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Managing Red Angus Bulls.

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Christopher Smoot

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Dec 16, 2011
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Location
Panama, Central America
I live in Panama Central America and have a 22-23 acre farm. I just bought 6 Red Angus cows and was thinking of buying a bull also. I am new to the cattle business and was wondering what problems I will have with only a small number of cows on my land and with having a dairy operation next to me. Will I be mending fences and retreiving him often? Please any advice you have will be appreciated.
Also, if anyone is familiar with raising them in the tropics I would appreciate whatever you have to offer also.
Thank you sincerely,
Chris :???:
 
Welcome Christopher to the forum. Best of luck with your cattle enterprise. Ihave no experience of farming in the tropics but i suppose in general looking after cattle the basics all similar.

You mention a dairy enterprise next door, do they have a bull because if they have you might have trouble keeping him out when your heifers come bulling. Have you a electric fence or hot wire as they call them here.
 
We have Red Angus bulls and we have no problems with them. They are very docile and have a better temperment than our black Angus or Balancer bulls.
 
In my experience the only way to keep good fences ( and neighbors ) is with the largest electric fence charger you can afford!

Put a hot wire on offset insulators on both sides of the fence and the bulls will respect it!
 
I would love to put an electric fence in but I don't have electricity. I have excellent water - 2 wells (26'), natural springs (six- eight) and I border a river which never dries up. Possibly I can make a arrangement with my neighbor, who has electricity, to pay a monthly amount for the electricity. I'll talk to him.
I just talked with the gentleman who is selling me the bull and he thought I should have no problem for a while. The bull is 6-7 months old and won't even be hormonal for a while. I'm just a little curious as to whether I am being misled because he has to sell cuz he has sold his farm and has to clear out by the 31st of Dec. We'll see.
Wow! Thanks to all who responded and so promptly too. If I say or do anything stupid here please feel free to inform me of said stupidity. I am open to all criticism and ideas.
Again, thanks,
Chris
 
A solar powered fencer would be good for your situation. Or you could use a fencer on a car or tractor battery, that has worked well for me in the past. I have Red Angus cattle and they're very docile, haven't had a problem with any bulls yet and I always have 5 -6 bulls (over 3 years old) around.
 
Christopher Smoot said:
I live in Panama Central America and have a 22-23 acre farm. I just bought 6 Red Angus cows and was thinking of buying a bull also. I am new to the cattle business and was wondering what problems I will have with only a small number of cows on my land and with having a dairy operation next to me. Will I be mending fences and retreiving him often? Please any advice you have will be appreciated.
Also, if anyone is familiar with raising them in the tropics I would appreciate whatever you have to offer also.
Thank you sincerely,
Chris :???:
Click to expand...

Most dairys use A.I.---better proven genetics and no bulls to keep around.

If it was me--and I hadn't already bought a bull---I'd be checking to see it they A.I.'d---if so, they'd have a tank and someone with expertiece. And you'd have 'better genetics and no bull.....
 
I could probably use a solar set up except for the fact that during the rainy season it is cloudy alot. How much juice does one use if it is not in the process of zapping cows? If it doesn't use too much I could use solar or since I go there every third day I could have two car batteries and recharge at home. No, I don't live on my farm. Many people here in Panama don't. They have regular jobs and work them weekends and whenever else they can.
I am truly impressed with the quantity and quality of the advise here.
I have a friend here who is advising me to not pass go and sell the bull. I think I might try keeping him. I don't know the liabilities in the states if a bull gets out and has a tryst with a neighbors cow. Can someone fill me in please? Down here the justice system can hardly be called just. I have heard horror stories.
Is there anyone out there from Florida or Hawaii that can warn me about Red Angus in the tropics and some of the diseases I should watch out for?
Thanks again to all,
Chris
 
We run a 10 watt solar panel connected to two 12v marine batteries. Those batteries power a 3 joule fencer all summer long, 6+ months, without ever draining. As far as what happens when a bull gets out in the states, sometimes nine months later a calf is born. In our area, if a bull gets out and breeds some cows there isn't going to be legal action taken, unless it is a persistent fence crawler. In that case the bull may get a free ride to the sale barn and it may or may not be in the owner's trailer.
 
