Resting bulls

[Willstanton]

Have had 3x young bulls in with 70heifers for 45days and am looking at buying another 90 heifers to mate and trade. Thinking about resting bulls for 6weeks and then putting them in. This is a bit out of season for us but think they will sell well. Nice heifers. Is 6weeks long enough? They haven't been working hard and have gained weight if anything. Cheers

 

[Named'em Tamed'em]

How old is young?

 

[faster horses]

If they are in good flesh, they should work. I'd get a fertility test on them though. You never know.

 

[Son of Butch]

90 heifers, 3 bulls = 30 each
IF you want to keep a tight calving window that's a lot to ask of any bull under 2 yrs old. Even if they haven't lost weight, they are still growing and 4-6 week rest would do them some good. Otherwise yes they will be able to handle 90 head, but it'll take more than 45 days.

 

[Willstanton]

How old is young?

They ate 2

How old is youn

They are 2

 

[Travlr]

90 heifers, 3 bulls = 30 each
IF you want to keep a tight calving window that's a lot to ask of any bull under 2 yrs old. Even if they haven't lost weight, they are still growing and 4-6 week rest would do them some good. Otherwise yes they will be able to handle 90 head, but it'll take more than 45 days.

I like the way you're thinking but when three bulls are turned in with 90 breeding age heifers the equation isn't, 3 bulls = 30 each.

The equation is 3 bulls = 90 each. There are going to be heifers that are covered by all three bulls if they are doing their job. It really depends on several factors, like how large an area they are in and how good or sparse their forage is. If they are all in one bunch on lush pasture each of the bulls is going to be covering a larger percentage of the heifers. If the heifers are spread from here to kingdom come then the bulls will have to travel more and will cover a lower percentage of heifers. They'd also be more likely to be losing weight.

If the bulls are gaining weight it's most likely they are on good pasture and they settled the biggest percentage of the heifers in the first estrus... and then had light work for the rest of the 45 days, only breeding the few that didn't breed earlier.

As far as giving them a rest period... why? If they are gaining weight, or at least not losing weight, then they aren't working very hard.

 

[Willstanton]

They're rotated in

I like the way you're thinking but when three bulls are turned in with 90 breeding age heifers the equation isn't, 3 bulls = 30 each.

The equation is 3 bulls = 90 each. There are going to be heifers that are covered by all three bulls if they are doing their job. It really depends on several factors, like how large an area they are in and how good or sparse their forage is. If they are all in one bunch on lush pasture each of the bulls is going to be covering a larger percentage of the heifers. If the heifers are spread from here to kingdom come then the bulls will have to travel more and will cover a lower percentage of heifers. They'd also be more likely to be losing weight.

If the bulls are gaining weight it's most likely they are on good pasture and they settled the biggest percentage of the heifers in the first estrus... and then had light work for the rest of the 45 days, only breeding the few that didn't breed earlier.

As far as giving them a rest period... why? If they are gaining weight, or at least not losing weight, then they aren't working very hard.

They're rotated on pretty good pasture although it's drying up. Approx 20acre cells. I thought they needed to replenish semen after a certain period?

 

[ClinchValley86]

For best results I would rest them too.

The idea to semen test before turnout isn't a bad idea considering the amount of money being spent on 90 heifers to become bred.

Being in 20 acre cells helps them get the job done no doubt.

Sounds like a good recipe. Hope it goes great for ya.

 

[Son of Butch]

I like the way you're thinking but when three bulls are turned in with 90 breeding age heifers the equation isn't, 3 bulls = 30 each.

The equation is 3 bulls = 90 each. There are going to be heifers that are covered by all three bulls if they are doing their job. It really depends on several factors.....

True, also 90 divided by 21 days = 4.13 heifers in heat each and every day for the first 21 days and you know in the real world a couple will get covered by all 3 bulls, but there's a good chance every other day there will be 1 that gets ignored, so you better plan for at least a 65 day breeding season when you're stretching 2 yr old bull power thin. IF the bulls were different colors it would be easy to see which one was Johnny on the spot and did more than his share of the work and which one was lagging.

To answer op's question, yes I would want the bulls coming off 5-6 weeks of rest to start the next group's breeding season, even if 3 weeks would probably do for bulls in good condition.

