bigbluegrass
Well-known member
I bought some "steers" from a neighbor last spring for freezer beef. When I was looking at them, they had a little bit of a sack but no visible testicles. The one acted like a bull, the other acted like a steer. We took the one that acted like a bull to the butcher last month, he was getting very annoying and started tearing things up. When we butchered him, he had two small testicles - about the size of a month old calf testicles. Was plenty for him, I know he was not banded properly. The other one, I kept. He has shown no signs of being a bull. He acts just like a steer. He is the bottom of the pecking order and he doesn't seem to care.
Fast forward. Last night I could tell I had a yearling heifer coming into heat. First one. The plan is to AI them off natural heat. The steer is in with them, just because he really doesn't fit in with anyone else and they are about his age. This morning I was out checking on the heifers and the one coming in heat was standing and riding everything, as I had expected. That steer was right behind her. As I watched them, he got up to ride her and his penis was out of his sheath about 4 to 6 inches. He never penetrated when I was watching, but I am sure he could. Is this normal? I have never seen a steer with a visible penis at any time. Did the neighbor miss one or two on this one as well? Any ideas? Can he breed my heifers? Obviously time will tell for sure, but if it is possible I need him out of there and I need to come up with a plan. I don't really want to AI them if it is possible they are bred to this mongrel. I would know for sure who the daddy was, but it would be 9 months too late. I don't want any of his offspring! Would much rather pick out of the tank.
If he is or possibly could be breeding them, when can I lute them? Do I need to wait a week or two? If I lute them, is it going to delay their next heat? I don't really want them at the tail end of the cows. Maybe I can move this one into the fall herd. Would that be a safer bet? :help:
TIA
Fast forward. Last night I could tell I had a yearling heifer coming into heat. First one. The plan is to AI them off natural heat. The steer is in with them, just because he really doesn't fit in with anyone else and they are about his age. This morning I was out checking on the heifers and the one coming in heat was standing and riding everything, as I had expected. That steer was right behind her. As I watched them, he got up to ride her and his penis was out of his sheath about 4 to 6 inches. He never penetrated when I was watching, but I am sure he could. Is this normal? I have never seen a steer with a visible penis at any time. Did the neighbor miss one or two on this one as well? Any ideas? Can he breed my heifers? Obviously time will tell for sure, but if it is possible I need him out of there and I need to come up with a plan. I don't really want to AI them if it is possible they are bred to this mongrel. I would know for sure who the daddy was, but it would be 9 months too late. I don't want any of his offspring! Would much rather pick out of the tank.
If he is or possibly could be breeding them, when can I lute them? Do I need to wait a week or two? If I lute them, is it going to delay their next heat? I don't really want them at the tail end of the cows. Maybe I can move this one into the fall herd. Would that be a safer bet? :help:
TIA