Teach me about bulls

[CG1]

So after a stupid decision to post in an facebook group asking opinions on linebreeding (wow does facebook farming groups bring out some lunatics) I have decided to get another bull rather than have our family bull breed his daughters. One of our employees lives on one of my properties and has a keen interest in raising a young bull calf.

When it comes to buying a bull is it smart to wait until they are a certain age before buying them to ensure they are a good bull? I want to buy an angus bull so I can rotate him with our other family bull. Would it be ok for me to buy a 6 month old bull and have my employee raise him until he's ready? Or is that too high risk of getting a crap bull in the end? I guess my question is would a bull raiser be able to sell me a calf of that age and have a good idea that he will work out as a bull. I understand stuff happens but is this a bad idea? I don't need the bull to be ready to reproduce for about 1.5 years.

 

[Kingfisher]

Where are you located?

 

[Kingfisher]

https://animalscience.tamu.edu/2019/03/23/bull-selection-includes-muscle-potential/

You can research for days both here and on the internet

 

[CG1]

Where are you located?

Langley, BC, Canada

Hoping to gather some experiences from others or any bull raisers.

 

[Bigfoot]

I have been known to buy 10 month old bulls, and develope them myself. I feel like a save some money that way. Nothing wrong with buying a 6 month old bull, you just never see a reputable breeder offer one that age. An 18 month old sound bull, that passes a BSE is always a wise investment.

 

[CG1]

I have been known to buy 10 month old bulls, and develope them myself. I feel like a save some money that way. Nothing wrong with buying a 6 month old bull, you just never see a reputable breeder offer one that age. An 18 month old sound bull, that passes a BSE is always a wise investment.

Lets say I just took the risk and bought a 6 month old bull calf with the hopes he can produce some good calves for me in the future. Is it recommended I do any testing on him myself? I am thinking for like genetic issues and such. Or you just wait and see what happens?

I like the idea of raising one ourselves as well as we usually get our best cattle temperament when I have them on our farm from a young age. I have found they are easier for me to deal with.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

How many cows will he need to cover?

 

[CG1]

How many cows will he need to cover?

I have 7 heifers I want to use him with. Total of 16 breeding cows in my herd but I will have two bulls. So he will take on about half of them every year.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

How many cows will he need to cover?

I have 7 heifers I want to use him with. Total of 16 breeding cows in my herd but I will have two bulls. So he will take on about half of them every year.

Why would you want 2 bulls with just 16 cow? Of if you mean 7 heifers plus the 16 cows I'd have to ask the same question. A healthy bull can cover that many cows and/or heifers without a problem.

 

[Bigfoot]

I have been known to buy 10 month old bulls, and develope them myself. I feel like a save some money that way. Nothing wrong with buying a 6 month old bull, you just never see a reputable breeder offer one that age. An 18 month old sound bull, that passes a BSE is always a wise investment.

Lets say I just took the risk and bought a 6 month old bull calf with the hopes he can produce some good calves for me in the future. Is it recommended I do any testing on him myself? I am thinking for like genetic issues and such. Or you just wait and see what happens?

I like the idea of raising one ourselves as well as we usually get our best cattle temperament when I have them on our farm from a young age. I have found they are easier for me to deal with.

He's not old enough for a sperm evaluation. IMHO, genetic testing is out. If you want to grow both your herd, and have better calves at the same time........Get all the bull you can afford. Where I live, there are not going to be many 6 month old bulls put up for sale. That's just not the target age for sales. Also, temperment kind of is what it is. The bull you own in the field, is often a different animal under pressure.

 

[CG1]

How many cows will he need to cover?

I have 7 heifers I want to use him with. Total of 16 breeding cows in my herd but I will have two bulls. So he will take on about half of them every year.

Why would you want 2 bulls with just 16 cow? Of if you mean 7 heifers plus the 16 cows I'd have to ask the same question. A healthy bull can cover that many cows and/or heifers without a problem.

