Post by christieb on Jul 6, 2014 13:00:24 GMT -5
We're thinking about getting a heifer. She was just recently exposed to a bull, so if she is pregnant, she would be due in March of next year. Our cow is due end of Sept/early Oct of this year. If we get the heifer, we would want to get the two on the same calving schedule. So our cow would be cycling for several months before we would need her and the heifer bred again. We have a bull (he's such a sweetie!), and we're wondering if there are effective ways of containing him during that time. We've been told that there is no real way to contain a bull who does not want to be contained. Yikes! Right now, he is in with the cow (they are really close). But we will separate them before the calf is born, because we don't know how he would do with a calf, and really don't want to risk anything. Besides which, we don't want him breeding the cow right away. We have some really heavy cattle panels that we will use to make a pen for him. But will that be enough? Also, we can't drive anything very deep into the ground here, due to rocks. We can use cement, but again, will that be enough? My husband was wondering if it would help if the bull should be separated from the cows (across the property from them), if that would help. I kind of thought that if they could interact through a fence, that would help them not be constantly looking for/calling to each other. But maybe it would be less secure? We also thought about the possibility of finding someone to loan him out to for awhile, so that he just isn't around at all. I don't know if we can find someone wanting him at the right time, though. We might be able to ask the guy we bought him from to take him for awhile for the price of hay. Is removing him altogether even necessary, though? Just to give you an idea of this bull, he's a small Longhorn. About as tall as our 45" tall Jersey. Here's a link to photo: www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10202385021699876&set=a.1366237448979.47599.1622963168&type=3&theater He's a gentle bull, but when our cow was in heat, he did try to climb over a fence to get to her (it was just a short field fence). When I told him no, he stopped and backed up. But that was just a short wait (like a few minutes, while I convinced the cow to go where she was supposed to go), not months of waiting. And I wouldn't always be there to tell him no, of course.
So, I would love to hear the thoughts and experiences of other bull-owners on this! Before we can decide about getting the heifer, we have to have this issue figured out to my husband's satisfaction. I realize that life is very changeable, but we have to at least have a plan in place. Thanks!
So, I would love to hear the thoughts and experiences of other bull-owners on this! Before we can decide about getting the heifer, we have to have this issue figured out to my husband's satisfaction. I realize that life is very changeable, but we have to at least have a plan in place. Thanks!