Young bulls

whatnow

Member
Location
Wiltshire
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?
 
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?
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
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
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
 

6480

Member
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.
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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