Post by Tim in NY on Aug 10, 2008 7:00:41 GMT -5
Hello,
We've got a new situation coming this winter and I would like some advice.
A neighbor hays off our field, we do not have any equipment. He is a really nice guy who has lived in the area all his life. They have been super nice to us since we moved in. A few months ago he came by to check out Daisy and he was pleased we were getting into cows etc.
He then asked if we had any interest in boarding his beef bull over the winter. He said he likes to get his bull off the place in the off season so he doesn't get any out of schedule calves. In exchange he would fill the barn with hay enough for the bull and Daisy both. He said he's very fond of this bull and his temperament is very mild. He was especially glad that this bull wasn't "lazy" like the last one, whatever that means. We went out and saw him with his cows, he didn't seem to mind us but moved off when we got very close which seemed like a good sign.
We are planning on taking him up on the offer. For the one thing we haven't had time to do any hay this year and Daisy is much bigger so would need more hay obviously. Secondly, the bull would arrive right around the time Daisy is a year and a half old which is supposed to be the good time to breed a heifer correct?
That would give us a calf next summer some time which seems like a nice time to have a new animal to care for, more daylight for extra chores etc.
My main question is about housing the bull. Right now we have a pen that is about 45 x 30 attached to the south end of the barn with the entire south bay turned basically into a three sided shed bedded with wood chips. Is this enough room for winter quarters for a bull and a heifer or do I need to make the pen bigger.
The other question is fencing. Right now the pen is cattle panels attached to T-posts. I have plenty of locust so I could switch to locust posts. Do you think I need to do that? Should I add a rail as well?
Oh, He is a Hereford, I'm not sure how old but he doesn't have the massive shoulders that old bulls get, just the big wide bull head. He's pretty cool looking.
We've got a new situation coming this winter and I would like some advice.
A neighbor hays off our field, we do not have any equipment. He is a really nice guy who has lived in the area all his life. They have been super nice to us since we moved in. A few months ago he came by to check out Daisy and he was pleased we were getting into cows etc.
He then asked if we had any interest in boarding his beef bull over the winter. He said he likes to get his bull off the place in the off season so he doesn't get any out of schedule calves. In exchange he would fill the barn with hay enough for the bull and Daisy both. He said he's very fond of this bull and his temperament is very mild. He was especially glad that this bull wasn't "lazy" like the last one, whatever that means. We went out and saw him with his cows, he didn't seem to mind us but moved off when we got very close which seemed like a good sign.
We are planning on taking him up on the offer. For the one thing we haven't had time to do any hay this year and Daisy is much bigger so would need more hay obviously. Secondly, the bull would arrive right around the time Daisy is a year and a half old which is supposed to be the good time to breed a heifer correct?
That would give us a calf next summer some time which seems like a nice time to have a new animal to care for, more daylight for extra chores etc.
My main question is about housing the bull. Right now we have a pen that is about 45 x 30 attached to the south end of the barn with the entire south bay turned basically into a three sided shed bedded with wood chips. Is this enough room for winter quarters for a bull and a heifer or do I need to make the pen bigger.
The other question is fencing. Right now the pen is cattle panels attached to T-posts. I have plenty of locust so I could switch to locust posts. Do you think I need to do that? Should I add a rail as well?
Oh, He is a Hereford, I'm not sure how old but he doesn't have the massive shoulders that old bulls get, just the big wide bull head. He's pretty cool looking.