Size of Bull's Head

[Chuckie]

When looking to add a bull to your herd or one as a replacement, you want him to look very much like a bull. The full muscular body and correct conformation. If he has all these assets, and you get to his head, it seems smaller and not so big, is this a good trait or a bad one? Seems with the testostrone, it should be very wide and more masculine too, but at the same time, you want it to be small so that there is no calving problem. This is the point where calves can hang coming out of the cow. So what point is the head is too small on a bull if the rest is graded an A?

 

[jersey lilly]

To me a small headed bull looks feminine. Not somethin I want when buyin a bull...even if the rest of him looks great. My brangus bull has a big head, he throws some small calves. Their heads all look the same at first...heifers or bull calves...then a couple months or so..hormones kick in, and the bull calves get that bully lookin head. On the other hand..I've seen some bulls with huge heads....which I would avoid too. I think it's "in the eye of the beholder" if you dont like how it looks your not gonna buy it..no matter what EPD's etc say.......sometimes you just have to trust your own judgement when actually lookin at the live animal.

 

[purecountry]

For me it's tough to say w/o seeing the bull. I guess it's one of those things I've just always had to have a feel for. The head and look of a bull is very important to me. The forehead should be wide yes, but not tremendously, and then taper down between the eyes. The muzzle and mouth should still remain wide - almost squarish. Any of the Angus bulls we ever used OR RAISED that had narrow pinched muzzles ended up hard-doin', slab-sided, and were poor gainers on feed. They passed it on too. Don't know if the linear measurement gurus would have some input on this, but if it's actual dimensions you're looking for, I don't think I'll be much help.

In all, I agree with ya that a bull should look like a bull. One of my Galloways is fairly broad across the forehead, to the point where I worried a bit, but there wasn't any problems. If they're built right, it should all just look right when you get to the front of em.

 

[tapeworm]

Sure BIG BIG heads can be trouble but i think youll find that you have more trouble with hiplock than heads...longer bodies and smoother hips will help you more than frettin over heads...least thats my experence

 

[Chuckie]

Tapeworm, you are right on that. I am seeing all the bull's head beginning to look smaller compared to the bodies. I am thinkng the necks and shoulders are getting so big that the head looks like it goes on a calf. Sort of like these pin head muscle boys that lift weights trying to get someone's attention. They look like their neck and head are the same size. I think the bodies continue to grow, but the bones in the head get to a certain size and stop.