Thinking out Loud

[Denny]

Faster Horses, the problem was the bull was too small. When we paid for him and claimed him in early March he was looking really good, and had the possibility of growing out really nice. But the catch is, is that they put him in a pen of steers and essentially ruined him. When we brought him home in early June he only weighed 1250 at 14 months, so in other words he didn't get pushed. So he is getting shipped as a steer with the heifer.

MN Farm Girl

I think I would blame the open cows before the bull he was plenty big enough to breed 30 cows if I owned him..I ran a yearling with 38 cows this summer and have'nt seen any bulling in the last month or so.

 

[the thoroughbred]

I remember when coming 2-year old bulls weighed 1200 lbs.
I don't think it was your bull...or anyway his size...

Good luck!

 

[MN Farm Girl]

Well it almost has to be his size because he checked out good on a test we had our vet do, but his scrotal size is only 34 and he should be around 44-45 or so. But we'll ship him and AI the girls.

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

Well it almost has to be his size because he checked out good on a test we had our vet do, but his scrotal size is only 34 and he should be around 44-45 or so. But we'll ship him and AI the girls.

34 isn't large but should be more then enough for that many cows.

 

[gcreekrch]

I agree with the herd, ship the cows. They only make the first mistake here. If you keep them after that they only cost you money.
Sounds to me like the bull is not a problem. If he was then why is it always the neighbors little dink bull that gets with your cows and breeds them?

 

[PPRM]

MN...An Option I look at....

I have irrigated pastures and am in the low irrigated country with hill/mountain rancehs all around...

I often buy some older bred cows in the fall or winter. Check the udders, but if they are good cows, here is my thot...

I get a calf in a few months from a cow who produced on a ranch for a lifetime.Many guys cull 9 year old cows, I can get three or four more calves from proven cows. I have better feed and put them on good mineral....

I have found a lot of the hiefers from these cows to be great producers as well,

PPRM

 

[MN Farm Girl]

Yeah PPRM, most of our cows are pushing nine or older, and they have excellent calves. The one is 14 year old but her calf slowly gets worse every year because of her age, but none the less the calf is healthy and just a little smaller. But you can diffently tell which calves belong to the older cows when you just see the calves, they just don't have the vigor of the middle age cows. Such as 4-9 year olds. But that's my two sense.