# How old does a bull have to be to be fertile?



## PattySh (May 5, 2011)

Having a bit of difficulty again reading my heifer in heat!!!!  Wanted to AI but....Not having alot of land to graze and buying hay wondering if it is feasible to buy the youngest possible bull and put it in the freezer after the deed is accomplished? I'm reading 18 months for a bull to be fertile, is that right? I don't want to handle a bull that age, can younger bulls be fertile? Kind of wishing I hadn't castrated our steer.


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## Mo's palominos (May 5, 2011)

Usually by 12 months they will be really interested in the ladies, some even as early as 8 months, but not usually.


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## herfrds (May 5, 2011)

Some can be. Best way to tell is to have the vet out and have a fertility test done on him.


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## brentr (May 5, 2011)

12 months is about the earliest they are fertile AND able to accomplish the task, so to say.  But it varies from animal to animal.

Also, unless you plan to grind the entire carcass for hamburger, I don't think you would find the meat from a bull, even a relatively young one, all that enjoyable...not compared to a butchered steer, anyway.  The meat would be a lot tougher and not as flavorful (all that testosterone doesn't make for a great steak!).


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## WildRoseBeef (May 7, 2011)

It depends on the breed.  I think what you read as far as 18 months go is more for the Brahman breed than for the other breeds.  Most European breeds will have bulls reaching sexual maturity by the time they are around 10 to 12 months of age.  But it depends on the parent herd's fertility and the individual bull.  And those feed-tested bulls tend to have a lower fertility rate because of the hot feed they were on....and you gotta slim him down a bit when he gets home to increase his libido.

If you're going to get a bull, get a semen test (a BBSE or bull breeding soundness exam) done on him first before you put him in with your heifer.


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## PattySh (May 7, 2011)

Thanks guys! Didn't realize a bull didn't taste right! Well since my post my yearling steer has been loose twice! 2nd time today taking the heifer with him up the road. GEEZ! Guess I'm going to pass on the bull and can't wait to get his boy into the freezer this fall!  He's a pain. Hope I can read my girls heat. I have to pay better attention. We've been so dealing the the mud this year, the rain has been unreal.


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## jhm47 (May 8, 2011)

You should be able to breed your heifer at least twice for the amount of $ it would take to semen test an unproven bull.  A semen test around here is around $90.  Also, get yourself a couple of Estrotect patches.  They attach to the heifer just forward of her tailhead, and when another animal rides them, the patch changes color.  It's a very easy way to detect heat.


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## Jake (May 28, 2011)

First, bulls under 3 years of age make excellent beef, I defy anyone to demonstrate a difference between bull meat and market steers if they have been fed similarly. Older grass only bulls will have less fat, then young steers. Older animals also are not as tender as young animals.

Dairy bulls are routinely collect for AI testing as young as 6 mos in order to get data on their calves as early as possible.  Natural service bulls depending on breed and how they are grown out can be expected to be fertile from 15-18 mos.  There is no good reason why a 2 yr old bull cant be handled as easily as any other cattle. Halter breaking, and tying while feeding as a calf  is a big step in having them easier to handle. 

If you are going to keep cattle you need good fences, there is no peace without them. 

You didnt say what breed your heifer is or her age, if she is a small breed like Jersey or Angus you shouldnt breed her to a large breed bull, that is asking for trouble, age wise dont breed a heifer under 15 mos old, as she will calve before her pelvis is big enough to have a calf normally. 

Breeds that have large calves are Holstein, Brown Swiss, Charolais and most of the European breeds, dairy and beef. Angus, Hereford, Shorthorn, Texas Longhorn,  and Brahman have small calves.  Dexter will probably have the smallest calves. 

Heat detectors are available from vets and Cattle Supply Houses, there are several good brands, its a tube of dye in a vial mounted on a patch of material, you put it on the heifers back and another animal riding her will force the dye into a tube you can plainly see, if its red or yellow in the morning she will be ready to breed from afternoon on, if its colored in the eve then she can be bred in the morning. It is best if you have her halter trained or a working chute or several gates that can swing against her and confine her so the AI Tech can reach her for insemination.


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## PattySh (May 28, 2011)

She's a small Jersey/Holstein. She is tame and ties well. The vet did an internal on her  (to make sure she has all her parts!)just by leaning her against a side of a stall and it went very well. I have a steer in with her so we are trying some bright pink paint stuff on her tailhead. Thinking we will see it on the steer if he rides her.  The guy at the feed store is a dairy farmer and thinks it would work well for us. I think it's just because it's been so crazy here that I haven't caught her in heat. I haven't really rushed into it tho because she isn't huge. She is 17 months old. Hoping to catch her for a spring baby. We will use a small jersey for a sire. Still trying to get her to cycle so we can AI her. (Found out where they were getting thru the fence!)


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## Jake (May 29, 2011)

Jerseys are fertile early. Be feeding her to get some growth on her, you have time to get the A.I. patches ordered if your vet doesnt have them. A gate that will swing wide and then close in on her makes a pretty good restraint for one or two animals, you can drive yourself crazy trying to spot a heifer coming in heat been there, done it, get the detectors. The set forward between the hips and will only turn color if she stands, you know then that she will be ready to breed .

If you are going to A.I. look into Dexters, they will have as small of a calf as a Jersey. If you google Dexters you'll find a number  of places selling semen you can have shipped to your technician. 

There are a number of polled Dexters, as well as both red and blacks. 

Myself I'd go that way with your heifers breeding. The temperament of the Dexters is beautiful.


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