# Small Herd Breeding - Buy Bull, Lease Bull, or AI?



## chaded (May 13, 2018)

Just wanted to get some different thoughts on this. For a small cow/calf operation of 15-20 cows, what would you choose and why?


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

If you can short term lease a bull at a fair price, I would do that. Then you wouldn't need a bull pasture to separate the cows from the bull, would not have as much worry with him getting out, and maybe a little safer liability wise if you did not have a year round bull. AI can be good but it is a lot more work.

Regards, Mike


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## hillside hay (Feb 4, 2013)

If you can regulate hormones to get the cycles you want ai gives you the most flexibility.


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## Swv.farmer (Jan 2, 2016)

If your neighbor has a bull do nothing and when they come in heat he will visit you and want coast you a dime.
My neighbor hasn't had a bull in 6 year's.


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## chaded (May 13, 2018)

Swv.farmer said:


> If your neighbor has a bull do nothing and when they come in heat he will visit you and want coast you a dime.
> My neighbor hasn't had a bull in 6 year's.


It's funny you say that because we had the neighbors bull over here for a couple weeks "visiting" with some heifers in heat that belonged to a guy leasing my land.


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## IH 1586 (Oct 16, 2014)

For ours we are AI. Breeding them in a certain window and if we don't catch them sync them. No bull to deal with. Not a fan of bringing animals in, like having a closed herd.


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## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

Owning a bull is so easy. Two months of the year he has to be penned somewhere but here he can go in the barn with some steers (though I prefer with a late calving cow if I have one) so it’s not terribly annoying.


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## r82230 (Mar 1, 2016)

I do what Mike says, rent a bull, most of the time. Once in a while I will buy a bull and keep him for two years, but it has to be years that I don't want to keep any heifers. I'm more comfortable about the grandkids being around with NO bull on the premises, is another factor.  My dad always told me never to trust a bull any farther than you could throw him. BTW, the rent for this year's bull is a chisel plow that I haven't used in 30+ years, is following the bull home. 

Larry


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

r82230 said:


> I'm more comfortable about the grandkids being around with NO bull on the premises, is another factor.  My dad always told me never to trust a bull any farther than you could throw him. BTW, the rent for this year's bull is a chisel plow that I haven't used in 30+ years, is following the bull home.
> 
> Larry


Ditto....and that sounds like a good trade to me.

Regards, Mike


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## Swv.farmer (Jan 2, 2016)

I have a friend he loans his bull out when he gets his cows bread so he doesn't have to feed and fool with him


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## siscofarms (Nov 23, 2010)

I have kept a bull for years but Im getting the set up and things worked out to start the AI thing . with 35 cows I think it makes more scence .


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## Swv.farmer (Jan 2, 2016)

I have a friend that ai his cows then barrows a bull to clean up what don't take.


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## Farmerbrown2 (Sep 25, 2018)

Swv.farmer said:


> If your neighbor has a bull do nothing and when they come in heat he will visit you and want coast you a dime.
> My neighbor hasn't had a bull in 6 year's.


 That reminds me of a story my dad used to tell . The first neighbor kept putting second neighbors bull back in there pasture. Finally the second neighbor tells the first neighbor you do know that's not my bull.


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