Breeding season is a crucial time on the ranch. We begin with the hope of making a new calf crop to keep the ranch going. In order to have a good calf crop, you will need to ensure that all, or at least 90%, of your cows will be bred.
While many focus on getting their cows ready for this time of year, bringing the bulls you have ready is also a good idea. After all, 50% of your potential calves’ genetics comes from just one animal, the bull.
With the critical role they will play, you may be wondering how you can go about making sure that he will be ready to service the cows. Well, here are five tips that you can follow to do just that.
Tip#1: Let the bulls get used to each other
Now, if you have a small cow herd and only use one bull, you will not need to follow this tip. But if you use multiple sires, you may want to pay attention to this one.
This tip is essential if you will be bringing in a new or yearling bull to your place. Bringing a new animal can upset the balance among the animals. It is essential that you give the bulls a chance to establish their social dominance hierarchy.
What this means is that you should give them a chance to work out their “social pecking order” in the herd. You will want to provide them time to do this before turning them out. If you do not, they will do that instead of servicing your cows.
If this is going on, you may want to keep an eye on them. This reason is to make sure that they will not take it too far and one of them gets injured. This type of thing can happen when you mix old and young bulls. It is because the younger ones will not always know when to stop.
If you are mixing old and young bulls, keep the younger ones with others their age. The same goes for keeping the older ones with other older ones. Also, in this scenario, you will want to use the older ones first, and then you can utilize the younger ones in the last 3rd of the breeding season. This tactic will be so they can get any of the ones the old guys may have missed.
Tip#2: Acclimate them to their surroundings
This tip is accurate for any cows you will bring to your place. You will want to give them a chance to get used to the climate and surroundings before you put them to work. A general idea is that purchasing your animals within a 200-mile radius of your operation is best. This rule will mean that they are already somewhat acclimated to the climate they will be dealing with.
When bringing them to your place, keeping them in a pen with a group of steers or pregnant cows while they get acclimated is a good idea. Keeping them with cows will play on their “safety in a herd” mentality, making the transition much smoother.
Since this will already be a stressful time, it is best not to overstress or agitate them. The bull is already having a hard time with its new surroundings, and overstressing or agitating it could result in a dangerous reaction.
Another good thing to remember is that when you are offloading him, do not release him directly into a paddock or pasture. With all of the new stimuli going on, it may trigger his flight response. If you do that, it could be likely you will not see him again, and you may have to rebuild some fencing.
Tip #3: Make sure bulls are properly vaccinated
Much like your cows, your bulls should be updated on all their vaccinations before breeding season. If you are buying the bull just this year, you should be able to get that information from the seller. In this way, you will avoid giving him vaccines that he has already received.
If you have to vaccinate, you should do it 30 days before turning the bull out. This timeframe will give the vaccines time to run through the bull’s system. Thus allowing its body to develop the antibodies that it will need.
Regarding which ones to use, the bull should receive the same vaccinations that your cows get. However, if you are unsure, talking with your local veterinarian is always a good idea. This conversation will let you know any potential diseases that you will need to prevent from occurring.
Along with the typical ones such as BVD, it is essential that you vaccinate your bulls for Trich. Trich can cause infertility and even stillbirths, so there is no need to let it show up. I discuss the importance of preventing this from happening in a previous article, “ Preventing Trichomoniasis in your herd“.
Tip #4: Check BCS before the breeding season
It is vital that your bull is in a good BCS before breeding season. He will need to be in optimal condition. This condition will be in order for him to do his job, which will be to service your cow herd.
Now, you may be asking, “When should I be checking the bull’s BCS?“. Well, the rule of thumb is that you should check it for sure about 60 days before the start of the breeding season. Doing it now will give you plenty of time to get him to either gain or lose weight before he has to work.
Just like your cows, he should be at a BCS of at least 5. Though preferably, he should be more like at a 6. You will want him to be a little “fleshy” during his time. That is because it is not unlikely that he will lose some weight with everything he does.
As I mentioned earlier, checking it early enough will give you time to adjust its diet as needed slowly. If the bull needs to gain weight, then you can gradually increase the amount of energy that the bull will be consuming. If the bull is too fat, you can go with a more roughage diet to trim him down.
Tip #5: Do a breeding soundness exam
Before breeding season, breeders should conduct a breeding soundness test. Your local vet should be able to administer this test for a small fee, of course. They will check for things like the soundness of his legs and even his fertility.
Evaluating bulls with a breeding soundness exam is often one of the most neglected cow/calf operation practices. A question you may be asking is, “Why would I need to do that test when the bull looks healthy?“.
Well, according to a paper from Washington State University, infertility rates among bulls range from 15%-25% here in the United States. That even includes the ones that appear “healthy.” With a potential quarter being infertile, is it essential to know for sure if your bull is capable?
