Page 16 - Storth Oaks Angus Catalogue ebook

When purchasing a bull, care and handling after the sale can be as important
as the purchase itself. Looking after your bull well during the initial stages of
his working life may ensure longevity and success within your breeding herd.
Bringing Your New Bull Home

When buying bulls from far away, you may often have to fit in with
Purchase other delivery arrangements to reduce cost. You should make it clear
how you want your bulls handled.
Temperament is an important characteristic when selecting a bull.
Selecting a bull that may be flighty or aggressive will make life Arrival
difficult for you each time he is handled. Note which bulls continu- When the bull or bulls arrive home, unload them at the yards into a
ally push to the centre of a mob, run around, or are unreasonably group of house cows, steers or herd cows.
nervous, aggressive or excited.
Never jump them from the back of a truck directly into a paddock—
At the sale, note any changes of temperament by individual bulls. it may be the last time you see them. Bulls from different origins
Some bulls that are quiet in the yard or paddock may not like the should be put into separate yards with other cattle for company.
pressure and noise of the auction and become excited. Others that
were excited beforehand get much worse in the sale ring and can Provide hay and water, then leave them alone until the next morning.
really perform. Use the yard or paddock behaviour as a guide, rather The next day, bulls should receive routine health treatments. If they
than the temperament shown in the ring.
have not been treated before, all bulls should be vaccinated with:
Delivery
•5-in-1 vaccine;
When transporting your new bull insurance against loss in transit, ac- •BVD vaccine;
cidental loss of use, or infertility, is sometimes provided by vendors.
Where it is not, it is worth considering. •leptospirosis vaccine
After purchase tips: Consult with your veterinarian and draw up a policy for treating bulls
on arrival and then annually. Bulls should be drenched to prevent
• When purchasing, ask which health treatments he has received
introducing worms and, if necessary, should be treated for lice. Plan
•Treat and handle him quietly at all times - no dogs, no buzzers. Talk to give follow-up vaccinations 4–6 weeks later. The stud farm where
to him and give him time and room to make up his mind. the bull has come from may have treated him initially anyway, check!
•With more than one bull from different origins, you must be able to Leave the bulls in the yards for the next day or two on feed and water
separate them on the truck. to allow them to settle down with other stock for company. A bull’s
behaviour will decide how quickly he can be moved out to paddocks.
•If you can arrange it, put a few quiet cows or steers on the truck with
the bull. Let them down into a yard with the bulls for a while before Mating new young bulls
loading and after unloading.
Newly purchased young bulls should not be placed with older herd
•Unload and reload during the trip as little as possible. If necessary, bulls for multiple-sire joining. The older, dominant bull will not allow
rest with water and feed. Treat bulls kindly—your impatience or the young bulls to work, and will knock them around while keeping
nervousness is easily transmit-ted to an animal unfamiliar to you and them away from the cows.
unsure of his environment.
Use new bulls in either single-sire groups or with young bulls their
If you use a professional carrier: own age. If a number of young bulls are to be used together, run
them together for a few weeks before joining starts. They sort out
•Make sure the carrier knows which bulls can be mixed together.
their pecking order quickly and have few problems later.
•Discuss with the carrier, resting procedures for long trips, expected When the young bulls are working, inspect them regularly and
delivery time, truck condition and quiet handling.
closely.
•Give ear tag and brand numbers to the carrier and make sure you
have the carrier’s phone number.

Bulls are a large investment for breeding herds and they have a major

effect on herd fertility. A little time and attention to make sure they

are fit, free from disease and actively working is well worthwhile.