Young bull

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

You are confusing us (me). You asked our opinion of the bull. Are you just trying to get an "eye" for cattle?
For a "breeder", there is never a year that we don't want to breed to the best possible bull. Sounds like you are just interested in getting cattle pregnant, which is fine. But, you then say eventually you want to start raising cattle to make money. Why would you let 1 year, or 2 years go by without trying to improve what you have? Just doesn't make sense to a breeder.
You will be $$$ ahead if you start to produce a money-making female now, rather than BUYING your cow starters.

 

[georgiabob]

You are confusing us (me). You asked our opinion of the bull. Are you just trying to get an "eye" for cattle?
For a "breeder", there is never a year that we don't want to breed to the best possible bull. Sounds like you are just interested in getting cattle pregnant, which is fine. But, you then say eventually you want to start raising cattle to make money. Why would you let 1 year, or 2 years go by without trying to improve what you have? Just doesn't make sense to a breeder.
You will be $$$ ahead if you start to produce a money-making female now, rather than BUYING your cow starters.

Until 2020 i only bought calves in the fall then sold them in late spring. Since then i've picked up heifers and younger cows. In september i sold anything that didn't keep condition, had an attitude, hoof issues or attitudes. Of the calves born since 2020 i've only retained one. She'll be a year old in a week. This bull was available and close when i needed one. I felt like he was really narrow for his age i just wanted it confirmed. Yes, i'm trying to figure out how to judge young bulls better. In the end i'll probably go to ai in a couple of years when i have more time but i still want to be sure i'm not underestimating this bull.

 

[georgiabob]

You are confusing us (me). You asked our opinion of the bull. Are you just trying to get an "eye" for cattle?
For a "breeder", there is never a year that we don't want to breed to the best possible bull. Sounds like you are just interested in getting cattle pregnant, which is fine. But, you then say eventually you want to start raising cattle to make money. Why would you let 1 year, or 2 years go by without trying to improve what you have? Just doesn't make sense to a breeder.
You will be $$$ ahead if you start to produce a money-making female now, rather than BUYING your cow starters.

I don't have enough pasture to retain heifers that aren't exceptional. I'm not a 2nd generation farmer that just happened to have a lot of infrastructure. I'm sinking money into fencing, seed and equipment. 4-5k for a bull to breed a handful of cows that are just producing freezer meat isn't my best use of funds right now. My original post was pretty simple. What flaws does this bull have.

 

[MurraysMutts]

I don't have enough pasture to retain heifers that aren't exceptional. I'm not a 2nd generation farmer that just happened to have a lot of infrastructure. I'm sinking money into fencing, seed and equipment. 4-5k for a bull to breed a handful of cows that are just producing freezer meat isn't my best use of funds right now. My original post was pretty simple. What flaws does this bull have.

For what you're doing.
The answer is simple.
None!

As long as he passed a BSE
Heck even if he didn't, and he breeds, who cares?

 

[georgiabob]

For what you're doing.
The answer is simple.
None!

As long as he passed a BSE
Heck even if he didn't, and he breeds, who cares?

I agree but i've been picking him apart in my mind for a few months and wanted to see if i was being too judgmental. I'm going to say I'm not. Almost any bull would do for the next year or two but eventually i'm either going to have to put out cash for one or go to ai. Even if i go ai i need to be able to look at a young bull and picture it as an adult in case i decide to hold one back one day. I look at this bull and he lacks some depth and he lacks muscle but at the same time i wouldn't describe him as feminine. I wouldn't mistake him for a cow. He seems pinched at the shoulders which may not be bad for breeding heifers but it's not a trait i like.

 

[MurraysMutts]

I agree but i've been picking him apart in my mind for a few months and wanted to see if i was being too judgmental. I'm going to say I'm not. Almost any bull would do for the next year or two but eventually i'm either going to have to put out cash for one or go to ai. Even if i go ai i need to be able to look at a young bull and picture it as an adult in case i decide to hold one back one day. I look at this bull and he lacks some depth and he lacks muscle but at the same time i wouldn't describe him as feminine. I wouldn't mistake him for a cow. He seems pinched at the shoulders which may not be bad for breeding heifers but it's not a trait i like.

He is beef. Hopefully the cows make up the difference.

Coulda used a longhorn or dexter or Highlander or jersey or holstein.