 

[Lucky_P]

When I was 18, I don't think I'd have needed a rest... I'd have just gotten on with the job!
Breeding cows ain't 'work' for a young bull - it's life!

There's no 'replenishing'... they're continually making sperm cells, day after day. Today's spermatozoa started their maturation process 60 days ago. They don't 'store' 6 weeks' worth of semen.
If they're in good condition - and will continue to have adequate feed while they're out... there's no reason that I can think of to hold them off - unless timing is better for you, so far as selling the bred heifers.

 

[TexasJerseyMilker]

Back 30 years ago when my husband and I were just friends, we were standing outside one summer day looking over the pastures. He had two Angus black heifer bulls in with a a lot of young Beefmaster females. He said I'm beginning to worry. All I ever see of those two is them shaded up under that tree. Later I came over and he said I needn't have worried about those black bulls, they work at night.

Out in west Texas where it takes about a section to raise a cow and calf the bulls get wise. They hang out in the shade by the big round water troughs and leisurely walk around the tank checking each cow.

 

[wbvs58]

I have regularly used yearling bulls and find they have a big propensity for work. I actually move them from one assignment to another without a rest. When I have finished with him I will send him off to the neighbours to deal with another 20 cows and he will ring me up after about a month to pick him up as he will notice him starting to wander along the fences and he gets nervous that the bull is going to move on to another assignment. I will usually drop him off at another neighbour for a few more cows. It suits me to do this, these neighbours have closed herds so biosecurity is good and it gives me somewhere to park the bull before taking him back to the bull paddock as future paddock mates are not yet weaned.

Ken

 

[faster horses]

Back 30 years ago when my husband and I were just friends, we were standing outside one summer day looking over the pastures. He had two Angus black heifer bulls in with a a lot of young Beefmaster females. He said I'm beginning to worry. All I ever see of those two is them shaded up under that tree. Later I came over and he said I needn't have worried about those black bulls, they work at night.

Out in west Texas where it takes about a section to raise a cow and calf the bulls get wise. They hang out in the shade by the big round water troughs and leisurely walk around the tank checking each cow.

That reminds me of the joke of the Old Bull and the Young Bull. Have you ever heard that joke?

 

[gcreekrch]

True, also 90 divided by 21 days = 4.13 heifers in heat each and every day for the first 21 days and you know in the real world a couple will get covered by all 3 bulls, but there's a good chance every other day there will be 1 that gets ignored, so you better plan for at least a 65 day breeding season when you're stretching 2 yr old bull power thin. IF the bulls were different colors it would be easy to see which one was Johnny on the spot and did more than his share of the work and which one was lagging.

To answer op's question, yes I would want the bulls coming off 5-6 weeks of rest to start the next group's breeding season, even if 3 weeks would probably do for bulls in good condition.

It has been our experience to leave bulls with heifers no longer than two cycles. Heifers bred in second cycle also tend to be shy breeders later in life. Not sure why changing a heifers wish to be a feeder by leaving bulls in an extra 23 days is in best interest for any concerned

 

[MurraysMutts]

That reminds me of the joke of the Old Bull and the Young Bull. Have you ever heard that joke?

Something along the lines of the young bull saying..
Hey old man! Let's run down there and service a cow!
The old bull says
Ol son, let's walk and service em all!!

 

[faster horses]

Something along the lines of the young bull saying..
Hey old man! Let's run down there and service a cow!
The old bull says
Ol son, let's walk and service em all!!

You got it! Nicely put, too!

 

[MurraysMutts]

You got it! Nicely put, too!

Pg-13 version....

To the matter at hand, I'd only feed em up a while if I wanted my calving window in a different month.

 

[Son of Butch]

Not sure why changing a heifers wish to be a feeder by leaving bulls in an extra 23 days is in best interest for any concerned

A fair point and good observation. Although his goal is to sell those 90 as bred heifers, so in his best interest to get as many bred as possible.

 

[Named'em Tamed'em]

That reminds me of the joke of the Old Bull and the Young Bull. Have you ever heard that joke?

I'll walk!

 

[Stocker Steve]

They haven't been working hard and have gained weight if anything. Cheers

Sounds like they are resting now?

If there is a concern, I would consider rotating the bulls rather than putting out all three at once.