Because my current bull is the father of my 7 heifers. I want a new bull so im not breeding my girls to their father.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

I have 7 heifers I want to use him with. Total of 16 breeding cows in my herd but I will have two bulls. So he will take on about half of them every year.

Why would you want 2 bulls with just 16 cow? Of if you mean 7 heifers plus the 16 cows I'd have to ask the same question. A healthy bull can cover that many cows and/or heifers without a problem.

Because my current bull is the father of my 7 heifers. I want a new bull so im not breeding my girls to their father.

I understand that part, the new bull could cover all your cows and the current bull could move on to his great reward. How old is he?

 

[SDM]

I'd sell the current bull and AI the 23 cows. If one of those bull calves catch your eye, raise it up. You know a lot more what it is than some bull feeder calf that should have been cut.

 

[wbvs58]

With my herd at 6 mths of age I have a pretty good idea of which of my bulls will make the grade and I will usually castrate several at that age that I don't like. I would very much like to sell as many of my bulls for people to rear themselves but most want a bull ready to go. I think the only negative would be the BSE though in my experience the risk is low as very few young Angus bulls will fail a BSE.

Ken

 

[Son of Butch]

I want to buy an angus bull so I can rotate him with our other family bull.
Would it be ok for me to buy a 6 month old bull and have my employee raise him until he's ready?
Yes, that should be fine.

I guess my question is:
would a bull raiser be able to sell me a calf of that age and have a good idea that he will work
out as a bull?

Yes, a calf's genetics are set in stone the day he's born and the breeder knows how
it has performed vs herdmates for 6 months.
Of course the more mature they are the easier it is to pick out top performers,
but barring injury or illness, selecting at 6 months should work out fine for you.

p.s.
Sometimes with time there are regrets.... back in the day...
I knew a holstein breeder who regretted castrating a bull calf that grew into a magnificent steer.
2 yrs later he had a full brother to that calf which he decided to keep and that bull went on to be the
Grand Champion Bull at the World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin.
He always believed the first one would have been just as good or better than the younger brother.

 

[CG1]

Why would you want 2 bulls with just 16 cow? Of if you mean 7 heifers plus the 16 cows I'd have to ask the same question. A healthy bull can cover that many cows and/or heifers without a problem.

Because my current bull is the father of my 7 heifers. I want a new bull so im not breeding my girls to their father.

I understand that part, the new bull could cover all your cows and the current bull could move on to his great reward. How old is he?

He’s probably 5 years old. I don’t want to get rid of him because I love him :help:

 

[CG1]

With my herd at 6 mths of age I have a pretty good idea of which of my bulls will make the grade and I will usually castrate several at that age that I don't like. I would very much like to sell as many of my bulls for people to rear themselves but most want a bull ready to go. I think the only negative would be the BSE though in my experience the risk is low as very few young Angus bulls will fail a BSE.

Ken

Good to know thank you!

 

[CG1]

I want to buy an angus bull so I can rotate him with our other family bull.
Would it be ok for me to buy a 6 month old bull and have my employee raise him until he's ready?
Yes, that should be fine.

I guess my question is:
would a bull raiser be able to sell me a calf of that age and have a good idea that he will work
out as a bull?

Yes, a calf's genetics are set in stone the day he's born and the breeder knows how
it has performed vs herdmates for 6 months.
Of course the more mature they are the easier it is to pick out top performers,
but barring injury or illness, selecting at 6 months should work out fine for you.

p.s.
Sometimes with time there are regrets.... back in the day...
I knew a holstein breeder who regretted castrating a bull calf that grew into a magnificent steer.
2 yrs later he had a full brother to that calf which he decided to keep and that bull went on to be the
Grand Champion Bull at the World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin.
He always believed the first one would have been just as good or better than the younger brother.

That was my thought. If I got a bull calf they felt had potential the risk would be mine and sounding like it’s pretty low risk the bull would be a complete flake. I only mess around with cows as a hobby so I just need one that gets the job done.