# Thoughts on keeping a bull from the herd?



## crhay (Jun 19, 2010)

I'll give the short story here, years ago I used to have a pretty large herd (for this area), sold out 8yrs ago. (too much work with not so high prices at the time) Now with prices getting so high, I'm building a herd back up. Only running 15 cows now, I'm dipping my toes in the water slowly, but will more than likely grow down the road! When I had the large herd, I ran 2 bulls, I'd pull them out and put them in a "bull pen" together to keep cows on same schedule, luckily they got along and didn't fight. So now with just a handful of cows, only got one bull. What are your thoughts on trying to separate the bull from cows to keep on same schedule? I've always heard its hard to keep a bull by itself, and its not good for them?? Thoughts or input?


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## Supa Dexta (May 28, 2014)

No, as long as you have a sturdy pen and a well tempered bull it's not an issue. - Well tempered in that you can get in and clean him out, or shuffle him around.. etc


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

We've had em by themselves before, latest fence charger and four strands of high tensile and they stay put. Have a charger rated up to 24 joules of output. It has buried my meter at over 16,000 volts and I just get a "HI" reading. He can stand there and complain all he wants, he doesn't cross though.

Did see when I had some steers in that mini lot one of them got shoved under it halfway, every time he tried to get back up it knocked him down again.


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## urednecku (Oct 18, 2010)

My uncle runs quite a few cattle, & used to cycle the bulls in for a 'schedule' of I think selling calves once a year. He's changed that the last couple years, keeping bulls with the cattle full time. Work them 3 or 4 times a year, figuring if his sell happened @ a slow market time he doesn't get low prices for the full crop. Might not get the highest price, but will average better than lowest. Also has a more 'steady' income thru the year that way.

Just something else to think about.


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## Supa Dexta (May 28, 2014)

But then you run the risk of having problems like my other thread. We started calving in march - bull out in april and by august we had 5 month old heifers getting bred. <_<


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## Nitram (Apr 2, 2011)

I've gone both ways...if cow loses on he's there to save a year


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## crhay (Jun 19, 2010)

Running a bull in year round is not for me, I know it would be easier, and a lot of people do it, but I'm over calving in the winter! its no fun, not enjoyable and is not worth it to me. One of the main reason I got out of it, You have to love doing it to raise cattle IMO, When you loose it, might as well get out!! I'm just stepping into it slow again, but I cant make it a miserable experience or i'll just get out again.

Supa Dexta, That's rough, It makes extreamly hard to manage things and keep cows on the same track!! Think about it.

You put the bull in,

9 months later you have calves,

To stay on same schedule, at 12 months, the bull needs to go back in!!

So yours calves are 3 months old, still on the cow!

You said you had calves 5 months old being bred, That makes it pretty dam hard to only have the calf on the cow for say 3-4 months and have to wean to stop the risk of having the heifers bred.

Knock on wood I never had a problem waiting 5-6 months to wean while the bull is in with them, sometimes depending on the size of heifer, Really the only safe thing to do is wean, then run the heifers through the chute and give them a shot of lutalyse! but who wants to do that every year!!


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## aawhite (Jan 16, 2012)

Coming from a dairy, anyone looking at artificial insemination in their beef herd? Always wondered how a beef guys puts an AI program together.

When we still had dairy bulls, we kept a single around in a special built pen. Fencing was cattle panels bolted to hedge logs split in half, every 4 feet (we're talking 12"logs split in half). 4 feet in the ground, set in concrete. Building was built out of White oak, including 2 x 4 oak nailers and white oak tongue and groove. Holsteins are just mean in general.


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

Do you have a separate pasture for the bull? Could you put a bred cow in with him for company?

I just moved 2 of our bulls to the "bred cow" pasture. The cows in that pasture are bred and their calves have been sold or retained as heifers. Heifers are in another pasture with some steers.

We are still working to get all cows on either fall or spring calving. With two calving seasons it is easier to manage the bulls.


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