1 day Ago By JEFF DEYOUNG Iowa Farmer Today
Most pastures are blanketed with snow or shades of brown, but it will soon be time to introduce bulls to cows as breeding season begins. That means breeding soundness exams should be on the calendar, says Kacie McCarthy, Extension beef specialist with the University of Nebraska. “We usually recommend doing those exams four to six weeks prior to breeding season,” she says.
“You want to do it early to make sure those bulls are successful.” McCarthy says by doing exams now, it gives producers a chance to identify a new bull if necessary. “You may have had some damage to the scrotum over the winter, and by doing an exam early, it gives you time to let that bull heal or find another bull to use,” she says.
She says a scab at the end of the testes is a sign of frostbite damage to the scrotum. “We’ve had some very cold winter days, so take a look to make sure everything looks right,” McCarthy says. “It would not hurt to create shelter or make bedding available to those bulls.
” Many producers may be using yearling bulls, and McCarthy says those bulls need to be tested before they are turned out with cows. “You want to make sure those numbers look good,” she says. “Those yearling bulls are still trying to figure everything out, and you want to make sure they’re ready to work when you need them.
” Yearling bulls may be on a high-concentrate diet to make sure they have the energy they will need going into breeding season, McCarthy says. She says all bulls lose weight during breeding season and adds body condition score should be evaluated regularly. She recommends a body condition score of five or six for breeding bulls, adding bulls that may be closer to six or seven are going to lose condition during the season.
“Most bulls will lose 100 to 200 pounds during breeding season, so you want to make sure they stay in proper condition,” McCarthy says. She says an 18-month-old bull should be able to cover 16 to 20 cows and perhaps as many as 25. “Take a look at the size of your pasture and how much ground they are going to have to cover and how many females they will need to work,” McCarthy says.
Bulls should also be tested for trichomoniasis, a disease she says can lead to infertility. “Do that test as you bring bulls in for the breeding soundness exam,” McCarthy says. Attention also needs to be paid to the bull hierarchy in the pasture, says Lacey Quail, Extension livestock specialist with North Dakota State University.
She says once that pecking order is established, producers may need to alter breeding plans. “Breeding is a learned behavior,” Quail says. “You want breeding season to be a good experience for those younger bulls.
” She says in some instances, younger bulls can be injured by the older bulls. Producers will want to watch who is becoming the dominant bull, Quail says. Quail adds bull libido also needs to be assessed.
“It’s important to understand with the breeding soundness exam that it’s an analysis of what is going on that day,” Quail says..
