Weaning heifer and bull calf together

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canoetrpr

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I have a heifer calf who will be 7 months and a uncastrated bull calf who will be 5.5 months. I would like to wean them together since they are buddies and ought to have company when weaned. Unfortunately, I have no other heifer calves this year.

I am administering the first shot of tetanus toxoid tomorrow to the bull calf so he will not be banded until about a month later wheh he is ready for the booster - as per instructions with the Callicrate bander.

I am wondering what the risk is wrt a bull this young (he will be about 6.5 months before he is banded) breeding the heifer (if she were to come into heat). I have heard of a heifer as young as 7 months old being mistakenly bred by a mature bull when she came into heat at that age.

What do you folks think? Am I better off weaning the heifer and putting her in with another cow so she has company? The bull calf can then be weaned after he has been banded, and/or can be put with older bull calves - so he will have company.
 
Put them together. The chances of anything happening are fairly slim. But to cover your bases, a month after you band the bull give the heifer a shot of lute.
 
Why not just have the vet or someone cut the bull calf right away (before he gets any older/bigger) and be done with it? Jim
 
SRBeef":1jb60rs8 said:
Why not just have the vet or someone cut the bull calf right away (before he gets any older/bigger) and be done with it? Jim

Couple reasons. For one, I have had absolutely no luck locating a large animal vet. I have called several in the area. Lots of equine vets here but none that will take on cattle. Secondly, I just purchased a bander and justified the cost to be amortized over several calves over the years. I didn't realize the need to do the tetanus toxoid thing in advance. I will plan better next year. A vet visit (if I could find a vet to come here) would be far from inexpensive.
 
canoetrpr":3ubpq8xn said:
Couple reasons. For one, I have had absolutely no luck locating a large animal vet. I have called several in the area. Lots of equine vets here but none that will take on cattle. Secondly, I just purchased a bander and justified the cost to be amortized over several calves over the years. I didn't realize the need to do the tetanus toxoid thing in advance. I will plan better next year. A vet visit (if I could find a vet to come here) would be far from inexpensive.

we always just use Covexin 8 Vaccine which has Tetanus shot in with the blackleg at the same time we band them and have never had any problems
is what my vet said to do
I hadn't used a calicrate until 2 yrs ago I had always cut my bull calves
 
My vet told me once that whether they are cut or banded (if done at 7 mo) they can still be armed and dangerous for up to 3 months due to previous fluid in the tubes.
 
dcara - I was told 3 weeks. Unfortunately this is going to be a bit of a hassle for me. I am less concerned about my 5.5 month old bull.

I have gone ahead and weaned them together upon the the advice of someone who has been mentoring me. He thought that the risk was quite low at this age.

I am more concerned with the two other bull calves I have. One is 8 months. My plan is to steer all three bull calves next month and to have the heifer hang out with the three steers.

As winter approaches I only have room for two separate groups in my barnyard. I can deal with three separate groups now (cows and bull, young heifer and bull calf, two bull calves). Once things start freezing up, I've got to go down to two groups.

Not quite sure how I will manage to keep the steers separate form my heifer into December but I will have to find a way to manage it I guess!
 

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