TxStateCowboy
Well-known member
Could someone please let me know, some advantages/disadvantages to steering young bull calves from my commercial herd that will eventually be taken to the sale barn.
thanks- will
thanks- will
TxStateCowboy":8lwosuvi said:Could someone please let me know, some advantages/disadvantages to steering young bull calves from my commercial herd that will eventually be taken to the sale barn.
thanks- will
TxStateCowboy":3kxpfvkq said:Could someone please let me know, some advantages/disadvantages to steering young bull calves from my commercial herd that will eventually be taken to the sale barn.
thanks- will
msscamp":17xab6rz said:TxStateCowboy":17xab6rz said:Could someone please let me know, some advantages/disadvantages to steering young bull calves from my commercial herd that will eventually be taken to the sale barn.
thanks- will
There are actually several advantages of castrating them at a young age - it removes the inclination to fight and establish dominancy, thereby allowing them to gain better. By castrating at a young age you have the option of banding, thereby removing the potential for bleeding to death and reducing the possibility of infection, it also removes the testosterone so they are not as interested in checking out the skirts in the same pasture or the next corral. Another advantage is the younger they are banded or knife castrated, the less they are set back and the earlier they recover. Just my thoughts.
Bez!":t2ldzg7g said:msscamp":t2ldzg7g said:TxStateCowboy":t2ldzg7g said:Could someone please let me know, some advantages/disadvantages to steering young bull calves from my commercial herd that will eventually be taken to the sale barn.
thanks- will
There are actually several advantages of castrating them at a young age - it removes the inclination to fight and establish dominancy, thereby allowing them to gain better. By castrating at a young age you have the option of banding, thereby removing the potential for bleeding to death and reducing the possibility of infection, it also removes the testosterone so they are not as interested in checking out the skirts in the same pasture or the next corral. Another advantage is the younger they are banded or knife castrated, the less they are set back and the earlier they recover. Just my thoughts.
You missed the most important one:
Us old guys do not get hurt as bad or as often working with the real young stuff - we just have to watch out for something blowing a bit of snot and running faster than we do.
Bez!
TxStateCowboy":1xara9y7 said:Could someone please let me know, some advantages/disadvantages to steering young bull calves from my commercial herd that will eventually be taken to the sale barn.
thanks- will
Nice post msscamp. One thing I'd like to add that is near and dear to my heart is the fact that if you wait till weaning to castrate which I have done for a few years, you will gain individual weight but almost every year you'll have a cripple from a bulling cow riding one of those 6 mo old bulls and breaking a stiffle joint. This year I have two I am feeding to eat I would just as soon have two healthy ones , and only butcher one. The discount or unsalability this year at least in my mind off sets the heavier healthy calves. Next year I am going back to castrating at spring work up.msscamp":1q375h5v said:TxStateCowboy":1q375h5v said:Could someone please let me know, some advantages/disadvantages to steering young bull calves from my commercial herd that will eventually be taken to the sale barn.
thanks- will
There are actually several advantages of castrating them at a young age - it removes the inclination to fight and establish dominancy, thereby allowing them to gain better. By castrating at a young age you have the option of banding, thereby removing the potential for bleeding to death and reducing the possibility of infection, it also removes the testosterone so they are not as interested in checking out the skirts in the same pasture or the next corral. Another advantage is the younger they are banded or knife castrated, the less they are set back and the earlier they recover. Oh, almost forgot, castrating also reduces space requirements - depending on your operation - as steers and heifers can be run together. But, on the other hand I don't believe I would band at birth as you tend to miss out on possible growth potential from the testosterone. We band at about 1-2 months old when we brand. Just my thoughts.