Well christopher, if you can only see your stock every third day then AI is not for you.
Good fencing is your piority as your stock could be gone miles in your absence.
A battery fence with a tractor battery will last severel weeks. Just make sure it is well secured against theft
 
Welcome to the board, be sure to post pictures. We all love seeing other parts of the country! Keep us posted on your progress.
 
So, apparently solar is an option. Excellent. Now all I have to do is hope that one of the "ladrones" don't steal it and sell if for ten bucks.
My next question is: Could I put the solar on the roof of the house and the transformer inside the house and run the wires outside? Also, how long can the hot wire be before the voltage drops to where it is not effective?
I guess I should have mentioned before that my neighbor's son takes care of the cows everyday. Even when I'm there. I have wonderful relations with the neighbors on one side and the guy on the other side is a abuser of the land, people, the law, his cattle - you get the idea. You can see the ribs on every single cow of his dairy. The grass looks like someone mowed it and there is a lot of unedible weeds they call broom weed cuz they cut it and tie it to the end of a stick and use it as a broom.
Oh, another question, how soon before my 7 mo. old bull "takes an interest" in the other sex?
Thanks,
Chris
 
ANGUS327 said:
4Diamond said:
We have Red Angus bulls and we have no problems with them. They are very docile and have a better temperment than our black Angus or Balancer bulls.
Click to expand...

Whatever
Click to expand...


Care to expand? We have all 3 and those are our experiences with them... Should I change my name to REDANGUS?
 
Hi to all who have shared their thought and experiences. I don't have internet at the house or farm. I have to go to a restaurant or friend's house. So, if I don't respond in what you might think is a timely manner that's why.
When I'm not at the farm my neighbors son takes care of everything. He is eleven and loving being my "Ranch Manager". He doesn't like school so I am working with him to teach him to read and basic math. He took care of the cows that were on the ranch before and knows how to handle them and where to put them to feed and when etc. The guy before paid him a quarter a month. I shamed him into giving him more last month. A buck. Wow. He is gone now and I am going to pay him what is fair and help him with his life skills also. They are wonderful neighbors.
I need to give them an injection soon and spray them for any new type of ticks I may have that they didn't have where they were before. And then in Jan I need to give them their anual black leg treatment.
I hope all of you realize how much I appreciate any and all comments. I won't say I was surprised, cuz you are Americans, but I am very pleased. The culture down here is a little different. There are helpful people but lets just say not as many.
Merry Christmas to you all. I sincerely hope you all have a very prosperous year in 2011.
Thanks again to all,
Chris Smoot
 
Would love to see some pics of your beautiful country when you get a chance CS .
Your bull should be ready to breed the cows in a few months, make sure you get him semen tested first if at all possible . Also you should ask your large animal vet or other reputable cattlemen in your area what vaccines they will need besides an 8 way and one for BVDType1•BVDType2•IBR•PI3 •BRSV
Am not sure if bangs ,etc are required in your area either.

Welcome to Ranchers and good luck will your new enterprise. :tiphat:

Merry Christmas and all the best in 2012 from Hillsdown Ranch .
 
4Diamond said:
ANGUS327 said:
4Diamond said:
We have Red Angus bulls and we have no problems with them. They are very docile and have a better temperment than our black Angus or Balancer bulls.
Click to expand...

Whatever
Click to expand...


Care to expand? We have all 3 and those are our experiences with them... Should I change my name to REDANGUS?
Click to expand...

I've had lots of experience with red angus bulls and don't find them "docile" they are the ones most likely to jump the fence or gate when you are working them. I don't know what a balancer is, some sort of mongrel I suspect. Why would you change your name?
 

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