Lifespan of a Bull....

Help Support CattleToday:

If a bull is an excellent one, should a farmer keep him for a long run or replace every couple of ye

  • Keep him for the long haul

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Keep his heifer calves and get him on the truck

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    0
  • Poll closed .

Fallfish

Member
Joined
Apr 5, 2004
Messages
10
Reaction score
0
Greetings. Anyone know the general lifespan of a BULL. I know that many don't use any particular one long enough to find out (including me) but my dad has an old Angus Bull that he has had since 1993. He keeps the bull around (in his herd of about 15 cows) because he is 1) really calm and 2) dad is pleased with the calves.

I was just wondering the other day how long that sucker was going to be around. Thus, I thought I would post an inquiry.

Thanks.
 
There's some well known Texas Longhorn bulls still breeding at age 17 and 18 years old. Other beef breeds may not be able to last that long. I think that alot of big beef bulls get too heavy on their feet and can't continue to breed. You may get a two or three more years out of him.
 
It all depends on your specific needs. I have kept one of our bulls for 4 years and he would still be here today if he had not have gotten hurt. We put his heifers on another bull and vice versa but if you are only running 1 herd you can't do that. It depends if you want to mess with keeping and raising heifers or just buying replacements.
 
I keep my replacements so I usually keep a bull for 2-3 years. That doesn't mean I put him on the truck, however. Usually if he is a good bull, he'll go to my Dad and brother's place for a couple of more years. My brother has one bull that has been used for five years. He's been at my place during the end of the breeding season twice. Once when my number 1 bull got injured and once this year when my bull lost his concept of fence about six weeks into the breeding season.
 
I have a cow (L1M) who is out of a bull who was put down at 15 years old because his feet finally gave out. He was a long, heavy bull. They weaned his last set of calves fall of '04. He is also the grandsire of my next herd bull.

A friend has a Horned Hereford bull who is about 12 and still going strong.

I hope this doesn't make anyone :mad: but I read the actual statement by a commercial cattleman out west who said that their Hereford bulls lasted two years longer than their Angus bulls under conditions where they have to travel a lot to find forage, water, and cows in heat.

I don't keep them over about two years because I have a small herd.
 
I usually will keep bulls from their yearling year thru 3 year olds- culling in between for disposition, size and looks, and any other problems that occur........Have kept very few to run as 4 year olds- has to be a special bull- Longer you keep them the more chance of infectious and venereal diseases.... Many around here don't keep them past 3 year olds..............
 
It all depends on you herd situation and land situation. I replaced two bulls last year that were 10 years old each. I don't keep alot of replacement heifer's though. I buy them from other ranches to bring in new genetics. If I have one that is just outstanding, I will either AI her or put her into one of the other pastures with a different bull. Most bulls are just hitting their prime at 4 years old.
 
if a bull is truly a great producer, he will add more to your operation over his lifespan than any cow would. you can have the best cow in the world but she can only have so many calves and produce so many eggs. the bull, if he is a good one will add value to all the cows calves.
 
If it's a good one we keep him around. My Brahman herd bull was here for nearly 10 years... he was 14 when an old injury flaired up and we had to put him down. I kept a some of his daughters, and some went to show careers. The daughters I was able to run on another place with a different bull.

Our current bull is four, and personally I prefer one that's 2+ years old. This one is a good one, and will be here for the long haul, providing he stays healthy and sound.
 

Latest posts

Top