BULL SELECTION, FERTILITY AND MANAGEMENT
Spring is here and it is time to buy new bulls and manage the ones you have on hand. Select bulls based on production goals for the herd. Base decisions for selection on economically important traits. Also manage health and nutrition of bulls to ensure appropriate growth and maintenance. Producers should have the bull in good physical shape before the breeding season begins. Yearling bulls should weigh at least 1,000 pounds and be gaining weight as a rule of thumb and should be in a body condition score of 6 before turning out with cows. Bulls that are purchased and are too fleshy or fat may need to actually lose some weight or be conditioned slowly before turning out for breeding. Two year olds and older should also be in body condition score of 6. On a cow to bull ratio, ranchers can use this as a rule of thumb for young bulls, number of cows=age of bulls in months. Older bulls can usually breed 25-35 cows, possibly more if pastures are small and breeding season is extended. After bulls pass the age of 6 years old, semen quality and libido begins to decrease and ranchers should think about purchasing new herd bulls. Plan ahead and have your bull fertility tested and breeding soundness exam done this spring. Bulls should be tested to make certain they are capable of impregnating cows. Producers need to pay close attention to their herd sire, remember a cow that does not breed only loses the producer on calf, but an infertile bull could mean the loss of 20 to 30 calves, an economic disaster that few ranchers can afford. Producers should normally have their herd sires fertility tested by a veterinarian 45-60 days before breeding season begins, but it is never too late. The cost and time of the testing is relatively cheap compared to a whole calf crop. Many things can affect a bull’s fertility; these include nutrition, bull maturity, overuse of the bull, the environmental conditions, sexually transmitted diseases and many others. Observe for factors that may affect ability of bulls to impregnate cows. Some of these can be injury to legs, feet, eyes, hips, and reproductive problems. Watch the estrus cycles of your cows. If you notice a cow coming into heat more than once, it might be the cow or could be your bull that has gone bad. Bulls can become infertile during the middle of the breeding season.
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