Yearling vs 2 year old bull.

[crimsoncrazy]

When buying which is more cost effective? How much cheaper would the yearling bull have to be?

 

[snake67]

When buying which is more cost effective? How much cheaper would the yearling bull have to be?

If you are buying quality there might not be much difference in price.

I have used both with good success - best to forget the "cost effective" and ask yourself this one question:

While staying within my budget - which animal is the better of the two?

Then buy that one

Best to all

Bez

 

[Bigfoot]

They are hard to find, but some savings could be had on a weanling. When you think about it, they aren't far from breeding age.

 

[Caustic Burno]

I prefer to buy a 10 to 12 month old bull.

 

[greybeard]

They are hard to find, but some savings could be had on a weanling. When you think about it, they aren't far from breeding age.

Lots of risk involved there too--so much can happen between weaning age and "ready for prime time".

 

[cow pollinater]

I like yearlings. If he already looks like a herdbull then you're getting the real deal. Stay away from anything that doesn't already say BULL. Way to many people try to turn a steer into a bull and it's that second year on feed that does it for them.

 

[HOSS]

I like yearlings. If he already looks like a herdbull then you're getting the real deal. Stay away from anything that doesn't already say BULL. Way to many people try to turn a steer into a bull and it's that second year on feed that does it for them.

I agree.

 

[heath]

They are hard to find, but some savings could be had on a weanling. When you think about it, they aren't far from breeding age.

Lots of risk involved there too--so much can happen between weaning age and "ready for prime time".

If you wean at 7 months , and theyre ready to breed at 13 months, then you only have 5 months time in between.

 

[js1234]

I prefer to buy bulls that will be close to 2 at turn out.

 

[greybeard]

They are hard to find, but some savings could be had on a weanling. When you think about it, they aren't far from breeding age.

Lots of risk involved there too--so much can happen between weaning age and "ready for prime time".

If you wean at 7 months , and theyre ready to breed at 13 months, then you only have 5 months time in between.

IF

 

[Brute 23]

I prefer a 14-16mo old bull. That is my ideal age.

 

[freakscene]

Rather than start a new thread, I figured this would offered an opportunity to ask a question about buying Bulls. I hope the OP doesn't mind but its sort of on topic.

I'm new. And I'm considering buying a bull to provide a level of independence. with only 20 acres to offer as pasture and rotational grazing them on 4, 5 acre paddocks most of the year, my math says I'll likely only have a few cows tops - with the rest of the small heard being freezer beef or calves.

What sort of trouble am I getting myself into, with such a small number of cows for a single bull on such a small amount of pasture?

My goal is to create a system as independent as possible.

Have any of you owned a bull for a similar small number of cows?

If the OP or Mod's would rather I start this as a new topic, please let me know.

thanks
~f

 

[branguscowgirl]

Rather than start a new thread, I figured this would offered an opportunity to ask a question about buying Bulls. I hope the OP doesn't mind but its sort of on topic.

I'm new. And I'm considering buying a bull to provide a level of independence. with only 20 acres to offer as pasture and rotational grazing them on 4, 5 acre paddocks most of the year, my math says I'll likely only have a few cows tops - with the rest of the small heard being freezer beef or calves.

What sort of trouble am I getting myself into, with such a small number of cows for a single bull on such a small amount of pasture?

My goal is to create a system as independent as possible.

Have any of you owned a bull for a similar small number of cows?

If the OP or Mod's would rather I start this as a new topic, please let me know.

thanks
~f

I also keep just a small herd of show cattle. If I raise a bull myself, I keep him around until he is almost 2yrs. and let him breed my unrelated cows. Then sell him. I also use AI. But what works best for me is to rent or borrow a bull from another breeder in the area.

 

[branguscowgirl]

Rather than start a new thread, I figured this would offered an opportunity to ask a question about buying Bulls. I hope the OP doesn't mind but its sort of on topic.

I'm new. And I'm considering buying a bull to provide a level of independence. with only 20 acres to offer as pasture and rotational grazing them on 4, 5 acre paddocks most of the year, my math says I'll likely only have a few cows tops - with the rest of the small heard being freezer beef or calves.

What sort of trouble am I getting myself into, with such a small number of cows for a single bull on such a small amount of pasture?

My goal is to create a system as independent as possible.

Have any of you owned a bull for a similar small number of cows?

If the OP or Mod's would rather I start this as a new topic, please let me know.

thanks
~f

I also keep just a small herd of show cattle. If I raise a bull myself, I keep him around until he is almost 2yrs. and let him breed my unrelated cows. Then sell him. I also use AI. But what works best for me is to rent or borrow a bull from another breeder in the area.

Honestly, with only a few cows to breed, keeping a bull may not be worth the trouble. If you have neighboring cattle, you will need to heat the fence to keep him in, you have him eating and not working most of the year, and when your heifer calves reach maturity you will need to replace him.

 

[Aaron]

It's largely based on how many cows you expect him to cover. I try to avoid selling yearlings because there are a lot of cheap people out there that think one yearling should be able to breed and settle all their 50+ cows in 2 cycles, running over 100's of acres of ground. And if they fail at any part in the chain, a sh!t storm will be headed my way.

That is what a 2 year old is for.

And to agree with Bez, you probably won't see much of a price difference.