I am fortunate enough to not need a day job. I spend most of every day, 7 days a week including holidays at the farm and of that time, I am often watching the cows or grooming and petting them. I bet the neighbors where my farm is located tell each other about the pervert who spends so much time with his cattle. Crazy guy that moved here from out west, they say.
I observe the breeding behavior. When I do not see the copulation, I see the bull escorting his love around the farm for at least a couple days. I watch every nuance in their behavior to indicate what is coming. The bull seems to pick up a coming heat at least a day in advance. You will see him escorting his love as they graze. If the escorting with an occasional crotch sniff is going on all day, often times he must breed her at night, but the next day, you will continue to see him in escort mode unless another lady catches his nose. The nose knows.
Most of the time, I see the copulation. I have seen my angus bull copulate 10 times in one hour. I screwed up an AI in the following way. I AIed a heifer in the AM. I held her until about 5 pm in a pen with another heifer. I thought the heat had passed. I turned her into the pasture. The bull was eagar to greet her and she immediately stood for him. He bred her 10 times in about an hour while I sat there in a lawn chair watching. I thought the heat had passed. I guess I will never know if the AI bull got her or my angus bull. But that was back in June and she has never cycled again so one of us settled her.
You don't always see the copulation but you should see some of the foreplay and him and her smoking their cigerettes the next day.
