Will he settle down?

[Gate Opener]

We bought a charlois bull at the sale barn last weekend. We were told he is about 13 months old. He is scared of us (skittish). I have had him in a pen with a calm pregnant cow and have been bringing them hay several times a day and just kinda standing around to try and get him used to me. He has improved somewhat. Do you think he will eventually calm down? We always look for dispostion in the sale ring and didn't notice him doing anything out of the ordinary.

 

[Beefy]

probably, when the hotshot wears off.

 

[Herefordcross]

some do and some don't!

 

[Fred]

Chances are he will settle down once he gets used to his new home. Be careful around him until he calms down.

 

[Alice]

probably, when the hotshot wears off.

Ain't that the truth!

Alice

 

[oscar p]

When you turn him out with the rest of the girls, chances are he will settle right down.

 

[cfpinz]

I bought an angus bull one time from a big-name breeder in this area, I swear they drugged the little jerk. Was fine in the pen, sale ring and even when seperated and loaded. Drove the hour home and let him out in the barn, he tried to knock down the barn and kill me, left him alone for a couple hours, went back and he hadn't stopped running, loaded his butt back up, took him back to breeders. They gave me my $ back no questions asked but refused to let me let him out in their barn, only into a large pasture. Funny thing is I later talked to a friend of mine that used to ride bulls and he has a picture of himself riding a bull with their brand on it.

cfpinz

 

[Gate Opener]

Oh my goodness. People will do just about anything for money.

Thankfully this one goes the other way. He doesn't appear to be mean. I am always careful around any bull.

 

[randiliana]

We bought a bull from a breeder years ago. Went into the pen there and walked through them with no problems at his place. Got him home and he was worked up. He did eventually settle, but I would never work with him. Every time he saw/smelled me he would start pawing the ground. Hubby could work with him just fine. I finally had enough, and we sold him as a 3 year old after 2 breeding seasons. Had no desire to get run over when my back was turned.

 

[warpaint]

Start out with a 16 lb. sledge. J/K

As has already been said. Some do, and some don't.
But, don't ever turn you're back to the calm ones either.

 

[Caustic Burno]

I have found if they haven't calmed down after about three days they generally don't. Some breeds are worse than others when in a pen. Brammers, Brangus, Chars, and Lims top my list for wanting to show there ass when penned. These seem to be the worse in the flight or fight mode going to fight at the drop of a hat.

 

[MoGal]

If he's settled down some, he'll probably do okay. I've noticed a big difference in the ones we got at the salebarn but it takes about 10 days (IMO) to really see how they are gonna be.

Everyone's method is different and some people don't get out in the field and walk around their cattle or have anything to do with em until they wean the calf. I can understand some of these places as they have to have more than an acre or two to run a cow/calf pair on.

I bought a young charolais bull like that a couple years ago, he wasn't silly, but he kept a good distance of 200 feet or more. He wasn't used to grain and he wouldn't come up until you backed away from the feeder. It took several weeks but eventually he was up at the feeder just like the rest of the bulls w/o even a glance.

 

[Beefy]

we had a beefmaster from florida that we walked around among when bull shopping. after the electroejaculator he never was the same. he eventually calmed back down enough to scratch his back with a cane but he still had testy moments. boy was he pist after that electroejaculator though.

 

[dun]

he eventually calmed back down enough to scratch his back with a cane but he still had testy moments.

The thought still makes my eyes water

dun

 

[Victoria]

Depends on how skittish he is. Hightailing it to the other end of the corral and not even watching you then you are probably going to have a problem. If he is just kind of hiding behind the cow but watching you then you might be OK. I have no idea where you got him from but some places people aren't too nice to their cattle and you can't blame them for not liking you. Those kind tend to either really appreciate a good home or they can never get around to trusting you. You can never trust an animal that doesn't trust you. Patience might do the trick. My advice is to take away his water. Start giving buckets. Put the bucket right on the fenceline and stand on the other side of the fence (safer for you). Make him come to drink. Fastest way of calming down an animal I've found. Oats are good too.

 

[Victoria]

Just want to add, having a bull who is a LITTLE leery of you isn't such a bad thing either.

 

[AngusLimoX]

probably, when the hotshot wears off.

Ain't that the truth!

Alice

Maybe fill us in with your bull experience there Alice.

If you have seen him settle already then you are likely to have no more than the expected probs from keepin a bull.

It really peeves the folks incapable of keeping a bull when you make it work. :lol:

 

[mgaston]

There are the bulls that are perfect around people.....then there are those who will chase you down if you walk into the same pasture with it. It mainly depends on the breed. I'm not
sure what you're handling, but pure breed angus are so agressive and mean. They'll try get you through a fence. I've had experience.....but that angus bull has calmed down....but he still keeps a close eye on me and acts all tough and everything. I still walk out in the pasture to check out all the cows and the bull charges me. I usually shout at him or wave my arms or kick up some dirt and keep walking into him. He eventually sees I'm not scared of him so he runs off cus hes more scared of me than I am of him. Never show fear to a bull that has fear in his own eye. You can usually tell which kind of temper they will have towards you by looking at there eyes. I've had success by that. This might not be of any help to you,
but I had something to say so I did.

 

[Jogeephus]

Just want to add, having a bull who is a LITTLE leery of you isn't such a bad thing either.

Ditto! If he is a bit skiddish of you then he thinks you can kick his butt and he will respect you. If he ever figures out the truth then he very well might get you. There ain't no reasoning with a bull just mutual respect. JMO

 

[auctionboy]

You can't judge a bull if you truck it for hours then lock it up alone in the barn.