I'm in the same position as I'm considering a bull change b4 long. And honestly, I'm so dern confused I don't know what I even want!
Ok, well I WANT all registered Santa gertrudis.
But if I had that and everyone else had a feather up their arse, we'd all be tickled!

I just noticed he's not polled either.
Slender, not polled, color is less than desirable, and he's got a tiny scrotum! Some things hang where they shouldn't, and the things that should hang, don't.
Wait, who are we talking about again?

 

[georgiabob]

There are some pretty nice santa gertrudis being raised south of me and also some in south alabama that are easy on the eyes. I've heard they are a little flighty but i've never been around any to know.

 

[alacowman1]

There are some pretty nice santa gertrudis being raised south of me and also some in south alabama that are easy on the eyes. I've heard they are a little flighty but i've never been around any to know.

Some are flighty..and I've seen some dead head pups. But they are all man eaters when they calve .get with someone knowledgeable with Gerts before you make any purchases..

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

You don't have to spend $4-5000 for a bull. I have one of the top Simmental herds around, and I sell bull CALVES for $1850 - weaned and preconditioned. I'm sure you can get one a lot cheaper from many PB breeders around.
You described your bull pretty well. You see his faults. All we are trying to say is a bull can improve or lower the quality of your calf crop. Whether you are selling the calves right off the cow (muscle score & weight determines price), or you feed them out for freezer beef (muscle score, rate of gain converts your expensive feed better = more money for the carcass). Noone is trying to tell you what's best for YOU. Just trying to short cut mistakes others (and ourselves) have made.

 

[alacowman1]

You don't have to spend $4-5000 for a bull. I have one of the top Simmental herds around, and I sell bull CALVES for $1850 - weaned and preconditioned. I'm sure you can get one a lot cheaper from many PB breeders around.
You described your bull pretty well. You see his faults. All we are trying to say is a bull can improve or lower the quality of your calf crop. Whether you are selling the calves right off the cow (muscle score & weight determines price), or you feed them out for freezer beef (muscle score, rate of gain converts your expensive feed better = more money for the carcass). Noone is trying to tell you what's best for YOU. Just trying to short cut mistakes others (and ourselves) have made.

$1850 is considered cheap for a bull here...and you won't get one cheaper,that's any good that is.. Going to go pickup a new one in the Morning that I wish I gave that for..

 

[Son of Butch]

.get with someone knowledgeable with Gerts before you make any purchases.

Amen

Only have had experience with one many many years ago.
All I can say is never again.

 

[Redgully]

Twenty odd years ago there was a herd of exceptional cattle up the road from us and i wanted a bull from them but couldn't afford the prices they got at the sales. I asked them if they ever ended up with a bottle bull calf could i buy it. One day i got a call, picked up the calf and he turned into a fantastic bull for us.

 

[greybeard]

Is he beefmaster?

how dare you insinuate that!

 

[alacowman1]

Couldn't get a good pic, he's too busy checking things out

 

[greybeard]

Couldn't get a good pic, he's too busy checking things outView attachment 15507

Good enough. The girls will say "He's a long drink of water and has a great ass!"

 

[TexasRancher]

He is very narrow...either his genetics has locked him there (acceptable) or he was starved of nutrition very early in his development (unacceptable for breeding). He looks like a bull you'd find in India's streets. As people spoke...any yearling calf he fathered at the sale barn is better then no calves.

 

[georgiabob]

His pedigree has a well known bull up close top and bottom. I question his diet outside of his mother's milk before i got him. I know he was basically living on hay and corn when i bought him.

He is very narrow...either his genetics has locked him there (acceptable) or he was starved of nutrition very early in his development (unacceptable for breeding). He looks like a bull you'd find in India's streets. As people spoke...any yearling calf he fathered at the sale barn is better then no calves.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Hay and corn - sounds like a good diet to me. That's what my weaned calves live on through the winter. Well, they also get good mineral.

 

[georgiabob]

Hay and corn - sounds like a good diet to me. That's what my weaned calves live on through the winter. Well, they also get good mineral

If the hay has any protein. No real reason to feed corn down here unless you're finishing one. We don't have winter.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

I should clarify. These are replacement heifers that will be bred at 14-15 months old,. All my spring born males are sold by October. And, yes ---- we have WINTER! LOL
Hay and corn should be a good diet to raise a breeding bull calf.,