Post by Midgimoo on Jul 14, 2005 5:49:02 GMT -5
That does look like a heart on Tykie's shoulder doesn't it. I won't mind if his offspring all come complete with a nice marking like this
You know I was put off having my own bull for a long time because of the secondhand horror stories we hear on forums so I just used to borrow one for a few months. I know that they say that Jersey bulls can be especially dangerous but here (NZ) we have more people injured or killed by prime beef steers in the yards at the freezing works than what we do on farms.
A lot of the dairy bulls run with the herd for two or three months here and the cockies have learnt that it's best to let them go into the milking shed with the cows and ride the rotary platform than to try and seperate them. I laughed so much when I first saw this Some like to stay on the platform just eyeing up the girls for the duration of the milking.
I too think a bulls nature depends so much on how he was raised and is treated and handled. They are definitely much happier running with the cows.
If a person is confident and sensible in handling larger and sometimes difficult cattle, running a bull shouldn't be a problem. I would add that having a good strong secure yard (pen) is a must tho. I've often had to get the cows and the borrowed unhandled bulls in for TB testing and knowing that he can't break out is a must. They do get agitated when you've work like this to do and especially so if there is a cow in heat.
I've often seen it said about the miniature bulls being more mellow than standard ones. I wonder why that is? Is it because most of them are raised on the bottle by smallholders and are always around people and cows?
Tykie will last here as long as he behaves himself or until I need new genes. He's been a working boy for months but so far hasn't displayed any obnoxious behaviour. I'm in amoungst the girls and him every day but no matter what I'm doing I always know exactly where he is and never turn my back on him.
Having a bull can be a real pain in the bum when you have young heifers in heat tho. I've got good electric fences but if I didn't have them I wouldn't be able to have both a bull and young heifers. Jersey heifers hit puberty a lot younger than other breeds. Maggie started having heats at 3.5 months and she's the biggest flirt around.
Rena, does your friend have good yards, fences and is she a confident handler of animals? Is so, I'd say go for it and raise a bull calf, let him do his job then put him in the freezer.
You know I was put off having my own bull for a long time because of the secondhand horror stories we hear on forums so I just used to borrow one for a few months. I know that they say that Jersey bulls can be especially dangerous but here (NZ) we have more people injured or killed by prime beef steers in the yards at the freezing works than what we do on farms.
A lot of the dairy bulls run with the herd for two or three months here and the cockies have learnt that it's best to let them go into the milking shed with the cows and ride the rotary platform than to try and seperate them. I laughed so much when I first saw this Some like to stay on the platform just eyeing up the girls for the duration of the milking.
I too think a bulls nature depends so much on how he was raised and is treated and handled. They are definitely much happier running with the cows.
If a person is confident and sensible in handling larger and sometimes difficult cattle, running a bull shouldn't be a problem. I would add that having a good strong secure yard (pen) is a must tho. I've often had to get the cows and the borrowed unhandled bulls in for TB testing and knowing that he can't break out is a must. They do get agitated when you've work like this to do and especially so if there is a cow in heat.
I've often seen it said about the miniature bulls being more mellow than standard ones. I wonder why that is? Is it because most of them are raised on the bottle by smallholders and are always around people and cows?
Tykie will last here as long as he behaves himself or until I need new genes. He's been a working boy for months but so far hasn't displayed any obnoxious behaviour. I'm in amoungst the girls and him every day but no matter what I'm doing I always know exactly where he is and never turn my back on him.
Having a bull can be a real pain in the bum when you have young heifers in heat tho. I've got good electric fences but if I didn't have them I wouldn't be able to have both a bull and young heifers. Jersey heifers hit puberty a lot younger than other breeds. Maggie started having heats at 3.5 months and she's the biggest flirt around.
Rena, does your friend have good yards, fences and is she a confident handler of animals? Is so, I'd say go for it and raise a bull calf, let him do his job then put him in the freezer.