After what was a very wet and miserable weekend, land conditions across the country have forced many farmers to now house the majority of their cattle.
If not being outwintered, one of the most important animals being housed during this time is the herd’s stock bull (depending on whether or not the herd is running a breeding bull).
Suckler farmers operating an autumn-calving system will have their bulls working over the coming months. Spring-calving farms, however, will be planning to give their bulls a rest during the winter period.
It is critical that a bull’s housing conditions and nutritional requirements are managed carefully. Poor management can result in a negative impact on a bull’s functionality, docility and can lead to an increased risk of it becoming infertile.
Housing
Firstly, taking a look at housing, stock bulls should ideally be housed in pens with a clean concrete floor, which allows for easy access for regular cleaning out. Bulls that are housed in heavily straw-bedded pens can be more prone to issues such as tender feet and this can result in their hoofs becoming overgrown and sore.
Moreover, they should be housed in a secure pen, with a supply of clean water readily available. Farmers should avoid entering a pen with a bull and it should be moved before entering if possible.
Farmers need to avoid housing bulls on their own in a dark and quite enclosed pen, as this can lead to them becoming more agitated and it increases the risk of them becoming more difficult to handle.
Bulls like to know what’s going on around them, so, ideally, pen them with view around the shed as this will reduce the risk of agitation.
As well as that, if another animal can be housed with them, it will reduce their level of stress.
Nutrition
Farmers need to ensure that they don’t overfeed their bulls during the housing period, as an overweight bull will have a negative impact on the farm’s breeding season.
They simply should be maintaining a body condition score (BCS) of between 3.0 to 3.25. Good-quality silage – of 72-75% dry matter digestibility (DMD) – should be fed ad-lib.
According to Teagasc, farms with poorer-quality silage need to consider feeding concentrates alongside ad-lib silage in order to maintain BCS.
Pre-breeding checklist
As the bull may be idle for the time being, now is a suitable period to consider taking care of a bull’s feet, if they tend to be overgrown or tender. This will aid in reducing the potential negative impact that lameness can have on the breeding season.
An overall health check, carried out by a local vet, can ensure that a bull is fit and healthy ahead of the breeding season. This will include a physical examination of the bull’s condition, testicle size and highlighting any potential injuries picked up during the previous breeding season.
Fertility testing should be considered to ensure the bull is fit and capable for the breeding season ahead. These tests can be provided by most local vets.