Post by Lannie on Oct 22, 2009 13:35:56 GMT -5
Seven is six weeks old now, and still a bull. The reason being that we figured by the time we bought the bander, the bands, and the tetanus shot, plus shipping, it would be about the same price as having the vet do it, so we decided to let the vet do it. In the meantime, the Angus guy that we take Cricket and Bandit to for breeding said he'd stop by in the near future and do it for us for nothing, so we said OK. But that was a month ago, and he hasn't been by yet. I figured if he hadn't come by to do it by the time we take Bandit back over to be bred, I'd have him do it there at his place, but that won't be until December. I hate to pester him, but I will if necessary.
Anyway, Seven is developing some strange habits and I don't know if they're normal or not. And whether castrating him will settle him down. He is only six weeks old, after all, and I wouldn't think we'd be having bull problems yet, but he does some kind of disturbing (to me) things.
First, when I give him hay, he won't eat any until AFTER he kills it. He drops down on his knees and mashes it all around with his head, and not gently. I'm envisioning him being BIG and trying that with me one day. He also "kills" his water tub occasionally, but not all the time.
He also butts me VERY hard whenever I'm trying to put the lead rope on him, but that's probably because those are the times I'm bringing him out to nurse on Bandit to get 2nd and 3rd letdowns. If I'm lucky, he only sucks on my pants leg, but lately the butting is getting harder and more vigorous. This might just be his nursing instinct (butting the udder), but it HURTS. I've popped him on the nose and yelled and he doesn't seem to hear or feel anything. He's zoned out.
Then this morning, when I went out to separate him after he'd emptied Bandit, he was mounting Cricket's head. He's confused, obviously. But isn't six weeks a little early for mounting behavior? I don't want that to become a habit, so do I need to get him castrated ASAP? Like making a special trip to the vet if the neighbor can't do it in the next couple of days?
I know I said I wanted a bull because it would be easier to eat a bull/steer later, but now I'm thinking that you can eat a heifer, too, and maybe not have to deal with all this bruhaha. Or is it his Angus blood? I feel silly even asking, but when our neighbor Joe found out we were taking Bandit to be bred to an Angus, he asked why in the world we'd want to breed her to a "crazy Angus" anyway. I thought he was just being silly - he's a Hereford guy through and through - but now I'm wondering! LOL!
So is Seven's behavior normal for a six week old bull calf? Or is he a tad bit on the aggressive side, and maybe we should get him castrated like yesterday? Cricket, for all her rambunctiousness, was an ANGEL compared to this little terror. If worse comes to worst, I suppose we could put some veal in the freezer, but I was really hoping to grow him out a bit before his date with the butcher. Is it possible this is just "play," and that he'll grow out of it at some point? Assuming of course that he's castrated soon.
Help?
~Lannie
Anyway, Seven is developing some strange habits and I don't know if they're normal or not. And whether castrating him will settle him down. He is only six weeks old, after all, and I wouldn't think we'd be having bull problems yet, but he does some kind of disturbing (to me) things.
First, when I give him hay, he won't eat any until AFTER he kills it. He drops down on his knees and mashes it all around with his head, and not gently. I'm envisioning him being BIG and trying that with me one day. He also "kills" his water tub occasionally, but not all the time.
He also butts me VERY hard whenever I'm trying to put the lead rope on him, but that's probably because those are the times I'm bringing him out to nurse on Bandit to get 2nd and 3rd letdowns. If I'm lucky, he only sucks on my pants leg, but lately the butting is getting harder and more vigorous. This might just be his nursing instinct (butting the udder), but it HURTS. I've popped him on the nose and yelled and he doesn't seem to hear or feel anything. He's zoned out.
Then this morning, when I went out to separate him after he'd emptied Bandit, he was mounting Cricket's head. He's confused, obviously. But isn't six weeks a little early for mounting behavior? I don't want that to become a habit, so do I need to get him castrated ASAP? Like making a special trip to the vet if the neighbor can't do it in the next couple of days?
I know I said I wanted a bull because it would be easier to eat a bull/steer later, but now I'm thinking that you can eat a heifer, too, and maybe not have to deal with all this bruhaha. Or is it his Angus blood? I feel silly even asking, but when our neighbor Joe found out we were taking Bandit to be bred to an Angus, he asked why in the world we'd want to breed her to a "crazy Angus" anyway. I thought he was just being silly - he's a Hereford guy through and through - but now I'm wondering! LOL!
So is Seven's behavior normal for a six week old bull calf? Or is he a tad bit on the aggressive side, and maybe we should get him castrated like yesterday? Cricket, for all her rambunctiousness, was an ANGEL compared to this little terror. If worse comes to worst, I suppose we could put some veal in the freezer, but I was really hoping to grow him out a bit before his date with the butcher. Is it possible this is just "play," and that he'll grow out of it at some point? Assuming of course that he's castrated soon.
Help?
~Lannie