Grazing heifers and bullocks together

[JPB]

Hi,
Any problem in grazing heifers and bullocks together? 7 heifers and 8 bullocks. The bullocks were cut by the vet, only thing is 4 of the bullocks will be 100kg more than heifers. I know it's not ideal but its just how they are working out to fit the fields this year.

Thanks

 

[sticky]

They won't hurt at all. I've had 23 steers & 24 hfs in a yard all winter without any problems.

 

[JPB]

They won't hurt at all. I've had 23 steers & 24 hfs in a yard all winter without any problems.

Ok thanks

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Graze all mine together and finish them all together

 

[pine_guy]

What they say. Only a problem if not clean cut. Which if the vet did them cut them rather than nipped should be 100%

 

[Little squeak]

How long ago were they cut? they will have viable sperm for several weeks.

 

[Gedd]

Graze all mine together and finish them all together

Do the bullocks not get all worked up when a heifers bulling

 

[Pan mixer]

I used to do this a lot when I had fewer cattle - only problem was that the odd bullock had a stone left (pulled back through the ring the vet said) and then we had 7 calves unexpectedly.......

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Do the bullocks not get all worked up when a heifers bulling

There’s either a bullock shagging it or a heifer so makes no difference....I find you get one or 2 bullocks rake on and the rest don’t bother

 

[liammogs]

Nothing wrong with it aslong as bullocks are cut properly! But at home we tend to keep them separate just for the fact that any time a bullock is spending riding heifers he's loosing weight/not performing and then there's always the ones that jump a heifer and come down on a stone and end up lame all summer etc

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Nothing wrong with it aslong as bullocks are cut properly! But at home we tend to keep them separate just for the fact that any time a bullock is spending riding heifers he's loosing weight/not performing and then there's always the ones that jump a heifer and come down on a stone and end up lame all summer etc

A heifer will ride a heifer so if a bullock is riding it then a heifer ain’t....there’s no difference

 

[liammogs]

A heifer will ride a heifer so if a bullock is riding it then a heifer ain’t....there’s no difference

Yea I can see your point, but my argument is if you can avoid it or limit the amount of cattle riding each other it's a better situation!! If your luck is anything like ours how many times we put a bunch of heifers with bullocks over the years and the morning or week before there due to go, a bullock running on 3 legs, been riding a heifer and come down akward! For that reason there now run in 2 seperate groups with us, I know it could happen to a heifer but it's unavoidable with heifers but if you can limit it only happening to a bunch of heifers and not both it's a winning situation?

 

[hendrebc]

I used to do this a lot when I had fewer cattle - only problem was that the odd bullock had a stone left (pulled back through the ring the vet said) and then we had 7 calves unexpectedly.......

Is pulling balls back through the ring a common problem? I've ringed my calves for the first time this year usually get a vet to cut them.

 

[Northeastfarmer]

I used to do this a lot when I had fewer cattle - only problem was that the odd bullock had a stone left (pulled back through the ring the vet said) and then we had 7 calves unexpectedly.......

Put 2 rings on

 

[Kiwi Pete]

Is pulling balls back through the ring a common problem? I've ringed my calves for the first time this year usually get a vet to cut them.

Depends what rings you use.
For cattle I use these

but if you use lamb rubbers I'd use two.

No worries with mixing them together, I simply put my heifers out with their bull for 10 weeks and then put the lot back together with the other 45 bulls and 3 steers when they'd all been serviced (and none had returned) .
No problems, although it might be different if one was open for trading.

 

[Karliboy]

At what age do you ring them up to without leaving it to late ?

 

[Pan mixer]

I use 2 lamb rings, one above above the other.

 

[Gulli]

I use one lamb ring, never had one slip back up on a calf. Have with a few lambs though

 

[hendrebc]

I use one lamb ring, never had one slip back up on a calf. Have with a few lambs though

That's good to know I've done 10 so far and was starting to get worried
Had a bull calf yesterday so I'll put 2 on him just in case and put 2 on from now on. They're cheap enough compared to the comebacks you can have from a rigged steer speaking form experience

 

[Northeastfarmer]

At what age do you ring them up to without leaving it to late ?

7 days