Steer "unsheathed" mounting cow

[PineHill Farms]

Hello to all,

I've found these forums a great resource for some time, but now find myself seeking some direct help. I've searched through the archives but can't find exactly the information I was looking for.

We have a small cow calf operation and I recently had a couple of steers brought in to pasture for the summer with my herd before they make it to our plates this winter. Just saves me weaning off a couple of my own and I can leave them out to grass. Anyway, last night i was out checking on things and noticed my bull circling and mounting one of our cows in heat. That's good. What I'm questioning is that one of the steers, which i was assured was castrated, was also trying to mount. After getting up sideways on her, and after my bull knocked him out of the way, I noticed the steer was "unsheathed and extended" to be polite. Both the steers have cod's and I thought when I got them that they were done by a knife to the side. Could the steer be a stag? or maybe they used the burdizzo and didn't get a full clamp? Anyway, I was looking for anyone's thoughts? and am i going to have to pull this steer out and keep him housed till the cows are all settled. My bull's been out for almost 5 weeks so all the cows should almost be all settled soon. Any help would be appreciated,

Thanks,

 

[backhoeboogie]

Most all young steers will try to mount. The only sure way I know is if there are no testicals and those try to mount all the time.

 

[dun]

Unsheating his sword would have me wondering how effective his operation would be. Only way to tell is wait till you butcher him and take a look.

 

[PineHill Farms]

Thanks to you both for taking the time to help. Dun, the 'brandishing' of the sword is exactly whats got me worried and a bit cheezed off. It's also strictly a dinner steer with all the physical conformation you might expect. I will not be happy to have a few mongrel, very funnel butted calves surprise me next spring. So to be sure, the extension and unsheathing would be far more likely the result of him having a working teste or two and not expected out of a successfully snipped animal?

 

[PineHill Farms]

Thanks TN,

Yes, I bought them from someone and took them at their word. My mistake obviously. We band our calves and these are too big now for that. I guess I'm separating them for the summer when I had hoped to keep them on grass. Thanks for your post and yes, I guess you can never be sure unless you do it yourself....

 

[milkmaid]

TN -- yes it can be too late, especially if the calves have been cut or banded in the past, or have a retained testicle -- you'd be cutting into the abdominal cavity which is not a good idea.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Some sell steer/bulls. They are not sure and they are honest about it. Many sell "steers" but mis count once in a while.

I have seen extension and ejaculation from animals with no normal testes... I assume that means there is one up in the belly somewhere. The unknown is whether they are fertile.

 

[PineHill Farms]

Thanks again to everyone whose helping to share their knowledge.

SS, your response seems to follow some other info. I've dug around about this. I found one study (Hafez?) that suggests that erectile capabilities is one of the last sexual functions to remain with a steer after castration. I just got these boys about two weeks ago, through a fellow farmer, but not from his place. Is it possible that:

1) they were castrated just before shipping and so retain some of their previous chemical makeup,

2) they only counted to ''one'' instead of two.

TN your advice sounds reasonable and may be the way I go. I just would rather save the vet bill for sick animals instead of throwing more $ at these steers. $ that i shouldn't have had to spend in the first place. I couldn't do it tonight but I might just seperate them out and keep them around the barn for a month or so until I'm sure my cows have all caught.

Again, your thoughts are appreciated and welcome...

 

[Weaver]

We have run into this problem in the past with cattle that we bought from others and everytime we have seen a male unsheathed, its still had at least one nut. We had one this year that was probably close to 1000 pounds before he was caught chasing the only heifer in the pen with the group. He had been banded by the previous owners, but they had only gotten one nut. So we loaded him on the trailer, took him to the vet, vet was waiting with a knife, and ten minutes later we were loading him back up as a steer. Simple, relatively inexpensive, and very much worth the money. The vet said the earlier the better, but he didnt bat an eye at that 1000 pounder we brought him. Took him back home and dumped him back in his pen.

 

[djinwa]

I'd be curious to see a photo of his "cod".

Alittle factoid is that the testes must be cooler than the body temp to produce fertile sperm. That's why they hang away from the body, and that's why in warmer temps they hang lower (cremaster muscle, etc). Anyway, if this guy's testes are against the body, or inside, would be less fertile or infertile. Can still produce testosterone, of course, leading to greater sex drive and aggressiveness.

Here's one reference for those wanting to read more about scrotums and fertility.

http://wiki.bmezine.com/index.php/Scrotum