Separating the bull from the herd

[mnbryant2001]

I'm looking at moving to a set breeding season. I've done year round my 4 years of doing this like dad did. However moving to a sep-October calving season would be better for me even though I only have 23 momma's. And work full time.
I have one Angus bull, a weaning pen that's half acre barbed wire and two strands of electric fence a few feet in. Runs 7000 volts. Then I have 5 acres I move the calves to with 2 strands of electric fence after 2 weeks of weaning. I rotationaly graze.
I'll only keep him up only 3-4 months.
My questions.
Will I be able to keep him in a pen alone or should I keep a steer to sell as a heavy weight in January to stay with him?
Is the half acre pen big enough to loaf and exercise enough? Or is it possible the 5 acres will hold him.

When I rotate cows to the paddock beside the 5 acre electric fence I can put him in the half acre pen to avoid nose contact. The paddock and pen are side by side.

 

[backhoeboogie]

Do you have any neighbors? I had nine places adjoining me. Pull my bull and one of the neighbor's bulls would come across the fence.

As far as penning your own bull, all you can do is try. Bluffing him into thinking he cannot cross a boundary goes a long way. If he's ever gone thru a fence for any reason, you could have trouble, no matter what measure you take.

 

[mnbryant2001]

My bull is pretty gentle. Never went through a fence yet. He'd be on the loading list instead!
I have 2 neighbors. Only one with permanent cattle at the moment. But his have never come over...yet.
His new Brangus was looking at me with his head stuck through the barded wire last weekend. I've got some old panels I'll putting up this weekend to mess with his head. There's only about 50 foot of fence that bull can get over at.

 

[dun]

We usually only pull our bull for a couple of months at calving time until breeding starts. We built a solid bull pen with continuous fence panels that is his jail. It's right next to a pasture (within 10 feet) so he has the grils coming and going by him for company.

 

[JMJ Farms]

Sturdy sturdy fence. And electricity will work wonders. A companion as you mentioned will help also.

 

[mnbryant2001]

We usually only pull our bull for a couple of months at calving time until breeding starts. We built a solid bull pen with continuous fence panels that is his jail. It's right next to a pasture (within 10 feet) so he has the grils coming and going by him for company.

That's what I had in mind. But starting out I'll have to go 4 months due to how my cows are spread out right now.

I'll try what I have for now and see what happens. Then get corral panels if it takes it. My biggest reason for a set season? Northeast Ms summer's banding and vaccinating calves in the direct sun...id rather just have to load them. :banana:

Plus I'm getting to stockpile fescue this fall for the first time and it's should work better with that.

 

[mnbryant2001]

Dun what type panels did you use?

 

[dun]

Dun what type panels did you use?

This stuff
http://gobobpipe.com/continuous_fence.htm

 

[gizmom]

Our bulls are in with the cows for about 90 days the rest of the time they are penned in runs that are by the working pens. The runs have five strand of high tinsel wire, that is pretty dang hot but it works. The bulls respect the wire. So they are penned up 9 months out of the year. The runs are probably 1/2 acre. This year we have two bulls penned together in one run and so far so good.

gizmom

 

[Mat Man]

I calve 10 to 15 in October/ November than I calve 10/15 March/April so the bull stays with bred group and I get to chose the start of my breeding seasons .

 

[pricefarm]

I calve 10 to 15 in October/ November than I calve 10/15 March/April so the bull stays with bred group and I get to chose the start of my breeding seasons .

That's how I do it. I have two different farms i run cows on. One farm I calve in fall one in the spring works out real good just move the bull from one set of cows to the next.

 

[JSCATTLE]

I put my bull by himself in a 1 acre lot .. he's never jumped the fence .. sometimes I put him behind 1 strand of hot wire .. but it's real hot ..