Putting Bull With Young Steers?

[TxCoUnTrYbOy]

If we were to put some of the new steers out with my bull, is that just asking for trouble? My bull is right at 2 years old right now, and there are a couple 7-8 month old steers out there now. If we put them outside together, would the bull hurt them? Ive been thinking about it, and dont know if the bull would just hurt them or would it be good for all of them getting a little excersise playing. The steers do good with the heifers out there, but they are only almost a year old. They dont bother each other.

 

[Beefy]

I would think they would be fine together. they may play fight but i wouldnt expect them to do any serious fighting. your bull i'm guessing is bigger than them so he should be the dominant one out there anyway. as long as you dont have a gay bull (seems to be going around) i dont see why would it would be a problem. it will probably be good for his mental health to be part of a herd again. give him something to look forward to, you may can even use it as a reward.

 

[stocky]

I dont see why it would be a problem. The bull is bigger and the steers might be playful but I am sure it would be fine and the bull would be happier

 

[kaneranch]

I don't think that you would have a problem. Do you have any cows in the next pasture though, if you do you might want to check your fence. Thanks Kaneranch

 

[rwtherefords]

I have some steers in with my bull right now. No problems. Just like the others said, the bull is dominant, and the steers just get out of his way whenever he get serious. They occassionally play spar, but usually with each other. Closer to the same size, you know.

 

[TxCoUnTrYbOy]

I don't think that you would have a problem. Do you have any cows in the next pasture though, if you do you might want to check your fence. Thanks Kaneranch

That reminds me of another question I had. What we have is a large corral that we let the animals out in during the day. It is split down the middle into 2 corrals. The entire corral is mad of panels that are 6 ft high by about 8 ft long. Is that enough to hold the bull if the heifers are right next to him?

Thanks for all the help everyone.

 

[Beefy]

Tex, if you are talking about your standard cattle panel (like big wire panels) those are a piece of crap. if that bull wanted to go through he could. or over. if you are talking about your sturdier panel like a powder river panel he wont get thru that, might get over if hes a jumper. we like to mash the legs of those down into the ground with a frontend loader or support them with tposts just in case though. you probably wouldnt have a problem until she's AROUND coming into/in/going out of heat. but i'm not making any promises.

to summarize, if a bull wants to go visiting hes probably going to find a way.

 

[Susie David]

Putting your bull in with all thoes young boys could be asking for trouble....look what happened to Medic's bull.

We found that the wire pannels work great if you use wood rails top bottom and middle...I've had to straighten enough of them (never real straight) after the steers get to head pushing around them...DMc

 

[bigbull338]

yall wont ever let poor medic live his weird bull down.lololol the bull an steers will most likely ride eachother anyway.but you can run emm togather.scott

 

[kaneranch]

I would think that if a bull wanted to go through or over a panel he could. I would also think that it would have to do with the bull. If you have a really mean bull that gets mad in tight spaces you might want to reinforce it. But if yu had a bull that is pretty laid back and gentle you might be able to get away with a little more. But remember that bulls can change there aditude in a setting that they are not comfortable with. If a bull that is gentle but has been in a 500 acre pasture all his life you might have a problem. So I would have to say it would depend on the bull and the panel. Thanks Kaneranch

 

[rwtherefords]

We found that the wire pannels work great if you use wood rails top bottom and middle...

My loading pen is made like Susie David said. The posts are telephone poles or railroad ties, and the wood rails are rough sawn oak 2X6's nailed in place with pole barn spikes. Haven't had anything go over or through it yet. Not even close. Had a wild 1200 lb heifer try to jump over the side before the rails were installed, and the panel collapsed under her body weight. Caught the same heifer in the same pen after the rails were installed and try as she may, she could never get close to going over the top. She made some great eaten!

I also agree with the others who said that it depends upon the bull. I've seen bulls that 4 strands of barbed wire on T-posts was enough to separate them from cows/heifers. I've seen other bulls that nothing seemed to hold. Those usually grow wheels in my area.

 

[msscamp]

We always put the 2 or 3 steers we keep for butchering in with the bulls until they are ready to finish, never had a problem yet. As for the fence between the bull and heifers, it depends on the bull. Our herd bull earned himself a one-way ticket this summer because he figured out that he could push against the fence and break through. In the welded pipe corrals, he would push against the gate until he popped it. If he wants in with those heifers bad enough, he will get in with them. JMO

 

[kaneranch]

It is amazing what they can do when they put they mind to it. It just shows how dangerous livestock can really be if not handled correctly. Kaneranch

 

[msscamp]

Actually, he wasn't a bit mean. It was just impossible to keep him in a pasture or corral.

 

[Ann Bledsoe]

Actually, he wasn't a bit mean. It was just impossible to keep him in a pasture or corral.

And they don't have to be big to have those problems either.
My Mini Jersey bull (43", 550 lbs, gentle as a kitten, and broke to ride) can push a fence over, can stick his head through a pipe corral, pick it up, and carry it away, and the little devil can open gates. (he's a pushover for calves -- I "sharemilk" some cow/calf pairs and he learned to open the gates to let the calves in with the cows)

 

[msscamp]

Actually, he wasn't a bit mean. It was just impossible to keep him in a pasture or corral.

And they don't have to be big to have those problems either.
My Mini Jersey bull (43", 550 lbs, gentle as a kitten, and broke to ride) can push a fence over, can stick his head through a pipe corral, pick it up, and carry it away, and the little devil can open gates. (he's a pushover for calves -- I "sharemilk" some cow/calf pairs and he learned to open the gates to let the calves in with the cows)

I'm sorry, I don't mean to be unsympathetic. But this visual is just killing me!!! :lol2: :lol2: :lol2: If you were closer, I would pay to see him do that!! :lol2: :lol2:

 

[preston39]

Ann,
What did you do witih the typical small horns? Don't the minis have 'em?

 

[Ann Bledsoe]

Ann,
What did you do witih the typical small horns? Don't the minis have 'em?

Some of the Mini's are polled, but Pvt. Pyle was dehorned when he was a calf.

Ann B

 

[aussie_cowgirl]

I had my poddy calf 'monty' put in the same paddock as 2 red angus bulls and mont, being nice and dominant, bashed the crap out of the two bulls and was actually the 'head', if you will, of the three. Very funny though.

 

[Ann Bledsoe]

Actually, he wasn't a bit mean. It was just impossible to keep him in a pasture or corral.

And they don't have to be big to have those problems either.
My Mini Jersey bull (43", 550 lbs, gentle as a kitten, and broke to ride) can push a fence over, can stick his head through a pipe corral, pick it up, and carry it away, and the little devil can open gates. (he's a pushover for calves -- I "sharemilk" some cow/calf pairs and he learned to open the gates to let the calves in with the cows)

I'm sorry, I don't mean to be unsympathetic. But this visual is just killing me!!! :lol2: :lol2: :lol2: If you were closer, I would pay to see him do that!! :lol2: :lol2:

All of his antics were funny the first few times, but after that it started getting real old! Heck the calves started scouring from getting too much milk! He's at a collection center right now. Posts have been set and the pipe corral tied to them and I changed all the gate latches, so we'll have to see how it goes when he gets home. He's just too darn smart for his own good, and if he's not worked every day, he gets bored and gets into trouble. After he's collected, I'm really tempted to just castrate him and continue training him as an ox.

Ann B