Bull showing interest?

[amysflock]

Will a bull continue to periodically "test" the cows even if they're pregnant? Is it a dominance thing as well as a heat detection/breeding readiness thing? Tabor has been here now for eight weeks and we've seen him test both Bridgit and Sheila many times since he's been here. He seems to switch between favoring one over the other for a few days or so (when we happen to be watching). But if he's still trying to rest his chin on their backs (and they're not standing for it, by the way), does that mean they're not bred?

They've both been increasingly ornery with him lately and we've seen lots of horn-to-horn action, even today (with both!). Not sure what that's about...maybe excitement that it's spring and actually warming up?

We really hope he's done his job. We switched Bridgit back to regular cattle grain (3 lbs) plus about 1.5 lbs of rolled corn to get some fat on her as she redirected nearly all the extra "stuff" she was getting in her 16% dairy ration into milk for Annabel (who's getting a nice plump little belly, the stinker). Hopefully she's had enough body condition to breed back. We don't want to have to have a bull here again for at least another year!

 

[jhm47]

Yes, like most males, bulls will be looking to mate whenever, wherever, whomever. I bet he's also doing a lot of sniffing, and sampling of her urine. That is what bulls do, whether the cow is bred or not.

If your cow came into heat, you should have been able to tell. The bull should have been mating with her often, sometimes up to several times an hour. He also should have been keeping close to her, and perhaps would have kept the calf away from her.

You could always palpate her to see if she's pregnant.

 

[WildRoseBeef]

Well, if they're not standing for him, and moving away that would mean that they are bred or not in heat. I think it's too early to have them preg-checked, but I could be wrong...8 weeks means almost 60 days...typically you'd preg check them when they're 90 days bred. (I think you can check them when they're 45 d bred, you still could feel something in one of the uterine horns at that time...)

Since the cows would show heat signs every 21 days, and if you haven't seen ANY heat signs during the 8 week period (or 7 week, depending on when the bull serviced them), then for sure they are bred.

I think the bull is just showing his libido...he enjoyed it so much he wants to do it again. Like jhm said.

Seriously, I think it could be that he's being too sexually active for them and he probably needs to be separated from them. As for the fighting going on, it could be about pecking order, or that they're just goofing off because of the warm weather (the steer calves get like that when its nice and warm out). Or that the cows are just tired of his insistencies and are trying to get across to him to leave them be, they've been served.

 

[Farmer Kitty]

I'll just add that for preg checks you will have to ask your vet when they do it. The vet that does our herd health checks starting at 32 days. The guys in the office start checking at 35-40 days. It really depends on the vet and how sensitive their fingertips are.

 

[wynedot55]

he is just being a bull.an checking the cows like he should.your cows should be bred if they was cycling.

 

[GrassFarmerGalloway]

Yes, they always check repeatedly. It's part of what bulls do.

 

[amysflock]

Thanks for the info. I was hoping he was just being a guy and trying. We never saw a mating, and I haven't seen a heat in Sheila in probably a couple of months. We never really noticed one in Bridgit (and thought she was underweight for breeding), but we did see some whitish mucus one day last month.

We will have them preg checked in a couple months..we're hoping to get everything done the same day (T-Bone castrated, Annabel Bangs shot and tatoo, and the mamas pregnancy checked). We'll need the bull GONE by then, AND need some sort of better handling facilities by then, because the vet we had out was really pissed at our lack of decent facilities (although he might have just been intimidated by their horns, too).

 

[Farmer Kitty]

We had a bull that was never near the heifers. I kidded with DH that his bull was no good. 9 months after he was turned out with the heifers calves started arriving. 19 in 2 1/2 weeks! Might be good for a beef farm or a large dairy but, we didn't know where to put moms or calves.

So, the fact that you have never seen a mating doesn't mean anything.

 

[wynedot55]

dang kitty yall tryed to kill that bull.

 

[Imissmygirls]

He was just shy and waited til it was dark
Nice boy!