The breeding season on many farms is coming to a close and the majority of cows and heifers should now be in calf.
The main goal on many farms is to have 90% of cows calving within the first six weeks and ideally, the remaining cows calving within eight to ten weeks.
After six weeks of breeding, many herds will introduce the bull – but it is also important to know when the bull needs to be taken out.
Breeding season
On farms where a stockbull is present they are generally introduced towards the end of the season after the majority of cows are in calf.
The bull is used to ‘mop up’ or get any remaining cows in calf before breeding comes to an end.
Although a stockbull has an important role to play on many farms, it is also important to know when to remove it from the cows.
A breeding season should have a start and an end date, and the bull should be removed from the cows at the end date.
Leaving the bull in with the cows will only potentially extend the calving season and have cows calving outside of the ideal calving pattern.
A compact calving pattern is what most farms are looking for and if a bull remains with the cows there is a possibility that cows will calve later in the year.
If a cow is still not in calf after about eight to 12 weeks, then farmers should consider whether it should remain in their herd. The likelihood is that it has poor fertility and is the kind of cow that should be bred out of a herd.
Safety
It is important that safety is to the fore when it comes to pulling the bull.
Leaving the bull with the cows for too long also increases the risk of a potential attack as the bull could become quite territorial.
No second chances should be given to stockbulls; any signs of aggression should not be tolerated.
Giving a bull a second chance could result in a serious injury.