Age

[kstaven]

Here is one for all you old pros out there. What is the youngest bull you have ever seen successfully breed a cow?


Had to ask because of a conversation I was involved in with a couple old dairymen to other day.

 

[Farmer Kitty]

We buy any bulls we use and generally look for 8 month olds as they are going out with heifers. So 8 months would be the youngest here.

 

[jhm47]

The Angus that I have seen generally are fertile at a younger age. My Simmentals are usually at least a year. Don't know much about other breeds.

 

[wynedot55]

you hitt some bull calves that can breed cows at 6 months.but thats very rare.most times they are ready to breed cows at 16 months old.

 

[Farmer Kitty]

We've never had trouble with the 8 month old holsteins but, as I said we turn them out with the heifers so size is more equal. We have had bulls breed cows at a younger age than 16 months and we don't keep a bull once it reaches 2 years.

 

[wynedot55]

kitty i raised a high powered well bred hol bull years ago.turned him with the milk cows at 16 months.an by the time his calves started hitting the ground he was a cow killer.his bull calves would weigh well over 100lbs at birth.we had to pull alot of calves.an get the cows up fast.that sorry devil killed 10 or 12 cows calving.

 

[kstaven]

I just had to ask for reference. Some oldtimers tend to stretch things at times and when I hear guys talking about bulls breeding at well under 6 months you really wonder if anyone else has experienced this. we have had jersey bulls breed at 9 months and that is the youngest I have ever personally experienced.

 

[wynedot55]

sometimes heifers will super mature tween 4 an 6 months old an get bred then.an calve at 13 to 15 months.calving that young is usually a big trainwreck.but you deal with it an go on.sometimes you might lose 1 or both at calving.

 

[Farmer Kitty]

sometimes heifers will super mature tween 4 an 6 months old an get bred then.an calve at 13 to 15 months.calving that young is usually a big trainwreck.but you deal with it an go on.sometimes you might lose 1 or both at calving.

????? I believe he is talking about the bulls breeding at 6 months or younger.

 

[wynedot55]

yes an i put a new old twist of info about the heifer calves as well in the mix.