Young bulls

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whatnow

Member

Location

Wiltshire

• Dec 26, 2018

• #1

What age do people recommend starting to use a bull? For a couple of reasons we ended up using one last year at about 15-16 months old on up to 24 cows depending on how many the previous bull had served before being swapped. 22 pd’d positive, one empty, one freemartin.
Doesn’t appear to have done him any harm. Was it too young or all ok?

 

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Purli R

Member

• Dec 26, 2018

• #2

Cows are in calf, and bull OK, therefore that bull was old enough.
Another bull might not have been quite so capable.

 

CharcoalWally

Member

Location

West of Scotland

• Dec 27, 2018

• #3

whatnow said:

What age do people recommend starting to use a bull? For a couple of reasons we ended up using one last year at about 15-16 months old on up to 24 cows depending on how many the previous bull had served before being swapped. 22 pd’d positive, one empty, one freemartin.
Doesn’t appear to have done him any harm. Was it too young or all ok?

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As long as the cows just aren't too big for a young bull to reach up to, then your 15 month old bull will work away .

I've started working my last two bulls at 13 months old. They were both well grown and I drew a big cow out from the first bull . The second bull was running with first calved heifers; not mature cows anyway .

Don't give a youngster a cow that 's too big as the risk is that he will fall back off the cow after bulling her and risk hurting his back.

 

Forever Fendt

Member

Location

Derbyshire

• Dec 27, 2018

• #4

Put a 11 month old Lim bull out with 22 cows last june as the bull i was promised did not happen all appear to be in calf the bull did lose a bit of weight but has carried on growing ,Given the choice i would have waited to 15 month

 

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Davy_g

Member

Livestock Farmer

Location

Co Down

• Dec 30, 2018

• #5

I think it really depends on the bull, his maturity and size relative to your cows. The younger they are the more patient and responsible you should be

 

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6480

Member

• Dec 30, 2018

• #6

I let a 12 mth bbx bull in wit 70 dairy cows 2 years ago.no prob at all .i check his feet often

 

wellingtonfarmer

Member

Location

Herefordshire

• Jan 1, 2019

• #7

6480 said:

I let a 12 mth bbx bull in wit 70 dairy cows 2 years ago.no prob at all .i check his feet often

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I would check his nuts not his feet if he hadn’t got them in calf yet....

 

Martyn

Member

Location

South west

• Jan 1, 2019

• #8

Our 11 month Hereford just gone in with 9, 15/16 month heifers. Will have 12 month break then as block calve!

 

6

6480

Member

• Jan 2, 2019

• #9

wellingtonfarmer said:

I would check his nuts not his feet if he hadn’t got them in calf yet....

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Have over 30 calved from him in last three weeks never mind the 70 from last year

 

Forever Fendt

Member

Location

Derbyshire

• Jan 2, 2019

• #10

6480 said:

Have over 30 calved from him in last three weeks never mind the 70 from last year

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Nice tight calving pattern

 

DocPhil001

Member

Location

Holsworthy, Devon

• Jan 2, 2019

• #11

When we used to run Holstein bulls we worked them from 11 months or so and killed them at 24. Earlier if they miss behaved.

 

6

6480

Member

• Jan 2, 2019

• #12

DocPhil001 said:

When we used to run Holstein bulls we worked them from 11 months or so and killed them at 24. Earlier if they miss behaved.

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Seen some holstein bulls mishave at 12 or 13 mths. Had a very quiet holstein that threw 90% heifer calves for a good few years . Had to get rid of him because he had so many daughters in the herd

 

DocPhil001

Member

Location

Holsworthy, Devon

• Jan 2, 2019

• #13

6480 said:

Seen some holstein bulls mishave at 12 or 13 mths. Had a very quiet holstein that threw 90% heifer calves for a good few years . Had to get rid of him because he had so many daughters in the herd

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Yep. Didn't take any risks with them.