Page 13 - MWC 10-6-2022s

When to Cull Bulls Attitude The Midwest Cattleman · October 6, 2022 · P13
When to Cull Bulls

By Amanda L Cauffman, UW Division of Extension Agricultural Educator problems
and feet and
It is common practice this in the fall if they or their off- leg issues are
time of year to evaluate our spring have any undesirable two reasons
why
bulls
cows to make culling decisions, characteristics that would should be
but this is also a good time to make them unsuitable for the culled sooner
evaluate our bulls to deter- next breeding season. rather than
mine which sires we are going Most mature breeding bulls later. If a bull
to feed through the winter, and can maintain condition with is aggressive,
which have come to the end of the same winter manage- it may be in
their genetic contribution to ment as the cow herd. Howev- the best in-
the operation. er, since mature bulls tend to terest to our
Bulls, much like cows, can weigh more than our average
live ten to twelve years. Most cow, you can expect their per operation
and to the
bulls will remain active in head dry matter intake to be safety of our-
the herd for closer to four or more as well. If we assume selves, em-
five years due to feet and leg, a bull will consume roughly ployees, and other livestock to Culling bulls with undesir-
structural, and fertility prob- 2% of his body weight in dry cull the bull. It is important to able traits allows producers
lems, temperament concerns, matter per day and that a ma- understand that docility is a to invest in genetics that will
or injuries. The decision to cull ture bull weighs about 1,800 heritable trait. As a bull ma- have a genetic improvement to
many bulls happens in the lbs., they will consume about tures and gains weight, they the cow herd. It is important
spring after failing a breed- 36 lbs. of dry matter daily for may develop feet and structur- to understand that the bull
ing soundness exam. However, the nine months they are not al issues that may limit their contributes to 90% of the gene
producers can save input costs actively breeding cows. If we ability to effectively breed pool and has more of a genetic
(6 months’ worth of decent know a bull has a problem, it cows. It may be advantageous contribution to the herd in one
quality hay for a mature bull is best to cull him sooner rath- to cull those bulls now instead year than a cow will have in
will cost about $600 based on er than later instead of sinking of waiting to see how they pull her lifetime. There is a concept
current prices) by culling bulls more input costs into him. through the winter season. continued on page 14