Seeking advice for herd of 1st calf pairs

[drivesprocket]

Howdy folks. I'm looking for input as I'm trying to figure out how to handle my situation. I just purchased 16 1st calf Brangus pairs with calves approx. two months old. I will be adding another 9 pair with calves that will be approx. two months younger. I don't know whether I should put a bull on the older pairs now, or wait for the younger pairs calves to age a couple of months before doing so. My concern is that I will have a large calving time window if I put the bull on the older pairs now. Thanks in advance.
Drive sprocket

 

[Nesikep]

I'd put the bull with them when the younger group of calves are about 8 weeks old or so.. you're right, if you rush too much you'll just end up with a long calving season

Welcome to CT!

 

[Rafter S]

Others here will disagree, but if they were mine I'd sell all the calves and put the bull out with the cows when the youngest bunch of calves are 60 -90 days old. You'll be giving up some money now, but your cows will do better, and you'll have a tighter calving window. This is assuming the cows are 2-year olds. If they're 3, then never mind about selling the calves, but put the bulls out at the same time.

 

[jerry27150]

I would stick the bull with all right now

 

[Muddy]

I would stick the bull with all right now

+1

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

When do you want your cows to calve?

 

[Stocker Steve]

When do you want your cows to calve?

+1

 

[drivesprocket]

When do you want your cows to calve?

I suppose early springtime.

 

[Stocker Steve]

May 10th is start of spring here.

 

[farmerjan]

If you want your cows to calve around a certain time then you put the bull in accordingly. We calve in 2 groups. Spring and fall. So our bulls go in 1st of June for March calves and come out by Sept 1st and then they go in mid - nov for late Aug/sept calves and come out before the 1st of Mar. It is a little more flexible due to weather conditions and what we have going on....but we shoot for a 60-90 day calving window. We usually have it closer to 60 days if the cows are in good shape with maybe a couple of stragglers. We want spring calving done before June 1st and again the fall calving done before Dec 1st.
If you wait to put the bull in with the whole group, the ones with the older calves ought to be cycling good, and the ones with the younger calves will be cycling by the time they are 8 weeks. The ones with the older calves may settle a little quicker, but they still should all get into a 90 day window if they are in good shape.
Determine your time to put bulls in according to when you want the calves.

 

[Brute 23]

From what you have said I'd wait 60 days to drop the bull in. That will put you closer to you calving date, get the heifers synced up better, and it won't hurt for them to have a short break.

 

[drivesprocket]

Thanks for the replies!

 

[Hunter]

For reference, we put our bull with 22 heifers on 05/17/16 and our calving season started on 03/07/17.
We are waiting on 13 more to calve.