by himself, we told him try putting a heifer in with him for company and he settled right now. May have been he was used to being in a pen with the other sale bulls for so long he didn't know how to act when he was by himself. So use your best judgment, there really is no right or wrong answer to this question.

 

[SPH]

I know many here keep their bulls alone but not with free range in a pasture. They are in "Bull Pens" that have hot wire in addition to top level fencing.

I have one that walks thru 4 strand barbed wire and goes over 4' wire mesh panels. What are the chances a hot scare wire on a 4 strand barbed will keep him in?

A bull that behaved like that wouldn't last long on some farms. Disposition is a trait that can get passed down to his progeny too so some guys won't tolerate an ornery bull that is hell on fences and other things and will send him to town if he doesn't get tempted to shoot him before that!

 

[Hook]

I know many here keep their bulls alone but not with free range in a pasture. They are in "Bull Pens" that have hot wire in addition to top level fencing.

I have one that walks thru 4 strand barbed wire and goes over 4' wire mesh panels. What are the chances a hot scare wire on a 4 strand barbed will keep him in?

A bull that behaved like that wouldn't last long on some farms. Disposition is a trait that can get passed down to his progeny too so some guys won't tolerate an ornery bull that is be nice on fences and other things and will send him to town if he doesn't get tempted to shoot him before that!

Not to mention a huge liability

 

[Till-Hill]

I don't like bulls alone. They just bust stuff and get hard to handle and fat. I have it pretty easy. Beef bulls go out mid May to beef cows, pull them mid August and they get rented to another herd, sold, or go in with dairy heifers and cows. Everytime I move them they think they are going to see new women and 99% of the time them boys are pretty easy to catch!

We try not to run bulls together either as it's just asking for trouble.

 

[cowgirl8]

We've always kept our bulls in a 50 acre pasture. The past few years we've had trouble around April..They get bored and ready to work, they fight. We've been keeping a few bulls longer than usual, and with older bulls they fight more. So, this year i think we'll cull the older bulls and buy a few more younger ones. This winter we had trouble with 2 of the older bulls and the younger ones picked a side and they all went after our older red bull. They picked him up and threw him over the fence down an embankment and we think he landed on his head. He died a couple weeks later. The year before that, we had another thrown over the fence the same way and he died the next day. Only 2 old bulls are left, and they may hit the road this fall the other 9 are young..
Being alone depends on the bull..

 

[Hook]

:shock: