Farm management tips: What to consider when buying a bull
Sep 20, 2011
Bulls hold the key to better breeds since they contribute half of the genes of the calf. A fertile bull will produce calves with 80% to 90% of the cows he services in the first 21 days of the breeding cycle. An averagely fertile bull will only get 60%, hence making losses for the farmer.
Bulls hold the key to better breeds since they contribute half of the genes of the calf. A fertile bull will produce calves with 80% to 90% of the cows he services in the first 21 days of the breeding cycle. An averagely fertile bull will only get 60%, hence making losses for the farmer.
This is why it is very important for a cattle keeper who intends to buy a breeding bull to look out for the best. There are simple visible features that you can look for when searching for a good bull.
The head. The hair on the bull’s head, face and neck should be coarse in appearance and to the touch. The skin of the head, neck and shoulders of the highly fertile bull should be loose, thick and movable.
The tail. The tail of a fertile bull will be coarse from the top end down.
The balance. In a bull with low fertility, the spine rises above the shoulder blades. But a bull’s spine should be level with its shoulders. The animal should be balanced from head to tail and from top to bottom.
The scrotum. Looking at the reproductive organs is very important while purchasing a bull. The scrotum should be one of four possible shapes-normal (bottleneck), long and flat-sided, concave and wedge shaped (usually smaller than the norm and less mobile).
The hooves. A bull should have deep, strong hooves to give it the ability to walk well. Hooves are especially important because a bull needs to keep his balance when mounting a cow. All of a bull’s weight rests on the hooves of the back legs. The front legs are also important because they hold the hips of the cow. If the hooves are not balanced and are sore, a bull will not do the job well.
Walking ability. The walking ability and the shape of the legs are important. Make the bull walk around, follow it and see how the hooves touch the ground. See if it drags its feet and if it does, then it is not right. The bull’s legs should not be too straight and neither should they be too bent.
Remember once you have a good bull, it will be an asset because it will attract cows from other herds and, of course, these cows will come with some money.
Tip given by the Uganda Meat Producers Cooperative Union Ltd.
This is why it is very important for a cattle keeper who intends to buy a breeding bull to look out for the best. There are simple visible features that you can look for when searching for a good bull.
The head. The hair on the bull’s head, face and neck should be coarse in appearance and to the touch. The skin of the head, neck and shoulders of the highly fertile bull should be loose, thick and movable.
The tail. The tail of a fertile bull will be coarse from the top end down.
The balance. In a bull with low fertility, the spine rises above the shoulder blades. But a bull’s spine should be level with its shoulders. The animal should be balanced from head to tail and from top to bottom.
The scrotum. Looking at the reproductive organs is very important while purchasing a bull. The scrotum should be one of four possible shapes-normal (bottleneck), long and flat-sided, concave and wedge shaped (usually smaller than the norm and less mobile).
The hooves. A bull should have deep, strong hooves to give it the ability to walk well. Hooves are especially important because a bull needs to keep his balance when mounting a cow. All of a bull’s weight rests on the hooves of the back legs. The front legs are also important because they hold the hips of the cow. If the hooves are not balanced and are sore, a bull will not do the job well.
Walking ability. The walking ability and the shape of the legs are important. Make the bull walk around, follow it and see how the hooves touch the ground. See if it drags its feet and if it does, then it is not right. The bull’s legs should not be too straight and neither should they be too bent.
Remember once you have a good bull, it will be an asset because it will attract cows from other herds and, of course, these cows will come with some money.
Tip given by the Uganda Meat Producers Cooperative Union Ltd.