Cattle Breeding: Where Is Your Bull?
11/11/2009 01:26PM
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Where is your bull? The breeding season was months ago and the next breeding season is months ahead. Still, the bull is a necessary evil that must be dealt with.
Often the bull is shuffled off to a separate pasture and almost forgotten. It is essential that the bull receive adequate nutrition so he will be in good condition at the start of the next breeding season. If a quality pasture is available, it may be adequate to meet his needs. If the pasture is of low quality or unavailable, he will need supplemental feed.
Look at the bull to determine if his body conditionscore should be adjusted. Making adjustments now should be relatively easy since there are several months available before the next breeding season.
Most producers provide a mineral mixture that contains adequate calcium, phosphorus, copper, zinc, selenium and other minerals to the cow herd. When the bull was removed from the herd, did you continue to provide him with a mix? Failure to provide a quality mineral can drastically reduce a bull’s ability to produce quality semen.
The bull may be a problem to deal with outside the breeding season, but do not forget him. Take care of him now so he will be ready next season.
Source: Clyde Lane Jr., Professor - Animal Science, University of Tennessee