Bulls....

[jodywy]

I HATE BULLS......Don't want Feb calves....

 

[Soapweed]

It's either bulls, a magic wand, or no calves. I like bulls better than all the labor it takes for the magic wand, and it helps a rancher's bottom line if calves are born. Having bulls around is kind of like voting. Sometimes you just have to go with the lesser of the available evils.

 

[Shortgrass]

If a fella only had two cows, one of them ought to be a bull. (but, I bet he would hate the bull most of the year)

 

[4Diamond]

Agreed I hate them but gotta have em

 

[WB]

You need them two months of the year the rest of the time they are a pain in the backside.

 

[leanin' H]

My wife might continue this post by saying ALL critters of the male sex are a pain in the hind quarters!

 

[PPRM]

We have 3 sets of calves a year. It is part of our direct marketing so that we can have beef available year round (I actually buy from a guy who Calves in Feb for a 4th set). The point is, even with that much spread out work, the motivated breeders we like are still troublesome when they aren't with the cows. Thankfully, its only about 4 months.

 

[cowman52]

Mine sleep in a jug in the feed room. They don't tear up fences, they don't go wandering, never have sore feet, and if I want a different one, I shop in a magazine and I can use him for less than 200 bucks.

 

[Haytrucker]

Cowman; how many pastures can the little silver jug cover? And how far apart? Probably an apple's and oranges thing, but I'm sure you recognize the necessary evil most of us get to fool with in the spring...

 

[cowman52]

I'm a determined sort, have bred cows for several ranches in the past, most were just like you are imagining, scattered. It got easier every year, you learned the cows, the pastures. Best year was on a commercial place, 4 places, 2800 total acres, 55 miles round trip. Bred 165 out of 170. 3rd year on the place. Knew the cows, and how they would act. Lucky, you bet but 40 years experience didn't hurt, and best part was an owner who said do what you need to do.
We are breeding right now, we run about 50 head by myself, and very seldom breed 1 a day, it's usually 3 to 5 at a time, I finish in about 4 weeks, and if I rebreed more than 2, its been a rough season.

 

[Haytrucker]

Yes, sir; I understand your very efficient AI program, but would you care to get that catch on 500 and change running on well over 5000 acres? We go to big grass next week, as do the bulls.

 

[Haytrucker]

Then they start hiding in the trees. We could keep them up for a cycle, and might some year. In a former position, I helped AI 500 ish to a sync protocol. They checked the heifers on round 2. Nice calves, but we have hay to plant on this outfit. I'm pretty sure the collection station cusses bulls...