Semen test

[denvermartinfarms]

How would y'all expect a 14 month old bull to test? I've checked several around 24 to 36 months and there always around 95 to 98%, I keep looking at young bulls that have tested lower but the vets are giving the owners papers saying that there good. What would you think of a 14 month old testing in the low 80s?

 

[Aaron]

Your numbers are right in line where they should be. Anything over 80 is a pass. It's all just a relative measure anyways. Nobody cares about 5 points up or down.

 

[bigbull338]

any bull testing in the 80s is real good.i wont buy a bull that dont test in the 80s.ive got to test my herd bull an if he dont test in the 80s he is gone.they say a bull that test below is considered a non breeder.

 

[denvermartinfarms]

Thanks, I've never had one test below 95% but I hadn't ever tested a young one.

 

[Aaron]

If you've never had one test below 95% before, your doing exceptionally well. Vets get giddy here if a bull scores that high.

 

[denvermartinfarms]

If you've never had one test below 95% before, your doing exceptionally well. Vets get giddy here if a bull scores that high.

Good to hear.

 

[gizmom]

We have tested as young as 12 months and they pass, we usually won't put a real young bull out on to many head, they run themselves down with to many to cover at that age. An older bull learns to pace himself a bit he won't follow a cow from the time she shows her first sign of heat. He will lay around until the time is right go over do his job then go lay down and rest. A young bull will follow them from beginning to end and if more than one is in heat runs between the two they usually learn to pace themselves after the first season. A good rule of thumb is if the bull is 12 months no more than 12 head to cover 14 months 14 head.

Gizmom

 

[ousoonerfan22]

That's good to hear we have a 16 month old angus bull that needs to breed 10-12 cows in January through February.

 

[midtncattle]

To hijack this thread a moment. How would breeding 8-9 head at 14 months affect the development of a young bull?

 

[gizmom]

should not have any adverse effects we use that age every year on groups of heifers. I should add as long as the nutritional requirements of the young bull are met. You have to keep in mind like the heifers he is still growing, and now he is working he needs adequate nutrition to accomplish both.

gizmom

 

[midtncattle]

Thanks giz. Don't know if I will use him or not but had heard about stunting growth. I figure that is with over usage. I have been supplementing him with some feed ever other day and he has hay, mineral, and protein tub. Does that sound about right.

 

[wbvs58]

To hijack this thread a moment. How would breeding 8-9 head at 14 months affect the development of a young bull?

It puts hairs on their chest and they really start to look like a bull. I use most of my sale bulls as yearlings and then prepare them for the sale and I think it helps with their "Prescence" for the sale.
Back to the original question, a pass for a paddock serving bull will be a lot lower than that required if the semen is to be frozen which needs to be spot on.
What is the %age that you are talking about? Is that the crush side motility or is it after a morphologist has looked at it after being stained to get the %age live/dead and abnormalities?
Ken

 

[denvermartinfarms]

Well I've moved on from these bulls and I'm going to oklahoma early in the week to try again, found some nice ones there.

The original question was about some other bulls that were supposed to be really good, and the guy told me that he had them checked and they were in the 80s, then today I get there and that one that checked in the 80s isn't for sale, and the only other decent one only tested 60% and the vet whent ahead and said he was good, but laid back. And these 14 to 16 month old bulls had been weaned on grass and have never been fed, not one of them weigh over 850lbs another fact that he had mixed up.

So I'll try again in oklahoma, thanks for the help anyway.

 

[heath]

There's quite a few guys up around the Miami and Vinita area that raising pretty nice bulls. They're smaller operations in their prices are reasonable.

 

[denvermartinfarms]

There's quite a few guys up around the Miami and Vinita area that raising pretty nice bulls. They're smaller operations in their prices are reasonable.

I talked to a guy in oogolah today that sent me some pictures of some really nice registered brangus bulls, they look good enough I'm bringing my trailer and planning on buying a couple Monday.

 

[heath]

Was it Mike Taylor at horsehead ranch?

 

[denvermartinfarms]

Was it Mike Taylor at horsehead ranch?

To be honest I don't recall if that was him or not, I should, I talked to him 3 times today. He said he's about 3 miles from the dam and his neighbor also sells brangus bulls and they work together, he also said he's retired. Anything I should watch for?

 

[heath]

That doesn't sound like mike, i don't think he's old enough to retire yet. if it is him he's got some nice bulls. When me and my brother in law were partners we bought one from him and my BIL still deals with him.

 

[denvermartinfarms]

That doesn't sound like mike, i don't think he's old enough to retire yet. if it is him he's got some nice bulls. When me and my brother in law were partners we bought one from him and my BIL still deals with him.

Ok, thanks, I'll know who he is early next week, and I'll put up some pictures of what I bring back.

 

[heath]

Take a group pic of the bulls if you don't mind to show what kind of quality they have. BIL is running with our father in law and they are talking about replacing their bull with another brangus.